There was a great Theravada monk Ajahn Chah (1918-1992), in the Thai Forest
Tradition. In one of his talks 'Understanding Vinaya', he related that after he had begun to practice meditation, he went to the most revered master of the time, the Venerable Ajahn Mun. He was perplexed and had reached a dead end after reading numerous and detailed Buddhist texts on how a man should act.
He told Ajahn Mun that it was impossible to remember every single rule. Ajahn Mun replied that this was true if one took into account every single rule but, 'If we train this mind to have a sense of shame and a fear of wrong doing, we will then be restrained, we will be cautious.'
'This will condition us to be content with little, with few wishes, because we can't possibly look after them all. When this happens our Sati (Remembrance) becomes stronger. We will be able to maintain Sati at all times. Wherever we are, we will make effort to maintain through Sati. Caution will be developed. Whenever you doubt don't act on it. If there is anything you don't understand, ask the teacher. Trying to practice every single training rule would be indeed burdensome, but we should decide whether or not we are prepared to admit our faults. Do we accept them?'
'This teaching is very important. It is not so much that we must know every single training rule, it is more that we should know how to train our own minds.
'All that stuff that you have been reading arises from the mind; rather than doubting
al the time... be composed in mind. Whatever arises that you doubt, just give it up.
For instance, if you wonder, 'Is this wrong or not?' but if you are not really sure, then
don't say it, don't act on it, don't discard your restraint.'
(Food For The Heart. The collected teachings of Ajahn Chah. Wisdom Publications,
Boston, 2002.)
contd.,
Arunachala Siva.