The Dhamma Weapon

The term ‘Majjhimā’, or suitability, refers to the application of the Dhamma weapon to encounter and overwhelm any kind of kilesa that might appear. When the strength of this Dhamma weapon matches the strength of the kilesas, then we can withstand them. But there is still the possibility of the kilesas overwhelming and defeating us. But if we are tough and a lot more forceful than the kilesas, then they will steadily diminish…

One must steadily and constantly do the work of suppressing and eradicating the kilesas…

You must really strive in achieving this, for it is the most valuable treasure—much more precious than all the other possessions of the world that are highly cherished and valued, with tremendous greed for them, and boundless desire to acquire them. Although one might already have lots of them, one still wants more of them. This is the way of lobha or greed. The ambition for power and influence is also the work of the kilesas. Greed, or lobha, is the work of the kilesas. Hatred is the work of the kilesas. Delusion is the work of the kilesas, as well as the confusion and trouble of both the body and the heart. They are all the work of the kilesas. They are not the work of Dhamma.

Although it might have to go through dukkha, the work of Dhamma is the work for happiness. This dukkha is the investment capital; the sukha is the profit that arises therefrom. This is not the dukkha that is damaging and menacing without there being any reward, like the dukkha created by the kilesas to destroy people. This dukkha is different.

When we strive in our exertion, if there is dukkha then let us face it, so long as the results are steadily forthcoming and the heart becomes more blissful and joyful until we arrive at the state of perfection when all of our burdens will be discarded. The battle that has been raging intensely against the kilesas like a Dhamma-cakka turning around relentlessly and ceaselessly both day and night, while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, with the exception of the time when we go to sleep will cease immediately when all of our enemies have been totally vanquished. Then the weapon that countered the kilesas, or the mode of our practice that has been turning around like a revolving wheel, will also cease immediately. This is because all of the opposition and all of the enemies that we have been contending with, have all totally disappeared. The battle between the kilesas and the citta has now come to a decisive conclusion. We have won. The conquering of oneself, which is the conquering of the kilesas within one’s heart, is far more supreme than conquering other people or winning battles a hundred thousand times. We have to accomplish this task.

This reflection by Ajaan Mahā Boowa Ñāṇasampanno is from the book, Forest Desanas,
Volume 1, The Dhamma Weapon.