Practicing the Dharma in Accordance with the Dharma
At Sāvatthī, the Buddha said:
“A monk who truly practices the Dharma in the right way follows a natural and peaceful path. He does not rush or struggle, but gently trains the mind to see clearly and let go.
What is in harmony with this path is this:
He keeps reflecting on the body—what we call form. He sees that the body is made up of elements, always changing, never lasting. It is born, it ages, it gets sick, it dies. Sometimes it feels strong, other times weak. He realizes, ‘This is not who I am. This is not mine.’ And slowly, he stops clinging to it.
He also looks at feeling—pleasant, painful, or neutral. He notices how feelings arise when we see something, hear something, think something. But all feelings pass away. Even the best feelings don’t last. So he learns not to chase pleasure and not to fear pain. Instead, he watches all feelings with calm awareness.
Then he reflects on perception—how the mind labels and recognizes things. One day something seems beautiful, the next day boring. He realizes that perception shifts, depends on mood, memory, and conditions. So he doesn’t hold tight to how things appear. He sees that perceptions are just passing images, not fixed truth.
He looks at mental formations—his thoughts, habits, moods, plans, fears, and hopes. He sees how these arise from causes: from memories, from desires, from past actions. They are not solid. One moment he feels generous, the next irritated. These mental states come and go like clouds in the sky. So he watches them rise and fall, without holding on.
He also reflects on consciousness—the basic knowing of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and thinking. He sees that consciousness depends on contact: eye with form, ear with sound, mind with thoughts. It arises with conditions and fades when they change. Even consciousness, the thing that seems closest to ‘me,’ is not a lasting self.
By gently observing these five things—form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness—again and again, the monk grows disenchanted.
But this disenchantment is not gloomy or negative. It is peaceful. It’s like setting down a heavy load you’ve carried for a long time.
He begins to understand deeply. He sees the truth—not just with thought, but with direct experience. He sees clearly:
All things that arise, also pass away. They are not worth clinging to.
And because of this deep understanding, he lets go.
He is released from the burden of the body.
He is released from being driven by feelings.
He is released from illusions of perception.
He is released from restless mental activity.
He is released from identifying with consciousness.
And in that release, there is no more sorrow, no more grief, no more fear, no more confusion.
He is free. Truly free—from all suffering and stress.
This, dear monks, is what it means to practice the Dharma in accordance with the Dharma.”
Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2025/06/05/practicing-the-dharma-in-accordance-with-the-dharma/
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