In the life of a human being — whether in worldly matters or in the Dhamma — the one quality that must serve as the foundation of the mind is enduring perseverance. Without enduring perseverance, one cannot prevail. One cannot excel in worldly life, nor can one excel in the life of the Dhamma. It is for this reason that revered elder monks, upon the conclusion of the Rains Retreat, lead their disciples on Dhutanga (Monk’s Pilgrimage) — the practice of wandering asceticism — for the purpose of forging within them the quality of steadfast endurance.
If you are able to continue living within the Sasana, the quality of steadfast endurance will arise within you — and you will be able to uphold and preserve Buddhism so that it endures in this world for as long as possible. But if you must leave the monastic life and disrobe, that is of no reproach. Return to life in the world, and continue as a Buddhist of steadfast endurance, building goodness within the lay life that is yours. In doing so, you will not have wasted this precious human birth — a birth in which you have had the great fortune to encounter Buddhism.
Catumaharajika Pavilion, Wat Phra Dhammakaya February 9th, 2015
