In raising and guiding children and grandchildren, many parents say that no matter what they tell them, the children rarely listen — and they do not know what to do. In truth, we ourselves were once the same. When we were young, we were prone to forgetting. The reason we have come this far and achieved what we have today is because our parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles trained us steadily — beginning with simple things and gradually progressing to more difficult ones, practicing continuously until good habits were formed.
They also took care to show us the benefits and rewards that came from conducting ourselves in those ways — until what began as a habit of goodness gradually became moral character, then inner virtue, and ultimately the highest virtue of all: the complete liberation from defilement and suffering, just as the Arahants of the Buddha’s time attained, and just as our Lord Buddha himself attained.
Such is the process of training a person. And it must be said again: all Dhamma will arise within the heart through diligent, continuous practice until it becomes habit. Observing the precepts — do so continuously until it becomes habit. Giving alms, offering food to monks, participating in Kathina Ceremony and robe-offering ceremony — do so continuously until it becomes habit. Chanting and meditating — do so continuously until it becomes habit. From habit, these practices refine themselves into moral character and inner virtue, layer by layer — much like watering the roots of a tree, from which the trunk, leaves, blossoms, and fruit naturally emerge in their own time.
From the Sunday Public Moral Training Program Kaew Saraphatnuek Hall, Wat Phra Dhammakaya
March 8th, 2015
