All the steps of developing yourself to a greater self must be taken unhurriedly so that their full meanings will ripen in your mind. There is no short cut to the practice of self-cleansing. The mind cannot be cleansed by mere wishful thoughts, it must be purified by virtues which shake loose the dusts of defilements. But it is not that easy to remove defilements accumulated through the distant past, they have taken firm root, and they are holding on with the greatest resistance towards their uprooting! So it should be known that great effort must be exercised before even an indentation can be made. It will take time and pain for anyone who seeks victory. That is why the accomplished ones who have conquered their filthy minds are called the victorious ones.
It is not easy to win any victory and this, the greatest victory of lifetimes that sets one free from the bondage of samsaric existence, will be unimaginably difficult to win. But win you must because the goal must be won or suffering into the distant future will continue. The goal is priceless! Let not difficulties deter you. Let not obstacles dishearten you. Begin the attack repeatedly, constantly and persistently and win battles after battles.
Do not worry when you can be victorious. Recognise all defilement as obstacles to your freedom from birth and death and the limitless pains. Remove them from your mind because they are your causes of pain and misery and the sooner you make a firm decision to become a victorious one, the more ready you will be. Do not weaken. At first all will seem impossible, but through perseverance, energy will flow through you, you will learn to gather inner strength and develop it into vital energy. Once you are on the road to self-cleansing, you will abhor defilements and will be resolute in your battles to remove them from your mind. You will then be on the path of liberation and your life will take a new turn. Being able to recognise your own weaknesses and defilement of the mind is the great awakening that is needed to persuade you to change for the better, to live a life which is more meaningful to yourself which in turn will definitely benefit all who are with you and around you. The ugliness of mental poisons must be recognised before your first step can be taken. Know your enemies, in fact, know your own self and then you have awakened!
Then you will be ashamed of your past and will resolve to change in the present for the good of the future. Take a turn, take this turn to change your deluded views on life and begin to plant good roots for the future. Make your own future a good and happy one such that you will no longer live selfishly, in ignorance and causing hurt to others!
Tuesday, 29th January 1985 (12th Moon 9th Day)