The noble Dhamma of the Supreme Buddha is mainly focused on taking care of the mind. It is a method of training, developing, cultivating and pulling off the taints that are deeply rooted within. Why do the teachings of the supreme Buddha focus on taking care of the mind? Because if the mind is not taken care of, the words spoken will be unguarded, the bodily actions will be unguarded and thoughts will be unguarded. If the mind is not taken care of, the wrong done by words cannot be prevented, the wrong actions cannot be prevented and wrong thoughts cannot be prevented.

From what do we have to protect the mind from? Mind needs to be protected from the defilements that arise in the mind that are destructive. They are the main root defilements; greed, hatred and delusion, and the other taints that arise due to the root defilements, such as jealousy, ill-will, covetousness, ingratitude etc. Similar to rust which corrodes iron, these taints destroy the bearer.

The bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct or mental misconduct is done when the mind is overcome with defilements. Let us think for a moment about a time we behaved uncivilly through body, speech or mind. Did we do it with a calm quiet and happy mind? Or with a mind overcome with anger or jealousy or desire? If we are true to ourselves the answer should be the latter. Therefore, when our mind is overcome with defilements our actions become harsh, cruel causing pain to us and to others.

If the defilements in the mind are nourished, it will defeat the goodness. How defilements can overpower a person can be explained more clearly with a simile. Imagine an elephant catches you with his huge legs and trunk. Now who is in charge of the situation? The elephant is and it can do whatever it wants. What can you do? Nothing. When you are overpowered by anger, desire or any other defilement, you are like the person caught by the elephant. It is the defilement that has the power. It can make you do anything. It can make you kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, cheat, use harsh and useless words etc. It could completely destroy you.

What is the opposite of this? When the mind if protected from defilements, the words spoken will be decent, bodily actions will be attentive and thoughts will be virtuous. The wrong carried out by the body, speech and mind will gradually lessen. When all the taints are pulled off, the mind will become pure, and as a result bodily actions, speech and mental thoughts will be pure. Every goodness through body, speech and mind occurs in a pure mind free from defilements. That is why the Supreme Buddha’s teachings focus on uprooting defilements, protecting and developing the mind. A properly protected mind is like a properly thatched house. No matter how heavy the rain is, the house is protected since it is properly thatched.

The noble Dhamma leads the disciple towards noble serenity. This serenity in an order of a supreme Buddha is three fold; serenity in bodily actions, verbal actions and mental actions. This state is a result of a mind free from defilements, a mind composed within. The Supreme Buddha upon reaching the noble serenity taught the Dhamma to reach that serenity.

By Prajapathi Jayawardene