If we want to get to know the world, we must not cling to the district we stand on, but rely on the grains of soil and sand beneath our feet to learn about the world. But if we cling to the grains of soil and sand beneath our feet, we will only gain geological knowledge and not know the world. What is the meaning? “If we want to get to know the world,” the worldly language or the Dhamma language in the first sentence almost have the same meaning because it can be this world or the world of aggregates. “We must not cling to the district we stand on.” This means do not cling to precepts. Here the meaning starts to become complex. For example, if we cling to the fact that we are in this district, we will not know other districts even though the word “district” does not exist. Otherwise, if we know the area we are in, we will know everywhere because they are the same. The same goes for practice. If we look at the legs as legs, we will not understand the form. If the observer is us, we will not understand the true abstract. “But rely on the grains of soil and sand beneath our feet to learn about the world.” But learning all of this world relies only on small grains of soil and sand that show the three characteristics, as a tool to return to the form and name. When you understand the form and name of the grain of soil and sand, you will be able to understand the whole world as well, because they come from the same origin and are under the same law. “But if you cling to the grain of soil and sand under your feet, you will only gain geological knowledge and not know the world.” But if you study with the clinging to “soil” by being “soil,” you will not reach the true “soil”, because the true “soil” has never actually been “soil,” but is merely a cause and condition that creates change into what we call the temporary state of “soil.” But it itself is not “soil” and has never been “soil,” it is still “soil.” But if you just cling to being soil, and I know about soil, I am a person who is knowledgeable about soil, you will still be only a person who knows, a person with right view. You will only be a person who has knowledge of soil and sand, not knowing the true “world”. You will still not be able to enter the end of suffering until you let go of your mindfulness and wisdom, because right view is the ultimate, giving rise to right knowledge and right liberation. That is when there is true peace. If you are a warrior You might say, “The earth, the sand, the world, there’s only Dhamma,” or “Why should I care? Things are suffering. The more you get involved, the more suffering you bring.” This is a sword swing back, and the speaker will immediately know that the person they are talking to is not ordinary, but is starting to return to normal. … The first two answers focus too much on practice, and don’t see the big picture. If it truly comes from the mind, the state of consciousness ceases, consciousness, wisdom, name-and-form cease. But the final answer, gets very close to the truth of nature, called Nirvana, because it lets go of even the self, has no owner of any state at all, and dissolves back into nature, reaching emptiness. The rest, go and make it happen according to what you understand. All warriors, go and practice throwing swords. 2013-09-25