| cca (Truth or Honesty). Honesty unites people | | | | to sense pleasures are common to all, so |
| who live together; for example, husband and wife, | | | | everyone should benefit from them while they |
| relatives and friends, one’s social group, | | | | are alive, for when they are dead, they cannot |
| one’s village, and so on until one comes to | | | | take them along. So we ought to share with each |
| one’s district and country. Society will | | | | other until we become gold mines filled with virtue |
| break up if it is composed of dishonest people. | | | | and merit which will support us both in this world |
| If people are honest in business, their business | | | | and the next. |
| becomes wholesome. If fathers, mothers, | | | | These four virtues are called Dhamma for the lay |
| husbands, wives, childred and relatives are honest, | | | | people. It is this Dhamma which holds society |
| then their families become wholesome. If citizens, | | | | together which leads to happiness and which |
| councilors, governors of the community and rulers | | | | establishes existence in both the human and |
| of the nation are honest, then the nation | | | | heaven states. One who is a householder cannot |
| becomes wholesome. “Saccam Have | | | | lose by it; and as for one who is a monk, he |
| Sadhutanam Rasanam” (As far as benefit | | | | must also maintain these Dhamma virtues as his |
| is concerned, truth has the best flavour). | | | | basis or foundation which must be firmly |
| Because of keeping to the truth, one gains a | | | | established before he goes on to develop further |
| good repatation and is well respected. Because | | | | aspects of Dhamma. |
| honesty brings people together, the truthful man | | | | If those who want to practice the further |
| does not bring discord into his society. Truth is | | | | aspects of Dhamma have not cultivated these |
| thus a Dhamma virtue which brings many | | | | four Dhamma virtues, then the group to which |
| benefits. | | | | they belong cannot become strong and |
| When honesty and truth make up society and | | | | harmonious. This is so because, all people in that |
| yet one finds that there is no harmony or | | | | group experience some things which they like and |
| concord, then one should investigate to see why | | | | others which they dislike. If they do not practice |
| this is so. One is sure to find that it is due to | | | | restraint of the heart, forbearance, truthfulness |
| greedy attachment to things. Thus, they want to | | | | and generosity, they are then free to follow their |
| get ours, and we stop them; and when we want | | | | lower nature (Kilesa), which is made up of greed, |
| to get theirs, they stop us. This is the reason for | | | | hate and delusion that flow out of the heart. |
| the break up of that society. Therefore one | | | | One’s heart without these four controls, is |
| should develop the fourth Dhamma virtue, which | | | | like a car without brakes which will run over |
| is: | | | | animals and people and other things, causing |
| 4. Caga (Generosity or Benevolence). This means | | | | destruction and loss. The heart, not having any |
| the sharing of those things with others that we | | | | control bursts out, and with nothing to check it, |
| ought to share with them, so that when we have | | | | flows into the body and speech so that they also |
| something that they need, then we share it with | | | | break into activities which are false and deceitful. |
| them; or if they have something that we need, | | | | The wrong practice of morality causes one to fall |
| then they share it with us. | | | | from the human or heaven states to the states |
| If all are prepared to give, then there is no | | | | of misfortune. One who does not understand and |
| “ours” and “their”. | | | | guard his heart has a changeable heart which is |
| In this realm of sense desires, people want sense | | | | liable to swing between depressed and elated |
| pleasures, and the external objects that give rise | | | | states (Hell and Heaven) in this very life. |