The Mind Like Clear and Placid Water

All methods of practice as taught by the Buddha focus on the mind; when we practice we are also learning how to discipline our minds.

A well-composed mind resembles clear and placid water that truthfully reflects whatever appears above it. Likewise, when our minds attain absolute tranquility, we will be able to grasp the essence of everything.

The purpose of reciting the name of the Buddha is to help still our minds so that they may be as pure and tranquil as placid water. A restless and scattered mind resembles muddy water from which evil and discriminatory ideas easily arise.

When our minds are in such a state, we are prone to make distinctions of what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and think, thereby, indulge in the pursuit of sensual passions. Therefore, we must recite the name of the Buddha to the extent that our minds become absolutely clear and pure, neither defiled by nor attached to sense objects.

When we reach that stage, naturally we will not cling to the five skandhas (form, sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness). With our six organs untainted by the six causes of impurity, we can truly realize the emptiness of the five skandhas [and] thus be free of all vexations.

Then we can naturally help to relieve all sentient beings from their misery. And with the essence of our minds enlightened and our wisdom unfolded, we can easily comprehend even the most abtruse buddhadharma.

~ Analects of Master Kuang-ch'in

Not Your Usual Fish Dinner

We should not readily pass on to others

  what we do not know for sure.

It all started innocently enough. Mr. and Mrs. Trout were at the annual company dinner. Everyone had finished their salads and was waiting for the soup to be served. Mr. Bass turned to Mrs. Trout. “You’ve heard about Mr. and Mrs. Dolphin haven’t you?”

Mrs. Trout replied, “No. What about?”

“Well, they’re getting a divorce!” Mr. Bass informed her.

Mrs. Trout was shocked. “A divorce! I can’t imagine it. They’re such a wonderful couple. How did you hear of it?”

Mr. Bass confidently told her, “I heard it from Mr. Flounder, who heard it from Mrs. Turtle.”

“Oh dear,” said Mrs. Trout. “I wonder what they will do about their beautiful house.”

“I hear they’re going to sell it. She’s moving back in with her mother while she looks for a job. He’s going to ask for a transfer to another department. He may even leave the bay and move somewhere else.” Mr. Bass certainly did seem to know all about the Dolphins.

As the soup was served, Mrs. Trout turned to her husband and told him the news. Mr. Trout then passed it on to Mr. Cod, who was sitting next to him, and pretty soon everyone at the dinner heard the news. The waitpersons also heard about it when they were serving the food and clearing the dishes. They in turn told the kitchen staff, so soon everyone in the restaurant knew all about the Dolphins and their divorce.

Then to everyone’s amazement, the Dolphins entered the dining room laughing together. They apologized as they took their seats, explaining that they had gotten caught in traffic. Mr. and Mrs. Trout and all the others were befuddled at how happy the Dolphins seemed. You’d never guess from their behavior that they were getting a divorce.

Then it happened. Mrs. Jellyfish couldn’t stop herself. She looked at the Dolphins and tearfully blurted out, “I’m so sorry!”

The Dolphins looked at her. They had no idea what she was sorry about. Mrs. Dophin gently patted a tentacle and said, “There, there. Why are you sorry?”

“Your divorce! Everyone’s talking about it,” cried Mrs. Jellyfish.

Mr. Dolphin dropped his soupspoon. “Divorce? We’re not getting a divorce! Where did you hear that? In fact, we’re about to sell our house and buy another to be closer to Mrs. Dolphin’s parents. And after I get my promotion, we’re going on a trip.”

Silence fell. Everyone stared at their soup and thought about what had just happened. It was a case of Mrs. Someone telling Mr. Someone, and everyone believing what they heard.

Mr. Trout stood up and cleared his throat. “I want to apologize to both of you. I repeated a rumor. Next time, I’ll check before I talk about others. I hope you will accept our best wishes for your good news. I also hope you’ll forgive us.”

Mr. and Mrs. Dolphin smiled at their friends and Mr. Dolphin said, “Apology accepted, and thank you all for your good wishes. Please, enjoy your dinner.” Everyone was greatly relieved.

Unless we know something to be true,

we should not repeat it to others.

Rushing Headlong to Discrimination

We perceive through our five senses (Five Consciousnesses): eyes, ears, nose, mouth, body. So we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

We process what we have sensed through our mind (Sixth Consciousness). So we perceive. Tree. Man. Cat. Book.

Our problems arise with the next step. We judge and discriminate (the seventh or Mana Consciousness). This is good; that is bad. This is right; that is wrong. This is beautiful; that is ugly. And so it becomes easy to think "This is a good-looking person. That is an unattractive person. I like the first but not the second."

Finally, everything from the first seven consciousnesses is stored in the eighth consciousness, our Alaya Consciousness.

The minds of ordinary people rush headlong from the sixth consciousness of perception to the seventh, which is discrimination. Ordinary beings judge and sentence, and are not even aware that this is constantly occurring.

The minds of awakened beings settle into tranquility as they clearly see the tree, the man, the cat, the book. But there is no judging. No discrimination. They have no wandering thoughts or attachments as their eyes, ears, nose, mouth, body, and mind encounter the external environment. There is no good or bad, only beings in need of help so that they too can awaken and dwell in tranquility and peace.

The State of "Mindlessness"

We practitioners ought to relinquish our attachments all the time so that we would be free of secular concerns toward the end of our lives.

If you continue to indulge yourself, there is the grave danger that you may go astray at this crucial moment of rebirth. Therefore, try to maintain the serenity of your mind while discarding all distinctions between good and bad. You will then attain the state of "mindlessness."

This, however, does not mean that you have become indifferent; rather, it means that you have let go of your sense of discrimination. The attainment of such a state will then be a clear indication of your genuine prowess in practice.

~ Analects of Master Kuang-ch'in

The True Nature of "I Am"

In a recent discussion, we were talking about one of the Eight Sufferings—the suffering of old age.

We suffer because each of us is attached to our idea of who “I” am. Perhaps we identify ourselves as “artist” or “surgeon” or “singer.” Then, one day, comes the realization that the skills that have become an intrinsic part of who we are have slipped beyond our ability to perform them. We are unable to paint the mermaid we see so clearly in our mind, unable to perform an operation that could save a young man’s life, unable to sing the classical music that people have been enthralled by for the last two hundred years. We are no longer an “artist,” or a “surgeon,” or a “singer.”

We can no longer practice the skill that enabled us to help or to inspire others, the skill that gave us our identity and which made us special,.Initially, we are hit by a wave of intense loss. If we remain attached to our idea of “I am …,” our sense of loss will never subside. And this will cause us great suffering.

But if we understand that everything truly is impermanent, that we are more than artist or surgeon or singer, our suffering will abate. After all, our life is a series of “I am…” I am a strong and nimble child. I am a student who can study all night and stay awake through class the next day. I am a daughter who can visit her parents and know that there are two people on this earth who love me unconditionally.

So we each can say “I am” of many things. All of which were impermanent. Just like our identity.

Our clinging to this identity is like trying to hold on to a cloud. Seeing the cloud from a distance it looks real, and able to be held on to. Being next to it and trying to hold it, we realize it is impossible. This is the nature of impermanence and impermanence comprises all the things of our mundane world.

Realizing the cloud is impermanent and that our clinging to it will only end in suffering will eventually lessen our suffering. As will understanding the true nature of “I am.”