takso
24-08-2012, 07:39 AM
Who am I? Am I the mind? Am I the body? Or, am I the five body senses?
To the Master, I am a Servant,
To the Teacher, I am a Student,
To the Buddha, I am Empty.
So who am I, actually? Am I the flesh and blood? Am I the soul? Am I the consciousness? Who am I, really? Frankly speaking, what we used to claim such as the ‘I’ or ‘you’ or ‘we’ is merely an expression for our mind to comprehend on day-to-day communication with another individual. However, this expression does not grant us with unchanging or permanent ownership of our mind and body.
The ‘I’ or ‘you’ or ‘we’ is purely part of the becoming processes in this dependent nature. Both our mind and body would constantly orientate and evolve as according to the subjected conditions. The physical body is shaped up as appearance due to the existence of matter and matter is basically concerted, aggregated or concentrated or wrapped energy.
In other words, appearance is merely a momentary outcome of aggregation process that varies according to subjected conditions. For example, ice, water and steam are different appearances derived from the orientation of H2O properties based on subjected conditions. In other words, it is the orientation of H2O properties that has taken place to conjure up the momentary outcome of it. As for the mind, it is also originated from the aggregation process that conjures up memory and conscious aggregates and varies under the influence of phenomenal conditions.
So right now, how could we properly describe ourselves? The right way to express ourselves is, ‘I am what I am.’ ‘If you think this is what I am, then I am’ and ‘If you see that is what I am, then I am.’ The phenomena that arise are very much related to the consciousness that perceives them. Phenomenon exists as this or that is dependent on the observers. It is just like describing the same elephant by different blind men – one blind man may say elephant looks like tree trunk; another blind man would say elephant looks like snake.
And this is how we explicate the presence of the waves of dependent phenomena having clouded our mind from discerning the reality of circumstances. What constitutes a reality then? A reality exists beyond mind and beyond concepts and words in the sense that it is beyond our usual ways of perceiving things. Language and conception only imply that things exist in distinct manners i.e. wise person, dumb person, saint, devil, etc. - in such well-defined and independent categories. Perceiving reality is seeing that things do not exist in these fantasised, impossible ways, in black and white categories.
In other words, a reality is such label-less, bound-less, stereotype-less, colour-less, beginning-less, end-less and for the ease of our expression, we could summarise it as the ‘deepest fact about things.’ An enlightened mind is able to discern the deepest fact about things in crystal clear and without hesitation after getting rid of the wave of dependent phenomenon.
So when we talk about Buddhism, it is all about transforming an ignorant state of mind into a realised state of mind – a process of Enlightenment. To begin with, one would need to set in a right mentality or determination. One has to see all things as they really are, to liberate from it and to be enlightened. Have boundless compassion and loving kindness along the way. This would be an everlasting remedy to the rising of Dukkha that was recommended by the wise Buddha. In a fully awakened state of mind, there is no longer the need for label, colour, stereotype, boundary, beginning, ending, etc. All subjects and objects are in completely neutralised state of affairs - when this arises, that arises; when this ceases, that ceases.
To the Master, I am a Servant,
To the Teacher, I am a Student,
To the Buddha, I am Empty.
So who am I, actually? Am I the flesh and blood? Am I the soul? Am I the consciousness? Who am I, really? Frankly speaking, what we used to claim such as the ‘I’ or ‘you’ or ‘we’ is merely an expression for our mind to comprehend on day-to-day communication with another individual. However, this expression does not grant us with unchanging or permanent ownership of our mind and body.
The ‘I’ or ‘you’ or ‘we’ is purely part of the becoming processes in this dependent nature. Both our mind and body would constantly orientate and evolve as according to the subjected conditions. The physical body is shaped up as appearance due to the existence of matter and matter is basically concerted, aggregated or concentrated or wrapped energy.
In other words, appearance is merely a momentary outcome of aggregation process that varies according to subjected conditions. For example, ice, water and steam are different appearances derived from the orientation of H2O properties based on subjected conditions. In other words, it is the orientation of H2O properties that has taken place to conjure up the momentary outcome of it. As for the mind, it is also originated from the aggregation process that conjures up memory and conscious aggregates and varies under the influence of phenomenal conditions.
So right now, how could we properly describe ourselves? The right way to express ourselves is, ‘I am what I am.’ ‘If you think this is what I am, then I am’ and ‘If you see that is what I am, then I am.’ The phenomena that arise are very much related to the consciousness that perceives them. Phenomenon exists as this or that is dependent on the observers. It is just like describing the same elephant by different blind men – one blind man may say elephant looks like tree trunk; another blind man would say elephant looks like snake.
And this is how we explicate the presence of the waves of dependent phenomena having clouded our mind from discerning the reality of circumstances. What constitutes a reality then? A reality exists beyond mind and beyond concepts and words in the sense that it is beyond our usual ways of perceiving things. Language and conception only imply that things exist in distinct manners i.e. wise person, dumb person, saint, devil, etc. - in such well-defined and independent categories. Perceiving reality is seeing that things do not exist in these fantasised, impossible ways, in black and white categories.
In other words, a reality is such label-less, bound-less, stereotype-less, colour-less, beginning-less, end-less and for the ease of our expression, we could summarise it as the ‘deepest fact about things.’ An enlightened mind is able to discern the deepest fact about things in crystal clear and without hesitation after getting rid of the wave of dependent phenomenon.
So when we talk about Buddhism, it is all about transforming an ignorant state of mind into a realised state of mind – a process of Enlightenment. To begin with, one would need to set in a right mentality or determination. One has to see all things as they really are, to liberate from it and to be enlightened. Have boundless compassion and loving kindness along the way. This would be an everlasting remedy to the rising of Dukkha that was recommended by the wise Buddha. In a fully awakened state of mind, there is no longer the need for label, colour, stereotype, boundary, beginning, ending, etc. All subjects and objects are in completely neutralised state of affairs - when this arises, that arises; when this ceases, that ceases.