Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Value of Seeking a Spiritual Path (積寶不如求道)
When the Six Roots connect with external objects, our minds begin to differentiate things. Yesterday we discussed that the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, the five organs, are made of the Four Elements. We say that our bodies are temporary aggregates of the Four Elements, which are earth, water, fire and wind. When the physical body connects with external forms, consciousness start to work and the mind begins to differentiate.
In the Hinayana practice, consciousness refers to the thoughts in our minds. The mind, as categorized in the Hinayana practice is the Sixth Consciousness. There are Consciousnesses of the Eyes, Ears, Nose, etc., with the mind being the Sixth Consciousness. In Mahayana Buddhism, the mind is categorized as the Seventh of Eight Consciousnesses. We have discussed this before.
In Hinayana Buddhism, there are only Six Consciousnesses, which are the Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, Body and Mind.
In Mahayana Buddhism, there are Eight Consciousnesses.
In addition to the Six Consciousnesses, there is the Seventh （Manas）Consciousness and the Eighth （Alaya） Consciousness.
The Eighth Consciousness is a store-house. Everything is stored there as it occurs. But prior to the storing process, karma is created. Karma is created by minute thoughts. When something comes to pass, we continue to think about it. It is difficult to part with what we love. Although two people are unable to get along, when they are separated they still feel for each other. They cannot have what they want, and feel helpless. Their hearts still long for lost objects or persons. This kind of longing sets off greed, prompting us to use any means to get what we want. All this originates from thought. When the mind interacts with external states thoughts are created. If the mind is unstable, one may spread rumors or start disputes between others in order to achieve his or her purposes. All this happens in the Seventh Consciousness.
Whatever the course of action, its results are all stored in the Eighth Consciousness. That is why we say, “Nothing follows us after death, only karma.” This is the basic principle of karma. Once created, the seeds of karma are stored in the Eighth Consciousness. So what we experience in our daily lives is not only based on the first Five Sense Organs, but also on our past thoughts and contemplation. When impressions stay in our minds, they begin to create thoughts. So consciousness interacts with the phenomenal world and creates thoughts. Thus we must constantly pay attention to our consciousness.
When the sense organs come into contact with external conditions, feelings arise. The mind reacts with those good or bad feelings, and the process of thinking and creating begins. Spiritual practice is about adjusting our minds and being more aware of our sense organs and external objects. When mind, object and consciousness do not connect, karma does not arise.
The following story is recorded in the Sutras. There was a king who believed in the Brachmacarins, believed in Brahmanism. The king was extremely devout. On one occasion, the king felt that he should hold a great almsgiving. So he ordered his to open the state treasury to give to the poor. He announced that the state treasury would be open for seven days. Anyone could obtain anything they needed from it.
On the third day, a Brachmacarin came. This Brachmacarin was given a special reception by the king. The king said to him, “I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity to make a great offering. Take a look and see what you need. Choose any pile you wish. You can choose whatever you please.” This Brachmacarin was delighted. He took a pile of jewelry and put it in his bag, then walked away.
He walked seven steps, then came back again to put the jewelry back.
The king asked him, “Why ? I have given you what you want. Why did you return it?”
The Brachmacarin answered, “My intention for taking it was to build a cottage or a house. But I realized that after my house is built, I will need a wife so this jewelry will not be enough. So it’s better not to take it at all. That’s why I returned it.”
The king said, “You need a wife? Sure, take three more piles. They are yours！”
The Brachmacarin opened his bag and took three piles of jewelry and walked away. He took seven steps, stopped again, then turned back.
The king said, “What is the matter?”
He took the jewelry from the bag and handed it back. He said, “It is still not enough, so I’d better not take it.”
“Why is this not enough?”
He replied, “If I have a house and a wife, I will need to make a living. I will require a plot of land to grow crops and servants to work for me. This jewelry is still not enough. So I had better return it to you.”
The king then said, “If that is the case, you can have seven piles.”
The Brachmacarin bagged them and started to walk away. Again, he took seven steps, carried them back, and refused to take them. “I return this to you.”
“Why?”
“If I have a house, a wife, and land, I can make a living. But I will have to raise my children and make marriage arrangements for them. After they get married, I will worry about them. It is hard to predict how they will live. I will feel fine if they lead good lives, if not, I will need to help them. So many things to worry about I had better not take this jewelry.”
The king said, “If you still feel dissatisfied and want to plan for the future of your children, you can takes as much as you feel is enough, including savings for future.”
The Brachmacarin followed the king’s advice. He walked away with the wealth, but came back again as before “I had better not. I feel that I have come here to beg for my life, a house, a wife, children and land. I still worry about the future of my children. What you gave me is still not enough. With so many afflictions in my mind, I had better not take them.”
The king was puzzled “What exactly do you want?”
This Brachmacarin replied, “If you think about it carefully, how long can a man live? How many years? Human life is limited. All things are impermanent and uncertain. The nature of all things is impermanent. Things that exist in the morning are not necessarily with us in the evening. Affinities become heavy and suffering deepens. If conditions accumulate, we can easily be pulled down by them. The deeper we fall, the complicated things become, and the more suffering we endure.”
So the Brachmacarin said, ‘“Amassing treasures does not benefit oneself.’ Although you offer me a great fortune, enough to benefit my children, such a fortune is piled up like a mountain. In the end, how long can I live? Does this treasure benefit me at all? No. so amassing mountains of treasure does not benefit oneself. ‘Greed and desire bring hardship and suffering.’” When one continues to covet, there is no end to desire. No matter how hard you plan to expand the scale of your life, it is only placing more burdens on yourself. Instead, ‘diminish thoughts and seek the non-contriving path.’ We should quell thoughts of desire and prevent them from continuing to grow. It is very wearisome. The non-contriving path refers to a pure mind, uncontaminated by mundane objects, benefits and desires. This is why I do not want anything or seek anything.”
After hearing this, the king was shocked. He felt that such a state was unsurpassed. Before he could make further inquiries, the Brachmacarin revealed his true identity as the pure and radiant image of the Buddha. It was Shakyamuni Buddha appearing as a Brachmacarin to educate the king. The Buddha then spoke Dharma to him. The king received the Buddha, whose mind was so vast, it encompassed the universe. In this world, there are myriads of objects, but emptiness is undefiled by them. Such a state of mind greatly inspired the king. So he took refuge in Buddhism, became the Buddha's disciple, and propagated the Buddha's teachings to the people of his kingdom. He asked the Buddha to speak the Dharma to his people. All the citizens received the Buddha's teachings.
Contemplate on the brevity of human life. All things are impermanent. Causes and conditions are burdensome. Suffering deepens each day. Amassing treasures does not benefit oneself. Desire only brings suffering for oneself. It is better to walk on the non-contriving path.
Dharmapadavadana Sutra, Chapter 21.
We should be mindful whenever possible. If our state of the mind is unchecked, desires never cease. This kind of thinking in the mind, the contrivance of thoughts, truly can have great impact.
There is a saying, "The mind is an artist who can draw anything." One can create many things, all by the process of thinking. This thinking process is our seeds of karma. The seed of karma is created previously. For example, rice must germinate first before it becomes a seedling. When the seedling is embedded in soil, it can grow into a stalk and produce rice grains. Thoughts are created in the same manner. Thus, it is possible that we only carried a seed into this life. But we start to develop thoughts. Thinking is when the mind connects with the external environment. When this occurs, our minds begin to distinguish our likes and dislikes. We think of what we love day and night. This thinking causes the mind to work constantly and not forget. Such craving never leaves our minds, so our minds continue to create.
Everyone, to truly learn Buddhism is to explore it in depth. Observe external states and continue to contemplate and look into your minds. The mind is like a large, perfect mirror that reflects everything clearly. If the mirror is defiled, we cannot see external states clearly.
Therefore, we should be attentive, so we can see with clarity when our Six Organs connect with the environment. We must look after the organ of consciousness so it does not deviate due to external states. So please always be mindful and focus on the state of mind.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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