Mind, field and mirror
Our mind is like our eye. Even a spec of dust in the eye is enough to upset the eye. Small concerns in the mind are enough to disturb the peace of mind, and a disturbed mind will not result in meditation. Thus the key to the cultivation of Tao lies in elimination of diseases. If diseases are not rid of, meditation will not happen. Take the example of a field overun with brambles. Seeds planted in such a field will not grow into good crops unless the brambles are wiped out first. Passions, intellect, thoughts and worries are brambles of the mind. Meditation and insight will not occur in such a mind unless the brambles of the mind are eradicated first.
--- Sima Cheng-zhen, a 8th century Taoist adept
Men and women of the world of desires are constantly troubled by the tangles of their desires. Greed, anger, lust, covet for material rich, ego, desire for competition with others will not allow their mind to rest in peace even for a single minute. It is all those desires that lead to the accumulation of bad karma for these people who have to endure suffererings and tribulations within their lifetime.
--- Chang San-feng
How can we be without mind and thoughts? To live in the world, it is impossible to rid the mind of all thoughts. However, it is possible to cultivate the mind so that it becomes watchful but fully detached from the business of the world. Take the example of a mirror. It stays bright and reflective either it is placed in an empty room or in a busy venue with crowds of people walking by. All it does is reflecting images of figures, people or events. It neither try to take anything in nor chase after things. It gives an accurate reflections without likes or dislikes regardless of how beautiful or ugly the figures in front of it. It neither gets attached to a beautiful figure nor tries to distort an ugly figure. Neither does it become stained through reflecting multitude of images and events day after day, year after year. If we can keep our mind like a mirror, still, reflective, unattached, there will be no distortation or illusion in our mind.
Again take the example of vessels of any nature, be it a bowl, a plate, a cup or a vase. The function of any of these vessels lies in their emptiness or hollowness. They are moulded into shapes by craftesmen to perform various desired functions. They take in anything people pour into them without argument. Once they've been used, they are washed clean again for future use. No vessel will serve any purpose without the emptiness in their shape and the easiness to be cleaned. Similialy, no mind is fit for wisdom if it is full of itself or get crammed by impact of past events . Things happen in life and situations come and go. If we can keep the mind cleased at all times regardless of what we've experienced in life, then it stays ever fresh and resilience unburderned by the conditioning of our life situations. Only such a mind is capable of real meditation.
--- Sima Cheng-zhen, a 8th century Taoist adept
Men and women of the world of desires are constantly troubled by the tangles of their desires. Greed, anger, lust, covet for material rich, ego, desire for competition with others will not allow their mind to rest in peace even for a single minute. It is all those desires that lead to the accumulation of bad karma for these people who have to endure suffererings and tribulations within their lifetime.
--- Chang San-feng
How can we be without mind and thoughts? To live in the world, it is impossible to rid the mind of all thoughts. However, it is possible to cultivate the mind so that it becomes watchful but fully detached from the business of the world. Take the example of a mirror. It stays bright and reflective either it is placed in an empty room or in a busy venue with crowds of people walking by. All it does is reflecting images of figures, people or events. It neither try to take anything in nor chase after things. It gives an accurate reflections without likes or dislikes regardless of how beautiful or ugly the figures in front of it. It neither gets attached to a beautiful figure nor tries to distort an ugly figure. Neither does it become stained through reflecting multitude of images and events day after day, year after year. If we can keep our mind like a mirror, still, reflective, unattached, there will be no distortation or illusion in our mind.
Again take the example of vessels of any nature, be it a bowl, a plate, a cup or a vase. The function of any of these vessels lies in their emptiness or hollowness. They are moulded into shapes by craftesmen to perform various desired functions. They take in anything people pour into them without argument. Once they've been used, they are washed clean again for future use. No vessel will serve any purpose without the emptiness in their shape and the easiness to be cleaned. Similialy, no mind is fit for wisdom if it is full of itself or get crammed by impact of past events . Things happen in life and situations come and go. If we can keep the mind cleased at all times regardless of what we've experienced in life, then it stays ever fresh and resilience unburderned by the conditioning of our life situations. Only such a mind is capable of real meditation.
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