Tame your Mind
Mark Wong
Dunniggahassa lahuno
Yattha kāma nipātino
Cittassa damatho sādhu
Cittaṃ dantaṃ sukhāvahaṃ.
Dhammapada 35
The mind is difficult to be controlled.
Swiftly and lightly,
it moves and lands wherever it pleases.
It is good to tame the mind
for a well-tamed mind brings happiness.
Trans. by late K.Sri Dhammananda, K.L
Purport:
Introduction
The above holy utterance issued from the Exalted One, Gotama Buddha who admonished a woman and an ogress with bitter relationship of feud. The ogress always came continuously to disparage or harass the woman. The Exalted Lord preached the Dharma to them that an unwholesome action (karma) is certainly retributed with a commensurate unwholesome consequence (Vipāka). Likewise, a wholesome kamma will be rewarded with a commensurate wholesome vipāka. What one sows, so will one reap. It cannot be otherwise. The universal law of boomerang is universally applicable to all.
Doctrine of Rebirth
Utilizing his psychic power or supernormal knowledge (abhiññā) of Divine Eye, Gotama Buddha revealed to the woman and the ogress that their bitter relationship of incessant enmity or feud between them commenced from the countless previous lives for a long, long time hitherto. Then the Exalted Lord expounded the truth of the bondage of the recycle of rebirth (saṃsāra) and the moral law of accountability to both of them.
Kamma and Rebirth
If A abuses or harasses B in the present life, both A and B will be reborn in the same place of the same realm of existence in the future rebirth (assuming that other factors remain constant). Thus, B will then vengefully abuse or harass A. After the demise of both A and B, both will again be reborn in the same place of the same realm of existence in another next future life (assuming that other factors remain constant). A will then, in turn, vengefully abuse or harass B. The vicious cycle of revenge according to the law of cause and effect (kamma-vipāka dhamma) perpetuates until the saṃsāric life is ended. The cycle will be repeated as long as their cycles of rebirth or saṃsāric life are perpectuated by the commission of their unwholesome or evil kammas.
This story of kamma and rebirth is not an invention or fabrication as result of Buddhist dogmatic assertion by anyone. It is the factual reality perceived directly by the Divine Eye of Gotama Buddha. Divine Eye is one of the six supernormal knowledges (abiññā) of the Exalted One. The causal law and the process of rebirth are directly perceived by the Blessed One. They are not mere theoretical conceptualization. Such direct psychic experience was also vindicated by the direct experiences of some of his foremost and immediate disciples. Early Buddhism advocates the philosophy of Logical Positivism. In fact, Buddhist Gnostics or Mystics are logical positivists who verify the tenet of Gotama Buddha by direct empirical experiences just like the modern applied scientists do.
Kammas are created and accumulated from the superimposition of illusive self-centric ego which directs and empowers all sensual activities. All kammas are actually cankers (āsavas). In other words, whoever does not comprehend the cause of transmigration (saṃsāra) will be entangled in the bondage of saṃsāra incessantly. Being saṃsāric, they cannot be spiritually saved.
Ignorant of Truths
Gotama Buddha preaches that the incessant saṃsāric journey is endless as long as a person is ignorant of the Four Noble Truths (Cattāri ariya Saccāni), and the Three Universal Characteristics (Tilakkhaṇas) of saṃsāric existence. The Four Noble Truths are the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha), the Noble Truth of the Cause (Samudaya) of Suffering, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Dukkhanirodha) and the Noble Truth of the Path (Magga) Leading to the Cessation of Suffering which is the Noble Eight-fold Path.
Buddha Path
The Noble Eight-fold Path comprises Right Understanding (Sammā-diṭṭhi), Right Thought (Sammā-saṃkappa), Right Speech (Sammā-vācā), Right Actions (Sammā-kammanta), Right Livelihood (Sammā-ājīva) , Right Efforts (Sammā-vāyāma), Right Mindfulness (Sammā-sati) and Right Concentration (Sammā-sam̄dhi). The Three Universal Characteristics of Samsāric life or the phenomenal world are Impermanent (Anicca), Suffering (Dukkha) and Insubstantiality (Anattā). The Noble Eight-fold Path is the Way, the Truth and the Life of a genuine Buddhist. The core of the Buddhist practice is the four foundations or establishments of mindfulness (cattāri satipaṭṭhāna) to obliterate the self-centric ego. All religions utilize the same first principle of emancipation (vimutti), that is the complete annihilation of the self-centric ego (ahaṃakāra) even though the pedagogy strategies of teaching, learning and practice are exoterically distinct. Esoterically, self-redemption is identical – a return to the inner Heart in which one is self-redeemed.
There are countless Gnostics or the Knowers of Truth but there is only one profound message of eternal Truth, that is Interdependent, symbiotic, cohesive co-existence for all beings or the oneness of the world. The beings are either sentient beings or non-sentient beings inclusive without any exception. In other words, Man and natural environment are one and intimately inseparable. For instance, human beings feed the trees with carbon dioxide so that the trees can photosynthesize. Reciprocally, the trees feed the human beings with oxygen so that we can metabolize. Every relationship is mutual, holistic, symbiotic and organic. This is the right concept of Insubstantiality (Anattā) and Dependent Co-arising (Paṭiccamuppāda). The Truth of interrelationship of supporting and of being supported is the eternal Truth of Unity or Non-duality sought by all esotericists of all religions.
Nature or Dhamma
Unity is the intrinsic or natural force which is order which sustains the cosmos. The Order of Nature is the Dhamma. Any attempt to sever the bond of unity in any association opposes the Order or Law of Nature (The Law of Dharma). All human beings, whether American, Japanese, Europeans, Chinese, Indians, Koreans, Singaporeans, Malays, and so on are intimately related as brothers and sisters in the ultimate sense without exception.Racial discrimination is sheer religious ignorance.
Conclusion
Hatred cannot be overcome by hatred. Hatred can only be overcome by Lovingkindness (Mettā). If Lovingkindness cannot overcome hatred, one ought to adopt the perfection of tolerance or patience from the inner Heart in which the silence of the mind dwells. The complete silence of the inner Heart is Nibbāna. Nibbāna is the perfect sanctuary of all sentient beings. The complete silence of the human mind is arisen from the complete annihilation of self -centric ego by perfect execution of four foundations of mindfulness or the religious wisdom arisen from the intuitive apprehension of the communal Truth of dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. Unity or Non-duality is the communal Truth of Wisdom sought by all religions of dissimilar denominations. |
