Friday, January 15, 2016

Miracle of Mindfulness (6)

The followings are excerpts from Thay's book titled "The Miracle of Mindfulness".

Quote:
(Meditation for awakening)
The person who practices meditation usually hopes to see into his or her own nature in order to obtain awakening. But if you are
just beginning, don't wait to "see into your own nature." Better yet, don't wait for anything. Especially don't wait to see the Buddha or any version of "ultimate reality" while you're sitting.

In the first six months, try only to build up your power of concentration, to create an inner calmness and serene joy. You will shake off anxiety, enjoy total rest, and quiet your mind. You will be refreshed and gain a broader, clearer view of things, and deepen and strengthen the love in yourself. And you will be able to respond more helpfully to all around you.

Sitting in meditation is nourishment for your spirit and nourishment for your body, as well. Through sitting, our bodies obtain harmony, feel lighter, and are more at peace. The path from the observation of your mind to seeing into your own nature won't be too rough. Once you are able to quiet your mind, once your feelings and thoughts no longer disturb you, at that point your mind will begin to dwell in mind. Your mind will take hold of mind in a direct and wondrous way which no longer differentiates between subject and object. Drinking a cup of tea, the seeming distinction between the one who drinks and the tea being drunk evaporates. Drinking a cup of tea becomes a direct and wondrous experience in which the distinction between subject and object no longer exists.

Dispersed mind is also mind, just as waves rippling in water are also water. When mind has taken hold of mind, deluded mind becomes true mind. True mind is our real self, is the Buddha: the pure one-ness which cannot be cut up by the illusory divisions of separate selves, created by concepts and language. But I don't want to say a lot about this.
:Unquote

(My commentary)
Once we stop thinking through mindful breathing, at that point awareness (awakened consciousness) will revive. Awareness can directly touch the reality as it is without projection of mind, or delusions. So, there won't be differentiation between subject (of mind) and object (of mind) anymore. When awareness has taken hold of mind, oneself is transformed from ego (separate self) to true self (non-separate self). True self is the Buddha: the wholeness cannot be cut into pieces by the illusory divisions of ego through notions and ideas.

Thích Nhất Hạnh