Sunday, May 29, 2016

(8) The Contemplation of the Objects of Mind in the Objects of Mind

Watch the following Thay's video on "The Contemplation of the Objects of Mind in the Objects of Mind" from 2:19:18 to 2:24:03.


The followings are excerpts.

Quote:
And that is why it's very important to see that A is not A (A≠A), is made of non-A elements, everything, not just a flower, a sheet of paper but your atom, your electron and so on. And unless we see that A is just a formation made of elements that can give it a sign, you have not really seen it. And that is why it's very important to follow this kind of dialectics, dialectics in Buddhism we call the Middle Way dialectics. It helps us to transcend the notion of this and that, the notion of subject and object, the notion of being and non-being and so on. 

So, the kind of concentration that we practice in Buddhism is the concentration that help us remove all notions and all discrimination. All discrimination. And when discrimination is removed, separation is no longer there and there is no more suffering. If we suffer, it's because of discrimination. And first of all, discrimination between being and non-being, and birth and death. Someone who tries to kill himself, that person doesn't like being. He doesn't like to be anymore. And being becomes a burden. And he aspires to be non-being. Because he believes that belonging to the realm of non-being is much easier. So, the mind of someone who is contemplating suicide is to aspire for non-being. Because being has become too heavy for him or for her and for those who are looking for non-being. And those who are looking for being, we are very afraid of non-being.

And that kind of longing, that kind of suffering is based on the notion of being and non-being. And reality according to the Buddhist insight is free from both notions. Reality can not be described as being or non-being. So, when we ask the question, "Why is there something broader than nothing?", that is a philosophical question. But that is also a scientific question. Because in both cases, the philosophers and scientists are caught in a notion of being and not-being. And using the mind of discrimination, we go around. We find things are absurd unless we have another instrument. The mind of non-discrimination, that can help us to transcend all kinds of notions. And then, it will be possible for us to touch nirvana, to touch the realm of no-birth and no-death and to have true freedom.

(16. let go)
And the last exercise of mindful breathing is to let go. You let go of all notions. You let go of notion of being and non-being. You let go of notion as matter and mind as two distinctive things. You let go of your mind, your notion of subject as a separate element and so on. And the instruction is very clear.
:Unquote 

(My commentary)
All notions are for distinction, separation, discrimination, or the duality. Ego (separate self) separates oneself from others for self-protection. Ego thinks, "I am special and separate". That is the mind of discrimination, or the wrong view. And that kind of mind causes afflictions such as fear, anger, hatred and despair. That's why ego suffers from afflictions caused by notions. In order to throw away all notions, we need to understand that the true nature of all notions are wrong. That's why we meditate, or practice mindfulness and concentration for insights. Once we understand the true nature of all notions, it is very easy for us to let go of all notions and to attain perfect freedom. We have to use notions in the historical dimension but we will never be caught in notions. And we will be able to keep touching the wonders of life in the ultimate dimension at the same time as awareness (non-separate self).

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/notion
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

mother earth