Oppose Your Mind

Consider the Buddha's compassion and skill. He taught us after his own enlightenment. Finished with his own business, he got involved in ours, teaching us all these wonderful means. Concerning practice, we need to follow him, we need to carry out all efforts in seeking and giving as we believe what the Buddha has taught us, that Path, Fruition and Nirvana exist.

But these things are not accidental. They arise from right practice, from right effort, from being bold, daring to train, to think, to adapt and to do. These efforts involve opposing your own mind.

The Buddha says not to trust mins because it is defiled, impure, does not yet embody the virtue or Dharma. In all different practices we do, we must therefore oppose this mind and when the mind is being opposed, it becomes hot and distressed and we begin to wonder whether we are on the right path or otherwise. Because practice interferes with defilement, with desire, we suffer and may even decide to stop the practice.

The Buddha, however, taught us that this is the correct practice and that defilement, not you, is the one that is  inflamed. Naturally, such practice is difficult. Some meditation monks only seek the Dharma according to the words and books. Of course when it is time for study, study according to the text. But when you are "fighting" with defilement, fight outside the text and if you fight it out according to the model, you will not be able to stand up to the enemy. The text only provide and example and an cause you to lose yourself because they are based on memories and concepts.

Conceptual thinking will create illusion and embellishment and can take you to the heavens and hells, to the far reaches of imagination, beyond the simple truth here in front of you.

If you undertake the training, you will find that at first, physical solitude is important and when you come to live in seclusion, you can think of Sariputta's advise to the Sangha concerning physical seclusion, mental seclusion and seclusion from defilement and temptation.

He taught that physical seclusion is the cause for the arising of mental seclusion and mental seclusion is the cause  for the arising of seclusion from defilement. Of course, if you heart is calm, you can live anywhere, but in the beginning of knowing the Dharma, physical seclusion is invaluable. Today, or any day go and sit far away from the village. Try it, staying alone, or go to some fearful hilltop on your own. Then you can begin to know what it is really to look at yourself.

Whether or not there is tranquillity, do not be so concern, as long as you are practising, you are creating right causes and will be able to make use of whatever arises. Do not be afraid that you will not succeed, will not become tranquil. If you practice sincerely and wholeheartedly, you must grow in Dharma. Those who seek will see, just as those who eat will be satisfied.