People with people, living to...

When thoughts arise and memories come to mind, people think of the past in an unfocused way. In an unfocused way within the karma consciousness of their own. Interfering in the era between people and people, is it a deceitful, devious, cunning karma consciousness concealing a drooping and powerless consciousness before the fierce waves of karma consequences?

 

  Why do people create walls like the citadel of ancient Troy city in mythical Greece? Who has taught humanity deceit and deviousness? Civilization follows civilization, people are polite to others through every gesture such as smile, eye contact, and handshake... However, hiding behind the beautiful velvet curtain there is a backstage filled with chaos, sadness and sentimentality. The beauty that is made-up to serve as a jewelry when “face to face” has become a habit, done without hesitance, and is incredibly natural and quick. It is so virtual, isn’t it?

 

 Buddhism does not teach that “cleverness”. The Buddha advises us to have Right View and then Right Thought to speak Right Speech. Sometimes, not speaking when the time is not right is also a form of Right Speech. However, if one tries to cover things up just to get through a situation, can it still be considered Right Speech? If it doesn’t reflect Right Speech, it is certainly not Right Thought, then Right View will also be lost. As the saying goes “Lying becomes a habit!”, it is crude but true. Here, crude language is common language because it has become common to hear and has turned into a familiar situation in some relationships.

 

Regarding the Brahmajāla sutta from the Middle Length Discourses, what gives rise to the sixty-two wrong views? It is feeling. Human beings have different opinions which lead to deception, falsehood, and dishonesty, and these arise from feelings. Seeking physical ease and joy through sensory contact with external objects is often easier to achieve than those coming from meditation. Why? Why do we get the fruits of the various stages of attainment!!! Therefore, because of the purpose of deception, anger, and self-esteem (fearing being criticised and judged), we stubbornly hold on to our wrong views. These were the thoughts of King Pāyāsi in the Pāyāsi Sutta, part of the Dīgha Nikāya.

 

Humans are a combination of Corporeality, Feeling, Perception, Mental Formations, and Consciousness. However, in cultivation, these can be simplified to Body, Feeling, Mind, and Dhamma. We can think of these four foundations as accessing the Internet, surfing the web, or searching on Google, because all information and data are presented through these four “channels”. These four channels are like the four platforms that we often use on smartphones: Zalo, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Google has also suggested: “Search inside”, which here means returning to access the four foundations of Body, Feeling, Mind, and Dhamma. It can be very joyful. Sometimes, it can also be very sorrowful. The pain of our flesh and skin that we recognize is like every pang in the heart; every love, greed, and hatred in the mind is the ulcer of the Mentality (Feeling, Perception, and Mental Formations, or Feeling, Mind, and Dhamma). 

 

 

Who will heal us in our place and better than we can? No one. Because “Light your own lamp and walk”. Wherever you go and wherever you come are determined by the thoughts that guide your body and move your steps in that direction. The spirit of Mahayana Buddhism shows what unites us, a universal path that leads us together towards enlightenment. Awakening is enlightenment. Enlightenment is true happiness. Therefore, “walking on the true ground” and “breathing in the nothingness” to “ignite the wonderful and profound mind” for the “unstable Bodhi mind” is a serious undertaking of practice and study. We progress step by step on the Bodhisattva path, which means benefiting ourselves and others. And naturally, by remembering this, we avoid harming ourselves and others. There is no place for sorrow, deceit, lies, or flattery and fawning. This is precisely the function of the Bodhi citta in Mahayana Buddhism: to build the noble character amidst the five turbidities of the world.

 

 

In short, we read a lot, learn a lot, and practice a lot, but we should still ask ourselves: do we still wish to live truly? The Buddha is the one who reveals the truth. The Dhamma is the truth. The Sangha propagandized the truth. Taking refuge in the Three Jewels means returning to rely on the Three Jewels, and since they are Jewels, they must be “true and not false”. Living truly is being a true follower of the Buddha. Living untruly is not being a true follower of the Buddha. Using the words of ancient sages to express personal ideas is something that can be both appropriate and inappropriate depending on the situation. Well, that is fine to live truly according to our own ability, as long as it does not lead to extreme self-torture.

 

 

Tâm Cung

Translated into English by Ho Thi Thuy Duong