THE MIND STREAM KEEPS FLOWING FOREVER

We are not talking about the lofty or complex meanings of the mind. If someone likes to study it, he can read it in the Buddhist scriptures, especially the Abhidharma-Pitaka, the Treatises. In this very article, we just need to understand it in a simple and general way. Here it includes all thoughts, emotions, fantasies, decisions, hopes, the feelings of joy and sorrow, nostalgia, repentance, regrets, anger, anxiety, defilements, or happiness, contentment, serenity, or compassion, etc. It is from this very mind that speeches and actions generate. Then, to differentiate between the two karmas of speech and action that, when not been manifested yet, are called the karma of thinking or the mind. That is why the mind is sometimes called the Thoughts (as said in the Dhammapada: "Thoughts are the masters; Thoughts are the creators.") Thoughts do not often come from the Thinking, but most of the time, they’re usually from the Consciousness, the Vinnana, the latest knowledge coming after we know that we are happy or sad... (or the mind performance) or after our considering, judging and reasoning (or the Thinking mind).

Among the three functions, the consciousness to differentiate between the two aspects, the thinking of past data, and the intellect for reasoning and future speculating, the role of the first is the most vital.

Why? The  Consciousness compares to  a gateway directly open to the outside world. Through the five senses: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body (or skin), we instantly get the five nuances of the Consciousness. Thinking is the structures of the  impressions in the mind. It is also called the lucid knowing of the mind,  or the Consciousness of the thinking, or the conscious mind.  In another word, it is the comprehensive Knowing when  the five senses’ receptions  are synthesized.

The Consciousness plays an important role  because it is the final decision from which it manifests in words and actions. Thus, it is considered the master of karma. Besides, the theorists of the Treatises consider the Consciousness as the  King of Mind who has his entourage of mental performances: joy and distress, love and hate, etc.

The Consciousness is important because it is always active. The six senses are always widely open towards  life: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin (or body), and the mind. Even when we sleep, we usually have dreams. It shows the six senses keep working in accord to the signals they receive and respond to their default functions, or sometimes according to their survival instincts. For example, we sometimes dreamed of going to a party. It was just because we were hungry then. Or we flew in a dream.  Just a slight lifting  our feet, we gently moved up in the air and felt the cool wind.  Waking up, we found  our feet were cool. They were outside the blanket. With those, we know  our brain  always works whether  we are awake or sleep. Even when we want to rest, relax, or do not want  to be  distressed nor worried, our mind does not respond accordingly. The stream of the conscious mind continues flowing day after day. As a result, our mind is agitated and alternates in various shades, from non-upset to sad, then  joyful... Consequently, our health is not in good condition. Our mind, then,  is  mediocre, disturbed, troubled, obscure and  unable to solve our daily business effectively.

And our life goes on in such a way without a stop  in that everlasting flow  even though our physical  body is deteriorative. Our mind resumes  transferring to another life.  It, then, remains  to be happy and unhappy. It will run into  the acquantances whom it used to love and  hate to fortify likes and dislikes  for the next life...

However, we know that stream of consciousness is as fragile as a thread.  With that, only one thought appears at a time. It  stays for an instant then disappears.  Then,  another one arises, hangs around and vanishes into the thin air.  They continuously come and go in that way. The stream of thoughts is not unbreakable, well-built or with a sturdy core. The nature of thoughts is just the Knowing.  Seeing the article  “the”, should not assimilate   it to an object. An instance of sadness is not a mass of woes. Actually, it is just the “Knowing” which changes all the time. With those characteristics, we surely  know how  to master our mind.

Firstly, we should frequently observe our mind to adjust it in time. Is it in which mood, sad or cheerful? How come? The reasons for such feelings are acceptable or not? We are happy because we have helped someone. Fantastic! Go on with good deeds. We are pleased because the boss has praised us but no other associates. Know that pleasure is not right. It sounds jealous and competitive. Stop it. Start the empathy and appreciation to other people. Everyone possesses skillfulness and abilities we can copy.

Always observe our mind. Be objective and honest to ourselves. It’s very difficult because our Ego often defends and justifies for itself. When neither being enough clear-headed, nor strong-minded and strict to ourselves, we are often fooled and deceived.

Frequent observation of our own mind will generate another very important result. It will be neither attached to worldly phenomenon nor entangled in mundane gossips. It gradually gets calm. Our thinking becomes purer. Our karma in actions and speech will be reduced.

When our mind moves to a further step, watching it now is in silence. The “non-speech Knowing” is present right away. It is similar to a light suddenly turn on. Every thought, ruffling or undulating, gets dim and fades. Our mind, then, recognizes everything, inside itself and inside our physical bodies. With the stable “non-speech Knowing”, our mind gradually empty and tranquil. Everything vanishes. The Five Aggregates, Panca-khandha, with the form, sensation, perception, mental performance, and consciousness are no more existent.

The brighter the  light   is, the more visible the  immense tranquility and emptiness are. No more mind. No longer body.

Whatchamacallit? --- Aha! The road to enter Samatha with the very destination, Samadhi.

It merely begins with Mind Observation. So simple without using human five senses. Observing but without eyes. Eyes are used to see forms that are external objects only. Here, one must use his insights. If we refer to “Thinking,” its ability is not able enough to keep watching and adjust our mind.

Mind and Thinking usually share the same nature. If our mind is unclear, then our Thinking is obscure. Thanks to studying the eternal truths of our worldly life, which are temporally considered as the insights, our understanding is more objective and comprehensive. With insights in self-reflection, we can expect what it has realized is clear, keen and fair to every shade and nuance in our mind.

In short, we present the primary step of practice at the opening of this writing piece. It is that we should always observe our mind. It might assume to go on with some other steps. But out of our expectation, with this fundamental practice, practitioners are able to reach the end of the path. They do not need any further course. So long as they could move to the stage of observing the bareness of their mind, theirs turn into empty. Nothing left to talk. In other words, “the continuous current of mind keeps running and running” via many lifespans ends without any trace.

When our mind reaches an end, our Ego also ceases and so does this mundane world.

Bhikkhuni Thích Nữ Triệt Như

Written at the Sunyata Monastery, May 16, 2021

English version by Ngọc Huyền

 

Link to Vietnamese article: https://tanhkhong.org/a1912/triet-nhu-snhp02-dong-tam-tuon-chay-mai