Episode 374 – The Extinction of Afflictions Purifies the Mind
>> In a tranquil and clear state, the mind is pure and radiant. There is no arising and ceasing, no thoughts of gain and loss.
>> “Although I speak of Nirvana, it is not [ultimate] extinction. All phenomena, from the very beginning, have borne the marks of perfect tranquility.”
>> Although I speak of Nirvana: [Nirvana means] crossing into cessation. It means that all sentient beings must renounce the suffering of samsara. Then they [can] cultivate purifying practices, eliminate all afflictions and realize great Nirvana.
>> It is not [ultimate] extinction. Extinction is Nirvana. It is the extinction of the Three Delusions, those of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusion of ignorance. Crossing is to transcend the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational.
>> Our intrinsic nature is true and everlasting. Its essence is a state of perfect tranquility, therefore it is [ultimate] tranquility. Though the Dharma is intrinsically tranquil, if we do not cultivate the path, we cannot resonate with it.
In a tranquil and clear state,
the mind is pure and radiant.
There is no arising and ceasing,
no thoughts of gain and loss.
A tranquil and clear mind is something we originally had. Actually, our minds were pure and bright, like a clean piece of land, but over time, we have attracted many afflictions that pollute our minds. Interpersonal conflicts and [negative] attitudes create negative conditions that we then bring into our minds. Thus, our goal of having “tranquil and clear minds, with vows as vast as the universe,” are often swayed by our external conditions.
To “remain unwavering” is not an easy thing to do at all. We may read, recite and memorize sutras and become very familiar with them. We may even write articles or long dissertations on them. With beautiful and artistic phrases, we can write one wonderful essay after another. But whether we are chanting sutras, writing essays or so on, becoming familiar with them, we are unable to fully “uphold our vows and follow the path.” We cannot control our minds; our thoughts are often wild and unruly. We invite many afflictions into our minds from our surroundings. So, this is what we mean when we say that spiritual practice is not easy.
If our minds are pure and bright, if our minds are clear, we should not invite discursive thoughts in from our external conditions, which would sway our minds. If we avoid doing this, then we are truly living out the words, “In a tranquil and clear state, the mind is pure and radiant.”
After having “tranquil and clear” minds we must not forget to have “vows as vast as the universe.” What comes after “vows as vast as the universe? Remain unwavering.” When our minds give rise to the slightest thought, when our resolve begins to waver, we must quickly become “tranquil and clear, with vows as vast as the universe. We remain unwavering.” What comes next? “For countless eons.” This verse of four phrases is the central [teaching] in the Jing Si Dharma-lineage.
Remember this; my hope is that all of us can maintain the purity and clarity of our minds where “there is no arising and ceasing.” Indeed, if we have a pure mind, nothing is really arising and ceasing in it. Our pure intrinsic Tathagata-nature is already tranquil and still. If it is tranquil and still, how can there be any arising and ceasing? How can there be so many discursive thoughts, thoughts that arise and cease and bring about afflictions, causing our minds to be unable to settle down? These are all illusory afflictions.
Where do they come from? From thoughts of gains and losses. These thoughts of gains and losses arise when we are afraid of getting or of losing things. If we have delusions, and think about gains and losses, we can never settle our minds. So, we must reach a state where we understand if “there is no arising or ceasing,” then there are “no thoughts of gains or losses.”
Thinking back, to have “no thoughts of gains or losses” and to settle our minds, there must be no arising or ceasing. Only when we eliminate arising and ceasing can we return to a pure and radiant state of mind. What are the qualities of a pure and radiant mind? It is “tranquil and clear.” To return to our [intrinsic nature],
we must apply this method. Do you all understand? Actually, to truly understand how to engage in spiritual practice is a bit difficult. Even during the Buddha’s lifetime, those closest to Him, the royals who followed Him to become monastics, also gave rise to ignorant thoughts.
The Buddha’s cousin, the son of His paternal aunt, was named Tissa. He also followed the Buddha and became monastic, but had not eliminated his habitual tendencies. He thought, “I come from a royal family. I am the son of the Buddha’s aunt. I should have a higher status in the Sangha. So, in all matters, you should show respect to me.” He was very egotistical and arrogant.
At times, even when he conversed with the elders in the Sangha, he would not defer to them. If they began to speak, he had to speak first and forced them to listen to him for a long time. This created afflictions in the Sangha. If an elder wanted to correct him, he would lose his temper and get angry. Then he would reply, “I am the Buddha’s cousin, the son of His paternal aunt.” He continued to flaunt his status. Eventually, the Sangha could no longer tolerate it and they went to talk to the Buddha.
So, the Buddha said, “Bring Tissa here.” The Buddha then said, “Since you are following me, you must get along with people in the Sangha. You must respect all the elders. Only then are you truly a son of my aunt. You need to have good character. We cannot have good character in name only. It must come from deep inner cultivation. If you want people to respect you, you must begin to cultivate a pure mind. You must spend a very long time cultivating virtue without giving rise to anger. You must always give rise to good thoughts. Every one of your thoughts must be good. You must respect others and constantly tame your anger.”
“With anger, delusion, arrogance and so on, you will lose all of your good thoughts. So, Tissa, you must put an end to your anger and arrogance. You must also diligently train yourself by cultivating goodness and purifying practices. You must work on your practice and nurture these thoughts. When you meet people, be agreeable. You must be broadminded and kind in dealing with people and matters.” This begins with cultivating purifying practices,
which are also called Brahma-conduct. To be pure, our minds must be free of defilements and our behavior must be good and agreeable. So, we need purifying practices.
At times, we may think that engaging in spiritual practice is very difficult. Even if we spend a long time around the Buddha, [it is not easy] to tame our minds so that we will not be influenced by the desire for fame, thoughts of gain and loss evoked by our conditions. To truly tame this kind of mind is not easy.
Once we engage in spiritual practice, why can’t each of us control our afflictions? If we “sustain our initial aspiration”, won’t we “certainly attain Buddhahood”? In a “tranquil and clear” state, “the mind is pure and radiant.” Our minds were originally very pure and radiant, with no arising or ceasing. So why would we take issue over anything? There is nothing to gain or lose.
If we can always cultivate self-control, behave according to the rules and etiquette, and live a lifestyle [fitting for] the Sangha, then won’t our inner spiritual training ground always be harmonious and pure? So, engaging in spiritual practice sounds easy, but it may actually be very hard. It all depends on our minds.
The previous passage said, “Nor do they hear Right Dharma.” These were people with arrogance, ignorance, afflictions and so on. Even though they encountered Right Dharma, were part of the Sangha and were alive during the Buddha’s lifetime, the Dharma had not penetrated their hearts. If they took the Dharma to heart, naturally they could transform themselves. The Buddha helps us transform ourselves; then our minds can be very disciplined.
So the Buddha said,
“Although I speak of Nirvana, it is not [ultimate] extinction. All phenomena, from the very beginning, have borne the marks of perfect tranquility.”
Haven’t we discussed how our external conditions and internal state of mind were originally pure, were originally perfectly tranquil? [The mind] was originally non-arising and non-ceasing. But we sentient beings gave rise to thoughts that created conditions in our surroundings that further led to complicated [relationships] between people. So, originally, there was nothing but we ordinary people trouble ourselves. [From the beginning, all phenomena,] “have borne the marks of perfect tranquility.”
The Buddha said, “Although I speak of Nirvana.” Nirvana is a Sanskrit word that means crossing into cessation. That [comes] when sentient beings’ minds “renounce the suffering of samsara.”
Although I speak of Nirvana: [Nirvana means] crossing into cessation. It means that all sentient beings must renounce the suffering of samsara. Then they [can] cultivate purifying practices, eliminate all afflictions and realize great Nirvana.
If we know that samsara is suffering, we must learn about cyclic existence in the Six Realms. We ordinary people cannot control our cyclic existence in the Six Realms. We learn about samsara in the Six Realms by engaging in spiritual practice. So, we must “renounce” [samsara]. To renounce and no longer be enamored by samsara, we must engage in spiritual practice and cultivate purifying practices.
We hope that we can clearly [recognize] the causes and conditions that we have created. We must quickly put an end to our past causes and conditions; we must quickly resolve them. Then starting in this life, we must create good causes and conditions. So, to [cross into] “cessation”, we must deliver ourselves across and extinguish our afflictions. Therefore, we must cultivate purifying practices. We must always maintain the purity of our minds. As for interpersonal conflicts, we must always be vigilant and clearly discern right from wrong. When other people try to cause us afflictions, we must not accept them. At this moment in our lives, we must “eliminate all afflictions.”
If we can clearly understand this, we can hold on to a mind of purity and goodness. This is how purifying practices lead us to “remain unwavering.” We must “maintain our initial aspiration.” We want to engage in spiritual practice, and want to be firm, so we do not fear hard work, nor fear being challenged by others. This aspiration is very pure. Also, if our minds are expansive, we will not allow external afflictions to [obstruct] our minds. If we can do this, our spiritual practice can help us cross into cessation, help us extinguish all kinds of afflictions and deliver our own minds across.
So, the Buddha said, “Although I speak of Nirvana” because though He had taught about Nirvana, everyone thought that the last day of life was what He called Nirvana. Actually, Nirvana is not this. It is about how, in our daily arising and ceasing, we can purify our minds and find perfect tranquility. To find perfect tranquility, our minds must be tranquil and we must eliminate afflictions. So, this state of “extinction” is Nirvana.
It is not [ultimate] extinction. Extinction is Nirvana. It is the extinction of the Three Delusions, those of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusion of ignorance. Crossing is to transcend the two kinds of samsara, fragmentary and transformational.
“Extinction” is extinction of the Three Delusions, those of views and thinking, dust-like delusions and delusion of ignorance. “Delusion” is not understanding the principles. If we do not understand principles, even if we keep memorizing and chanting them, can recite them easily and expound on them, we may still be deluded when it comes to the truth. Ignorance constantly arises in our minds. This is also “delusion.” This is “delusion of views and thinking.” A deeper delusion than that of views and thinking “is dust-like [delusion].” Dust is subtle and tiny. We have so many afflictions;
these many afflictions are caused by ignorance. This is Root Ignorance. So, we must transcend “fragmentary samsara.” I have also analyzed “fragmentary samsara” and “transformational samsara” for you in the past. We are subject to unexhausted karma, and go through “fragmentary samsara” through past lives, this present life and future lives, one fragment after another. “Transformational samsara” refers to changes in our thinking and in our minds. We cannot yet “remain unwavering;” we have not yet reached that state.
So, we must have “vows as vast as the universe” and “remain unwavering for countless eons.” We must attain the Bodhisattva-state of equal enlightenment for this to be possible. This is not unattainable. As long as we let go of our daily afflictions, naturally our minds will be pure.
When we eliminate all kinds of afflictions, we can bring purity to our minds. So for all of us, “our intrinsic nature is true and everlasting.”
Our intrinsic nature is true and everlasting. Its essence is a state of perfect tranquility, therefore it is [ultimate] tranquility. Though the Dharma is intrinsically tranquil, if we do not cultivate the path, we cannot resonate with it.
Our nature was originally true and permanent. Our Tathagata-nature, the nature of True Suchness, is intrinsically pure. “Its essence is a state of perfect tranquility.” What would you say is the essence of our intrinsic nature? It is perfect tranquility or “[ultimate] tranquility.” The meaning of “perfect tranquility” is a complete and true purity, where all afflictions are extinct.
First, we eliminate the various afflictions from interpersonal conflicts. As we begin to engage in spiritual practice, we must first clearly discern right from wrong. We must avoid improper behavior. So, “Its essence is.” So, “a state of perfect tranquility.” The essence of our nature is very genuine and undefiled. It is orderly, perfectly tranquil and pure. This is “[ultimate] tranquility.” We must follow the rules and fulfill our duties; that is a part of our spiritual practice. If we fulfill our duties and follow the rules, it shows that our minds are abiding by the Dharma and the truth.
So, “though the Dharma is intrinsically tranquil, if we do not cultivate the path, we cannot resonate with it.” If we do not earnestly cultivate the path, how can we resonate with its principles? Everyone, as Buddhist practitioners, we must, in our daily living and in our surroundings, maintain control over ourselves. If individuals in a group control themselves, the entire group will [behave] wonderfully. Only then is this a spiritual training ground. Only then is there “tranquility and clarity.” This beautiful spiritual training ground is here [around us] and in our state of mind.
Our state of mind is pure and radiant. The state of everyone’s mind was originally pure, radiant and without arising and ceasing, so there is no need to be constantly afflicted. “This person said that this thing must be done a certain way, but I want to do it my way.” If we are like this, there is no harmony in the group. Then, how can our surroundings be beautiful? The Buddha taught us in the hope that we can train our own minds.
Though the Buddha spoke of Nirvana, He was not speaking of [ultimate] extinction, of the last day of our lives. Instead He spoke of how we must always unceasingly eliminate afflictions. “All phenomena, from the very beginning,” were perfectly tranquil. We must find a way to purify our minds so we can achieve “the marks of perfect tranquility.” We must bring our minds into a state of purity and perfect tranquility by eliminating all afflictions. This is what the Buddha teaches us. We must diligently protect our minds and control all our thoughts. We must remember that we are engaging in spiritual practice. So, everyone, please always be mindful.