The Banner Moves, The Wind Moves: A Teaching on the Mind
Teachings from Ashvaghosha Bodhisattva
January 31, 2019
The Illusion of External Movement
On the thirty-first of January, 2019, we reflect upon the profound wisdom shared in the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. The story of the Sixth Patriarch, Master Hui Neng, is one of great resilience and hidden brilliance. After receiving the robe and bowl from the Fifth Patriarch, he departed from the temple to protect the sacred lineage from those who sought to seize it by force. For over a decade, he lived among hunters, concealing his true nature until the Causal Conditions finally brought him to the Fa-xing Temple in Nanhai.
At that time, the Zen Master Yin Zong was presiding over a lecture on the . As he spoke, a sudden gust of wind caused the temple banners to flutter. Master Yin Zong pointed to the banners and asked the assembly to share what they saw. One monk declared, "I see the banner moving." Another monk insisted, "I see the wind moving." As they began to argue, Master Hui Neng stepped forward and offered a profound correction: "It is not the banner that moves, nor is it the wind that moves. It is the heart of the benevolent ones that moves." The movement of the banner arises from the eye , and the movement of the wind arises from the consciousness of the mind. Both of these arise from the mind itself. If the mind were not active, how could one perceive the movement of the wind or the banner at all?
The Five-Fold Listening
For those of you who are listening to the Dharma in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, and for the fourfold assembly of disciples here at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, we must ask: when you listen to the teachings, do you truly listen with your entire being? Do you listen with your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your hands, and your heart? This is the essence of true reception.
When Practitioner Su delivers a Dharma talk, is your consciousness and your heart truly focused? Or are you distracted by delusions, unable to maintain your concentration? When you read the transcripts of these interviews, do you hear the message clearly? If you do not achieve this five-fold state of listening, you will inevitably fall into a state of mental dullness. Furthermore, if you add your own personal analysis, judgment, or speculation—whether you are filled with doubt or belief—you are merely stirring your own consciousness. Just as the Sixth Patriarch described the banner and the wind, these are all movements of the mind that prevent you from achieving true focus.
Cultivating Faith and Wisdom
Therefore, in your practice of the Buddha Dharma, you must begin with faith. You must have faith that you are a Buddha, and you must have faith that every other being is also a Buddha. When you hold this faith, there is no room for discriminations. Within this faith, your confusion will be resolved. Once your confusion is dissolved, your heart will naturally open. You will benefit from the Dharma, and your mind will become clearer and more luminous.
No matter what movement occurs around you, if you possess meditative concentration within your heart, you will remain undisturbed. From this meditative concentration, Wisdom arises. You will naturally understand and perceive your own heart. It will become pure, natural, and free from extraneous thoughts. This is how true Wisdom manifests from within.
The Mission of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
When you listen to Practitioner Su, you must strive to understand the true meaning behind the words. Learning the Buddha Dharma is not about being mesmerised by the Buddha; it is about saving yourself so that you may eventually save others. You must possess the mind-capacity and the Wisdom to expand your heart, allowing you to embrace a broader perspective as you journey toward the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia is a place gathered through rare and magnificent Causal Conditions. To all the great practitioners and the fourfold assembly of disciples, you should make a vow: in this age of the Dharma’s decline, let the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia flourish. Let the Pure Land Dharma Gate cultivate talented individuals and save infinite beings. Let the headquarters of the Pure Land shine with great light. Namo Amituofo.
Ashvaghosha
This interview message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Hailiang.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library