This interview with Venerable Yongning was conducted by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on October 30, 2022, at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre. In this discussion, Venerable Yongning explores the complex, multi-layered nature of the human brain, revealing the existence of 'Brain Spiritual Space' and the necessity of meditative concentration to achieve true stillness.
Venerable Yongning speaks:
". I am Venerable Yongning. Let me begin by asking everyone a few questions: Can you truly control The Head and prevent it from thinking? Or, can you make your brain focus on the exact same thing, every single second, without wavering? Think about it—is it even possible for the average person to command their own mind to be perfectly still?"
The Restless Nature of the Human Mind
"From my perspective, the human brain seems to be in a state of constant leaping and transformation. This means that our thoughts are changing in a thousand, even ten thousand ways, and consequently, the space within our minds is also shifting in a thousand, even ten thousand ways. I invite you to observe your own state for a moment. When you are not intentionally thinking about anything, your brain continues to think on its own. And the content of these thoughts is always changing—it is incredibly varied and unpredictable.
One moment you might be thinking about something happening right now, and the next, you are suddenly thinking about something that occurred three years ago. Even events from thirty years ago might flash across your mind like a sudden image. In that fleeting moment, you grasp it, and through that image, you begin to recall the events of thirty years past. Have you ever had such an experience? It is a common occurrence, yet few stop to consider why it happens or what it truly signifies. It is quite a remarkable phenomenon, is it not?"
The Hidden Spiritual Dimensions
"The human brain is profoundly complex. The brain structure that modern medicine observes is merely one layer. There exists another layer, one that medical instruments and current technology cannot perceive: this is what we call the 'Brain Spiritual Space'. It is a realm that operates beyond the physical constraints of biology.
The term 'space' is widely used in the spiritual world because such spaces truly exist. Within each of these spaces, there are sentient beings. Humans cannot use the time calculated by the Earth's existence to measure how many sentient beings appear each year. It is not calculated in such a linear fashion. Instead, it is space upon space, and then even more spaces beyond those. Think about it—the Earth is 4.6 billion years old. How many spaces exist within it? And how many sentient beings dwell within them? The number is so vast it is impossible to count. No human has ever seen this clearly because these spaces are incredibly complex and diverse."
The Complexity of Spiritual Influence
"Every imaginable type of space exists. If human eyes were capable of seeing them, you would surely feel astonished and shocked. The spirits within these spaces do not necessarily take on human forms; all manner of spirits may exist within these dimensions. It is a world far more crowded and active than we could ever imagine.
Returning to the human brain space, its complexity means that it does not always follow a predictable pattern. It is influenced by the sentient beings within these spiritual spaces, as well as the structural operations of the brain itself. Because of this, it frequently experiences different thoughts, lines of reasoning, and states of being. Consequently, the vast space of the brain is in a constant state of flux; the space changes every single second. It is never the same from one moment to the next."
The Path to Stillness
"Given this, if one wishes to purify the brain and achieve Meditation (Concentration), one must put in a great deal of effort. This is the work required during the process of practice—to overcome these layers of obstacles. Only then can one break through the barriers and finally attain a brain space of profound stillness and silence. It is a difficult journey, but it is the only way to truly master one's own mind and develop the necessary skills.
