Every single being possesses the inherent Buddha-nature. Although we have begun our journey of practice, and we have started to awaken, to recite the sutras, and to chant Buddha's name, this does not mean that every person fully understands their current progress or the depth of their own . Because of this, the manifestations we display in our daily lives differ from one another. These differences arise primarily from our individual habits, our deep-seated discriminations, and our persistent attachments. When our Six Roots come into contact with , the resulting states of mind vary, yet the fundamental essence within us all remains exactly the same.
The Ripple Effect of a Single Thought
When we experience a single moment of non-awareness, we may find ourselves criticising others or feeling the sting of being criticised. The afflictions that arise from these moments do not assist us in our practice. In this world, people often engage in discussions on various topics, each holding their own distinct perspective. This is simply the result of each person experiencing a moment of non-awareness, leading to their own unique thoughts. Our views on events and the external world we encounter are all shaped by these internal discriminations. After that first moment of non-awareness, subtle discriminations follow, and as one thought leads to another, we continue down this path. This is why, when we discuss any given topic, we find such a wide array of differing opinions.
Our thoughts are constantly turning in accordance with our heart, our intentions, and our . Our ability to see, what we perceive, and what we cling to are all rooted in that initial moment of non-awareness. When these thoughts continue in a sequence, we eventually become unaware that we are even thinking them, and they solidify into habits. Based on these habits, we act through our speech and our physical behaviours, thereby creating . Consequently, these actions cause us to lose the natural ease of our body, mind, and spirit. When a single moment of non-awareness gives rise to the three subtle and six coarse manifestations of ignorance, how can we turn this around and return to a state of awakening?
Peeling Away the Layers of the Heart
Our practice is a process of extreme subtlety. A single moment of non-awareness brings about confusion, and this is the state of ordinary beings. Therefore, if we wish to become a Buddha, our practice must be rooted in awareness rather than in moments of non-awareness. The three subtle and six coarse manifestations are, in truth, the signs of non-awareness. Why must we strive to understand these concepts? It is to allow us, in our daily practice, to perceive the coarseness or subtlety of our thoughts and to understand our own attachments and greed. When we encounter any situation, we must recognise that the result is born from our own discriminations and attachments. By observing the coarseness of our thoughts, we can cut through these afflictions. Cutting through these afflictions allows us to first address the most painful among them. When we see the phenomena of our own afflictions, we must look deep within our hearts. It is much like peeling an onion, layer by layer, to understand our every thought and intention with greater subtlety. What was once unknown and unperceived now becomes clear as we peel away these layers. When we know that our practice is about overcoming non-awareness and confusion, we will no longer demand that others accept the phenomena we currently manifest in our practice. This is the very process of cultivation.
Honouring the Unique Path of Every Practitioner
When we experience a moment of non-awareness and discover that we have afflictions, we are capable of noticing this ourselves. This is why we have the habit of chanting Buddha's name; when afflictions arise, we tell ourselves to chant and thereby bring the mind to a state of stillness. To all the Bodhisattvas in the Western Land of Nature, the path to becoming a Buddha is to learn the awareness of the Buddha. We must preserve our originally pure and unstained true self, keeping it clean and free from the dust of the world. This will greatly assist our practice. Therefore, we must respect the different appearances of every practitioner who is currently on the path. The phenomena that each person manifests are vastly different. If one falls into a moment of non-awareness, confusion and afflictions will arise. However, if one maintains a single moment of awareness, one will attain purity and true freedom.
Ashvaghosha
This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan.
