The Trap of Subjective Thinking

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Changren, who shares profound insights on the nature of subjective thinking and its spiritual consequences. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on November 15, 2022, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia.

Venerable Changren speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Habitual subjective thinking is truly like a powerful, demonic force. It acts as a constant, invisible controller, gripping our heads and dictating how we perceive the world. It is a subtle but pervasive influence that most people fail to notice, yet it is present in almost everyone.

Think about it—how often do we see a scene or hear a sound and immediately, without a second thought, make a subjective judgment about the event? We rely entirely on our own established patterns of thinking to draw conclusions. But let me ask you: does this subjective judgment actually align with the truth? Rarely. It is almost never the full reality of the situation.

The Illusion of Certainty

Often, we go even further. Before a situation has even unfolded, we subjectively determine what the outcome will be. We decide in our minds how things 'must' turn out. But does the result ever truly match our subjective prediction? Not necessarily. We are often blinded by our own expectations, missing the actual flow of cause and effect.

Subjective thinking can manifest in countless scenarios throughout our daily lives. And let me tell you, this kind of thinking almost always carries negative, unwholesome intentions within it. This is a common habit of humanity—we are so quick to judge, so quick to assume the worst, and so quick to project our own biases onto the world around us.

The Hardened Lumps of the Mind

In such a state, who is the ultimate victim? It is ourselves. When subjective thinking becomes increasingly rigid and we develop stubborn attachments that are difficult to change, it is as if a hard, calcified lump has grown inside our brain. The harder this lump becomes, the more subjective and stubborn our thinking grows.

Within this space of subjective thinking, there is a vast, dark void. This space is filled with spirits—sentient beings who are drawn to us precisely because of our subjective thoughts. Our own karmic creditors are also hiding in there. They feed on this energy, strengthening the intensity of our subjective thoughts and making it even harder for us to break free from these patterns.

The Physical Toll of Subjectivity

Every time we fall into this trap of subjective thinking, our physical body suffers. Other organs are simultaneously harmed because these thoughts act as a wake-up call to the karmic creditors residing within our bodies. The moment these karmic creditors are awakened, they begin to seek revenge. They start to destroy our internal organs, bit by bit, day by day. By the time we finally notice the symptoms, the illness has already taken root.

Learning to let go of our subjectivity is a vital practice. It helps us move toward the state of no-thought and no-self. If we insist on clinging to our subjective views, our 'self' will only grow larger and more inflated. We will inevitably make incorrect judgments, and through these unwholesome thoughts, we will attract external spirits and internal beings that disturb our bodies. It is simply not worth the price we pay.

Namo Amituofo."