This interview was conducted with Venerable Chang Ren at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. It explores the profound practice of maintaining an 'unmoved mind' amidst the turbulence of the world. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on March 21, 2023.
Venerable Chang Ren speaks:
". I am Venerable Chang Ren. When we speak of the human heart, we must acknowledge how easily it is shaken. Regardless of the nature of the stimuli—be it a sound, a visual image, or a string of words—these external factors can disturb the heart, causing it to ripple and fluctuate. Once these images, messages, and impressions enter our , they tend to linger, taking up space within our minds and behind our eyes.
The Fragility of the Human Heart
For practitioners, the core of our work is to cultivate an 'unmoved mind.' No matter how chaotic the external world becomes, the heart within must remain still. Even when the scenes before our eyes are truly shocking or heart-wrenching, a practitioner who has attained this state of Meditation (Concentration) remains unmoved. This is a heart that is settled, firmly anchored in the state of being 'unmoved.'
What kind of practice allows one to reach a state where nothing can shake the heart? In truth, there is no secret method other than the constant purification of oneself. By continuously purifying our own nature, we eventually see through the illusions of this world, and naturally, we are able to let go. Once we have truly let go, there is nothing in this world that can disturb our hearts. Even if the images before us are filled with intense, worldly, or base content, to the eyes of such a practitioner, they are merely false phenomena of the world. Why, then, would there be any need for the heart to be stirred?
The Path to an Unmoved Mind
This heart is no longer a mundane heart; it is a truly extraordinary heart. It is not swayed by worldly affairs. It does not rejoice in praise, nor does it grieve in sorrow. It does not allow the fires of anger to rush to the brain. Everything remains in a state of profound peace and purification.
Why is it that the images, sounds, and words we encounter can so easily shake us? It is because, within our hearts, there are still things we have not let go of. If we have not yet severed our attachments to wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep, or if the seven emotions and still hold sway over us, then our hearts will inevitably be disturbed by what we see and hear. These external stimuli resonate with the desires still hidden within us. In an instant, our hearts are shaken, and these sights and sounds begin to orbit within our minds, refusing to fade away. This is what happens when we have not yet fully let go.
The Internal Battleground
When a practitioner reaches a certain level of cultivation, they can generally remain unmoved by the outside world. However, if there are still lingering thoughts that have not been severed—even if it is just a single, fine thread of attachment—then the moment a corresponding sound, image, or word appears, the heart can be instantly stirred. It is moved.
To try and pull back this shaken heart quickly is often already too late. That momentary movement was already a disturbance. Even if the duration of the movement was short, and even if the speed of recovery was fast, the heart was still moved. It was not 'unmoved.' It means one must continue to practise and continue to purify.
Purification and True Clarity
Subduing the sentient beings within our own bodies, especially the demon nature within ourselves, is an obstacle that every practitioner must strive to overcome. Within every person's body, there exist countless sentient beings. Among our fifty trillion cells, there are far more than fifty trillion sentient beings—there are countless spirits residing within, including demon crowds. These spirits can emerge at any moment to interfere with our hearts. Even if our conscious mind does not wish to be moved, they can easily cause the heart to fluctuate because they know the weaknesses of this body intimately. They can interfere with the heart with great ease.
The space within is vast, containing all manner of realms. Often, when we are easily stirred by what we see and hear, it is because those external stimuli are in sync with the internal space of our own bodies. When the spirits within us are moved, our body and heart follow suit.
Through practice—by listening to sutras, hearing the , and tempering our personalities—we can continuously change ourselves. By adjusting our internal nature, the heart can gradually become unmoved by the affairs of the world. Naturally, one will then possess internal Meditation (Concentration) and will not be easily shaken.
Therefore, for all practitioners, regardless of the level of their practice, the purer and clearer the heart becomes, the deeper the practice will naturally be. We will be able to see through the false phenomena of this world more clearly, and the heart will remain unmoved by the world.
