The Non-Separation of Buddhas and Living Beings

[林愛偉]

The Non-Separation of Buddhas and Living Beings

By: Lin Zi Yi (Lin Ai Wei)

 

 

The wonderful ways of this universe are only according to the minds living beings. In the realm of hot, there is cold. In the realm of big there is short. That which is myriad is only myriad because of the thoughts and afflictions of living beings. What is an affliction? An affliction is nothing more than that which the mind attracts to, moves to, and remains in view (perception) of, which is the fuel of the process of creating things.

 

Taking the view that all beings area interconnected, we will direct our attention to the relation with all things. In the relation to all things, living beings are thus all things. A rock, a tree, a statue, a car, all things. How is this so if a rock, a car and a statue do not breathe, live, think? It is because living beings which do breathe, think and live create such with the mind. When a living being sees things, they see with the use of the function of the physical eyes. When eyes are closed, they claim to see nothing.

 

This seeing of nothing is still seeing. One thinks there is nothing being seen, and thus, nothing is seen. One says because of the blackness, there is nothing. The present moment of labeling what is sought to be the blackness makes this blackness something. It now becomes the mind of the seer, the one seeing, not a sage. When things enter the function of the eye organ, one claims to see, and thus one views such a seeing as an experience of the object in sight.

 

From labeling comes further separation of views. The movement of mind to what is seen is the separating of things, thus the creation of things. Things that are created are, in form, separate from other forms that are in creation, hence a quote from the Dao De Jing, “One creates two, two creates three, three creates the myriad things.” This line only points to the function of labeling. Not the overall manner of the universe.

 

What is known as the universe is nothing more than mind. When mind views the universe, there is a universe to view. No minding of a universe and the universe is not separate from the minder. When such is cultivated, the view of oneness with that which is outside of the one seeing begins to function. This view of oneness is still not actual oneness, but only a guideline to the realization that all things are actually of a single substance.

 

When the mind is not moved by that which is a result of the function of viewing, the mind no longer is the mind. The idea of a mind is still a view. Once the view of a mind that is unmoved is put down, there is a realization that all places, all things and all minds of living beings are no longer places, things and minds of living beings. Just for the sake of saying so, all minds, places and things are all one.

 

Buddha is a name to that which is the put down mind, the unmoved and unattached mind. One cannot grasp it as a thing because it is not a thing. Though it is the “mind” which is unmoved, unattached and put down, it is also the defiled mind; mind of attachments, unbalanced and full of views. The “mind” that is attached is just the same “mind” that is not attached. To be clearer, we can look at the analogy of clear water and dirty water.

 

In a cup of clear water, no dirt, there is just water. When dirt is added to the water, it is now defiled water. It is still water, but only with dirt in it. When the dirt is first put into the water, it falls down to the bottom of the cup. The water was originally not moving, but because it was in a vessel, the cup, it was subject to dirt entering its abode and defiling it. The dirt enters, and the water moves slightly as the dirt falls to the bottom. After all of the dirt has settled, the water is now again still, but is defiled. When there is wind, or a vibration, the water moves, and that movement also disrupts the settled dirt causing it to move about, and sometimes rise up to the surface of the water.

 

This is the mind of living beings. They have a vessel, a body, a form, and are subject to the influence of the functions of the body. They in turn believe these functions to be real, and base their views on them. This is the same as the defiled water and its movement of dirt. When there is a sensation from the body of the living being, because of the attachment to the sensations and views of them, the mind moves to them. This results in stronger attachments to the views of the sensations.

 

It is likened to the defiled cup of water. This brings us to look past the emotions, sensations and views we hold, and realize that they are all created by improper views. Improper views are thoughts held in the mind which assist in believing what is experienced to be real. Though living beings have a body, and will inevitably have views, certain views result in the experience of a destructive mind, a sick mind which results in the forms of living beings to be the same.

 

The Buddha taught to put down views, but since great amount of living beings have the condition of needing to hold onto views in order to cultivate, as an expedient to keep the mind from creating what we consider unpleasant things, he teaches to hold onto precepts, truths of what we consider reality so as to stay focused on not becoming stuck in daily habits, thoughts, emotions, etc. The lesson with that is, if we are to hold onto any false thoughts, hold onto those which result in wisdom. Using poison against poison and thus curing the mind from ignorance.

 

The mind which we call the Buddha mind is none other than the mind of living beings. The only main difference is, the Buddha mind is not pre-occupied with , attached to, the things unrealized Buddhas are. What are unrealized Buddha but living beings with no wisdom, virtue, morality; Patience, Compassion and Wisdom. All are the same, all have certain characteristics. A living being puts down their pre-occupied mind, all emotions and thoughts by not entertaining them with emotion, desire.

 

Constant practice of this leads to wisdom, compassion, patience. When all is finally put down without a trace of defilement; emotional attachment, personal desire, there is enlightenment. It was said in the Sixth Patriarch’s Sutra, “Karma ended and emotions empty, defines a true Buddha. Karma heavy and emotions turbid, defines a living being”. People tend to think that having a physical body means one is not a Buddha. On the contrary, without a physical body, how can you become a Buddha?

 

Utilizing the body, mind properly, one will become a Buddha. But, it is not that one mysteriously, magically turns into a Buddha. It is that one’s mind transforms from filled with emotional imbalances, to no mind of emotion at all. That doesn’t mean a Buddha doesn’t feel emotion and is dead emotionally. That means the Buddha is not moved by emotion; when someone dies, an unrealized Buddha usually cries in loss of the person. A Buddha knows that “Life and Death” are of the mind, and so no one is actually dying. That is the difference.

 

To be in the ups and downs of emotions is going with the flow of turbidity because emotional ebbs and flows are but coverings to the actual truth of conditions. Though people consider feelings to be pleasant and lively, this is only because people think it to be that way. In actuality, there is no pleasant and unpleasant. Living beings have a problem with this, because they are so used to labeling and indulging in their good and bad feelings.

 

This is the separation of the Buddha mind and the mind’s of living beings. The separation exists only because living beings cannot put down their likes and dislikes, their views. The views of living beings is the dirt in the water, it is the clouds covering the sky, and it is the blue color we call the sky. These views, because of the strong attachment to them from living beings, deter the concentration of mind from the original nature. What is the original nature? It’s simple, just meditate and find out.

 

In this we realize that the Buddha mind and the defiled mind are only a thought away. There is no real separation of Buddhas and living beings, yet there is separation due to the views living beings hold onto.

 

Seeing the Buddha, is not really seeing the Buddha. Hearing the Buddha is not really hearing the Buddha, becoming a Buddha is not really becoming a Buddha. This means that if we see the form which we call a Buddha, it is because of our own views that it is a Buddha’s form. If we hear the voice of one we call the Buddha because of the profundity of the teachings, it is only that way because we view the teachings spoken to be profound. Becoming a Buddha is only viewed as a becoming because of the defiled thoughts viewed of in the mind of the living being.

 

It is due to our views of ego, others, a being and a life that there is a view of separation of Buddhas and unrealized Buddhas. It is not enough to recite the words of a Buddha, and speak in the manner of how a realized master would speak. That is lying to oneself. What is proper is that once one realizes the way, attains enlightenment; there is no difference between living beings and a realized one. In this, there is no becoming a Buddha because there is nothing that is transformed. What is experienced is only passing, not real, a bubble, a dream, empty. Why use what is empty as a base for experience? Thus is such a life of living beings.

 

NAMO ORIGINAL TEACHER SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA

NAMO GREAT COMPASSIONATE AVALOKITESHVARA BODHISATTVA

NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA

NAMO GREAT SHURANGAMA

NAMO XUAN HUA SHANGREN

NAMO ALL BUDDHAS and BODHISATTVAS, PRATYEKA BUDDHAS AND ARHATS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS

May the merit and virtue accrued from this work be transferred to all the living beings throughout the ten directions. May they all attain great affinities with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of their minds and be reborn in their lands of great and ultimate bliss according to their affinities.

Edited September 21, 2007 by 林愛偉