We
have seen how meditation is the heart of the path to enlightenment.
Although to attain enlightenment may not be the goal for every-one,
those of us who wish to do the same as the Tathagatha (1) will
decide to tread the path to enlightenment; for us, med-itation
is necessary. Others will lead a normal life but may wish to improve
their circumstances. They come to know about the nature of mind
one way or another, and ultimate-ly are led to Buddhahood. Some
of us want to stop suffer-ing. Since the premise of the entire
Buddha's teachings is that suffering is the cause or root of everything,
whether our motivation is to reach Buddhahood or to stop suffering,
the path is the same.
Some people believe that the Dharma or teachings are altruistic
and therefore exclude those people who only want to look after
themselves. Regardless of whether the point of departure is selfishness
or not, when we start practicing the Dharma, we start to see things
as they truly are. At some point we will understand that nothing
is possible when we are not concerned with the welfare of others.
Whatever the motivation is at the beginning, the practice will
inevitably reveal that others are vitally important and our motivation
will naturally change.
On
a practical level, the first thing is to be aware that each person
is endowed with Buddha nature, a clear con-sciousness able to
apprehend the whole universe. We think on the one hand, "I'll
try to experience this consciousness free from suffering,"
and then on the other, "I live in a world made by happiness
and suffering." We have to under-stand that everything is
suffering. Even happiness is a cause of suffering because happiness
has an end. Open any book about the "Four Noble Truths."
Does it not state that every-thing is suffering? We need to understand
this fundamental axiom in order to be aware that happiness is
suffering. We need to be aware that our mind is the Tathagatha,
and to see this world of suffering as it is, to understand it
clearly.
Secondly, we look at ignorance. Some regard it as a demon,
but ignorance is not an evil force nor is it some energy out to
destroy us. Although it is not malevolent, it is true that it
underlies the root of all suffering. When ignorance diminishes,
so does suffering. For example, if my leg hurts and it does not
stop, I might start to imagine that it might be cancer. If someone
tells me that there is a splinter there, all my mental suffering
immediately disap-pears. I can then tend to the pain. But if I
cannot see it clearly, my actions might be inappropriate and harm
me instead.
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