April 26, 1987
If you want to step out of the cycle of SAMSÃRA (metempsychosis cycle), you must first attain EMPTINESS.
For each arising thought, you have to ask this instantaneous question, “What is this arising thought for? Does it have any purpose?”
Good purpose may bring bad consequence, and bad purpose may bring good consequence, and vice versa. Both kinds of purposes lead you to the law of cause and effect.
Therefore, when a thought arises in your mind, you should observe it scrupulously. If it has purposes and consequences, you have to learn how to let it go.
However, can you let it go and not retain it in your mind? Since it can go by at this moment and will come back in another moment?
If you do not observe it carefully and still deceive yourself, it will certainly come back. If you observe it, analyze it carefully and use the will power of self-transformation, you will gradually give up that arising thought easily and forget it easily. Once you can understand your human fastidious mechanism in a scrupulous and thorough way, you will control it very easily. You will be its true master, provided you do not cheat yourself. Sincerity, honesty with yourself is an important factor in religious practice.
If your mind no longer has all arising thoughts, you will reach the marvelous silence of Buddha. That silence is called the Serene Mind or the Absorption. When a human being can reach the ABSORPTIVE MIND, they will begin to have the clear-mindedness, from it will enlighten the WISDOM or the INSIGHT.
What does it mean by “the Clear Mind sees Nature”?
When your mind is very clear, you will understand yourself then understand others. When you understand others, you will know what you have to do or say so that you can help others.
