Ignorance arises from one's disregard for knowing the truth in whatever we see, hear, touch, smell and taste. We see what we see, and do what we do, while ignoring the fact about what it means. Failure to recognize what things mean will lead to ignorance -- a root cause for pain and suffering. We must, therefore, eliminate ignorance from our Minds. What gives us the power to achieve this state of Mind?
We must be extremely aware that the power of the five sensory systems is strong enough to lead one down a path towards adopting a life filled with mindful actions. Cultivating the strength to overcome this highly invasive and destructive force of the Mind is indeed the strength of one's Ordinary Mind. The evils of ignorance, contempt and disrespect, so viciously portrayed by the Mara King, were all overcome by the Mind of Gautama Buddha. The power to overcome such an evil Mind is epitomized by the Buddha Form on the Moon. Figuratively speaking, the beastly nature of Mara depicted in the Bhavachakra shows how the evil Mind could forcibly occupy one's Mind with thoughts of viciousness and guile.
We must be extremely aware that the power of the five sensory systems is strong enough to lead one down a path towards adopting a life filled with mindful actions. Cultivating the strength to overcome this highly invasive and destructive force of the Mind is indeed the strength of one's Ordinary Mind. The evils of ignorance, contempt and disrespect, so viciously portrayed by the Mara King, were all overcome by the Mind of Gautama Buddha. The power to overcome such an evil Mind is epitomized by the Buddha Form on the Moon. Figuratively speaking, the beastly nature of Mara depicted in the Bhavachakra shows how the evil Mind could forcibly occupy one's Mind with thoughts of viciousness and guile.
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| Mara as he appears in a segment of the Bhavachakra |
As it appears on the Moon
It is not uncommon to ask ourselves why we sometimes have a foggy Mind. We cannot see things clearly. We cannot think as clearly as we could because of a sense of "foggy vision". It feels as though the fog has the power to detract one's Mind and force one to withdraw from a virtuous path. How does one obtain the power of the Mind to repel such a force? -- I have wondered. Can it be self-learned?
Clarity is what we can all see in our conscious Mind. There can be no clarity whatsoever in a dream. As vivid as a dream can be, there is no means to clarify the details in that dream in order to bring clarity. How can one perceive then, what clarity means? The power to eliminate the fog, and to experience with greater clarity what lies ahead in our path, strikes at the heart of the Heart Sutra.
Clarity is what we can all see in our conscious Mind. There can be no clarity whatsoever in a dream. As vivid as a dream can be, there is no means to clarify the details in that dream in order to bring clarity. How can one perceive then, what clarity means? The power to eliminate the fog, and to experience with greater clarity what lies ahead in our path, strikes at the heart of the Heart Sutra.
There is so much on the Internet in the form of text, video and pictures, that it does not need much of one's own writing to express what is on one's Mind. References can be made to others who share a similar thought and have eloquently described your thought. I found one such reference to Sogyal Rinpoche giving a talk about the Essence of Buddhism.
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