【Description】
The naked eye, even from a great height, can only see a very limited part of the world.
But when you look with your spiritual sight you have a broad view, even from the vantage point of a small room.
Only by improving your spiritual sight can you see the essence of things and not be confused by afflictions and illusions. Grandmaster JinBodhi teaches how to see everything through your spiritual sight. His teachings guide you to enter a much broader world and live a much more brilliant life.
【You will learn】
- About spiritual sight
- See through the feelings of suffering and happiness in self-cultivation
- The relationship between wisdom and the spiritual realm
【Featured aphorisms】
- Happiness and joy, comfort and ease, like pain and troubles, are all illusions that cannot stand scrutiny!appiness and joy, comfort and ease, like pain and troubles, are all illusions that cannot stand scrutiny!
- The vision of wisdom allows you to look at problems across time and space so you can make good use of what you see.
- Wisdom represents the depth and breadth of our spiritual level and determines our level in life.
- Fire represents masculine energy that can eliminate all evil energy.
- Get the macro-level things correct when achieving big goals. Don’t care too much about your own interests so that your mind can be free from distractions and concerns.
- Look at problems beyond the current time space allows you to conform to the world, and even use this world to make yourself soar; make good use of everything and be born anew!
【Content】
It is the best time to meditate in Taiwan. Compared to the North, it is neither too hot nor too cold. It is wonderful.
Which day of the course is it? The 6th? Well, it is the 6th day. What have your feelings been, up till last night? Raise your hand if you feel it has been hard. Some do feel it has been hard. Why do you feel it has been hard, Zhenhui?
(I hurt my lower back years ago; it was painful. But it hadn’t bothered me for ages. The first day of class, my lower back hurt again, just as bad as it used to. So, I have been walking with my hand on my lower back, or lying down. So it is difficult. A lot of old issues have sprung up again; it has been hard. Amazingly, on day 2 or 3, I was practicing in the back, and I smelled medicinal herbs. Then gradually, I started feeling more and more comfortable. I smelled the herb the last 2 nights. I said it was hard because the pain was excruciating. Thanks, Master!)
Whose pain was it? (It was lower-back pain.) Who had the lower-back issue? Very good. (Thank you, Master.) It is good to be able to feel pain. Do you know why? Because it proves that you are alive. Besides feeling pain, who here has felt joy during class? Raise your hand, please. A bit higher. Good. Now, raise your hand if you have felt neither pain nor joy? Is there another sensation? Fatigue. Raise your hand if you felt tired up till yesterday. No problem, honesty is good. Everyone’s physical body is different.
For self-cultivators, no matter what you have felt, pain or fatigue, worries or joy, even headaches and back pains, it is all normal. Don’t think that feeling joy means good effects but feeling pain and fatigue has no effect. We meditate for just a few days. How much did you meditate before you came here? Everyone is different. The meditative effects are also affected by physical health, psychological state, and the ability to concentrate. All these variables result in different experiences.
During my meditation journey, I have experienced difficulty, pain, fatigue and aversion; I almost lost my desire to meditate, and even felt the pain was killing me. I followed a trustworthy psychological secret; that is, no matter what I was feeling, I kept my resolution and sincerity about meditation. I never altered my plans to meditate. Everything else is just a barrier set by the devil. You are happy today; that doesn’t mean you will still be happy at the next stage. Happiness is just the experience at a certain stage. Just now, Zhenhui said, “My lower back hurts.” I congratulated her. As Buddha said, “It is by their senses that human beings know they are alive.”
When you feel nothing, not the good and bad, not the joy and pain, you have died. So we should be grateful for what we feel. We are alive! Today’s pains are like the clouds above our heads. Wait a bit, and the wind might blow them away. They are temporary! They are just feelings. Where is the pain? Your back? Concentrate on it; where is the pain? You might specify a spot, and then another. If you magnified that spot to the size of a millstone, and again sought the exact point of pain, you wouldn’t find it. The pain is an illusion. It is called “pain”. In truth, it is just a manifestation.
All your feelings now, including the joy and comfort, are manifestations — as illusory as true. “Manifestation” here means “superficial perception”, like the makeup some women wear; the layer over the face will break down over time and disappear. It is fake. It is not your real skin. Your pain, joy, troubles, happiness, sorrows and all the rest, none of them can endure scrutiny. They are illusions! When we have got dust on our body, we wouldn’t say, “I am in such pain from smearing dirt on my clothes that I am going to die by suicide”.
It is like we have stained our body with paint, or we have smeared dirt on our clothes. Do we bother about that? We don’t need to bother! Just brush it off. Let the wind blow it away, or just throw the clothes in the washer. Clean your clothes in a basin. All gone! Or you just change clothes. That is another great option. Your joy, happiness, bitterness, pain, anxiety and sorrow are all emotions. These feelings caused by emotions aren’t reality. They are illusions. You disagree? Let’s test it.
You really want to find the pain in your back? You won’t be able to find it. Why discuss it further? What we really need persistence for is developing sincerity and compassion. Having only sincerity is not enough. Often in couples, one is sincere, but the other isn’t; if the sincere one realizes he has been fooled, he might commit suicide. A lack of basic sincerity may cause tragedies. You can sympathize with the suicide victim, but they aren’t any nobler for it.
Anyone who kills themselves for love is pretty sincere! But from another perspective, aren’t they just being foolish? People divorce after getting married and having kids. He stops loving you; isn’t it normal? When buying clothes, you will ensure they fit. If you shop at a reputable shop, you can return a purchase, right? So we shouldn’t be too narrowminded. When we have only sincerity but no wisdom or broad vision, sincerity will become ignorance.
The purpose of our practice is to cultivate wisdom. Wisdom is what we need to learn. How does wisdom manifest? Through sagacious observation or observing ability. What are the features of wise vision? Firstly, people with wise vision see things from a broader perspective. In ancient times, those who were narrowminded and sought only short-term benefits were described as “the rat’s eyes casting little light”; the saying means that rats are shortsighted. Rats only see the food before them and unwisely ignore the trap. So they die, or survive, being trapped and broken. Only seeking short-term benefits is shortsighted; it is also narrow-sighted.
So wise vision requires a broader perspective, the broadest view. What are the benefits of seeing from a broader perspective? It provides a point of reference. Let’s say you buy a teacup, and you love it; it is the only one you have ever seen. Then you go to a specialty store; you find your cup ugly. And you replace it. Normal, right? Say, you are really attached to it but accidentally drop it; it breaks. It is like your heart has broken too. You could die because you are so upset.
Death over a teacup? Would you say, “What great loyalty!” The person who says this will be considered crazy. Just go buy another cup! If I have broken something, I think, “I have used this for so long, and it is broken”. I can’t even fix it. Regardless of my feeling, the next thing I do is go out and buy a new one. Don’t break yourself over something broken. Is this behavior wise or stupid? I believe it is a wise action. We should have a broad perspective. With a broad perspective, we won’t get into a dead end.
Some say, “I should be loyal and not change myself”. Being loyal doesn’t mean getting into a dead end. For example, we pursue compassion. Being compassionate is not a dead end. It is the broadest path. It expands as you go, providing merit as you perform good deeds. Could life seem hopeless then? Would it be difficult to find a job? Or partner? Or food? Would you be hopeless? Would you be friendless? Impossible! The way of compassion is ever-expanding! So our loyalty and our direction in life have an inevitable connection.
To get wisdom, we firstly must have a broad and far-seeing perspective. Some people have vision issues. For those who are nearsighted, when reading without glasses, they put the book close to their nose. They get closer and closer, then end up like the rat, being shortsighted. Humanity’s shortsightedness will cause problems. Those who are farsighted read books far away from them. The difference between near and far is somewhere from 5 cm to 33 cm. This is the scope of vision for a layman, or the power of sight for a layman.
Then what is the degree of depth, distance and length of spiritual sight? Is there any difference for different people? How far can a human see on a clear day? Without being blocked by buildings, looking out to find hazy objects, I can see 10 km away. Even through the haze, I can see a distant mountain. But when the object changes in its size, shape and color, the effectiveness of our sight will also change. Is the sight of a wild animal the same as that of a human? Or is there a big difference? Do you have any clue? Were you ever be an animal? Raise your hand if you have been an animal. Which animal was it? Just kidding. Do not respond without listening carefully.
In fact, human’s visual capability differs greatly from that of other animals. Animals’ visual capabilities also differ from one to another. Owls, for example, can they see things in daylight? We know the answer without ever having been owls. Owls are night-vision specialists but can’t see during the day. And other animals? Some can see by day and at night, such as dogs and leopards; this is especially common among carnivores. It also applies to lots of herbivores. When I lived on the steppes, I would often see gazelles; they are like goats. Deer, dogs, wolves and every kind of leopard, their night vision is phenomenal. Crystal clear.
Compared to what other animals do, what we can see about the world is actually very limited. We can’t see far or deep. Some animals see what would be too close to us. They see spirits, or lost souls. Some animals can see them. Cats can. Dogs can. Stranger still, donkeys can too. Sometimes while walking at night, we can see nothing, but our donkey stumbles in terror, refusing to go forward. It gets scared and hits the ground. Why? Some know the answer from their experience. There is a way to decipher what has happened. Want to learn it? Nowadays, you likely won’t drive an animal cart.
In such situations, light a fire to shatter demonic entrapments. In Hinduism, fire offerings are favored, which influenced Tibetan Buddhism. Fire offerings destroy entrapment. Fire represents energy, the active yang energy, and represents the power to obliterate the Demon Lord and his snares. The cart drivers and travelers at night knew fire could drive demons away. What do meditators light? Incense. They recite “Amitabha Buddha”. They chant mantras. When you are doing this, your living electromagnetic field can resist otherworldly ill. It is useful, you protect yourself at least.
So the power of human sight varies from person to person. While we are practicing further and deeper, we will broaden, deepen and enrich our vision, and elevate our ability of observation. Deepening your self-cultivation is the key to expanding the boundaries of your world. People can achieve “Naked eye” through practicing diligently; the power of their vision is already beyond the level of ordinary humans. On the spiritual level, my power is much greater than it was. My mental faculties and my wisdom have expanded greatly.
On a certain level, we can achieve “Naked eye” and “Divine eye”. When we achieve Divine eye, many supernatural powers emerge naturally. So eyes have come to represent different levels of wisdom and meditative mind. Why the eyes? As your practice deepens, wisdom and dharmic power increase, mainly from the elevation of observation ability. So, enlightened ones, such as buddhas, work to enlighten others, saying, “Don’t gather objects by theft, don’t covet what is not yours, don’t be shortsighted like a rat, don’t covet petty advantages.” Coveting little will result in missing good fortune.
People are poor if they are greedy, and have no wisdom or compassion. Although they use all the superstitious tricks, in the end, they will have nothing but dust. I have never used tricks. At the end of my life, I want to be at peace, to feel satisfied with my life and to feel calm and blessed. The more tricks people use, the harder they fall, and the more tired they feel. Despite all our efforts, we end up with nothing. All you have owned, such as fame and wealth, has no lasting value. I pass through pain, hardship, joy; but they have no lasting value either, like passing clouds. With time, they will all pass.
The people who taught these principles stepped beyond temporal phenomena. At 17, you might not understand this truth, but you will by 71; some won’t get it at 101, not even on their deathbed. “Don’t cremate me!” In the end, we should all be burnt up, even our clothes. You can’t control anything after death. “Bury me there when I die. Otherwise, I will dismiss you!” It is no use; you can control nothing after death. So for many non-practitioners and the unenlightened, when facing death, despite age and the length of their beard, they will still be troubled by concerns of wealth, beauty and fame. Their passing is much more painful, without peace. It is real suffering.
So the enlightened see things beyond time and space. This is the difference between Divine beings and mortals. Ordinary folks think only about what they are doing today. What will I buy? What will I wear? Today, skinny pants are in. In 2 days, it will be ripped jeans! They pursue instant gratification. It is the pursuit of passing moments and superficial stimulation. From another point of view, looking at the primordial pants, why change them at all? Pants are pants. The whole process is surpassed. You have never really seen your beauty and your ugliness. Your clothes may feel uncomfortable. You are dressing to show people what kind of person you are. I am fashionable. I am strong. I am attractive.
And what does that prove? You don’t have wise insight by which to understand the world and yourself. You have never thought about this. The better we cultivate, the freer we are of space and time when we see ourselves and the world. Then we can adapt to the outside world. Furthermore, we will benefit from the world around us. Just as the saying goes, “Making good use of all” or “Phoenix Nirvana”. A crow becomes a phoenix; a carp jumps over the dragon gate. It is the transformation from the mundane to the Divine, a qualitative leap. Our feelings will definitely be different; we will be at ease.
We should learn to develop a broader vision beyond time and space, which will greatly benefit our everyday life. Don’t attach to thoughts such as “It hurts here today. What should I do?” “Is this good or bad karma?” “Is that a ghost?” The ghosts are in your mind. If you don’t have any aspirations, lack determination, and are super self-centered, your idleness will lead to negative thoughts. If you keep worrying about a toothache, your tooth will hurt in 2 days. People who suffer from headaches could be good-looking; maybe I need a headache too? You will have a headache within 2 days. You eat more greens today, and you worry they will give you stomach trouble; you will have the runs in 2 days.
You may worry that the food you have eaten is not easy to digest. While traveling, I met a Taiwanese couple. They asked, “Do you like this tofu? It was Chinese-made. ” “I do.” They started whispering about how I might get gallstones from eating too much tofu. The husband figured it was possible, so the wife told me they wouldn’t eat it. “But Master wants to eat.” “Let Master eat tofu then.” The next year, the husband came to me. I asked, “What happened?” He said, “I have got gallstones.” I asked how he got them. He said that his wife thought he might have eaten too much tofu in his past life! What would that have to do with his gallstones now?
This sort of behavior indicates an excessive guardedness. He was too self-focused in his life, so he was vulnerable to subconscious negativity. It creates ill even when none has been committed. Eat when you want to. You will digest or expel what you are meant to. No matter what he ate or what he did, he labored over the choice, the pros and cons. Under this condition, no matter what you do or eat, illnesses will arise. So what are the drawbacks? Being overly self-absorbed will cause more illnesses.
Why is an enlightened person called “A True Man”? A true man will do things when they see the main direction is right. Today, let’s consider this remarkable, beautiful statue of a buddha. If you look at the areas highlighted in silver and gold, you can see the little dots, and lots of blemishes; but I will tell you, “This is perfect!” “Perfection” isn’t being beautiful both up close and from afar. The real world is not like that. In reality, we look at the moon and say, “Wow! That is so beautiful!” But look at a satellite image of the lunar landscape; is it still beautiful? The moon is a lifeless desert. Is that beauty?
If you have decided that it is, then it is. But it certainly isn’t the beautiful moon we see with our naked eyes. You see a luminous expanse, a round light like a hanging plate. That is not at all what it is really like. It is a barren desert. But if you think it is beautiful, then it is. So whenever we do anything important, a broader perspective should be applied. Don’t fuss over the little things related to your individual benefits. Then your mind will be untroubled. You will have fewer hang-ups.
When you want to have spinach, you think about all the nutrients. Later, you hear that spinach is linked to cancer. “I will never eat spinach again!” After a little research, you learn that radish causes rage. No more radish. Eating carrots? Doomed to rebirth as a rabbit, no more carrots. There will be nothing left on the planet you can still eat. So don’t be so picky, fussing over every little thing. That is wisdom. It is hard to recognize wisdom, but it manifests through perspective. A broader perspective expands our understanding of the world.
We learn the world mainly through sight. We assess with our eyes. Say, we see a round pillar there; we know that around the pillar, there is a stream. I may need to roll up my pants before wading across. What if the water is too deep? I will need a boat; or, I may need to build a bridge. I would likely drown if I couldn’t see all of these. Say, I am walking on the road; there are roadworks ahead. Inside the ditches on the road, there are metal pipes and cement objects. If I fall down, I will hit my head and die.
We have sight for practical reasons. With wisdom, we can perceive space and time on a grander level, so we can do grander good. We won’t waste our time and efforts on worthless things. We won’t live our lives being penny wise and pound foolish. We won’t hurt ourselves by harming others. Our “sight” allows us to be adept with everything. We understand that being compassionate helps not just others, but ourselves. This is the greatest manifestation of our vision.
Our wisdom doesn’t only help with our sight, but also strengthens our capacity to bear adversity. For the recent economic crisis, we see it like the tide flowing and ebbing. If we don’t have strong enough risk capacity economically and emotionally, we shouldn’t buy stocks. Why do we discuss this? Isn’t this a practical yet mystical issue? If you can’t weather the storms, don’t buy in. Say, I have got a million USD. I need 500,000 to support my family’s basic needs for 4 to 5 years. I am sure that it is a good time to buy stocks. Say, I buy 200,000 in stocks. If the 200,000 falls to 100,000 with the market, I can still live normally. I can still afford all I need to survive. Obviously, this is related to the scope of our spiritual sight.
Some people leap off a building as soon as the market falls. Why? Because they have lost everything. For these people, while buying stocks, they didn’t consider the risks involved; they only think of the excitement when the stock price goes up. People tend to avoid consideration of a potential crash and loss, which might come as an enormous shock. It is called sticking your head in the sand. They close their eyes to avoid seeing the ghosts but insist on staying in the haunted house.
It is like how some people deal with surgery. Surgery is painful! But if my eyes are covered, I won’t be as afraid. If the surgery is necessary to save a life and end pain, we just need to get through it. Most of our conscious acts and behaviors are controlled by our wisdom. The higher level of wisdom requires broader and further perspective. We have fully discussed wisdom and its application. It is inevitably related to all human life. The breadth and depth of spiritual sight create the differing statuses of human beings.
One’s wealth and status don’t just result from one’s occupation. They mostly come from one’s spiritual perspective. The depth, breadth and length of spiritual sight determine the extent of our joys and sorrows in life. If you mostly live in a state of suffering during your 70 or 80 years of life, your life will be painful. Say, you have been feeling peaceful during most of your life, with a little happiness; I don’t hope too much joy for anyone, because sorrow will always come with joy. So, if in most of your life, you have been feeling calm and at ease, then you can say that you have lived the greatest good fortune.
No matter how much we know about the external world, or how much we delve into our inner self to look at our views, pain and afflictions, our goal to cultivate our spiritual sight comes with the aim of applying it in our practical life. We aim to liberate ourselves from sufferings as well as attain happiness. That is what Buddhadharma truly means for humanity.
A human’s level of spiritual sight creates their status in life. Grandmaster JinBodhi