【Description】
“I am the world, and the world is me.” How does it feel to exist in this state?
The Monkey King can travel over 10,000 miles in a single somersault, but he can’t jump out of the Buddha’s palm. Why?
The truth seems simple, yet it has a deep underlying meaning. If you can understand just a little bit, life will change for you from now on.
【You will learn】
- How to view the world from another angle
- Ways to live in harmony with the world
- Ways to resolve afflictions and obtain happiness
【Featured aphorisms】
- Once you have seen through it all, you will be able to accept everything; not only will you be able to let go, you will also be able to find happiness in doing so.
- When there is no sense of opposition or gain or loss, you will be able to judge fairly the things and people appearing before you.
- When you are surrounded by immeasurable illumination, you will not be bounded by the conflicts of people or the mundane laws before you.
【Content】
Close your eyes when meditating. Think: “I am the world; the world is me.” Too deep? Let me explain. When you close your eyes, you no longer set your gaze on a confined space. There will be no boundary now, you will become as huge as the world.
(In The Meditation of Purity, there is a line that reads: I am Heaven; Heaven is me. I am the Universe; the Universe is me.)
Yes.
(Many have said they have no idea how to visualize this.)
It is vague, in which case you need to broaden your mind. When you see yourself as the world, your whole body relaxes. It will act on the will of your mind instead of doubting or fighting it. Be broadminded when dealing with people around you, as they are the cause of your emotional upheavals. Be broadminded when surrounded by joy and afflictions. Think: “I am the world; the world is me”. You will then become neutral: No losses, no gains. This helps you view things without bias, and you will be less likely to despise someone without a reason.
Say, you hate wolves because they kill the sheep. People on the Tibetan Plateau used to hunt wolves. (Yes.) If there were no wolves, the sheep would eat up all the grass. In less than 10 years, there would be no more grass on the plateau. Carnivores exist for a reason. If not, the herbivores would eat up all the plants. That is how Nature keeps its balance. Your afflictions about wolves will clear once you understand how the world runs. Why should you be afflicted when your dog poops on the floor? You are the one who wants to keep it, and you even spent money on it. So, is your affliction necessary? Understanding the truth behind your afflictions makes you let go of them easily, and you will feel happier.
(Accept, let go and be happy.)
Yes. First, you need to see through them. (Yes.) See through your afflictions and you will be able to let go of them. The Monkey King claimed he could travel 10,000 miles with one jump. So what? He never escaped from the Buddha’s palm. The Buddha is the world and the Universe. He could easily contain a monkey. It is not about the size of Buddha’s palm but about Buddha’s broad mind. He sees through the Monkey King, whose 72 earthly transformations are limited, while the Buddha, the Universe, transcends all limits. There’s no limit or boundary. (Yes.) No people, rules or beliefs could contain you if you were as huge as the world.
(You wouldn’t feel awkward or contradicted.)
Yes. Today’s lesson is a bit deep. If you have been practicing for quite a while, replay this a few more times. It may help you understand my point, which is profound. I always teach deep stuff in a simple way. Practice; you will learn gradually. You will still learn something new even after practicing for more than 10 years. (Yes.) There is no end when it comes to learning. Practice with the right mentality and you will surely benefit.