The Voyage for the Mind
The hearty dialogue between Buddha and Ananda is actually a voyage for mind. It is not lengthy, but its complexity oblige me to share more of it with you; because one of my friend stuck on the third quest for the mind; because it can be illustrated with simpler clarification; because it can be analyzed scientifically and systematically, and because the Shurangama Sutra is so intricate that I cannot finish elaboration as a summery discussed previously.
Ananda firstly argued mind is inside our body. In fact, if Ananda is a neurologist today, he will argue that mind is actually inside our brain: our mind is nothing more than electrical impulses and chemical synopsis trapped along the vast neural network, yet the simplicity of Buddha’s argument daunted us: if mind is inside one’s flesh, surely one will be able to see the anatomical structures surrounding the mind before seeing objects outside, starting with cornea, lens, retina, optic nerve, and even part of visual cortex.
Neurologist will further argue that vision is facilitated by retina; we will lose our vision if our retina is damaged. Again, Buddha would demonstrate that even a retina-detached patient can still see darkness in front of him; that is, he does not lose his ability to see even the retina is gone, similar scenario will occur if a person had deficit in his optic nerve or visual cortex. This implies that mind’s ability to see is retained regardless the deficit along the visual plexus anatomically, but how about our ability to think?
A recent Nun Study also support that lesion of brain does not impede our ability to think. For instance, Sisiter Mary, a 101 years old nun with neurofibrillary and senile plaques, a classic histological signature of Alzheimer’s disease, still retain her high cognitive ability. In another word, Sister Mary still think well even her brain suffered from structural lesion, which suppose to alter and in fact lower her level of reasoning and mental processing. The ramification: our brain is not where our true mind is.
Where is the true mind then?
This is Buddha’s answer from Shurangama Sutra:
”The primary misconception about the mind and body is the false view that the mind dwells in the physical body. 2:54
”You do not know that the physical body, as well as the mountains, the rivers, empty space, and the great earth are all within the wonderful bright true mind. 2:55
”It is like ignoring hundreds of thousands of clear pure seas and taking notice of only a single bubble, seeing it as the entire ocean, as the whole expanse of great and small seas. 2:55
”You people are doubly deluded among the deluded. Such inversion does not differ from that caused by my lowered hand. The Thus Come One says you are most pitiable.” 2:56
”You should know that the space created in your mind is like a wisp of cloud that dots the vast sky. How much smaller must all the worlds within that space be! 8:12 ”If even one person among you finds the truth and returns to the source, then all of space in the ten directions is obliterated. How could the worlds within that space fail to be destroyed as well? 8:13
To elaborate in more succinct sentences, I tried to re-translate forth mentioned passage :
“Confused, deluding to reside in one’s flesh, not realizing even the mountain, river, space and earth that are just part of one’s sacred true mind, it is like giving up vast ocean and lingering on a small drifting bubble, worst, treating the bubble as ocean.” 2:55-2:55
“You should know that even the space is created in your own mind like a dot of white cloud in the vast blue sky, not to mention that all the worlds, which are engulfed inside the space. “8:12
This notion is also shared by Maitreya Bodhisattva! Check it out if you don't believe me!
The hearty dialogue between Buddha and Ananda is actually a voyage for mind. It is not lengthy, but its complexity oblige me to share more of it with you; because one of my friend stuck on the third quest for the mind; because it can be illustrated with simpler clarification; because it can be analyzed scientifically and systematically, and because the Shurangama Sutra is so intricate that I cannot finish elaboration as a summery discussed previously.
Ananda firstly argued mind is inside our body. In fact, if Ananda is a neurologist today, he will argue that mind is actually inside our brain: our mind is nothing more than electrical impulses and chemical synopsis trapped along the vast neural network, yet the simplicity of Buddha’s argument daunted us: if mind is inside one’s flesh, surely one will be able to see the anatomical structures surrounding the mind before seeing objects outside, starting with cornea, lens, retina, optic nerve, and even part of visual cortex.
Neurologist will further argue that vision is facilitated by retina; we will lose our vision if our retina is damaged. Again, Buddha would demonstrate that even a retina-detached patient can still see darkness in front of him; that is, he does not lose his ability to see even the retina is gone, similar scenario will occur if a person had deficit in his optic nerve or visual cortex. This implies that mind’s ability to see is retained regardless the deficit along the visual plexus anatomically, but how about our ability to think?
A recent Nun Study also support that lesion of brain does not impede our ability to think. For instance, Sisiter Mary, a 101 years old nun with neurofibrillary and senile plaques, a classic histological signature of Alzheimer’s disease, still retain her high cognitive ability. In another word, Sister Mary still think well even her brain suffered from structural lesion, which suppose to alter and in fact lower her level of reasoning and mental processing. The ramification: our brain is not where our true mind is.
Where is the true mind then?
This is Buddha’s answer from Shurangama Sutra:
”The primary misconception about the mind and body is the false view that the mind dwells in the physical body. 2:54
”You do not know that the physical body, as well as the mountains, the rivers, empty space, and the great earth are all within the wonderful bright true mind. 2:55
”It is like ignoring hundreds of thousands of clear pure seas and taking notice of only a single bubble, seeing it as the entire ocean, as the whole expanse of great and small seas. 2:55
”You people are doubly deluded among the deluded. Such inversion does not differ from that caused by my lowered hand. The Thus Come One says you are most pitiable.” 2:56
”You should know that the space created in your mind is like a wisp of cloud that dots the vast sky. How much smaller must all the worlds within that space be! 8:12 ”If even one person among you finds the truth and returns to the source, then all of space in the ten directions is obliterated. How could the worlds within that space fail to be destroyed as well? 8:13
To elaborate in more succinct sentences, I tried to re-translate forth mentioned passage :
“Confused, deluding to reside in one’s flesh, not realizing even the mountain, river, space and earth that are just part of one’s sacred true mind, it is like giving up vast ocean and lingering on a small drifting bubble, worst, treating the bubble as ocean.” 2:55-2:55
“You should know that even the space is created in your own mind like a dot of white cloud in the vast blue sky, not to mention that all the worlds, which are engulfed inside the space. “8:12
This notion is also shared by Maitreya Bodhisattva! Check it out if you don't believe me!
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2 comments:
Hello Mr. Chang,
I did visit your blog at your invitation
and it was very nice to know about your
interest in the Surangama Sutra. It is indeed a wonderfuly clear exposition.
I am mostly moved by Zen and Tibetan Buddhism although I have also read some
amount of Chinese literature, culture and philosophy. I have a lot of interest with the I Ching ( Yi Qing) having worke with it for almost 15 years now.
Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting and your invitation to visit your blog.
With Regards
Gautam Sengupta.
India
No, THANK YOU! Your positive comment is my motivation!
A.Chang
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