..续本文上一页exists, the ””path”” is to be found also. When we live with clarity, all of our worldly experience becomes the practicing of the ””eightfold path””. Without clarity, ””worldly dhamma”” predominates and we are turned away from the ””path””. When right understanding arises, liberation from suffering lies right here before us. You will not find liberation by running around looking elsewhere!
So don”t be in a hurry and try to push or rush your practice. Do your meditation gently and gradually step by step. In regard to peacefulness, if you want to become peaceful, then accept it; if you don”t become peaceful, then accept that also. That”s the nature of the mind. We must find our own practice and persistently keep at it.
Perhaps wisdom does not arise! I used to think, about my practice, that when there is no wisdom, I could force myself to have it. But it didn”t work, things remained the same. Then, after careful consideration, I saw that to contemplate things that we don”t have cannot be done. So what”s the best thing to do
It”s better just to practice with equanimity. If there is nothing to cause us concern, then there”s nothing to remedy. If there”s no problem, then we don”t have to try to solve it. When there is a problem, that”s when you must solve it, right there! There”s no need to go searching for anything special, just live normally. But know what your mind is! Live mindfully and clearly comprehending. Let wisdom be your guide; don”t live indulging in your moods. Be heedful and alert! If there is nothing, that”s fine; when something arises, then investigate and contemplate it.
Coming to the Center
Try watching a spider. A spider spins its web in any convenient niche and then sits in the center, staying still and silent. Later, a fly comes along and lands on the web. As soon as it touches and shakes the web, ””boop!”” - the spider pounces and winds it up in thread. It stores the insect away and then returns again to collect itself silently in the center of the web.
Watching a spider like this can give rise to wisdom. Our six senses have mind at the center surrounded by eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. When one of the senses is stimulated, for instance, form contacting the eye, it shakes and reaches the mind. The mind is that which knows, that which knows form. Just this much is enough for wisdom to arise. It”s that simple.
Like a spider in its web, we should live keeping to ourselves. As soon as the spider feels an insect contact the web, it quickly grabs it, ties it up and once again returns to the center. This is not at all different from our own minds. ””Coming to the center”” means living mindfully with clear comprehension, being always alert and doing everything with exactness and precision - this is our center. There”s really not a lot for us to do; we just carefully live in this way. But that doesn”t mean that we live heedlessly thinking, ””There is no need to do siting or walking meditation!”” and so forget all about our practice. We can”t be careless! We must remain alert just as the spider waits to snatch up insects for its food.
This is all that we have to know - sitting and contemplating that spider. Just this much and wisdom can arise spontaneously. Our mind is comparable to the spider, our moods and mental impressions are comparable to the various insects. That”s all there is to it! The senses envelop and constantly stimulate the mind; when any of them contact something, it immediately reaches the mind. The mind then investigates and examines it thoroughly, after which it returns to the center. This is how we abide - alert, acting with precision and always mindfully comprehending with wisdom. Just this much and our practice is complete.
This point is very important! It isn”t that we have to do sitting pra…
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