We live and work in the world of appearance. The mind which does this is not the Buddha Mind. It is the coarse human mind. It is the mind of appearance which subsists on the gross senses and especially the carnal body. We are all masters of this mind. Some of us are really caught up in this mind. We are completely under its spell; doing its bidding as if the coarse mind is the only mind possible.
When we go to our Dharma centers to listen to the Lama or a Zen teacher, we go there with the coarse mind of appearances. It is the mind we use to get into our SUVs and drive. It is the mind that worries about leaving our child with the babysitter. When we are at the Dharma center, it is the mind that is engaged with meeting our Dharma friends as we sit waiting for the Lama or the Zen teacher.
When the Lama or Zen teacher finally comes out in his beautiful robes, and does a little ceremony, our interest is piqued. It is the coarse mind which appreciates this pageantry. It is the coarse mind which is aroused although some might believe otherwise. Indeed, it is easy to impress the coarse mind. It is our favorite mind. It is like the mind of the child which is preoccupied with gross forms and sensations. The mind of a child lacks any ability to engage with the subtle because it is habitually engaged with appearances and sensations. The modern adult mind is very childish in this respect. It, too, is engaged with appearances and sensations.
During the sermon, the coarse mind doesn’t pay too much attention to the words of the sermon. When this mind hears the words, “It is the universal nature of mind that encompasses all of samsara and nirvana,” the coarse mind is clueless as to what this refers. The coarse mind has no inkling of anything other than gross appearances. If the Lama or Zen teacher explains that the Buddha Mind is perfectly clear, and undisturbed like the surface of a pond, the coarse mind doesn’t understand. When it looks for this higher Mind in the midst of the riot of coarse mind states, it is unable to see it. It certainly can’t see it in the thoughts which have just arisen, or briefly abide, and then disappear.
The only thing the Lama or Zen teacher can do is to keep preaching about the Buddha Mind which is devoid of coarse images. He or she can also act as a representative of the higher Buddha Mind. There is really not much else they can do except, by skillful means, explain its importance in respect to life and death. For indeed, life is just the birth of the coarse mind while death is giving up a particular coarse mind-object only to take up another—again caught in samsara.
This is a sad state of affairs. But this lower, coarse mind is all that the huge majority of mankind knows; who seem to be content to follow appearances. No government wishes to teach it in school. It would be bad for the economy, also. Why would anyone buy a lot of useless things if communion with the Buddha Mind brought them great joy and bliss?
Trying to get people to even appreciate the worth of the Buddha Mind is a daunting task for any Lama or Zen teacher. People, as a rule don’t want to change very much. By going to a Dharma center they don’t wish to see the pure Mind, they are just going for fellowship. Most Buddhists don’t know anything about Buddhism; nor do the have the time to learn about it in depth. They are too busy with the coarse mind.
Of coarse,
Of course!
One of the difficulties we encounter is that most of us have never experienced any thing but what you refer to as the coarse mind. It takes a bit of faith to practice long enough to at least see glimpses of something else.
Ceremonial, perhaps for many, is a bridge between the fine and coarse mind, but I think that it too easily becomes just another enjoyable experience for many.
Thought provoking post
Posted by: jack | October 10, 2007 at 11:22 AM