2025 Spring Term Monastic Retreat—Contemplative Awareness on Emptiness to Embrace Complete Ease

Any defiled attachment to phenomena is called ignorance—the clinging with desire and unwillingness to let go. We should consistently examine the nature of mind, which is inherently free from any fixations. With this understanding and through sustained contemplation of this nature of mind, one can eliminate the three poisons: greed, aversion, and ignorance. How, then, do we prevent these three poisons from arising? It requires contemplation on the very essence of mind itself.

As taught in Buddhism and the Chan School, intention is the crucial trigger that leads to physical, verbal, and mental activities—subsequently generating various karma. When conceptions driven by afflictions arise, one must identify them and recognize the underlying primordial awareness. This primordial awareness is devoid of any inherent existence—embracing both the selflessness of the individual and the selflessness of phenomena. However, since most of us lack training in contemplation and are unable to abide in the meditative state of Chan practice, let alone maintain it, afflictions continue to emerge and attachments deepen. All of these can be attributed to our failure to recognize the primordial wisdom that neither arises nor ceases. 

Primordial awareness is also described in a well-known phrase, "Buddha-nature is constantly purifying and clearing. Where could there be dust?" Yet, we do not reflect on this. On the contrary, we habituate ourselves to the tendencies of the five poisons: greed, aversion, ignorance, pride, and doubt. These five poisons imbue our habitual tendencies and way of living. We have long mistakenly taken the conduct driven by the five poisons as the norm of behavior and interaction with others. Subsequently, myriads of karma present different circumstances in life. With conditioned phenomena, beings hold dualistic conceptions and attachments that result in wandering in samsara.

We often speak of letting go, but ignorance strengthens our attachments. That is why Buddhism teaches the solution of realizing the buddha-nature within every being. By recognizing that buddha-nature is emptiness and devoid of inherent existence, every being can attain buddhahood. Yet, we have not recognized it, let alone given rise to primordial wisdom. That is why the world is in such chaos as people become involved in conflicts over scarce resources. This occurs because we do not see the nature of phenomena, failing to perceive the emptiness of oneself, unable to recognize our original face.

Today, we gather here to contemplate the emptiness of the mind that is free of inherent existence. This requires consistent practice, and over time, many things that we once regarded as substantial will disintegrate, along with our attachments. One significant benefit of dharma practice is to contemplate with awareness. Having realized the nature of our mind, we will perceive clearly that the nature of phenomena has nothing attainable nor anything to be attached to. Anyone who sees this truth clearly is thus called a "Buddha."

There is no discrimination of good or bad in the state of realization of a buddha. Everything is merely an appearance when causes and conditions converge. We ordinary people are still trapped in the mentality of dualistic conceptions where we habitually develop a discriminatory mind and attachment to the external objects we perceive. Nonetheless, through Chan practice, we will become free from duality, entering a perfect state of emptiness. 

So, abide in this way, see clearly, understand clearly, and realize the absence of an intrinsic nature—emptiness. The nature of the mind comprises luminosity and emptiness, as these two are inseparable. Other than these two aspects, there are no other conditioned notions. By abiding in luminosity and emptiness, one will be free from samsara and no longer give rise to dualistic conceptions or attachments. That is when one will be at complete ease of mind.