Recognizing the Mind through Emptiness

On July 14, 2018, we held a group practice of reciting the Medicine Buddha Sutra and Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara) Practice in Jakarta, Indonesia. The center was full of people where we all recited together sincerely.

By studying the Buddhadharma, we’ve learned about the importance of merit accumulation throughout cyclic existences. This includes understanding the law of cause and effect, or karma. “Refrain from non-virtues. Engage in all virtuous acts.” This is the teaching that the Buddha has given to those who are not ready to receive the idea of liberation path.

However, engaging in virtuous acts does not warrant the liberation from afflictions and samsara. We need to be observant and analytical with insight. Only through contemplative analysis can emptiness be seen. If we conduct ourselves properly with the karmic law in mind and to see the emptiness of every phenomenon, we'd eventually get on the right track of liberation.

Like the illusions of a magician, phenomena are mere trickery. To prevent from being deluded, we must observe. This is for which the Buddha has taught us about "prajna wisdom". “Wisdom” is transliterated into “zhì huì” in Mandarin Chinese. “zhì” is to examine, while “huì” is to discern. By discerning clearly, we are dissecting to the point of seeing the invalidation of inherent existence. Such is the contemplative analysis. By contemplating on impermanence, our life would no longer be bounded by confinements.

Learning Buddhadharma is to acknowledge our potentials of awakening. Everyone possesses this awareness, which is our very mind. It is intangible, yet, when emptiness is realized, it is the state of uncovering Buddha nature, or primordial awareness. When deluded, we remain as sentient beings. By learning Dharma, we get to understand ourselves. Learning Buddhadharma is to enlighten our mind, our spirituality.

Right now, we are covered by external phenomena and afflictive thoughts inside. These are holding us back from seeing the awareness. How do we remove them to show our spirituality? Contemplate on emptiness, otherwise, our spirituality cannot show. As we continue to stay unrecognizable to our primordial awareness, we are afflicted. Once we recognize our own face, we see the Buddha within us. We’ve returned to our origin.