There is a storm at sea, the sea is restless. Would you call it a "restless storm"? Would anyone call it a "restless storm"? You would simply call it a storm, because a storm is just another name for restlessness. And when the storm dies down, do you now say the storm has become peaceful? You simply say the storm no longer exists.
In understanding the mind, remember too, mind is just another name for confusion. When peace descends it does not mean the mind becomes peaceful; rather, the mind does not exist at all. A state of no-mind appears. And when the mind is no more, then what remains is called the atman. The sea exists even when there is no storm. When the storm disappears, the sea remains. When the confused mind ceases to exist, then what remains is atman, soul.
Mind is not a thing, it is a state of disorder, a state of chaos. Mind is not a faculty, it is not a substance. The body is a substance, the atman is a substance -- and existing as a state of confusion that becomes a link between the two, is mind. In a state of peace, the body remains, the atman remains, but the mind is no more.
There is no such thing as a peaceful mind. This error in expression is because of the language we have created. We say an "unhealthy body," a "healthy body." This is okay. There is an unhealthy body, of course, and there is a healthy body as well. With the disappearance of unhealthiness, a healthy body remains. But this is not true in the case of the mind. There is no such thing as a "healthy mind," an "unhealthy mind." Mind by itself is unhealthy. Its very being is confusion. Its very being is unhealthy. Its very being is a disease.
So don't ask how you can save the mind from becoming confused, ask how you can get rid of this mind. Ask how this mind can die. Ask how you can do away with this mind. Ask how you can let go of this mind. Ask what can be done so that the mind will exist no more.
Meditation is a way to be finished with the mind, to part with the mind. Meditation means to step out of the mind. Meditation means to move away from the mind. Meditation means cessation of the mind. Meditation means to stay away from where the confusion is. By moving away from the confusion, the confusion stills -- because it is our very presence that creates it. If we move away, it ceases to be.
In understanding the mind, remember too, mind is just another name for confusion. When peace descends it does not mean the mind becomes peaceful; rather, the mind does not exist at all. A state of no-mind appears. And when the mind is no more, then what remains is called the atman. The sea exists even when there is no storm. When the storm disappears, the sea remains. When the confused mind ceases to exist, then what remains is atman, soul.
Mind is not a thing, it is a state of disorder, a state of chaos. Mind is not a faculty, it is not a substance. The body is a substance, the atman is a substance -- and existing as a state of confusion that becomes a link between the two, is mind. In a state of peace, the body remains, the atman remains, but the mind is no more.
There is no such thing as a peaceful mind. This error in expression is because of the language we have created. We say an "unhealthy body," a "healthy body." This is okay. There is an unhealthy body, of course, and there is a healthy body as well. With the disappearance of unhealthiness, a healthy body remains. But this is not true in the case of the mind. There is no such thing as a "healthy mind," an "unhealthy mind." Mind by itself is unhealthy. Its very being is confusion. Its very being is unhealthy. Its very being is a disease.
So don't ask how you can save the mind from becoming confused, ask how you can get rid of this mind. Ask how this mind can die. Ask how you can do away with this mind. Ask how you can let go of this mind. Ask what can be done so that the mind will exist no more.
Meditation is a way to be finished with the mind, to part with the mind. Meditation means to step out of the mind. Meditation means to move away from the mind. Meditation means cessation of the mind. Meditation means to stay away from where the confusion is. By moving away from the confusion, the confusion stills -- because it is our very presence that creates it. If we move away, it ceases to be.
hans-wolfgang - am Freitag, 9. Juni 2006, 23:25
