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THE WAY OF NON-ATTACHMENT
It would be rather difficult for people in general to be in "constant" revolution", for they live under the influence of fear. But for the new to be found, we must have a radical revolution. To be radically revolutionary, one must be in a constant state of free enquiry. When we have free enquiry into anything we have no fixed ideas, so we find the new, the truth. When you approach something with the old patterns and opinions, what you perceive is just an explanation of the old. It is difficult to be in a constant state of revolution, but it is something that must be done if we are to see the new and understand the truth ‚ to be in complete harmony.The Practice of Insight Meditation by DHIRAVAMSA Excerpt - Chapter 19 AUTHORITY What is the main obstacle to radical revolution? It is not a political, economic or social revolution that we speak of, but a revolution within the mind, which must be free from the old in order to have the new. If each one of us had this kind of revolution, the face of the world would be changed. In order to change the world, we must first change ourselves, otherwise we shall continue to conform to political, religious, social or spiritual ideals. In the world of conformity, there is no real change, no newness of discovery. We may discover something, but only within the old pattern and conditions. It is like decorating the walls of a prison which still remains a prison. How can we get away from these walls? I think this is our main concern. We have to see what is the main obstacle. If we want just one word to define the obstacle, it would be authority. Authority is the main problem in the change of heart that is needed in radical revolution. Without authority, we believe that the world would fall into a state of chaos, and we ourselves would also be chaotic. But in the world and our society at the present time, we can see chaos occurring everywhere. Do we find orderliness and harmony within ourselves? Or is there unrest within the mind? Can authority do anything about it? Who has real authority? Moral principles and laws, or religious beliefs and special attainment? In society we talk about law and order as being the main authority? If we do not keep the law we shall be punished. Authority is something to be carefully examined, and we must first of all examine ourselves. Is it a compelling force or a goal or ideal which we hope to achieve? In authority there is dominance and submission, conformity to tradition and opinion, to teachers and Scriptures and to knowledge. Authority covers a wide field. For instance, the authority of belief. If one holds beliefs, such beliefs affect one's approach to truth, because the mind is not open. You keep to what you believe to be true, and this is your authority. How can you evolve in this way? It is impossible. What about the Buddha? Was he against authority? He himself never claimed authority, although we take his teaching as examined. You should not accept or reject them without careful examination. "So the Buddha was very open, and therefore his religion is purely self-determination. If you want evidence, it is in the Kalama Sutta ‚ the discourse given to the Kalama people ‚ wherein the Buddha told them that they should not be led by reports, traditions or hearsay; by merely logical reasoning or by considering the surface or possibilities. They should not be led by speculative opinions, or accept teachers as being the only men who could speak truth. The Buddha was a great revolutionary. He broke away from the Hindu traditions and found new meanings of Brahman ‚ the Supreme Creative Power. This Power is really with man himself, and can be found through meditation when man is in harmony. But it is said that the Awakened One ‚ the one who has awakened to the Truth ‚ shines with radiance both night and day. What does this mean? It means that if you are really aware, you will not stay asleep bound by ideas, but will live fully in the present. The mind will always be fresh, clear and free from disturbance whether external or internal. It is authority that holds us back. You may want to think freely, but find it difficult to do so because you believe it may be contrary to your present line of thought. Some people may even think it wrong to question the teaching of Buddha ‚ but such feeling is conditioned by authority. If we just follow tradition blindly, we shall deepen our psychological sleep. We shall be like the frog who lived in a small pond, thinking it to be a vast place simply because he had no experience of the ocean. when we live within authority, we create a small pool which has no connection with anything else, so that its water becomes dirty and polluted. When there is no outlet, how can there by purity? In order to have fresh water, there must be a channel connecting the pool ‚ perhaps first to a river and then later the river will flow to the sea. It may not be possible to free ourselves from beliefs all at once, but when we realise that out beliefs and traditions are only small pools dug for us to live in, then, we shall look for a way to connect these to a river. A river flows all the time but a pool does not. It remains still and static. Do we want to stay in a pool or do we want to flow towards the truth? If we want to flow towards the truth, we must release ourselves from authority, thus having a free mind with which to face anything we may come across in life. In meditation practice, this is the process of free enquiry into the truth or anything that may arise. With this free enquiry, the mind becomes tranquil and then it can see the truth. Intuitive wisdom and insight will spring up the moment the intellect becomes still. The reason we cannot come into contact with intuitive wisdom is because the mind is so heavily occupied by feelings, emotions, speculations, imagination and all the other states within it. So it is not free and cannot see. For this reason it is not possible for intuitive wisdom to arise and throw light on what is seen. However, intellect and intuitive insight have a close connection, because in each intuitive insight there is the capacity to interpret, which is a function of intellect. So when we perceive something unusual, we may not be able to explain it at first but later, the intellect which has had a glimpse of truth from intuitive insight will formulate the language in which to express it. This depends upon the ability of the person. Some may be unable to express it ‚ like the "Silent Buddhas". Such people attain Buddhdahood through their own efforts, but cannot explain or show their method to anyone. Therefore they never become teachers. Intellect can be called "a fragment of insight", so that if we try to reach the truth through it, we shall only achieve a fragment ‚ not the whole. Intellectual understanding and intuitive insight must be developed hand in hand, so that there is perfect knowledge and perfect being. You can know and you can be and yet still remain free from what is known. The being and the knowing become one. This is the harmony or perfection of life. This cannot be achieved if we depend on authority of any kind, so we must be awake all the time and in revolution against set ideas. Instead of conforming to them, look at them, watch them and see them for what they are. Then there is no confusion, no contradiction. In the conformist, there is conflict when something arises which is contrary to what is believed or conformed to. There is difficulty in accepting it and so wavering arises. Authority is the basis of conflict. Be free form it for a moment and see what happens. The freedom to be free, without any authority, beliefs, traditions, knowledge, logic, opinions, teachers or books. You are really yourself at that moment. Perhaps some of you may be afraid of being alone within, but if you come to that "aloneness", it is wonderful. You will have found the great treasure within you. Then there is no difference between the inward and the outward. Only a discriminating mind can see the difference, because it creates dichotomy. Because that mind has no ability to free itself from the dichotomy, it becomes caught up in it and stays there, creating more and more confusion and contradictions. Such a mind is not free and cannot be happy in the real sense. Therefore, to be radically revolutionary, we must be fully aware every moment of living , doing, speaking and thinking. In this way, self-interest is not a work and you become absolutely nothing. It is only when you are nothing that you are complete ‚ completely integrated ‚ because there is no separation within. Then when you come out of this you work from intellectual and emotional centers, and everything goes on as before. Is it our aim to stay in complete wholeness and tranquillity? It is essential for all of us to understand the purpose of living. Why do we live on earth rather than on the moon or Mars? When you understand why, you can live in harmony. The moment you are free, you are free from everything, including authority. Freedom is within and without ‚ it can be everywhere if we have the means to attain it. It is not just a word or something in the air, but in the present moment. The only thing to do is to free ourselves from all the things we know, then intuitive insight will flow within the "space" in your thought and you can do your work with love and full understanding. But as long as there is desire, anxiety, conformity, dependence and authority, there can be no real peace, no real liberation within. This does not mean that freedom is not there ‚ it is there, but you cannot enter. We must not postpone things by saying we will think about it and see what it is. Postponement is the obstacle to realizing the truth, to free enquiry. "Perhaps next year or in my next life. I will be able to do it" ‚ this is postponement. Instead, we have to do it here and now, without moulding our minds. We must allow intuitive insight to spring up and flow. If you work from this, there will be no problem. Colveyco Reading Room Purchase this book through Amazon.com: The Way of Non-Attachment: The Practice of Insight Meditation |