Sermon 12: The Ill-directed and the Well-directed Minds

Whatever harm a foe may do to foe
Or hater unto one he hates,
The ill-directed mind indeed
Can do one greater harm.

What neither mother, nor father too,
Nor any other relative can do,
The well-directed mind indeed
Can do one greater good.

(Dhp. 42-43)

Today, basing this Dhamma-demonstration upon the verses read out above, the subject to be expounded for the increase of mindfulness and wisdom, is that of the mind itself. It is strange when one thinks about it, how well-known are the facts of this world and others discovered through the investigations of scientists, and how ill-known although much 'nearer' to one, is one's own mind. It is a tendency of the mind beset by delusion always to wish to investigate things 'out there' in the world and such a mind is never willing to take a look at itself. As a result, western science is much further advanced than is western psychology, which is still very much in its infancy; while in the Buddhist countries. The Buddhist Way of Training with its emphasis on the mind and its activities has been held to be more important than the 'exterior' sciences.

Let us see from our own personal point of view whether there is anything justifying this prime concern of Buddhists with the mind. Before we go any further, it is useful to know what is meant by 'mind' in Buddhist psychology. We should not understand one entity by this term, in Pa1i, 'citta', but rather picture the mind as a river running on, the waters of which or the mental events in which, are forever changing. As people do not talk of a river apart from the water, which composes it, so the mind is not to be found apart from the mental events composing it. Also by 'mind' in a Buddhist sense, one should remember are included feeling, memory, volitional thoughts and consciousness. The fact that feelings, pleasant, unpleasant and neutral are included here points out the fact that 'mind' includes not only intellectual but also emotional processes. So, while we are living, even while we are sleeping to some extent we have this mind flowing along, perceiving by the senses, remembering, constructing and trying to organize the future. Is it not most extraordinary that while this flow of mental events goes on day in and day out, that we give it little attention? When the body is sick, we are quick to call in the services of a doctor so that pain, which we do not wish for, is soon removed. But many people do not even recognize the disease of the mind and so fail to apply any remedies and yet, in spite of this they go around expecting to receive happiness. They turn outside, perhaps because they cannot or dare not look inside. As the scientist turns outwards to examine whatever objects are of interest to him, so do such people think that the really interesting and enjoyable things lie outside themselves. Should even such people seek the consolation of religion, it is very likely that the form supposed by them to constitute real religion will be exterior practices and exterior worship. The object of their devotion is out there somewhere and simple people still imagine that the sky, heaven and their Lord are almost the same thing. They become involved in rituals and mechanical practices. All this because the mind within is beset by powerful desires, which sway the whole direction of the mind and thus the person practicing, to look outwards through the senses and to imagine that happiness either worldly or religious, lies in that direction.

See why the mind is compared to a juggler! The mind with its desires manages and controls and if it is allowed to roam on unchecked, tangled with a rank growth of greed, hatred and delusion, how much damage it can do! Yet it is often ignored, this the most important thing in the world. What could be more important? It is mind, which perceives, mind that constructs from memories and perceptions the world, as we know it. It is mind, which craves to possess or which craves not to experience and it is mind, which decides what to do. It is, therefore, the mind, which is ultimately responsible for experience of the world. Now, where greed (I want), aversion (I don't want) and delusion (I don't know) are in control of the mind, evil is done. Evil means that which leads to deterioration in one's own mental state and is, harmful to others. This evil is evil kamma or intentional action, which bears its fruits, and as thistle seed brings forth a spiny and barren field, so evil kamma leads one to experience painful, unwelcome results. A mind uncontrolled brings forth these fruits. Hence was it said by the Great Sage, our Teacher Gotama: "Whatever harm a foe may do to foe, or hater unto one he hates, the ill-directed mind indeed can do one greater harm." We are told elsewhere in the Dhammapada that it is the mind, which is foremost, for the very first verse says: "Dhammas are forerun by mind, mind is chief, mind-made are they." How can we possibly be negligent of this mind, which is a treasury of marvellous benefits if properly trained, but if neglected, the pains we suffer because of it, give delight only to those who are not our friends. As another Dhammapada verse says: "That one exceedingly corrupt, like sala tree by maluva entwined, just that he does to himself which enemies would wish for him." (Dhp. 162).

We suppose that we are really dear to ourselves, that there is nothing, which is more dear than one's own 'self' of mind and body. Yet Lord Buddha says that only those who make efforts to train themselves away from evil and to increase in wholesomeness, only they are really dear to themselves. Others who suppose that they are, really are their own enemies and the Exalted One stresses this matter by pointing out that even enemies cannot harm one as can one's own badly managed mind. We should be dear to ourselves, that is, not selfishly so, but make efforts for our own good. You see, however hard we try to alter other people for the good, it is not sure that we can succeed for the minds of others belong to them and are ruled by their kamma but my mind belongs to me (in a conventional sense) and is therefore trainable. Moreover, Dhamma is of greater power than evil and while the mental stains of greed and so forth, are like visitors, Dhamma is the natural condition of the mind. We may say that the purity of Dhamma, its wisdom and compassion, are 'on the side' of one who trains himself since these are natural, while the diseases of greed and aversion, with delusion as the master-evil, are only corruptions of this natural purity. However, as corruptions they have penetrated far into the mind and deeply affect the mind's workings. One who is determined even to control them, what to speak of be rid of them, has taken in hand a task needing care and attention, energy and patience.

Let us now look briefly at some expressions of the ill-directed mind. The mind expresses itself through three doors, its own door-that of thoughts-the door of speech and the door of bodily action, and through these three doors the ill-directed mind brings about the doing of ten unwholesome sorts of kamma. In this infamous list, three unwholesome actions belong to the body-door, four to the speech-door and three to the mind-door.

First, the unwholesome deeds performed through the body-door are taking life, taking what is not given, and wrong conduct in sexual pleasures. Now considered from the point of view of the mind, destroying life very often involves the unwholesome root of aversion. It could be that greed is the most prominent stain in case of killing animals for food or hunting, but where lives are sacrificed to the gods in whatever religion, this is just done out of the predominance of delusion. Now, have greed, aversion or delusion ever brought real happiness with them? Do they not rather bring those who encourage them to woe instead? Hence the Buddhist precept to refrain from destroying life, which is really refraining from using or encouraging these mental stains and that in its turn is a step in the direction of the stainless, where lies true happiness. Similarly, if we examine 'taking what is not given', it is easy to see that the root of greed is the prime mover and that from this evil kamma also there will follow various sorts of unhappiness for the guilty party. Again, 'wrong conduct in sexual pleasures' brings on its woes. What is meant by 'wrong' here? 'Wrong' is either actions leading others to suffer in either body or mind, or else actions which bring about deterioration in one's own mind. And 'deterioration' means that the mind becomes more and more embroiled with the mental stains, more corrupt, less free, farther from the Way of Dhamma. In this case, it is the root of greed, which grows producing the strangling shoots of lust. Are not Lord Buddha's words appropriate: "Fools of feeble wisdom walk, enemies to themselves, while evil kamma making which is of bitter fruit." (Dhp. 66).

Then there are the evil kammas committed through the door of speech and these are four: firstly, there is lying from which it is agreed the world over that good does not come. If we look at its motive we shall find that any of the three unwholesome roots may be present. One may lie out of desire for gain, in which case greed is at the bottom of it, or it may be that one lies to harm another, if so, the root of aversion operates. Or perhaps one lies because it gives pleasure to do so-then delusion is the cause. How much suffering the mind can bring on oneself in this case! Or we may take slander, the second of this group, whether we mean the most serious accusations that can be laid against another but behind his back, or little tales told beginning with such phrases as "Have you heard... " Did you know... " And so forth. At the root of slander lies the stain of aversion, and aversion even in its mildest forms never brings forth happiness. Third comes harsh speech, words spoken when angry with someone. Not only does one hurt another in this case but one damages oneself in many ways, Lord Buddha has remarked that fools employing harsh speech to others are born in this life with axes in their mouths wherewith they cut themselves. Although words like this come out of the mouth, it is in the mind where they have their origin. Lastly, there is foolish chatter, which may be true or false. Idle speech which is true, is teaching Dhamma to those who are not ready to receive it, while false idle chatter is the sort of thing also referred to by Lord Buddha as animal-talk-and these days our newspapers are full of such empty babble. Regarding one who misuses the door of speech, Lord Buddha says: "The person of false speech-Transgressor of one Dhamma, Rejecter of the other world: there's no evil he cannot do." (Dhp. 176). The reference in this verse to "the other world" will be examined below.

Now to take those evil kammas done by way of the mind-door, first there is covetousness. There is no doubt here about the unwholesome root at work, plainly it is greed. One thinks, "How nice it would be to have this or that which someone-or-other has got" and one plans how to get it. All this leads up to taking what is not given and perhaps to lying as well-a great heap of unhappiness. Then there is ill-will, expressed in such thoughts as "O, how I hate so-and-so" and these thoughts of ill-will may lead onto slander or harsh speech and even on to murder-and what happiness will this ever lead to? Finally, there is the mental evil of false views, which are as infinite in variety as are the minds of men. But there is one way by which false views may be detected: they lead one away from the direction of happiness, either the happiness which may be gained through the keeping of precepts, religious observances, together with self-restraint, or that ultimate happiness which is called Nibbana to be won through the development and exercise of wisdom. It is, for instance, a false view to suppose that the so-called satisfaction of sense-desires will lead to lasting happiness. This by Lord Buddha is compared to the thirsty man drinking sea-water-the more he drinks, the more he must drink.

This completes the list of ten unwholesome paths of kamma whereby one harms oneself, not to speak of the misery brought upon others. All this comes about through the ill-directed mind. Now even foes and haters of others can only harm one at the most throughout this life but not so the ill directed mind, which can harm one even for aeons in the distant future. Evil kamma does not wear out though it was committed ever so many lives in the past. It waits, and when conditions are appropriate, the fruits of that evil kamma are felt in one's own body as painful feelings, or in one's own mind as anguish. Lord Buddha warns us: By oneself indeed is evil done, It is born of self and self-produced; that evil grinds the unwise man just as diamond the hardest gem." (Dhp. 161). So one should look to the present and investigate the workings of the mind, that it cannot be said of oneself, as Lord Buddha said of an evil-doer: "Here he grieves, he grieves hereafter, In both wise does the evil-doer grieve, he grieves, he is afflicted, his own corrupt kammas seeing. " (Dhp. 15). One's future is therefore in one's own hands and if one wants it to be a happy future, one has the means now to decide how this can be achieved. We cannot blame anyone else for what we experience but should rather reckon that the deeds of beings in our own continuity, that is in 'our' past births, are responsible for our present experience.

How can one now manufacture for oneself a happy existence while ensuring that others also experience happiness? For this it is necessary to know the value of Buddhist training in three things: Giving (Dana), Virtue (sila) and Development of mind (bhavana). If practiced, these three are the strengthening of the well-directed mind, and in these there lies the way to happiness.

The verse above-quoted emphasizes the value of this well-directed mind by saying: "What neither mother nor father too, nor any other relative can do; the well-directed mind indeed can do one greater good." This refers particularly to the time of death for then no relation or friend however dear, can do anything to help one. No one goes with one and the only help is to be sought in the well-directed mind. Having been developed by means of Giving, Virtue and Collectedness, the well-directed mind is not worried and does not fear death. It is one's kamma, which goes to be reborn elsewhere, and if that kamma has been for the benefit of both self and others and for the harm of none, what will one have to fear?

For the increase of this well-directed mind, first Giving or Dana is valuable. It is an antidote to the poison of greed, for while greed would enmesh one's inner desires and the possession of outer objects, giving promotes generosity and a proper understanding of the frailty of possession. At best one possesses things, or people, until one dies, or perhaps they die or break up first. With greed goes meanness and a lack of understanding of impermanence, but with giving goes generosity and a thorough knowledge of the impermanence of all things and people. So it is said in Buddhist scriptures that one best possesses those things, which are given away. How is this? The value of treasured articles lasts only until one can treasure them no more-and then things are dispersed among others. But the value of given things goes with one in the form of the wholesome kamma made while giving. In the Treasure-store Discourse Lord Buddha has finely illustrated the relative worth of buried treasures, (and burying is just the old means of banking), with gifts given. He notes, with subtle irony: "Though it be ne'er so well laid by, deep in a water-level pit, not all of it will yet suffice to serve him all the time, and then, the store gets shifted from its place, or he perhaps forgets the marks, or Naga-serpents hale it off, or spirits fritter it away, or else the heirs he cannot bear abstract it while he does not see..." The person who wishes to undertake the training does not act in this way with his wealth. Lord Buddha has advised householders that their wealth should be divided into several parts, of which one is given over to their present support, another laid by in investments as we should say, while the third should be dispensed to virtuous monks and Brahmins, that is, to the religious of whatever faith, or spent in works of charity. Indeed, the person of well-directed mind so much enjoys giving that he or she takes every opportunity to do this, never neglecting any of the chances, which exist for the promotion of wholesomeness in himself and the benefit of others. And giving is not only the province of the rich man for there are sorts of giving which even the poorest man alive can practice. Such is for instance the giving of fearlessness to others by means of the practice of Loving-Kindness. But from the great subject of giving we should pass on to consider very briefly I virtue or the keeping of precepts. Now Buddhist morality, like every other part of the Training, is undertaken voluntarily. It is never out fear, or for love of some exterior being that a Buddhist undertakes to keep the precepts pure, but just because he sees present and future advantages, which may be obtained, by being virtuous. If this is being selfish then it is the right sort of selfishness because one should be dear to oneself, so dear that one wishes to avoid evil kamma, which would stain the mind. The Great Teacher Buddhaghosa describes how a person before cultivating thoughts of goodwill to others, should first irradiate himself with thoughts of 'may I be happy, may I be at ease.' In the same way one should first become so dear to oneself that one wishes sincerely and practices accordingly that the Precepts should not be stained. The way of training in the precepts as in all else, is well described in this verse: "First one should set oneself in that which is proper, then others one may teach: A wise man is not blamed." (Dhp. 158). When the precepts are repeated, the key word is "samadiyami", the first person singular of the verb "to undertake." 'I undertake' the precepts for my own conduct, I cannot undertake them for others. They may not wish to keep them, or not be able to keep them. In an introductory story to a Jataka, Venerable Shariputra in an excess of zeal soon after ordination is shown as sitting at a crossroad calling upon passers by to come and take refuge in the Triple Gem and to undertake the five precepts. Out of respect for him, several people who were hunters and fishermen went to him and rather against their will, repeated the precepts. Then they went off to their normal work of trapping and netting, upon which Venerable Shariputra was heard to complain that these men did not keep the precepts, which they had undertaken. When this came to the ears of Lord Buddha, by way of lightly reprimanding Venerable Shariputra, He told a Jataka story showing that in a past life, too, the Venerable One had also been over-zealous. This shows very clearly how the precepts should be undertaken, by oneself voluntarily because one sees the advantages which follow from guarding one's conduct and also guarding one's mind to some extent.

However, if one wishes to develop the mind, which is the third step of training, one should employ more direct means. It is advisable to have a meditation teacher who will give one a meditation subject. This subject for concentration will be selected by him to suit one's character and the disease, that is the mental disease, which is predominant. According to the Dhamma the three great mental diseases from which I the mind of the ordinary man is seldom free, are the desire for called greed or lobha, the desire against called aversion or dosa, and the worldly indifference called delusion or moha. These three diseases may be cured by the appropriate application of the medicine of the meditation subjects, just as one goes to the doctor quite voluntarily because one wishes to be cured, so one takes up meditation for the same reason. And just as a doctor prescribes a good remedy, but it is the patient who must have the intention to use it, so in the same way even if one has seen a doctor who can cure the mind, that is, a Bhikkhu meditation teacher, but one does not practice according to his instructions, so one's disease will not be cured. The mind shrunken with mental stains, the ill-directed mind so harmful to oneself, may be transformed into the developed mind free from stains, into the well-directed mind, to have which is a great blessing surpassing even that of father and relatives.

Finally, one should say that of course there is really no person controlling the mind apart from the mind itself. If again we take the simile of the river to illustrate the mind, then the ill-directed mind is that river swollen with the floods of craving and full of the mud of mental stains. Gradually, due to the building of dams and barrages upon this river, the torrent waters are controlled and the river's flow becomes clear and pure. But one should understand that there is no one who dams the river or clears its waters; these are processes in the training. The Conqueror who found the way to tame the mind has proclaimed thus: "What neither mother, nor father too, nor any other relative can do, the well-directed mind indeed can do one greater good."

EVAM

Thus indeed it is.