92. BUDDHA SPEAKS ABOUT MIND
108 Buddhist Parables
The “O Monks, suppose a misdirected spike of hill rice or barley were pressed by the hand or foot. It is impossible that it would pierce the hand or the foot and draw blood. For what reason? Because the spike is misdirected. So too, it is impossible that a monk with a misdirected mind would pierce ignorance, arouse true knowledge, and achieve liberation. For what reason? Because the mind is misdirected.
“Suppose a well-directed spike of hill rice or barley were pressed by the hand or foot. It is possible that it would pierce the hand or the foot and draw blood. For what reason? Because the spike is well directed. So too, it is possible that a monk with a well-directed mind would pierce ignorance arouse true knowledge, and achieve liberation. For what reason? Because the mind is well directed.
“Here, having encompassed a mentally corrupted person’s mind with my own mind, I understand that if this person were to die at this time, he would be deposited in a bad destination. For what reason? Because his mind is corrupted. It is because of mental corruption that after death some beings are reborn in the plane of misery, in a bad destination, in the lower world.
“Here, having encompassed a mentally placid person’s mind with my own mind, I understand that if this person were to die at this time, he would be deposited in a good destination. For what reason? Because his mind is placid. It is because of mental placidity that after death, some beings are reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world.
“Suppose there were a pool of water that was cloudy, turbid, and muddy. Then a man with a good sight standing on the bank could not see shells, gravel and pebbles, and shoals of fish swimming. For what reason? Because the water is cloudy. So too, it is impossible for a monk with a cloudy mind to know his own good, the good of others, or to realize a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. For what reason? Because the mind is cloudy.
“Suppose there were a pool of water that was clear, serene, and limpid. Then a man with a good sight standing on the bank could see shells, gravel and pebbles, and shoals of fish swimming. For what reason? Because the water is limpid. So too, it is possible for a monk with a limpid mind to know his own good, the good of others, and to realize a distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. For what reason? Because the mind is limpid.
“O Monks, just as sandalwood is declared to be the best of trees with respect to malleability and wieldiness, so too, I do not see even one other thing that, when developed and cultivated, is so malleable and wieldy as the mind. I do not see even one other thing that changes so quickly as the mind.”
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All parables in printed book format: 108 Buddhist Parables and Stories and 108 Zen Parables and Stories
