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224 CHAPTER 15 Meditation and the Attainment of the Mind People always have desires in life, and since their desires are not always satisfied, they become lost in their own complaints. This happens because they fail to attain the foundation of life, the state of mind that is endowed with all the required elements. To live without attaining this state of mind is like trying to cook rice with no rice at hand. Meditation is the way to attain the foundation of life. Meditation (that is, to control one’s mind) is all one needs to know in life. Various religious leaders, or leaders of life, tell people that if they believe in Jesus or the Buddha they will be able to reach heaven or nirvana, and that heaven or nirvana is the ultimate place to attain what they desire, which is beyond the imagination in this world. People say such things because they are ignorant of the fact that only when we are awakened through meditation to the boundless no-thought and when no-thought becomes universalized can our desires and security of body and mind (or nirvana) can be attained. In other words, they have failed to learn how to objectify and thus to reflect on themselves. This is the teaching of attaining a state of mind that is the all-capable unity of the self. Once you reach such a state, wherever you live, in whatever form, you will be secure. This is the teaching of Buddhism. This is why Buddhist teachings are not intended for Buddhists but rather to help each individual attain this state of mind. Buddhism rises and falls with the happiness or misfortune of each individual; the prosperity or decline of Buddhism corresponds to the prosperity or decline of a country and also of the world. Buddhism provides a way to control the mind of the entire universe. As evidence of this, the culture of our world-renowned Buddhist ancestors left behind marvelous works of Buddhist art with which the craftsmanship of our time cannot compete. Even now when only its legacy remains, our ancestral Buddhist culture leads both our bodies and souls into a world where we are relieved of all ego- Meditation and the Attainment of the Mind 225 ism. This is clear evidence that our ancestors led a comfortable life at the time when Buddhism prospered. What about our lives now that Buddhist teaching has declined? We realize that to be ignorant of Buddhism is the same as not knowing one’s own self, and that ours is a time of the worst ignorance. Our lives are proof of this state of affairs. The only way to learn Buddhism, that is, to learn one’s own self, is through meditation. Sages have proven that meditation is the solution to problems ranging from those of an individual, a nation, a society, to those of animals and insentient beings. Although meditation is the treasure that resolves all problems and leads to the ultimate goal of life, it is not difficult to do. Any being that has senses and feelings can do it. Everybody has all that is required: time until infinity and a mind that is equipped with all the necessary elements, so long as they have received and thus earned the teachings of the Buddha, who experienced awakening before us. However , in order to believe in our teacher, the Buddha, we need to reach a state where we are capable of cutting off our own consciousness. The mind must overcome its great enemy (called habitual energy), which we have inherited from previous lives, and the illusions of our senses, which have been generated during this lifetime. If we can do this, no matter where our practice starts from, we can attain the goal. Preparation for meditation is simple: One needs to forget one’s self (mola’gyŏng) and cut off all emotions and stay in a pure, transparent, and calm state of mind. By preparing in this manner, whether be it at a monastery or in the secular world, anyone can do meditation. Professional training makes it easier to reach such an independent state of mind. Usually the bondage called a monastic life is the price of great freedom for lives to come. This is why people join monasteries. If a person is very successful as a lay practitioner, he must have already experienced monasticism in a previous life. It is important to maintain a pure state of mind and...

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