A Mind Invulnerable to Worldly VicissitudesLikewise, those who can attain Nirvana, will have minds so invulnerable that Worldly Vicissitudes could never affect them.“rocky mountains will never be shakenby a strong wind.Likewise, those who can attain Nirvana, will have minds so invulnerable that Worldly Vicissitudes could never affect them.”What is a Mind that is Invulnerable to Worldly Vicissitudes?1. The mind that is afraid or disappointed by Worldly Vicissitudes is worrisome that is might encounter something unpleasant or something that it is afraid of.2. The mind that is swayed by Worldly Vicissitudes is a mind that is elated by happiness or the pleasant things that the mind receives.3. Vicissitudes in the World are the things that happen in the world. Everyone has to encounter them and there is no way to avoid them. There are eight types of Vicissitudes in the World and they are divided into two groups:Desirable Vicissitudes:1. Wealth: Things that we gain such as profit, money, spouse, possessions, lands, houses or jewelry.2. Honors: Receiving promotions to better positions to better positions or statuses; being given more power.3. Praise: Receiving compliments, flattery or tributes.4. Happiness: Receiving comfort or convenience of body and mind.The four vicissitudes listed above are desired by the general public. Those who still don’t have them, spend years worrying about having them. Once they have got them, they are possessive and scared that they will lose them one day. These are the states of mind which are struggling to find and possess the things they want to have and are referred to as a mind that is swayed by Worldly VicissitudesUndesirable Vicissitudes:1. Loss of Wealth: to lose what one used to own, such as money, house, land, children, spouse, or jewelry.2. Loss of Honors: Demotion, being fired, at or gossiped about,3. Malicious Gossip: Being criticized at, or gossiped about.4. Suffering: Pain or torture of the body and/or mind.These four vicissitudes are undesirable for everybody. No one wants these things to happen to them in their life. When these things have not yet happened people are worried that they will happen one day. Once they really do happen, people become very worried and pray for them to go away. When they are gone, people are still afraid that they might come back.What is the Meaning of ‘A Mind Invulnerable to Worldly Vicissitudes’?A “Mind Invulnerable to Worldly Vicissitudes” is the state of mind of those who can attain Nirvana. Their minds are very stable and as firm as mountains. They can maintain neutrality and the changes cause no disturbance to their minds.When they encounter loss of wealth, honor, malicious gossip or assfering. These minds are not afraid or disappointed.When they experience wealth, honor, praise, happiness, these minds are not elated by them.This is because they are aware that these changes are not certain and nothing is real. If we gain wealth, we can lose wealth, the honor is not always ours and we will have to encounter both: gossip and praise, happiness and suffering. These are all under the law of the Three Universal Characteristics.Happiness: Receiving comfort or convenience of body and mind.The Three Universal CharacteristicsThe Three Universal Characteristics or the Three Common Characteristics refer to the unique characteristics of all things in the world.Every single thing or material in the world has its own characteristics. For example, gold has a yellow color and sparkles. Glass is transparent, and diamond is hard. Likewise, people have their own characteristics in mind, life and we think differently. However, for all the differences between us, there are three characteristics that are shared by all things in the world:1. Impermanence: The first characteristic is impermanence. Things always change. For example, one day our house will be run-down or shabby. Likewise, people yesterday, today and tomorrow are not the same. It’s a common event that things always change.2. Suffering: The second characteristic is suffering. Normally we think of suffering as pain or something that makes us cry. However, in this case it refers to the quality of things that cannot keep their own condition by nature and have to decay until they are fully gone. One day our house will collapse and people will die. Even the ever-changing earth we are currently living in will one day be destroyed.3. Being without self: The third characteristic is ‘non-self’. It means that nothing in the world has implicit identity. There is nothing that we can control and nothing that is ours. For example, we cannot stop our body from getting older and not be sick. We cannot control the fact that our house will deteriorate as time passes by. Moreover, if we cannot find the real ‘self’ from it. Our body is a figure which the elements temporarily combine together. Once they are destroyed, our body is nothing. It is not our real self.People in the world are normally not aware of these three universal characteristics. That’s why they are attached, affected by worldly vicissitudes, and always suffer.Those who can attain Nirvana, which is above the law of The Three Universal Characteristics, are happy because their minds are stable and invulnerable. They are happy in Nirvana where everything is certain, unchangeable and beyond the circle of life and death. Therefore, their minds are not elated or disappointed by Worldly Vicissitudes which are still under the law of The Three Universal Characteristics. When a mind like that experiences wealth, honor, praise and happiness their minds are not elated by them.When they encounter loss of wealth, malicious gossip or suffering, the minds are not afraid or disappointed.When somebody gets sick, they usually suffer both physically and mentally. However, for those who can attain Nirvana, their minds are always focused on Nirvana. Therefore, the suffering of illness affects only their body, but will never reach their minds because they have Nirvana to shelter their minds from all kinds of sufferings.ObservationIt is once said that if we want to see how a person can be affected by Worldly Vicissitudes, we should see how they react to the things they encounter.If they are happy when they get something pleasant and overly express their feelings, such as laughing very loudly, when they encounter suffering they will surely not be able to control themselves and also cry out loud. On the other hand, if they are happy and express their feelings by smiling and nothing else, it is quite certain that when they encounter suffering they can suppress their sadness. Perhaps they may show their feelings by gnashing their teeth or by being still and quite for a moment, that’s all.From this we can learn that if we are happy, we should express our feelings by smiling a little bit. When it comes to suffering, we don’t have to cry out loud.Therefore, no matter whether we encounter the vicissitudes or not we should continue doing good deeds. By staying neutral when encountering more bad things, the quicker it will all be over.Moreover, we should practice meditation until our minds are stable and still. Then we will reach great wisdom and, in the end, attain Nirvana, At that stage our minds will truly become invulnerable to the Worldly Vicissitudes." /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " />" /> " />" />
A Mind Invulnerable to Worldly Vicissitudes
[ 5 ธ.ค. 2554 ] - [ 18256 ]
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