Chapter 171: Instinct In Operation
When the boy achieved enlightenment here, he transformed what he had learned, understood, and comprehended into instinct. He could be lazy most of the time, operating in a self-moving state without thinking, thus preventing excessive consumption of mental energy.
However, he could also be in an active state, meaning when he didn’t understand and needed to learn, or when he comprehended something that required thought, he could switch states anytime, anywhere.
It’s similar to when a person does something for a long time; even if they don’t need to think, they can rely on habit, which is instinct, to do it, allowing their mind to rest.
When unaware, a person’s mind wanders aimlessly, thinking about one thing then another. That state consumes mental energy. Being able to keep the mind still when not in use is nurturing; it’s nourishing one’s own mental energy. It’s used when needed, and then it’s allowed to rest again, not allowed to wander wildly.
After using it, let it continue to rest, don’t let it run wild.
This may be the ultimate meaning of “no action, no thought arises” and “action, thought does not arise,” and also the ultimate meaning of the Samadhi state.
All cultivation methods, whether meditation or practicing any skill, ultimately cultivate the power of the mind.
Imagine, concealing consciousness within the subconscious, synchronizing with the subconscious. Then, without needing to think, thoughts arise from nothingness, and even within nothingness, there is something.
This is perhaps the principle of being unborn and undying.
To say it exists is still to say it doesn’t; to say it doesn’t exist is still to say it does. Therefore, it both exists and doesn’t exist; it is described as emptiness.
The Heart Sutra states, “Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form, emptiness is form, and form is emptiness.”
The principle of “I am myself, yet I am not myself” lies here. I am myself, but I don’t need to deliberately think about it. In this way, it can be said I am not myself. Yet, when I am not myself, I know it is me, and I can still think about it.
This state, in cultivation, may be infinitely close to the Tao. What the next state is, he doesn’t know yet; he needs to continue to verify it. He needs to verify these things he has enlightened to and combine them with what he has learned.
This subconscious is both divine and demonic. If used well, it is divine; if used poorly, it is demonic.
Greatness Without Bounds, Smallness Without Inside.
From the operation of all powers in the universe to the activities of all material things, nothing is outside this pattern.
People must learn well! Remember this! If not, by nurturing the wrong path, you will inevitably cause trouble by going astray. When playing in the mortal world, you must abide by the order of the mortal world, which is the rules of the game. These rules stop evil but not good. In a sense, doesn’t it also help people cultivate? It just hasn’t achieved extreme perfection yet.
Saints establish laws to teach people. When people practice the virtuous path, everything will go according to their wishes!
…
“Beep, beep, beep.”
“Are you there, Big Brother?”
“What’s up.”
“Big Brother, can you explain the method of transforming thought into sword and then using the sword to break thoughts again? I sometimes have rambling thoughts, sometimes thinking it becomes a tree, sometimes a hammer.”
“Okay, then starting today, unify it as a sword. When you are proficient, after being troubled by too many distracting thoughts, then do other things yourself.
Using the power of thought, sketch a sword in your mind. This sword is pure white. When you have nothing to do and are resting, play with it in your mind. Whenever distracting thoughts attack, or you are having rambling thoughts, visualize the distracting thoughts, turn them into the two words ‘distracting thoughts.’ Similarly, if vexations arise, treat vexations the same way; cut them with the sword.
You just need to think of your sword and beat these two words severely, and you will beat them into submission. If you stop for a moment and they still come back, then continue beating them. Beat them whenever you have nothing else to do.
In the middle, distracting thoughts will counterattack a few times. The specific number varies by individual. They come very fiercely, like a flood. Grit your teeth and endure, beat them ferociously, and if they don’t stop, keep beating them. After enduring, they will naturally recede.
Every time you withstand the counterattack of distracting thoughts, you will advance to a higher level.
This is the method and effect of transforming thought into sword and using the sword to break thoughts. Its function is to deal with vexations and distracting thoughts.”
“Big Brother, others always tell me to meditate or do mindfulness. How do I practice that? What am I actually practicing?”
The boy stroked his beardless chin, saying earnestly;
“Ordinary people practicing meditation are practicing internal observation, also called concept, observing the mind, or visualization. It’s about perceiving the rise and fall of your own thoughts, to see them. This is practiced in a seated or lying posture.
When closing your eyes and lying down, it’s easy to fall into drowsiness and sleep. Therefore, most people practice in a seated posture, especially with half-closed eyes, so it’s harder to fall asleep. If you prefer not to open your eyes and just keep them closed, it’s fine, because the practice is not to be swayed by circumstances, meaning not to wander wildly with thoughts and intentions and generate unfounded troubles.
As for the technique of sending thoughts into a realm, similar to a dream place, it’s actually a state between semi-sleep and semi-wakefulness. This is just an incidental divine ability, not the primary intention.
Do not be attached to pursuing divine abilities. If you play with it for too long, you might not be able to come out. Always wanting to go there, or using it for this or that, like communicating with someone or helping someone investigate matters, this is that technique.
What is truly practiced in meditation is not that. What is practiced is how the primordial spirit can stably occupy the spiritual platform, meaning the intention doesn’t wander around wildly. This is also called guarding the spirit, which means protecting your own mind, and it’s also called returning to the origin.
Normally, you can practice this in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down; it has nothing to do with posture. As for someone telling you that meditation must be done sitting, and must be done in such and such a cross-legged position, it’s pure nonsense. It’s just that sitting makes it harder to fall asleep, it’s that simple.
Regarding circulation of qi and blood, if you can nourish your spirit, and your spirit is good, you don’t need to worry about how your qi and blood are. When your spirit is abundant, your qi and blood will naturally be good. Being able to nourish your spirit is actually the most awesome thing; your spirit can independently condition your qi and blood.
It’s like this: if qi and blood are like a lake or a sea, then when the spirit moves, qi and blood surge, evaporate, and are consumed. When the spirit is still, qi and blood are naturally not consumed much, and naturally become abundant.”
“Then, Big Brother, what’s the principle behind things like losing one’s soul, possession by a ghost, or inviting spirits?”
“The reason most people lose their souls is that their souls have run out, meaning their minds have run out. Like a restless monkey or horse, it runs wild and doesn’t come back. Thinking of this, then thinking of that, people become dazed, confused, and silly. It’s also called soul loss syndrome, or something like ‘three souls and seven spirits’ getting lost.”
Colloquially speaking, if someone misses another person intensely, sitting foolishly and silently, staring blankly, and smiling silly, some people will say to them, “You miss her so much you’ve lost your soul.”
Losing one’s soul means the mind is not within oneself.
In this state, if evil thoughts arise, a person’s subjective consciousness will be controlled by these thoughts, leading them to do something out of line or different from their usual behavior. You know it yourself but cannot control it. This is commonly known as possession by a ghost, or phantom illness, yin illness, etc.
When a person’s willpower becomes this weak, and they cannot control themselves, they need external forces to wake them up, meaning to call back their main consciousness. This process is called soul calling, or other similar terms; it’s all the same thing.
Ordinary people don’t cultivate, and their souls always wander around aimlessly. Sometimes they float onto a girl and think and think. Then they float onto another matter. If they float onto a girl, lust arises, and a lecherous ghost appears. When the lecherous ghost appears, things get hard.
When thinking of drinking alcohol, the drunkard comes. They keep coming and don’t like to leave, and people become addicted to alcohol. Whether there’s a reason or not, they drink until they are dazed and mumbling. Then they become a drunkard themselves.
If they can drink without becoming dazed or their consciousness wandering, then they become a Wine God or Wine Immortal, not controlled by alcohol. It’s the same for other matters.
