Chapter 9: Having No Desires
Come on, let’s put that aside for now. Knowing is enough.
Returning to the main topic, cultivation, simply put, is about modifying one’s actions, conscious behaviors, and habitual actions in life.
The so-called conscious behavior is the habit of consciousness. Simply put, it is to fully master the patterns of one’s own consciousness and be able to observe and transform it at any time and at will, in order to achieve inner peace and freedom.
Habits are also called bad habits, which are the various good and bad habits of a person.
So what is good? For example, sleeping early and waking up early. What is bad? Being addicted to gambling and drinking alcohol like one’s life depends on it.
It’s not that people who smoke and drink are bad, but rather that excess will have negative effects, affecting the body’s various functions, accelerating decay, aging, and even death.
The cultivation of consciousness requires enlightenment through many circumstances, summarizing one’s own patterns of consciousness. From observing the changes in consciousness to complete control, it requires deliberate practice.
The same applies to habitual behaviors.
This point must be mentioned regarding the topic of abstinence from sex. In fact, true abstinence from sex is not the so-called abstaining from male and female matters. If so, wouldn’t humanity become extinct? And what about the continuation of Daoist methods?
Abstinence, it is understood, does not require much explanation. It can be simply understood as guarding against, being wary of, and changing.
The meaning of “sex” actually refers to lustful appearance, which is the so-called desire. Desire in thought.
Because people first have desires, they become obsessed with things. Over time, they develop bad habits, which are habits.
To break free from these things, one must solve the problem from the root, which is to solve it from the heart.
For example, you have been smoking for ten years. When you first encountered smoking, it was out of curiosity or play. But as time passed, you formed a habit, which then became an instinct, an instinctive urge to smoke, especially when happy, sad, bored, or under other emotions, passively and instinctively picking up a cigarette and lighting it.
It’s not difficult to quit. You only need to be able to observe when you have the thought of smoking, or rather, the thought, and change the thought immediately, or focus the thought on other things. Then you will unconsciously forget about it. Repeat this.
Normally, deliberately instill in yourself the harm of smoking, and actively feel the discomfort in your throat and the bitterness in your mouth when smoking.
After persisting for a period of time, you will have the ability to control yourself and quit.
It’s the same for quitting gambling and drinking. When you want to drink, you can change that thought to wanting to eat an apple or a banana. Persist, and it will become a desire to eat fruit.
When the mind changes, habits follow the mind’s change. In this way, people can achieve self-control and circumstances can change with the mind.
When you can change your own thoughts, you will possess the ability to change your destiny.
It is said that the mind can change thoughts, thoughts can change destiny, destiny can change fortune, fortune can change qi, qi can change appearance, and appearance can change looks.
Through this method, you can change your destiny, improve your luck, change your appearance, and so on; everything can change accordingly.
Isn’t it mystical and magical? When you can’t do it, you’ll feel like you’re dreaming. When you achieve it, you’ll truly experience the benefits of cultivation.
Cultivation requires a calm mind. The so-called calm mind is not about thinking nothing or having nothing in your inner heart, but rather not being chaotic or disordered is considered calm.
Fix your mind in one place; it will not run wild. This is the so-called peace, the so-called stability, the so-called calm.
This calm is the calm of inner peace. When the inner heart can be calm at all times, one will obtain unexpected strength.
There is a saying that “Mount Tai collapses before one’s eyes, yet their face remains unmoved,” which describes a person who can calmly face any situation regardless of what happens.
This strength can allow one to gain powerful wisdom. This is the so-called calm generating wisdom, wisdom generating stability, and stability generating intellect. In fact, it means that the mind is not led by external things, not influenced by external matters, and continuously observes oneself and others from a detached perspective. In this way, one can see the root of things, the entirety of the matter, and thus find the best method to resolve all problems.
For example, when you have a dispute with someone, you habitually think negatively and habitually argue. But when you can see what your thoughts are thinking, and are not controlled by them, and clearly see the essence of the matter and the solution, you can achieve the ultimate goal. This is the power of a calm mind.
And mind transforming environment means discovering your thoughts at the very first moment and changing them. For example, what Buddhism says about treating all sentient beings as Buddhas, and what Daoism says about all sentient beings being teachers, are all methods to help you transform your state of mind.
Imagine, if you truly treated all sentient beings as Buddhas, would you argue with Buddhas? No, right?
If you treated all sentient beings as teachers, would you argue or get entangled with your master? No, right?
Therefore, these are actually mind methods, that is, methods used internally.
By using this method to help yourself transform your state of mind, because it changes according to the thoughts in your heart, what you see and understand will also change accordingly.
Being able to see the good in the bad is a very powerful thing.
However, this method, as mentioned in the previous article, requires discernment in specific environments.
Use appropriate methods at appropriate times to change appropriate thoughts, depending on the specific situation.
If you are scammed into a pyramid scheme or defrauded to a certain place, you don’t need to apply this method. But you can use this wisdom to escape.
This is not fixed in cultivation; mind transforming environment also depends on what kind of situation you encounter in what environment.
If you encounter a bad person and still treat them as a Bodhisattva, you will be harmed. Therefore, you must clearly recognize the difference between Buddha and demon.
In life, most situations can be viewed through the lens of Buddha, but because human thinking patterns are not fixed, the manifestation of Buddha-demon states in individuals is uncertain.
When a person’s thoughts are good and they do good deeds, they manifest as a Buddha aspect. When their thoughts turn evil and they do evil, they manifest as a demon aspect.
This is related to the mind and not to appearance.
Appearance does not solely refer to a person’s facial features, but rather to the aura of a person from the inside out.
Some Bodhisattvas also have fierce Dharma Aspects to facilitate exorcising demons.
Some devils also manifest solemn and compassionate appearances to easily beguile people.
This distinction should be made by observing a person’s speech, behavior, or details. When cultivated to a high level, one can perceive a person’s heart from their gaze or aura.
External appearance cannot determine a person’s or a living being’s inner soul.
Sometimes, outwardly appearing compassionate, there may be a devil residing within. Sometimes, outwardly fierce, there may be a Bodhisattva residing within.
Do not look with physical eyes; use a calm and desireless inner heart, that is, a wisdom eye, to easily perceive.
The greatest strength to protect oneself is to not harbor evil thoughts, which means the three words “having no desires.”
When encountering anyone or anything, as long as there are no desires in the heart, all persecution can be avoided.
Because there are no desires, there is no worry. This is the root cause of a calm mind.
