The Mind and The No-Mind--Diana Zen

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The Mind and The No-Mind--Diana Zen

The Mind and The No-Mind

“To have thoughts is to have mind. To have mind contradicts the Way. To have No-Thoughts is to have No-Mind. No-Mind is the true Way.”—A Dialogue on the Contemplation-Extinguished

Mind-and-No-Mind-1-ZenMoon


To have mind is to possess an egohood and arising subjective thoughts rooted in deluded awareness of the discriminating mind. The mind constructs a subjective reality that we perceive and experience based on potential “seeds” stored within the alaya-vijnana. The alaya-vijnana is the store-house consciousness that receives the integrated experiential impressions from all functions of the other consciousness. While having mind, the store-house consciousness gathers collective impressions from the other consciousness and retains the information as the seed potential for their ongoing manifestation and perpetuation. The accumulated memories and impressions stored are potential energy, bija or “seeds.” These memory seeds germinate as the mind synthesize dualistic thoughts, when facing outer events. Acting upon these seeds, we become entangled in karma creation and retribution, and the karmic bondage is perpetuated.

Mind-and-No-MInd-AA-ZenMoon
"The mind constructs a subjective reality that we perceive and experience
based on potential “seeds” stored within the alaya-vijnana."


To have mind, the alaya-vijnana contains memories of past experience that are corrupted with biased impressions and attachments. To have mind, the Eight Consciousness are corrupted causing us to both falsely internalizes outer events and externalizes subjective responses to circumstances.

MInd-and-No-Mind-10-ZenMoon
 "While existing in the state of duality , the alaya-vijnana, functioning as a single integrated entity,
deceives and entraps us within the falsity of selfhood and
the mistaken conceptualization of the phenomenal world."

 

The mind is the ego-self and it is the manifestation of the alaya-vijnana. While existing in the state of duality , the alaya-vijnana, functioning as a single integrated entity, deceives and entraps us within the falsity of selfhood and the mistaken conceptualization of the phenomenal world. To have mind is to have the Eight Consciousness acting in unity as one single ego-affirming entity. Within the Eight Consciousness, the alaya-vijnana and the manas are the most essential components. The Eight Consciousness consist of the store-house consciousness, the five sense-consciousnesses, mental consciousness, and mind-consciousness, manas, also known as the ego-mind. The mind is both the inner reflection of alaya-vijnana and its outer projection, as thoughts continually arise and cling onto a past impression. As we face outer circumstances, discriminating thoughts emerge to both reinforce the ego and prompting the ego into action to satisfy its wants and desires. Having mind, we make egocentric choices and initiates actions that thrust us toward karmic entanglements. Having mind, we entrap ourselves within realm of Samara.

Mind-and-No-Mind-AB-ZenMoon
"The mind is both the inner reflection of alaya-vijnana and its outer projection,
as thoughts continually arise and cling onto a past impression."


Interactions with the outer world are processed and filtered through manas , the ego-mind. To have mind is to have arising discriminatory thoughts brought about by manas while it functions as the egocentric mediator between the inner self and outer world. Impression and perception ceaselessly update and stream in/out the collective consciousness storehouse, aliya-vijnana, as the mind interacts with outer circumstances via manas. Awareness and sensory experiences are merely objective and unbiased knowingness when unattached to emotional significance. As we encounter outer circumstances, thoughts become fixated.  The clinging thoughts form the ego and a biased emotional response is formulated. 

Mind-and-No-Mind-5-ZenMoon
"To have mind is to have arising discriminatory thoughts brought about by manas 
while it functions as the egocentric mediator
between the inner self and outer world."


Having mind, manas influences our awareness and loads arising thoughts with emotions and impressions. Manas is the individualized colored lens that tint our perception of the outer world. Manas processes and interprets the sensory input from the outer world based on subjective information stored within the collective conscious storehouse. The manas gives rise to our active and reactive interpretation of the phenomenal world. Having mind, we experience the present prejudiciously as manas simultaneously formulates a reaction to outer circumstances based on the collective past experiences. As the mind narrative weaves its own version of reality, discriminating thoughts arise to cloud objective awareness. As experiences are continuously acquired, manas perpetually discriminates and formulates thoughts propelling us into action based on empirical factuality rather than objective actuality. Having mind is having dualistic thoughts. While having mind, manas prevents us from living in the moment as thoughts propagate and cascade. Having mind, we are unable to remain at Inner Peace

MInd-and-No-Mind-6-ZenMoon
"As experiences are continuously acquired, manas perpetually discriminates and formulates thoughts
propelling us into action based on empirical factuality rather than objective actuality."


Having mind, the empirical and discriminating characteristics of the manas shape and create the ego and give rise to thoughts. The false sense of ego-hood is the manifestation of the dualistic mind consciousness, manas. The ego is guided by our subjective interpretation of the infinite past experiences. The ego is a derivative of manas' interpretation of our aggregate deeds and memories. The ego contains inherent clinging ambitions and fixated aspirations. In the present, the egocentric self is molded and triggered into action by the recollection and impression from bygones.

MInd-and-No-Mind-9-ZenMoon
" In the present, the egocentric self is molded and triggered into action
by the recollection and impression from bygones."


Emptiness and voidness are the very root of the Way. Emptiness is the characteristic of the innate original Buddha-nature. The Buddha-nature is the originally-existent consciousness and is the universal compassion devoid of egohood. The Buddha-nature transcends the dualism imposed by the ego-mind consciousness. It is only by transcending the discriminating mind’s reality created by manas that we can exist in the uncorrupt, non-dualistic actuality. Achieving No-Mind transcends us beyond the bounds of dualistic existence, free from the realm of Samara. Having No-Mind breaks the bondage of egocentric bias and impetus. Being No-Mind breaks the cycle of karmic perpetuation, as we are no longer driven by egocentrism and self-serving motivations.

Mind-and-No-Mind-AAA-ZenMoon
"The Buddha-nature is the originally-existent consciousness and is the universal compassion devoid of egohood."


To have No-Mind is to transcend duality and discrimination. The No-Mind is beyond all senses and measurements. Existing at stillness and clarity, the No-Mind experiences the outer world without neither egocentric judgement nor subjectivity. We experience limitless awareness of the outer world without abiding attachment. Having No-Mind, thoughts do not arise to produce passions and false views. 

Mind-and-No-Mind-4-ZenMoon
"The No-Mind is beyond all senses and measurements.
Existing at stillness and clarity,
the No-Mind experiences the outer world without neither egocentric judgement nor subjectivity."


To have No-Mind is to no longer have the false sense of an ego self-hood created by the mind consciousness, manas. To have No-Mind is to transform manas from a discriminating egohood consciousness into the universal mind consciousness. Manas becomes the limitless awareness. Having No-Mind, manas is no longer an egocentric awareness with the fixating thoughts. Manas is no longer the clinging impetus driving us toward karmic retributions and holding us within karma's bondage.

Mind-and-No-Mind-3-ZenMoon
"Transcending duality, the alaya-vijnana becomes the great mirror of knowing 
and no longer exist as the “seeds” storehouse for karmic perpetuation."


The No-Mind is similar to the perfectly still reflecting surface of water. Awareness act as reflections on the perfectly mirrored surface. There are no subsequent arising emotional entanglements causing arising waves and ripples to distort the perfect images on the still water surface. 

Mind-and-No-Mind-8-ZenMoon
"We each have the potential to transcend the duality of the mind."


Within each individual, the Buddha seed is originally existent and waiting for the optimum conditions to germinate and mature into full enlightenment. We each have the potential to transcend the duality of the mind. The Buddha seed is fundamentally pure and its growth is hindered by ignorance rooted within dualism of the ego-mind consciousness. 

Mind-and-No-Mind-7-ZenMoon
"Having No-Mind, the ego-mind consciousness, manas, is transformed
from the egocentric dualist mind 
into the non-dualistic, compassionate Universal Nature Wisdom."


To have No-Mind, the Eight Consciousness are purified of the falsity of the mind’s creation. The five sense consciousness are united with the perfection of manifested action. The alaya-vijnana is transformed into the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom containing objective awareness untainted by self-imposed subjectivity. Transcending duality, the alaya-vijnana becomes the great mirror of knowing and no longer exist as the “seeds” storehouse for karmic perpetuation. The store-house consciousness no longer contains the seeds of illusions and the original Buddha-nature fully awakens. Having No-Mind, the ego-mind, the mind-consciousness, manas, is transformed from the egocentric dualist mind into the non-dualistic, compassionate Universal Nature Wisdom

Mind-and-No-Mind-AC-ZenMoo-
"As the mind transforms into the original No-Mind,
outer circumstances are faced with comprehensive clarity and compassion
without neither grasping nor rejection."


To have No-Mind, manas becomes the all-embracing universality of the mind consciousness. As we face outer events, awareness is unobstructed by the limitation of dualism and ego-hood. As manas metamorphose from the self-limiting ego-mind consciousness into the original universal limitless No-Mind consciousness, one is liberated by accurate insight. The No-Mind becomes one with the Way as the thought awareness is free-flowing, unobstructed by the mind as it dwells and self-bind from thought to thought. As the mind transforms into the original No-Mind, outer circumstances are faced with comprehensive clarity and compassion without neither grasping nor rejection. Liberated by accurate insight, the mind transforms into the No-Mind. Coming and going without blockage the No-Mind is one with the Way. As we live in the present with full awareness, we live each moment adaptively without being affected. Having No-Mind, we are free from every sense and measurement. Transcending duality, we exist at the Timeless Inner Peace and experience Nirvana in the here and now. 


 Zen Moon. ZenMoon.org. Copyright and TrademarkDiana Zen

 Zen Moon

 July 8, 2017


"Having mind, the empirical and discriminating characteristics of the manas shape and create the ego and give rise to thoughts."--ZenMoon

Please be sure to watch the relevant Max Cooper and Tom Hodge "Remmants" video accompanying my interpretation.

 

Max Cooper and Tom Hodge - Remnants - Official Video by Nick Cobby from Max Cooper on Vimeo.

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