During periods of social unrest and turmoil, what did the Lord Buddha teach Buddhists on how they ought to conduct themselves?
He gave this most emphatic reminder: when water is clear, shrimps, shellfish, crabs, and fish can be seen plainly — but when the water is murky, nothing within it can be seen, however plentiful. Therefore, keep the mind especially clear; do not be swept away by the turbulent current. Keep the mind clear and guard it well.
Our forebears offered this illustration: when two people engage in a tug of war — two people pulling a rope against each other — whoever releases the rope first is the one who wins, for the moment one lets go, the other falls flat on their back. Yet most people are unwilling to release first, because upon letting go, they cannot conceive of what to do next — and so both pull with all their might until the end, and ultimately both fare poorly.
In this regard, the person whose mind is clear will perceive the solution first, and will therefore release their hold first. But if the mind is clouded and both parties pull back and forth, it is uncertain who will prevail — and more often than not, both lose.
As for whoever makes a regular practice of keeping the mind clear — such a person will readily see what must be done next, release their hold first, and remain unharmed. But whoever keeps a clouded mind, focused solely on defeating the other without regard for reason or circumstance, will more often than not fail to find the right solution — for the only aim is to win — and will ultimately make a grave mistake.
May 25th, 2014
