Develop the mind to deliver incoming defilements

[starter]

Hm... I hesitate to post this thread but considering the limitless satient beings in our minds to be delivered, I still would like to share this thought with our friends, and hope you won't feel weird.

I remember a while ago reading the teachings of Ajahn Lee and Ajahn Thanissaro about the various beings in our mind having kind of panel meetings (if I remember correctly), which I didn't quite comprehend. Today I read the following teaching of Master Huineng:

"We vow to deliver the limitless sentient beings of our mind. ...

And who are these sentient beings within our mind? They are the delusive mind, the deceitful mind, the jealous mind, the evil mind, and such like minds [there are also good minds] -- all these are sentient beings...

Now, what does it mean to deliver oneself by one's own pure mind? It means the deliverance of the ignorant, the delusive, and the vexatious beings within our own mind by means of Right Views. With the aid of Right Views and Wisdom the barriers raised by these ignorant and delusive beings may be broken down; so that each of them is in a position to deliver himself by his own efforts. Let the fallacious be delivered by rightness; the deluded by enlightenment; the ignorant by wisdom; and the malevolent by benevolence. Such is genuine deliverance."

-- http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhi ... neng6.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Before reading this teaching, I was thinking of only removing/eradicating the incoming defilements of our mind. But now I realized that the process of developing the mind is actually the process of delivering/freeing the incoming defilements – the satient beings coming into our mind, so Master Huineng's teaching doesn't contradict the Buddha's teaching on this point at all. It's also worth paying attention that Master Huineng actually changed the Mahayana Boddhisata practice of saving every being in Samsara into developing our own mind instead.

Metta,

Starter

[Ben]

I think, starter, those teachers were using the literary device of metaphor.

[starter]

I think, starter, those teachers were using the literary device of metaphor.

-- Hi Ben, you might change your view after reading their teachings. Thanks and metta!

[tiltbillings]

Before reading this teaching, I was thinking of removing/eradicating the incoming defilements of our mind. But now I realized it's probably better to save them ...

Put them in your piggy bank.

[Ben]

I think, starter, those teachers were using the literary device of metaphor.

-- Hi Ben, you might change your view after reading their teachings. Thanks and metta!

Not likely, starter. But thanks for your kind wishes.

kind regards

Ben

[beeblebrox]

Before reading this teaching, I was thinking of removing/eradicating the incoming defilements of our mind. But now I realized it's probably better to save them ...

Interesting... maybe instead of saving, though, one should "free" them. Study how they arise, where they came from, and how they come to their end. Don't keep them bounded, or cling to any of them. This will develop your paññā, till the point where you're able to free the entire mind, bringing it to nibbāna.

[daverupa]

Hm... I hesitate to post this thread but considering the limitless satient beings in our minds to be saved/delivered...

Scientology?

[Kim OHara]

I think, starter, those teachers were using the literary device of metaphor.

-- Hi Ben, you might change your view after reading their teachings. Thanks and metta!

Hello, starter,
I agreed with Ben, I read the chapter and, FWIW, I still agree with him.

Kim

[tiltbillings]

In all honesty, starter, I think you would find a better fit here: http://www.dharmawheel.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;