18-4
“What is the reason? Subhuti, the past mind cannot be grasped, the present mind cannot be grasped, and the future mind cannot be grasped.”
Commentary:
As the Buddha said in part 18-3, “All the minds that the Realised One has mentioned are not mind but they are just called as such,” minds are not real but just imaginary labels that are used as an expedient to point to the essence of our being that is the state perfectly free from illusions; images and words.
The mind that the Buddha meant to indicate through the word ‘mind’, represents the true-Self, Emptiness, or Oneness that is the state perfectly free from illusions; images and words. It, as previously discussed, is essentially nameless, boundless and formless. It is even neither existent nor non-existent. Everything is mind and there is nothing whatsoever that is not mind. Even we ourselves are also part of mind. We refer to it as mind, the true-Self, the Buddha, and Oneness just for the sake of convenience so that we may explain it. This is why it is said that the essence of mind is no-mind.
Mind can’t be divided into multiple parts; the past mind, the present mind and the future mind because it is formless, boundless and neither existent nor non-existent. Only things that exist with a certain form andboundary are possible to divide. Furthermore, we are not separate from mind but one with it. It is not only impossible but also makes no sense at all for a man to divide himself into multiple parts and to grasp them. So, it is said that mind, the true-Self can be neither given nor taken.
Student: “If the past mind cannot be grasped, the present mind cannot be grasped, and the future mind cannot be grasped, what is the mind?”
Master: “Don’t fail to miss the fragrance whilst being attracted by falling petals.”
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
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