Seeing the Truth is Learning with Right View
The 7am discussion led by Hui Yee was just over. The inspiration to write is still alive. Hence, it is better to put down my thoughts before the mind forgets. My early morning chanting is put aside for now. Why am I doing it? It is my turn to contribute an article for WISE for April. It has been at the back of my mind but nothing popped up though occasionally, some flashes of inspiration came through but fizzled out again. Hence, it is better to strike while the iron is hot.
Hui Yee quoted after the discussion between Su Co Ekagacitta and Kim Loan, `Seeing the truth is learning.’ Somehow that struck the mind. I added `with Right View’ for this article. Why? It dawned on me that one can also learn wrongly so seems more correct to put in `Right View’. But what is Right View except they are two words that may mean different things to different people. When the mind is at that level of understanding, Right View can mean yes, life is impermanent, life is suffering, so let me live life not so seriously. Or at another level, it can also mean, nature is happening, so take life easy, after all, we cannot do anything much. Does Right View mean all of these? Yes and no, teacher’s favourite answer. Even whatever I am expressing now is just a view. When not seen but taken as gospel truth, the mind projects the meanings outside, creating the duality of right and wrong. Delusion will lead to more mental proliferation and the mind is caught in the entanglement of thoughts. Interesting, right? It’s just a matter of view yet it has the power to take us round the cycle of birth and death for countless lifetimes.
In the past, I would agree with both the two answers given above. But, as the journey is taken on with more depth and understanding, small shifts occur. Right View is more than that. Now the mind can see the reality of causes and conditions in a deeper perspective. The letting go within happens for things are understood as nature happening, no one is in control. The mind can come either from an understanding or merely regurgitating what it thought it had understood. No one can tell except the one who is doing it. Having said that, the one doing it may not even know if awareness is not consistent enough to notice the workings of the mind. So to put it in another way, no one can get it but the getting it happens when that someone is totally gone.
This journey is amazingly beautiful for as long as one has not crossed over, learning with Right View is a gradual process of unlearning what has not been seen correctly. Ignorance is the nature of the mind that does not notice the reality happening each moment. When not seen, the nature of the mind is to project instead of extend. When that happens, nature is happening but the taint of defilements is preventing reality from being seen. Concepts have taken over as perception, feelings, and thinking are doing a good job of making the appearance seemingly real.
The compounded happenings of the mind are like a movie with the projected image, sound, and cinema special effects making the movie so real and engaging for the audience. But, when it ends, the blank screen is all there is, meaningless yet meaningfully beautiful when seen and understood. When understanding arises to meet each happening with Right View, the movie is seen with a smile. What is unreal is finally seen for what it is, a play of projected images that can be entertaining and riveting, if not noticed. But, when understood, there is an inner peace that knows reality for what it is. The question is, throughout the whole movie, how consistent is awareness with Right View happening? That makes the distinction of one’s level of maturity.
The gradual process of waking up is very painful and discomforting in the beginning. What can one expect for the mind has been embroiled in such strong ignorance for heaven knows how long. But borrowing the words of the Wise, possibly, it has been immeasurable lifetimes. But, with Grace that leads us to this precious journey, the pain and discomfort are worth the price to pay in exchange for such a priceless gift. Meeting the right teachers and the right community is like finding a needle in the haystack. Besides, there is no other shortcut. This is the shortest cut, right?
When concepts and reality can exist side by side yet the mind is not deceived by the former, the lotus has emerged. But, does that mean the journey has ended? How does one know? If the knower still exists, time to check within. It is unfolding all the way until ‘that’ is realized. Nothing more needs to be said after that.
In grace,
Chee Guit Yeng
9 Apr 2024