Good morning!
We now have clouds covering the world, with rain and snow threatening. We cannot see the moon now.
When we have clouds inside us, we cannot see the mind moon, and see only tearful rains and suffering storms.
The Buddha said, “The world is on fire. The eyes are on fire. The ears…, the nose…, the tongue…, the body… the mind is on fire.”
When the world is on fire, the mind is on fire. It is like running on the treadmill or fire wheel. The faster we run, the cloudier and fierier the world appears.
As the eye cannot see the eye itself, we cannot see ourselves or our mind moons amidst clouds and fire. Unless we sit and stop karma, clouds and fire remain.
That’s why Dogen said, “Only buddhas know the true self.” Because we are karma machines, our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are in clouds and on fire.
Because of karma, we take this as natural and even preferable. So we don’t want to stop it. Unless we really see and experience extreme sufferings and tears, we don’t stop it.
That’s why this kind of world continues, the karma world. There is no end, unless we become buddhas and see our mind moons, clear and calm.
Only when our mind moons become clear and calm, can the world become so. Everyone has the mind moon, and can see the mind moon and the buddha world, clear and calm.
2/23/11