Chapter 10 Ignorance, like that pot of purple-backed grass with no cause and effect (08)

Before my friend went abroad for a study tour, he left a pot of plants. "What is this?" I looked at the barren pot soil in puzzlement. "You'll know later!" he said mysteriously. My friend is not telling the truth, so I have to take care of it carefully.Adding a little bit of curiosity, I am very curious about this unknown plant, but: "I look at it three times a day, cherish it day and night, and never forget it every night."Helplessly, it didn't even sprout a single bud! I look at the pot of soil in front of the window every day. Sometimes a bird flies over and tilts its head to look at it; What kind of seeds are buried, what kind of leaves will grow, what kind of flowers will bloom, and what kind of fruits will they bear?But I can't guess at all.

This kind of dilemma of "not knowing the cause and effect" reminds me of the "ignorance" mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures. Doesn't "ignorance" mean ignorance of cause and effect?Often we think of ignorance as not knowing anything.In fact, ignorance does not refer to the lack of general knowledge and skills, but the lack of understanding of the truth—ignorance of cause and effect, karma, and the Four Noble Truths.It's like when people are running in the dark, silkworms are cocooning themselves. The Buddha said that all living beings are reincarnated in the world because of ignorance.

As long as many Buddhists mention all kinds of sufferings of sentient beings, including their own troubles, they say that they are all caused by ignorance --- "I am ignorance! That's why I do this!" Push all the responsibilities Given "ignorance", who said that "ignorance" is the sum total of all afflictions?And often neglect to observe which type of affliction it belongs to, and how to treat it...like this kind of ignorance of the phenomenon and cause of affliction, the state of elimination, the method of treatment, etc., is the real "nothingness". bright".

The German Sri Lankan eminent monk said to the Zhizun: "By fully focusing on the members of the heart, you can see clearly the afflictions hidden in the dark corners of your heart, and correctly call the name of the affliction, know its characteristics, and pay attention to its momentary birth and death. , so as to achieve the purification of the soul.” How can we get out of the darkness of ignorance and break out of the cocoon of ignorance?First of all, you must observe your own mind, see clearly the arising and disappearing of afflictions, and know what afflictions are.It is more practical and effective to find out the appropriate method to deal with it than to use the phrase "ignorance".

I don't know how long it took, but the potted plant finally grew out! Oh!It turned out to be "Purple Back Grass", he shook his head in denial, and asked him what kind of plant it was?He said forget it! It seems that I was not only deceived by ignorance, but also deceived by the purple back grass! (This picture is provided by Wu Xiaodan)