精神統一
Mental unity
2024-07-01 18:00:00
The mind of an enlightened person is in a state of unity.
Similarly, when a Buddhist practitioner temporarily achieves mental unity, they can encounter opportunities for enlightenment.
This principle can be seen in the original Buddhist scriptures of Shakyamuni Buddha.
1025 (Ajita said), 'Bhavari asked about the head and about the splitting of the head. Teacher! Please explain it. Sage! Please dispel our doubts.'
1026 (Gautama Buddha answered), 'Know that ignorance is the head. It is knowledge combined with faith, mindfulness, mental unity, intention, and effort that splits the head.' (Words of the Buddha, Sutta Nipata, Chapter 5: The Way to the Beyond, 1: Introduction, translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko)
Moreover, I have heard some spiritual leaders suggest that substituting mental concentration for mental unity can advance one's practice, but I can say that this will not bring one closer to enlightenment (= liberation).
This was mentioned in an article on January 19, 2024.
So, what exactly is the temporary mental unity that a Buddhist practitioner should achieve?
It can be said that it involves being careful not to miss the rare words of the Dharma in the world and ensuring that the functions of the six senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) do not become distorted.
In other words, to correctly hear the words of the Dharma that appear before us, we should unify our sensory organs and consciousness so that they do not interfere.
At this time, we must also maintain unity in our auditory organs.
In other words, even if you hear the words of the Dharma, if you mistakenly perceive them as mere emotional expressions or get distracted by the literal wording, those precious words will not lead to an opportunity for enlightenment.
Specifically, it boils down to observing things before you without bias.
For this reason, it is important to practice introspection and meditation <Samatha & Vipassana>, and to accumulate merits.
A noble practitioner will be able to maintain mental unity when they hear the words of the Dharma.
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