How Do You Know It is the Right Practice?
Years ago, I found myself deeply pondering this question, sparked by inspiration from a movie series I was watching. The question was not about navigating through the myriad of spiritual paths to finally find the right one, but rather, how can I discern whether a new path does not merely offer a different perspective on life, albeit a more authentic one? A startling revelation dawned in this mind that there is no difference in reality between having faith in the Truth and lacking faith in it as each person's perspective constitutes their truth, grounded in their unique belief system. This prompted a profound inquiry: what grants me the certainty to assert that my truth in any given context holds more weight than another's? This led me to ponder: how does one discern what truly embodies the essence of Truth? What if the Path I was journeying on, with all its accumulated Right Understandings to date, only serves to transport us from one bubble of illusion to another, one that simply masquerades as Truth? What if Truth is merely a construct we impose? The last question left me utterly shocked, to say the least, followed abruptly by a profound silence. It was in that moment of quiet clarity, where Truth unveiled itself, error dissolved without a trace, for without belief, error ceases to exist, revealing the ‘Truth’ or any truth for that matter I had previously identified with including those I thought were false, is merely a construct or error. That revelation in itself is the Truth and nothing more than that. Whether something is true or false, all falls within the realm of illusion as long as the erroneous lens through which we perceive reality is not seen for what it is. That moment marked the beginning of a deeper discernment of Cause (Truth) and Effect (Construct).
One can confidently affirm that it is the Right Practice when it leads to the realization that, without it, individuals remain immersed in the construct; whereas, with the Right Practice, they become aware of its nature, and along with it, the immersion dissolves. This includes the stream of questions (Right Thought) that once flooded this mind until they were met with an understanding, dispelling the misconception of what Truth is, and serving as a catalyst for deeper understanding. Discerning the nature of constructs is key to embracing the Right Practice as one can distinguish between cause and effect or reality and concept. Choosing between this or that, right or wrong, all falls within the realm of constructs. Recognizing this as a construct is the Right Practice. Even engaging in debates about what constitutes Right or Wrong Practice, and realizing that these debates are also constructs, is indeed the Right Practice. Ultimately, the Right Practice paves the way for the Middle Path – a path that is not governed by limitations of views, ‘shoulds’, coulds, and ‘what ifs’. One who practices right does not judge or condemn oneself or others, wearing a smile that silently says “I see you”. One may still encounter the same experiences as any others, and behaviourally the same as others, but the way they relate to those experiences differs from when they identify with them.
What is Right Practice? It is a mental cultivation, supported by Right Information, verifying the validity of the Right Information through direct experience to finally discover the Truth for themselves. It is a mental fine-tuning to see things as they are, with the lens of distortions gradually chipping off. The beginning of the Right Practice, I would say, occurs when there is a discernment of whether the process of purifying the mind relates to the cause or the effect. The ability to discern that we have all along been practicing wrongly at the effect is the essence of Right Practice itself. But what does it mean to practice at the effect? It is when we anticipate that through our practice, the mind becomes more purified and objects are seen clearer. While such way of practising may sometimes result in a calmer and more easeful state of mind, it doesn't constitute the true purification that liberates us from suffering, continuously keeping us unaware that life itself is characterized by suffering. The essence of Right Practice lies in consistently collecting data about how we have always perceived things, day in and day out (not only when there is a problem), without interference, judgements, or personal attachment. It involves recognizing that there is no inherently good or bad news, but rather data reflecting mind-bodily processes. It distinguishes between involvement and noticing that involvement is taking place. Moreover, it discerns whether a realization pertains to the object or the mind itself. For instance, noticing emptiness may occur in the object or through understanding projection. This mental training ultimately reveals the veil of delusion that was previously unnoticed and leads us to see things as they truly are, negating the noises, and realizing that our perception has been distorted all along. We have been barking up the wrong tree all this while, directing our attention towards something irrelevant and redundant, keeping us mindless.
How do we get to the Right Practice? The foundational and most crucial insight lies in comprehending the mind-object phenomena. Before embarking on this journey, we were deeply immersed in worldly experiences, identifying ourselves with the external world, other individuals, and, closer still, our bodies and states of mind. This identification's sole purpose serves to keep us unaware of the of the mind. Therefore, we are informed that there exist mind-bodily processes that shape how we perceive things, feel, react, and interpret sensory input. As we direct our awareness towards this mind-bodily process, we must continually inquire into how we are observing its functions — whether the observation becomes entangled in concepts driven by a desire to grasp the functions more clearly, or whether the understanding supports the observation. This training refines the way or how we observe things rather than refining what is being observed. Thus, as one progresses, it becomes evident whether they are discussing the practice from the perspective of what or from the perspective of how. It is through the how, the understanding of the non-dualistic nature of the mind deepens.
This journey is profoundly breathtaking as you delve into realms previously unknown to you. It involves a process of unravelling, leading to a deeper comprehension of what you are. Join the WISE community to explore whether this is the right practice for you.
With grace,
Lee Hung Leng
7 May 2024