The Delusional Series
Compiled according to the teachings of the Master
Author: Fafu
The Delusional Series: Part 10 –20 Inner Journey 5
The False Thinking shields and confuses all the way:
Delusions, sensations, and impulses, veiled and obscured, undergo countless transformations. They ensnare beings in delusion, their ultimate purpose being to fuel greed. To satisfy this greed, beings become stingy, miserly, and secretive, leading them to commit evil deeds. Regardless of how skillfully these delusions are disguised, their true nature will inevitably be revealed, especially in the areas one values most. The emphasis placed on certain things often reveals ulterior motives. The more one tries to conceal, the more one exposes their cunning and self-serving intentions. Afflictions both enslave and harm beings. Every action and thought of sentient beings is inherently evil and sinful. Their words, their nature, and their habits are all fundamentally flawed.
However, the root of suffering is greed:
All suffering originates from greed. Whatever is consumed merely passes through, leaving behind only a diminishing self.
However you chase after, you could never reach the illusory states:
All fleeting, illusory phenomena, no matter how fervently pursued, are but vain pursuits, forever out of reach.
Everything changes, except The True Nature of seeing:
Sacred Verses from the Second Chapter of the Surangama Sutra ：
At that time, Ananda and the assembly, upon hearing the Buddha’s teachings, felt their minds and bodies at ease. Reflecting on their countless past lives, they realized they had lost their original nature and mistakenly identified with the transient phenomena of the six senses. Today, upon awakening, they were like starving infants who had suddenly encountered their mothers. With joined palms, they paid homage to the Buddha and requested him to expound upon the true nature of the mind and its phenomena, distinguishing between the real and the illusory, the impermanent and the eternal. They wished to understand the nature of both the arising and ceasing phenomena and the deathless, unchanging reality.
King Pasenadi arose and addressed the Buddha, saying, “In the past, I did not receive the teachings of the Buddhas. When I encountered the heretics, such as Kaccayana and Viraji, they all claimed that after death, this body is annihilated, and this is called Nirvana. Although I have been fortunate enough to encounter a Buddha, I am still filled with doubts. How can one verify and realize the deathless nature of the mind? All those gathered here, being still subject to defilements, also wish to hear this .”
The Buddha said to the king, “Your body exists now. I ask you, is this physical body as enduring as a diamond, imperishable and unchanging? Or is it subject to decay? Your Majesty, this body of mine will ultimately perish.”
The Buddha replied, “Since you have not yet perished, how can you know that you will perish? Your Majesty, although this impermanent and decaying body of yours has not yet perished, I observe that in the present moment, it undergoes constant change from moment to moment, like a flame that consumes fuel and gradually turns to ash. This process of decay is ceaseless, and I am certain that this body will eventually be extinguished.”
The Buddha said, “Indeed, Your Majesty, your age has advanced, and your appearance is no longer as youthful as it was. How does your current appearance compare to that of a child? Your Majesty, when I was a child, my skin was smooth and moist. When I reached adulthood, my vital energy was full. But now, in my old age, my form is withered, my spirit is dull, my hair is white, and my face is wrinkled. How can I compare myself to the vitality of my youth?”
The Buddha said to the king, “It is not that your form suddenly decayed. The king replied, ‘Your Holiness, these changes are so subtle that I do not perceive them. With the passage of seasons, I have gradually reached this state. Why is that? When I was twenty, though considered young, my appearance was already aging compared to when I was ten. At thirty, I had aged another twenty years. Now at sixty, I have aged another two decades. When I look back at myself at fifty, I seem to have been strong and vigorous. Your Holiness, I see these subtle changes. Although I am now declining, these changes occur gradually, often over a decade. If I were to examine this more closely, I would find that these changes occur not only over decades but also over months and even days. Upon deep contemplation, I realize that every moment, every thought, is in constant flux. Therefore, I know that my body will eventually perish.”
