Compiled according to the teachings of the Master
Author: Fafu
The Delusional Series: Part 2 -How are Delusions Woven?3
(Middle)
Children begin their fabrication by imitating others. They commonly mimic adults, not just in their presence but also when they are alone. They engage in role-playing games, such as playing house. This is a form of imitation. During this period, they are actively fabricating. They even develop their own narratives about how their mothers or fathers behave. Through this process, they learn and imitate. Sometimes, they are unaware of this learning and imitation. As they grow older, they continue to fabricate. By the time they reach middle or high school, their fabrications become increasingly complex. Some fabricate unrealistic futures or careers because they have limited understanding of these professions. They create imaginary scenarios that have little to no connection with reality. They even fantasize about their future marriages and the qualities of their future spouses. Eventually, this fabrication becomes automatic. By high school, it no longer requires conscious effort. The consciousness itself takes over and fabricates automatically. Before middle school, children had to consciously initiate these fabrications as part of their learning process. However, after middle school, the process becomes automated. Whenever they encounter a new situation, they immediately begin to fabricate. This fabrication is initiated by a piece of information, and then the mind runs with it. This clearly demonstrates the pathological and delusional nature of human thought. From the beginning, these fabrications are based on nothing but imagination. Children create these fabrications on their own. After middle school, this process becomes automated, but the foundation, scale, and development of these fabrications remain fundamentally flawed. They are limited by the initial models they were based on. Therefore, when one truly understands the nature of delusions, it is evident that they are a form of mental illness.
What is wisdom, then? It is the alignment with rules. Take a microphone, for example. If you know how to use a microphone and a computer, you can ensure a high-quality recording. Even a low-quality microphone can capture sound, but the quality will be poor. Higher-quality microphones produce better results due to factors beyond human control, such as materials and equipment. As long as you follow the rules, you can achieve your goal of recording sound. Even a substandard microphone can capture sound, albeit with inferior quality. However, if you try to record sound using a fan, it won’t work. It’s larger than a microphone and even has a power source, yet it cannot record. Why? Because it violates the fundamental principle of sound recording. A microphone requires every component to be real and functional. If even one component is missing or flawed, it cannot function. Similarly, the microphone we are using now cannot record sound because it is not powered. Even if we plug it in, it still requires additional adjustments. Once it’s adjusted and plugged in, it can be used. But if there’s no recording software, it still won’t record. What does this imply? When every component is precise and correct, it produces the desired result, which is the essence of wisdom.
Wisdom is the precise understanding of the inherent laws governing all phenomena. If even one aspect is overlooked, it constitutes a failure. Such an oversight is a form of ignorance that undermines even the most profound wisdom. For instance, if a single thread in a perfectly woven fabric is broken, the entire piece is compromised. Therefore, Buddhist teachings emphasize pure wisdom, an unadulterated understanding that is complete in every aspect. With such wisdom, one can accomplish anything.
The Bodhisattva of the Seventh Ground has mastered the fundamental laws governing all phenomena in the universe. Consequently, they can achieve perfection in any endeavor. It is impossible to compare oneself to such a being. However, we often forget the fabrications of our childhood. Once forgotten, it becomes difficult to comprehend the nature of our initial delusions, which now arise spontaneously. To truly understand this process, one must regress to a pre-adolescent state, a time when fabrications were consciously initiated.
I vividly recall my struggles with writing essays during my academic years. Often, I was at a loss for words, unsure of what to write or how to express my thoughts. In those early days, I lacked the ability to fabricate narratives. Instead, I began by documenting mundane details, like the weather and my daily activities. As I learned to construct sentences, I realized that writing was essentially an exercise in weaving illusions. The purpose of education, as I came to understand it, was not merely to acquire knowledge, but to cultivate the art of crafting elaborate fantasies. Our educational experiences were so deeply ingrained with this tendency that.
