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Wisdom and afflictions are like the two ends of a scale. If you have more afflictions, you will have less wisdom. If you have fewer afflictions, you will gain more wisdom. If you can open up your heart and care more about others, there will be no room for afflictions in your heart. Spiritual cultivation is about learning to eliminate afflictions and have a peaceful mind. If your mind is calm, your state of mind will naturally be clear. If your mind is not calm, the external environment will also be in turmoil.
There is a short story: a man lost his expensive watch and was very anxious. He quickly asked everyone to help him find it. Without any hesitation, many kind-hearted people volunteered to help him find the watch. However, no matter how they searched through all the boxes and cabinets, they still could not find it and eventually everyone was exhausted and decided to take a break. Suddenly, a young man stood up and volunteered himself to search for the watch on his own. He requested others to wait outside the room while he went in. When he was inside the room, he just sat there and did nothing.
Everyone was curious - he was supposed to go in there to find something, but why did he do nothing? After he sat there for a while, the young man suddenly stood up and crawled under the bed. When he came out, he was holding the watch. Everyone asked him excitedly, "How did you know the watch was under the bed? He answered, "When your mind is calm, you can naturally hear the ticking sound of the watch, and you will then know where it is."
When we are calm, we can hear all sorts of sounds from the external environment, such as the sound of passing cars, the sound of airplanes flying high in the sky, the chirping of insects and birds outside the window. This is because our mind becomes alert when it is calm and hence allowing us to better manage the external environment. If we can stay more focused during the state of calmness, wisdom will arise. This is also known as right mindfulness and right concentration. Right concentration simply means that there there are no evil thinking, no evil thoughts, and no afflictions in the heart.
In recent years, many people like to practice meditation. In fact, the daily tasks of life themselves can offer opportunities to practice meditation. For example, a long time ago, there was a young monk who lived in the temple since he was a child. Every day, he would diligently take turns with the laymen volunteers to either grow vegetables in the garden or help out in the kitchen. One day, while he was arranging bowls and chopsticks in the kitchen. The old monk looked at him and asked, "Young monk, what are you doing?" The young monk replied, "I am arranging bowls and chopsticks." The old monk asked again, "What is in your mind while you are arranging them?" The young monk said, "My mind is not thinking about anything." The old monk commented, "What a pity! If you are now thinking in your mind, 'I am forming good affinities with everyone' while arranging the bowls and chopsticks, when many people come here for lunch later, you will forge good affinities with everyone. This is right diligence."
This story tells us that as long as we are sincere, every moment is a good opportunity to cultivate. Therefore, we should be content, grateful, understanding, and tolerant when dealing with others. If we can do so, our hearts will naturally be calm and peaceful, and we will be able to obtain wisdom and Samadhi without asking for it.
Translated by Michelle Lim Cheng Wai
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