March 30, 2003
There is no better safety is than self-protection.
To be self-protected, our conscious mind should always be sharp, wakeful, and illuminated in every ksana; it should have control of the six consciousnesses, six senses, and six sense-objects.
To be safe, we should control the six consciousnesses, and influence the six awareness, do not allow the six senses, six sense-objects to control or influence us.
To be safe, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind-base should always be alert. We cannot control ourselves, the external conditions and the people, if our body and soul are not in the state of tranquility. If we want them to have joy, anger, love, and hatred, it should follow our instructions. Thus, our mind should be strong. The mind cannot be strong if we are inconsistent and capricious, therefore we should be in the state of deep STEADY MIND, so that we can live simultaneously in the actual circumstances, and surpass all human conditions to reach the state of emptiness.
Once at the state of emptiness, we would no longer be influenced by our everyday nature and characters, as by others, and the situation in which we are actually living. At this state, we are really able of self-protection.
Thus, we protect ourselves by the wall of emptiness, by deliverance, by complete freedom. At that moment, we will live in and out of the worldly life at the same time; we live like ordinary people but simultaneously in the formless sphere.
When we are able of self-protection, and reach the state of emptiness, we would no longer have fear. Fear does not come from external conditions, but within us, under the control and manipulation by our HUMAN characters.
Fear is only present when we constantly change, and our conscious mind is disturbed by the agitation caused by imagination, delusion, and reasoning.
To be safe, we absolutely need to have calmness, and emptiness. If needed, we should stop thinking, and reasoning with ourselves and others. To think and imagine pleasant or unpleasant things that “may happen” only cause ambiguity, fear, and confusion about what is right or wrong. In fearful state, we are prone to talk and act incorrectly over actual situations and people.
When we still live in delusion and imagination, fear will never be overcome. If we do not strive hard to train our mind to change, these habits will deeply root into our mind, and we will confine ourselves in the prison of fear.
Nothing can help us conquer the prison of fear, besides Emptiness.
Only the Wall of Emptiness can protect us safely in this life to accomplish our personal vows.