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To perceive an object in the space of awareness is sati. The mind aware of itself as that space is the deathless. But we do not stay in the space of mindfulness. We give the first space for the second of samādhi; this mind at one with the object is samādhi. We close the space until there is no gap between seer and seen. Then, in the seeing of insight we see the space inside things. Seeing with insight is then like a light touch that generates this space. We see right there at the object. So this is a letting go of self, of the watcher until there is just the seen. The deathless is a space that emerges out of things, not a space in which they are held - a space created by the object rather than an object by the space. It is a light shining out of things, a mind naturally created by things rather than things being created by the mind. Nibbāna is abiding in this particular space even in the absence of things. It can be counter intuitive to go looking for Nibbāna in things if we see Nibbāna as getting away from things. But the only way out is in and through things. Space emerging from the object is a sign of wisdom. The space of wisdom independent of the object is Nibbāna.  There is a common way of depicting the story of the Buddha's moment of enlightenment where the Earth Deva wrings out her hair, full of tears, and washes away the hosts of Māra. This is the Deva letting go of its grieving for the earth. To my mind this is also like the mysterious phrase in the suttas of 'the body realising the deathless' because at this moment the samādhi of the Buddha was brought down to earth through mindfulness of the body. This is how the Buddha let go of the world and grief for the world together (having previously let go of covetousness when leaving the palace). Letting go of attachment through seeing suffering is all that is needed for the mind to go beyond the elements. This is letting go of the world. And, if we like a good fairy tale, we can understand this literally or as a way of depicting the dynamics by which the power of samādhi takes the mind to liberation. The Buddha could thus be the connection between the power of the Devas and the earth. The Deva channelled by the mind of a man may reach back from their abiding beyond to ‘save the world’ with pure emptiness. I offer this for your reflection Ajahn Kalyāno http://www.openthesky.co.uk |
Open The Sky - Reflective and creative work by Ajahn Kalyano
