Question 92: DOES A TRANQUIL MIND INDICATE THAT ONE HAS ATTAINED ENLIGHTENMENT?

Answer: There are various levels of calmness in the mind, and not all types of calmness are the same. It’s similar to how a house can be clean or dirty, but there are many different types of houses, and not all clean houses are alike. A mansion may be clean or dirty; just as a simple thatched house may be clean or dirty; a dilapidated shack may also be clean or dirty.

A mansion, even when dirty, is still a mansion; likewise, the mind of a Saint, even when disturbed by worldly concerns, remains the mind of a saint.

A simple thatched house, even if clean, is still a humble dwelling; likewise, the mind of an ordinary person, even when achieving a certain level of tranquility through correct practice, remains the mind of an ordinary person, still harboring many hidden flaws.

A dilapidated shack, even when swept and tidied, is still a poor and miserable shelter. Similarly, the mind of someone burdened by heavy karmic debts, e even if it attains some calmness, remains the mind of a person with heavy karma.

Understanding this, we should not become complacent or overestimate our spiritual achievements when we achieve a bit of calmness in our practice. The important thing is to assess and accurately recognize the “house” (or spiritual level) we are currently in. We should be content with where we are, continue our practice from that place, and not be deluded into thinking we have reached a higher spiritual state than we actually have, as such illusions can lead to a loss of merit.

The principle of the Law of Karma is that we should not try to escape difficult circumstances; instead, we should practice and do good deeds within those circumstances. By doing so, we gradually exhaust our negative karma and are “upgraded” to a better house, progressing to a higher level.

Here are the slogans for the three types of houses (three types of people):

For the mansion, representing those who may have entered the path of sainthood, the slogan is: “Deep within, there is still ignorance and sin.”
For the simple thatched house, representing ordinary people, the slogan is: “Even if the mind is calm, it is still the mind of an ordinary person with many hidden flaws.”
For the dilapidated shack, representing those burdened with heavy karma, the slogan is: “This mind is a prison of evil and sin.”

By correctly recognizing our own level and embracing the appropriate slogan (like our “password”), we can reduce our faults, lessen our karma, and create opportunities to rise to a higher level.

The Author

JANNA is the pen name of a certain monk who does not wish to use his real name. He is likely mature enough to understand that fame, wealth, and glory are as fleeting as morning mist.

In Pali, “JANNA” means purity, so it’s unclear which country he’s from. However, he seems to have studied the Nikaya scriptures.

Although he writes about Buddhism, he appears to desire unity with other religions to contribute to the cause of world peace. He attempts to demonstrate how differences can complement one another…