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Consciousness and the Body
Trees, waves, flames, our body and all things are manifestations of consciousness—not entirely existent or nonexistent, born or destroyed, but always transforming between states of manifestation and latency. The wave appears and then dissolves into water; the spirit of the tree follows the tree into latency; the flame lies dormant in the match, waiting for friction to burst forth—all of these demonstrate a nature that transcends the duality of being and non-being. The body and the five skandhas
- form
- feeling
- perception
- mental formations
-
consciousness
are the inner kingdom, a composite manifestation of deep reality, neither born nor destroyed, always latent and manifesting when conditions are sufficient.
I am the spirit of the mountain, preserving the mountain fruit entrusted by my ancestors, containing birds, plants, and future generations in every cell. To practice is to return to the composite of the five skandhas, to act as a wise ruler caring for the territory of body and mind with mindfulness in each simple daily action: brushing teeth leisurely for more than a minute to eliminate bacteria exceeding the population of France, walking slowly in walking meditation, breathing in and out to dwell peacefully, bringing happiness into every gesture. When we are fully present, the past does not pull us back, the future does not make us anxious, and only then do the disciples of the Buddha truly inherit the Dharma door of transforming habit energies.