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Letting Go of Fear: Woolen Threads Binding a Fierce Tiger
The true Dharma is likened to a precious jewel on the Jewel Mountain: when we find it, we become rich in Dharma wealth—spiritually and intellectually abundant—just as Shariputra and Maudgalyayana transmitted to their disciples. The tradition of the Four Reliances advises us to rely on:
- Rely on the Dharma, not on the person
- Rely on the definitive meaning sutras, not on the provisional meaning sutras
- Rely on the meaning, not on the words
- Rely on wisdom, not on mere knowledge
The sutras compare the Dharma to a jewel in a garbage bin: one must dirty one’s hand to retrieve it, meaning we must be willing to endure the teacher’s personality in order to receive the Dharma. Contemplating the body with the breath (Anapana) and with each step is the foundation: when “breathing in, I know I am breathing in,” and “walking, I know I am walking,” we dwell in the present moment, and only then do we have the capacity to recognize mental formations (vedana, chitta saṃskāra) and habit energies (vasana). From mindful breathing and mindful steps, like using a thread to tie a wild elephant, we gradually train our habit energies, transform them, and bring true happiness to ourselves and to our ancestors.