Mindquakes

We've had many earthquakes during the last few years creating enormous havoc and destruction of lives and other material things. In the same fashion there are the unseen mindquakes that take place every day and every moment in our minds that create same kind of havoc and destruction that go unnoticed. I am going to write my blog on that.

Mindquakes are far more insidious because of their frequency and the inability to predict any one of them. They create destruction not only in the place where the quake takes place but has far reaching effects on those who are around them with devastating effects. So what are these mindquakes? Well they are bouts of anger, attacks of greed and simple acts of delusion. While the roots are in those three predominantly, there are many acts that arise from them that have many names such as jealousy, tantrums, gossip done out of malice, killing and hurting of other beings, cheating, lying, deception, covetousness, hatred, grudge, depression, derogatory comments, desire, grasping, wanting and many more. All these come about as a result of a movement in the mind towards wanting or rejecting. Either way it's a movement and it's like an earthquake. In the person whose mind is in movement because of the wanting or the not wanting, there is a tremor. So, restlessness and discomfort arises in the mind of the person first and foremost in order to stop the movement. Whichever the way the movement is, be it towards wanting or rejecting, the person has to take action in the form of anger, greed and delusion.

This is the most interesting part of all. Some of us think that anger is worst and that liking something is not that bad. Well, perhaps from an outward, worldly point of view liking something is not that bad until the thing we like is easy to get or that there is nothing standing between that which you want and you. Then the whole drama starts to unfold. So, the catch of liking something is not in the 'liking' itself but how it unfolds when it becomes difficult to get. Then one falls into anger. An angry person by virtue of the difficulty that lay in anger looks and feels difficult to begin with.

Anyway, the mind is in tremors when there is a movement towards wanting and rejecting. Whether it is positive or not the outcome is a 'mindquake'. Both create havoc. Both create things to move about. Forget about outside things. The first thing that the mindquake moves is YOU. You have to move in order to get or prevent from something happening. You go through fear, or intense desire, or both. It's exhausting. While a person who moves in rejection might be quick to notice this fear, desire and exhaustion, a person who moves in greed fails to notice this as quickly. This is because the aim is to get something and in that the movement is justified. Of course in the same fashion an angry person may not feel the anger because of the same justification that goes towards why one should be angry towards the object of ones anger. But either way one is moved, tossed here and there just like in an earthquake. You have to get what you want or prevent from getting what you don't want in order to stop the mindquake. Then only one will find peace!

This is how we live most of our lives. Going from one mindquake to another. Unlike earthquake we don't notice it. Unfortunately, because of that we go through life collecting so much emotional and karmic rubble. These are the movements that Buddha asked us to see and investigate for ourselves. He asked us not just to see and investigate but through seeing and investigating, he showed us a path to put an end to it all. This is called equanimity. All movements of the mind comes to a complete stop in equanimity. He called this this the highest Brahma Vihara. This is where mind simply stands still and does not move at all. I find that so fascinating and a relief.

Going back to mindquakes, they not only create havoc in the person, but also in other around them. Imagine if you are person who wants the beautiful girl next door. Not only your mind is in movement but you are going to do many things to attract that person. As a result many lives are going to be affected, especiually if you are married or if the other person is married. Because your mind moved, you also made that tremor affect the lives of others. In the same way imagine you were angry at someone. You would go an say nasty things to that person or you would give non-verbal actions to show that you are angry at the person. This would make things unpleasant for the other person. Makes the other person sad or even angry at you. What have you done here? Mindquakes are dangrous because it can create mindquakes in others and it becomes a chain reaction. Unless the other person is mindful and to some degree well established in the Dhamma and it's principles, there is little chance there is not going to be a full blown disaster unfolding along the way or complete falling out.

THis is why the Buddha said to find Kalyana Mitta. A 'Good Friend/s". Bad friends are those that can give rise to tremors in you. No matter how well versed in the DHamma you maybe unless you have realised the Path and Fruit moments one is extremely vulnerable to the visscistudes of bad influence. So one need to chose carefully. If one hangs around those who have regular mindquakes, you have got to expect a few tsunamis to come and sweep your mind as well. Live and chose those who are within your circle carefully. Unfortunately, some people are in your life and you have little or no choice about them. What do you do in that case? Associate them wisely? Know with wisdom and take precautions.

The best precaution to take is to ensure that you have a mind that does not or have little tremors. That stands on solid grounds and have little or no connection to the other plates around you. The Dhamma teaches you how to find your own ground. This way you have your own ground that has little connection to others so that even when the others move you don't have to feel the tremors. The Sila also puts you on a higher ground so that even if a tsunami hits you, you are on high ground and can withstand it for sometime before drowning in it. This does not mean that you becomes oblivious to others needs and less caring or aloof. QUite the contrary.

The Dhamma teaches you to maintain love in your heart and compassion but at the same time live your own life in your own little ground away from it all. I cannot explain it in any other way. It comes over time. The ground develops over long periods of time and higher altitudes develop even longer periods of time. But it does develop. This is the most fascinating thig of Dhamma. But one needs to walk the path and keep to it diligently and never for once take the eye off. Even when it seems so dark and the path seems foggy one needs to keep walking just because it is the right thing and the only thing to do. Then suddnely the fog lifts and the light appears and one is shown the path sometimes just for a brief moment and then it all dissapears but just that one moment is all one needs. It fills you with an inner knowing unlike any other. A gratification and a gratitude unlike anyother and a motivation unlike any other. Then one keeps moving again.

The movements of the mind don't slow down easily. It seems to take forever. SOmetimes when one feels one is getting somewhere, the movements seems to get crazy all over. This is the path. Perseverance has never held so much meaning to me than when I had practiced Buddha's teachings. Everything seems to be getting streched that much more with His teachings with every moment. When you think you've got to some resting place, you are asked to strech so much that you think you could break. It's the most increadible thing I have ever undertaken. It asks for all of you and you have to be willing to give all and ask nothing in return. In life where I have been used to ask what's in it for, it's come by hard when I feel I give so much and nothing comes back. It's been a tough learning to just to give for the sake of giving and for the love of it. Somewhere over the years a little change too has happened where giviging for the sake of it also isn't that bad anymore. There is a sense of relief in that.

But that little bit has come over 4 years!