"Notes on the Book 'The World in Your Heart'"

"The World in Your Heart" Reading Notes#

Author: J. Krishnamurti
Reading Time: 5 hours

These are the notes and excerpts I recorded while reading "The World in Your Heart" on WeChat Reading.

Copyright Information#

The truth of all our problems ultimately comes down to ourselves.

Introduction: A Life-Changing Encounter#

"The observer is the observed."

Translator's Preface#

This mode of inquiry is by no means a superficial sitting or meditation, but rather an unceasing process of witnessing the activities of the inner stream of consciousness. Only by maintaining awareness of thoughts, emotions, and various sensations at all times can one recognize that the external problems one has set are merely projections of internal issues.

The reason Krishnamurti does not propose any deliberate method of practice is that methods often obstruct our witnessing of the present inner and outer truths. In fact, as long as we let go of all preconceived notions and concepts, and resonate with Krishnamurti's insights with an unbiased heart, we may increasingly clarify the state of body and mind dropping away, and the emptiness of the present. Therefore, we can say that the method adopted by Krishnamurti is a path of liberation through "understanding into Zen." As long as we keep our hearts open, we can glimpse that unobstructed or attached emptiness under the light of inquiry and the wisdom of questioning inherent in everyone, and this emptiness is the antidote to human suffering.

This mode of inquiry is by no means a superficial sitting or meditation, but rather an unceasing process of witnessing the activities of the inner stream of consciousness. Only by maintaining awareness of thoughts, emotions, and various sensations at all times can one recognize that the external problems one has set are merely projections of internal issues.

The reason Krishnamurti does not propose any deliberate method of practice is that methods often obstruct our witnessing of the present inner and outer truths. In fact, as long as we let go of all preconceived notions and concepts, and resonate with Krishnamurti's insights with an unbiased heart, we may increasingly clarify the state of body and mind dropping away, and the emptiness of the present. Therefore, we can say that the method adopted by Krishnamurti is a path of liberation through "understanding into Zen." As long as we keep our hearts open, we can glimpse that unobstructed or attached emptiness under the light of inquiry and the wisdom of questioning inherent in everyone, and this emptiness is the antidote to human suffering.

Is Your Mind Free?#

Thought is a product of memory, knowledge, and experience; it is always the result of history and cannot bring freedom, because freedom only arises in the living present, in daily life.

1. Recognizing the Truth About Yourself and the World#

Just remember that language is not the thing itself; no matter how carefully we articulate it, no matter how intricate or reasonable, it is still not the thing itself.

Freedom is not a concept; the philosophy of freedom is not freedom itself. If a person is not truly free, they are still unfree.

Freedom is not a state of being caught in thought. Thought cannot be free. Thought is a product of memory, knowledge, and experience; it is always the result of history and cannot bring freedom, because freedom only arises in the living present, in daily life. Freedom is not about being liberated from something. Being liberated from something is merely a reaction.

Merely relying on internal or external motives cannot bring about radical change. Understanding why people are so violent, fearful, greedy, combative, and ambitious through rational analysis—analysis is an easy way—can it bring about change? Clearly not. So what approach can bring about an immediate rather than gradual psychological revolution? For me, this seems to be the most important life issue.

If there is indeed a distinction between the "observer" and the "observed," then this distinction is the source of human conflict. When you say you love someone, is that feeling really love? Is there not a division between the "observer" and the "object of observation"? This "love" is a product of thought and will inevitably create a concept of division, thus it is not true love.

In other words, we have always lived in the past; all knowledge belongs to past history, and people live their entire lives in the past, in things that have already happened—generating thoughts like "What was I in the past?" and "What should I be in the future?" Life is fundamentally based on yesterday's events, and "yesterday's events" only make us numb, robbing us of our inherent innocence and sensitivity. Therefore, "yesterday's events" are the "observer" itself, filled with layers of conscious and unconscious memories.

Observing oneself and knowing oneself are two entirely different matters. Observation is a continuous or non-accumulative process, while the "self" is something that is constantly changing; it always has new thoughts, new feelings, new changes, new hints, and new signs. Observation is not a state related to the future or the past; I cannot say I have observed, or that I will observe. Because the mind is always in a state of continuous observation, it always lives in the present, always fresh, and it is not corrupted by accumulated knowledge. If you delve deeply, you will find that only continuous observation exists, not the accumulation of knowledge, and then the mind will become exceptionally alert and sensitive. Therefore, I can never say I "know" myself; anyone who says "I know" clearly does not know anything. Observation is an active and continuous process, unrelated to what has already been recognized. I "know" in order to add something to what has already been learned, but if I want to observe myself, I must have the freedom to observe. However, if observation is conducted through past knowledge, freedom is denied.

At this point, another question arises: Can the limited mind, born from social background, act without conceptual thinking in a non-mechanical way? I believe it is possible, but saying it is possible does not mean much. I say it is possible, and that is meditation: exploring whether the mind can completely quiet down, liberated from all conceptual thinking, producing thought only when needed.

Just remember that language is not the thing itself; no matter how carefully we articulate it, no matter how intricate or reasonable, it is still not the thing itself.

Freedom is not a concept; the philosophy of freedom is not freedom itself. If a person is not truly free, they are still unfree.

Freedom is not a state of being caught in thought. Thought cannot be free. Thought is a product of memory, knowledge, and experience; it is always the result of history and cannot bring freedom, because freedom only arises in the living present, in daily life. Freedom is not about being liberated from something. Being liberated from something is merely a reaction.

Merely relying on internal or external motives cannot bring about radical change. Understanding why people are so violent, fearful, greedy, combative, and ambitious through rational analysis—analysis is an easy way—can it bring about change? Clearly not. So what approach can bring about an immediate rather than gradual psychological revolution? For me, this seems to be the most important life issue.

If there is indeed a distinction between the "observer" and the "observed," then this distinction is the source of human conflict. When you say you love someone, is that feeling really love? Is there not a division between the "observer" and the "object of observation"? This "love" is a product of thought and will inevitably create a concept of division, thus it is not true love.

In other words, we have always lived in the past; all knowledge belongs to past history, and people live their entire lives in the past, in things that have already happened—generating thoughts like "What was I in the past?" and "What should I be in the future?" Life is fundamentally based on yesterday's events, and "yesterday's events" only make us numb, robbing us of our inherent innocence and sensitivity. Therefore, "yesterday's events" are the "observer" itself, filled with layers of conscious and unconscious memories.

Observing oneself and knowing oneself are two entirely different matters. Observation is a continuous or non-accumulative process, while the "self" is something that is constantly changing; it always has new thoughts, new feelings, new changes, new hints, and new signs. Observation is not a state related to the future or the past; I cannot say I have observed, or that I will observe. Because the mind is always in a state of continuous observation, it always lives in the present, always fresh, and it is not corrupted by accumulated knowledge. If you delve deeply, you will find that only continuous observation exists, not the accumulation of knowledge, and then the mind will become exceptionally alert and sensitive. Therefore, I can never say I "know" myself; anyone who says "I know" clearly does not know anything. Observation is an active and continuous process, unrelated to what has already been recognized. I "know" in order to add something to what has already been learned, but if I want to observe myself, I must have the freedom to observe. However, if observation is conducted through past knowledge, freedom is denied.

At this point, another question arises: Can the limited mind, born from social background, act without conceptual thinking in a non-mechanical way? I believe it is possible, but saying it is possible does not mean much. I say it is possible, and that is meditation: exploring whether the mind can completely quiet down, liberated from all conceptual thinking, producing thought only when needed.

2. How Can the Human Heart Free Itself from Fear?#

But what is it that allows past fears and future fears to continue to exist? Clearly, it is thought—memories of past events, or the possibility of a past illness recurring in the future, etc. Fear is supported by memory and thought. Remembering past pain or pleasure will keep fear alive, nourishing and sustaining it. Thoughts about future suffering and joy are also a form of mental activity.

The thought that divides time into yesterday, today, and tomorrow fuels fear in the heart. Thought creates a division between what might happen in the present and the future. Thought, through a psychological sense of time, fosters fear; thought is the source of fear, and thought is also the source of suffering.

If we use time—i.e., thought—as a tool to free ourselves from fear, we will never be able to free ourselves from fear. Fear cannot be resolved through thought, because it is thought that fuels fear.

What happens when a person discovers how thought fosters fear? When you describe how delicious food is to a hungry person, what will their reaction be? They might say, "Don't describe how good the food is; just give it to me!" At that moment, you must take immediate action rather than theorize. Therefore, if you say, "I understand," it means you are continuously recognizing thought, fear, and pleasure, and your actions arise from this ongoing recognition. If you can recognize fear in this way, fear will cease.

If during the day you can mindfully observe every word and action and everything that happens, the deep-seated fears and surface fears will be exposed, and then your sleep will be completely peaceful, without a trace of dreams, and when you wake up the next morning, your heart will be very clear, innocent, and lively. This is not a theory—try it and you will know.

Suppose you are very alert during the day, able to perceive the activity of thought, aware of how you speak, how you walk, how you react, how you pose, etc., then all the buried things will easily be exposed. This does not require much time, because you are no longer resisting anything, nor are you deliberately digging for anything; you are simply observing and listening. In this state of awareness, everything will be revealed. But if you say, "I want to keep certain things and exclude others," then you will enter a semi-sleep state. If you say, "I want to keep some good things from Hinduism, Judaism, or Catholicism, and let other things disappear," then clearly you are still constrained and attached. Therefore, we must allow everything to surface without any resistance.

But what is it that allows past fears and future fears to continue to exist? Clearly, it is thought—memories of past events, or the possibility of a past illness recurring in the future, etc. Fear is supported by memory and thought. Remembering past pain or pleasure will keep fear alive, nourishing and sustaining it. Thoughts about future suffering and joy are also a form of mental activity.

The thought that divides time into yesterday, today, and tomorrow fuels fear in the heart. Thought creates a division between what might happen in the present and the future. Thought, through a psychological sense of time, fosters fear; thought is the source of fear, and thought is also the source of suffering.

If we use time—i.e., thought—as a tool to free ourselves from fear, we will never be able to free ourselves from fear. Fear cannot be resolved through thought, because it is thought that fuels fear.

What happens when a person discovers how thought fosters fear? When you describe how delicious food is to a hungry person, what will their reaction be? They might say, "Don't describe how good the food is; just give it to me!" At that moment, you must take immediate action rather than theorize. Therefore, if you say, "I understand," it means you are continuously recognizing thought, fear, and pleasure, and your actions arise from this ongoing recognition. If you can recognize fear in this way, fear will cease.

If during the day you can mindfully observe every word and action and everything that happens, the deep-seated fears and surface fears will be exposed, and then your sleep will be completely peaceful, without a trace of dreams, and when you wake up the next morning, your heart will be very clear, innocent, and lively. This is not a theory—try it and you will know.

Suppose you are very alert during the day, able to perceive the activity of thought, aware of how you speak, how you walk, how you react, how you pose, etc., then all the buried things will easily be exposed. This does not require much time, because you are no longer resisting anything, nor are you deliberately digging for anything; you are simply observing and listening. In this state of awareness, everything will be revealed. But if you say, "I want to keep certain things and exclude others," then you will enter a semi-sleep state. If you say, "I want to keep some good things from Hinduism, Judaism, or Catholicism, and let other things disappear," then clearly you are still constrained and attached. Therefore, we must allow everything to surface without any resistance.

3. Truly Being Aware in Every Moment#

We can understand why these schools of practice are so alluring, because life is indeed ugly, cruel, filled with competitiveness and ruthlessness, and it has no meaning at all. We may unthinkingly and easily accept Indian yoga or its mantras because these promise rewards and a certain satisfaction derived from escape. Therefore, we must be very clear that we are not concerned with escape, not with escaping life through meditation, daydreaming, drugs, or mantras.

To understand what truth is, your heart must be very sharp, clear, and precise, not a distorted heart under asceticism, not clever or cunning, but observing all things with untainted purity and sensitivity. A heart filled with knowledge cannot perceive the truth either. Only those who can observe thoroughly can do so. Observation is by no means the accumulation of knowledge; it is an ongoing activity.

Society is created by us, and we are then constrained by society. Our hearts have been distorted by immoral morals and are severely restricted. Because society encourages violence, greed, competition, ambition, and so on, its morals are fundamentally immoral. It is difficult to find love, care, tenderness, or affection in society, and what society deems worthy of respect is fundamentally a disorder. A heart that has been trained for thousands of years to submit, accept, and obey cannot remain sensitive or possess true virtue. We are all deeply trapped in this bondage, so what is virtue? — This is something we must possess.

If the heart can see things clearly, without any distortion, without personal bias, and has understood the reasons for disorder and has liberated itself from disorder, then such a heart is virtuous and orderly—not based on the claims of capitalists or any sect, but because it has understood the entirety of disorder. Inner order is very similar to mathematical order. The highest inner order is an absolute realm, but it cannot be achieved through cultivation, exercise, repression, control, submission, or surrender.

Our minds are distorted and twisted because we have expended too much effort on living, doing, acting, and thinking. Any form of effort is a disorder. As long as one exerts effort to be aware, one is not truly aware.

To see clearly is to have no preconceived impressions, no symbols or thoughts.

Thoughts, symbols, or insights will obstruct our observation. To know oneself, there can be no preconceived ideas, knowledge, symbols, or impressions, so that I can be truly aware in every moment.

Every experience leaves a trace or residue, leaving behind a memory of pain or pleasure. The term "experience" implies "completion" of something, but because we never truly "complete" anything, traces remain. If you have had a shocking experience and you have completely become that experience, then you will be liberated from it, and it will leave no memory trace.

In this way, neither humiliation nor flattery will leave any traces, and the heart can remain alert. Whether it is humiliation, flattery, the sunset, or the beauty of anything, we are alertly aware. Because the heart remains alert, it is always free, even though it has had millions of experiences.

Love cannot be cultivated through thought; love is something entirely different.

Religion is not an organized belief—there are gods and monks within it. Religion is a state of mind, a heart that is free, innocent, and completely empty—such a heart has no limitations.

But erudition has nothing to do with wisdom. To see the truth of things as they are, including what is within us, without conflicting with our truth, requires a heart that is extremely simple and rich in wisdom.

However, the next time you find yourself not being aware, that is awareness, isn't it? Therefore, to be aware of your unawareness is the right thing to do. Through effortless awareness, a positive state will naturally arise. Through understanding unawareness, awareness will naturally arise.

We can understand why these schools of practice are so alluring, because life is indeed ugly, cruel, filled with competitiveness and ruthlessness, and it has no meaning at all. We may unthinkingly and easily accept Indian yoga or its mantras because these promise rewards and a certain satisfaction derived from escape. Therefore, we must be very clear that we are not concerned with escape, not with escaping life through meditation, daydreaming, drugs, or mantras.

To understand what truth is, your heart must be very sharp, clear, and precise, not a distorted heart under asceticism, not clever or cunning, but observing all things with untainted purity and sensitivity. A heart filled with knowledge cannot perceive the truth either. Only those who can observe thoroughly can do so. Observation is by no means the accumulation of knowledge; it is an ongoing activity.

Society is created by us, and we are then constrained by society. Our hearts have been distorted by immoral morals and are severely restricted. Because society encourages violence, greed, competition, ambition, and so on, its morals are fundamentally immoral. It is difficult to find love, care, tenderness, or affection in society, and what society deems worthy of respect is fundamentally a disorder. A heart that has been trained for thousands of years to submit, accept, and obey cannot remain sensitive or possess true virtue. We are all deeply trapped in this bondage, so what is virtue? — This is something we must possess.

If the heart can see things clearly, without any distortion, without personal bias, and has understood the reasons for disorder and has liberated itself from disorder, then such a heart is virtuous and orderly—not based on the claims of capitalists or any sect, but because it has understood the entirety of disorder. Inner order is very similar to mathematical order. The highest inner order is an absolute realm, but it cannot be achieved through cultivation, exercise, repression, control, submission, or surrender.

Our minds are distorted and twisted because we have expended too much effort on living, doing, acting, and thinking. Any form of effort is a disorder. As long as one exerts effort to be aware, one is not truly aware.

To see clearly is to have no preconceived impressions, no symbols or thoughts.

Thoughts, symbols, or insights will obstruct our observation. To know oneself, there can be no preconceived ideas, knowledge, symbols, or impressions, so that I can be truly aware in every moment.

Every experience leaves a trace or residue, leaving behind a memory of pain or pleasure. The term "experience" implies "completion" of something, but because we never truly "complete" anything, traces remain. If you have had a shocking experience and you have completely become that experience, then you will be liberated from it, and it will leave no memory trace.

In this way, neither humiliation nor flattery will leave any traces, and the heart can remain alert. Whether it is humiliation, flattery, the sunset, or the beauty of anything, we are alertly aware. Because the heart remains alert, it is always free, even though it has had millions of experiences.

Love cannot be cultivated through thought; love is something entirely different.

Religion is not an organized belief—there are gods and monks within it. Religion is a state of mind, a heart that is free, innocent, and completely empty—such a heart has no limitations.

But erudition has nothing to do with wisdom. To see the truth of things as they are, including what is within us, without conflicting with our truth, requires a heart that is extremely simple and rich in wisdom.

However, the next time you find yourself not being aware, that is awareness, isn't it? Therefore, to be aware of your unawareness is the right thing to do. Through effortless awareness, a positive state will naturally arise. Through understanding unawareness, awareness will naturally arise.

What is Life?#

Life consists of these fears, anxieties, uncertainties, torments, and pains. Life also includes love, pleasure, sex, death, and the question that people constantly ask: Is there such a thing as reality, some "transcendent realm," something that can be discovered through meditation?

1. The World is Ourselves#

We must look at everything as a whole, but this may be a bit difficult for us, as we are accustomed to taking immediate action and reacting to troubles, thus failing to see that all human problems are interdependent. Therefore, a psychological revolution seems far more important than economic or social revolutions—such as establishing some system, whether in America, France, or India—because human problems cannot be solved by becoming social activists, joining a group, or retreating to a temple to meditate, practice Zen, or do yoga.

In fact, all ideas are foolish, because when you pursue some idea or ideal, you are escaping the truth, and when you escape the truth, you cannot understand what the truth is.

If we delve into our inner fears, we often find that our entire social structure is based on hedonism, as most people pursue pleasure, but as long as people pursue pleasure, fear will inevitably arise. Fear and pleasure go hand in hand.

Only a fool would hold opinions about others. Why do people hold opinions about others? It is a waste of energy and time. Why do we fill our minds with opinions, criticisms, and conclusions? These things only obstruct our clarity. Once we have conclusions in our observations, the quality of clarity disappears.

Here, the heart refers to your nervous system, your ears, your consciousness, etc.; it means you must focus entirely on the other. I don't know if you have noticed that whenever you are fully focused, your heart is completely quiet. In that state of total focus, there is no "I" there to perceive or pay attention. That quiet and focused state is a meditative realm. We do not have time now to elaborate on the meaning of the word "meditation" and how to encounter it, but if we have time in the coming nights, perhaps we can explore it in depth.

The analyst and the analyzed are not different. Once you understand all this—time, the process of analysis, the decisions you make, the conclusions that may obstruct your continued clear analysis, and the realization that the analyst is the analyzed—once you see all this, you will never analyze again. If you no longer analyze, you can see things directly, because the problem at hand becomes very urgent and intense. It is like someone who holds a non-violent ideal; what they care about is how to become non-violent, not how to free themselves from all violence. What we care about is to be liberated from violence immediately, not to do it tomorrow.

We must look at everything as a whole, but this may be a bit difficult for us, as we are accustomed to taking immediate action and reacting to troubles, thus failing to see that all human problems are interdependent. Therefore, a psychological revolution seems far more important than economic or social revolutions—such as establishing some system, whether in America, France, or India—because human problems cannot be solved by becoming social activists, joining a group, or retreating to a temple to meditate, practice Zen, or do yoga.

In fact, all ideas are foolish, because when you pursue some idea or ideal, you are escaping the truth, and when you escape the truth, you cannot understand what the truth is.

If we delve into our inner fears, we often find that our entire social structure is based on hedonism, as most people pursue pleasure, but as long as people pursue pleasure, fear will inevitably arise. Fear and pleasure go hand in hand.

Only a fool would hold opinions about others. Why do people hold opinions about others? It is a waste of energy and time. Why do we fill our minds with opinions, criticisms, and conclusions? These things only obstruct our clarity. Once we have conclusions in our observations, the quality of clarity disappears.

Here, the heart refers to your nervous system, your ears, your consciousness, etc.; it means you must focus entirely on the other. I don't know if you have noticed that whenever you are fully focused, your heart is completely quiet. In that state of total focus, there is no "I" there to perceive or pay attention. That quiet and focused state is a meditative realm. We do not have time now to elaborate on the meaning of the word "meditation" and how to encounter it, but if we have time in the coming nights, perhaps we can explore it in depth.

The analyst and the analyzed are not different. Once you understand all this—time, the process of analysis, the decisions you make, the conclusions that may obstruct your continued clear analysis, and the realization that the analyst is the analyzed—once you see all this, you will never analyze again. If you no longer analyze, you can see things directly, because the problem at hand becomes very urgent and intense. It is like someone who holds a non-violent ideal; what they care about is how to become non-violent, not how to free themselves from all violence. What we care about is to be liberated from violence immediately, not to do it tomorrow.

2. Freeing Ourselves from Constraints#

Before dedicating oneself, one must recognize the truth of life.

It is not only an inner act of liberation but also an outer action, related to all the problems of life. Being passionate about life means having a thorough relationship with all the problems of life, fully understanding every thought and feeling in the heart. If a person can fully engage in life without particularly dedicating themselves to a specific part of it, then you will discover what it truly means to be human.

Relationships are life, and relationships are always changing.

A person without fear will not be aggressive; a person without any fear is truly free and peaceful.

Fear is not only related to time but is also a product of thought; that is, when I think of something that happened yesterday—some painful thing—I fear it will happen again tomorrow. Thought creates this fear. Thought fosters fear: it thinks about pain, death, setbacks, achievements, what might happen, what should be done, and so on. Thought creates fear and increases the drive to sustain fear. Thinking of the pleasures once had will lead to wanting that pleasure to continue.

We often talk about the freedom of thought, but this is nonsense; this phrase means you can do as you please and speak freely, but thought itself has never been free and will never bring freedom. Thought often fosters fear and pleasure, but it will never foster freedom; as long as there is fear and pleasure, love does not exist. Love is neither thought nor pleasure, but for us, love is a form of pleasure, thus fostering fear.

However, once that effectiveness becomes ugly through greed or the desire for achievement—the barrier created by "me and not me"—it will provoke competition and conflict. After recognizing all this, how can we live nobly, effectively, and without any cruel heart, while establishing a perfect relationship with nature and others, without any shadow of "you and me"—the barriers created by thought? Once we truly see all that we have discussed—not superficially but genuinely—then this understanding will dismantle that wall of division. Once you see the danger of something, such as a cliff or a wild animal, you will naturally take action; this action, though still a product of constraint, is not born from fear; it is an action born from wisdom.

The truth of the world is endless suffering and shocking chaos; truly recognizing all this will cease these problems.

We are psychologically so dependent on others, and this dependency is based on pain and pleasure. Knowing that dependency causes pain, we try to cultivate freedom from dependency, but this cultivation will provoke other forms of fear, conflict, and pain.

This shows that experience is a very complex thing, yet each of us is pursuing more meaningful and greater experiences; we never stop to ask ourselves why we need psychological experiences. Just as we accept many things, we also think that enlightenment, understanding, and having pleasure require experience, but the truth is quite the opposite: only a simple heart can have pleasure—only a simple heart, unburdened by experience, can have pleasure. Furthermore, all experiences are based on the division of fear and pleasure, determined by our likes and dislikes.

You only know pain and pleasure, so what we call love is not love at all. Love cannot be cultivated—if it could be like a plant, we could water it, fertilize it, and take care of it carefully, then things would be easier. If you could cultivate love in this way, it would be simple, but unfortunately, it cannot be cultivated in this manner. Love is something entirely different, devoid of any pain or pleasure; therefore, we must understand fear, pleasure, and other things before we can remove all divisions.

The essence of change is the negation of disorder. Disorder cannot become order, but negating disorder is a form of change; negation itself is a form of change, and negating disorder is the positive essence of change.

In fact, negating the wrong things is a form of change, which is the truth itself.

When both body and mind become very tranquil, that is, when you truly want to see something clearly, or when you are genuinely listening to something wholeheartedly, your body and heart will be very quiet. This is not a technique; it is a pure tranquility. Similarly, when complete emptiness arises, the attitude of disorder and the desire to change will dissolve, thus order is brought not by thought but by emptiness itself.

However, if furniture is lost, we will feel sad; this is why we cling to our husbands, wives, or families. We weave a web around our homes and then create opposition to the rest of the world. If there were no wall or circle, could home exist? You people with families should try it and see what happens. You will find that things may become entirely different, and then you will discover what love is and witness the changes that love brings.

Our problem is how to live in daily life—not living in a romantic imaginary world, nor in a world strictly prohibiting drugs or dogma, nor retreating to live in a temple—but how to live here, now, and in everyday life, how to live peacefully, with great wisdom, without any setbacks or fears, filled with ultimate pleasure, living wholeheartedly—this certainly implies meditation—this is indeed the fundamental issue.

And it is absolutely impossible to be free. Although we have something called "freedom of thought"—saying whatever we want. But thought itself has never been free and will never bring freedom. Thought often fosters fear and pleasure, but it will never foster freedom; as long as there is fear and pleasure, love does not exist. Love is neither thought nor pleasure, but for us, love is a form of pleasure, thus fostering fear.

However, once that effectiveness becomes ugly through greed or the desire for achievement—the barrier created by "me and not me"—it will provoke competition and conflict. After recognizing all this, how can we live nobly, effectively, and without any cruel heart, while establishing a perfect relationship with nature and others, without any shadow of "you and me"—the barriers created by thought? Once we truly see all that we have discussed—not superficially but genuinely—then this understanding will dismantle that wall of division. Once you see the danger of something, such as a cliff or a wild animal, you will naturally take action; this action, though still a product of constraint, is not born from fear; it is an action born from wisdom.

The truth of the world is endless suffering and shocking chaos; truly recognizing all this will cease these problems.

We are psychologically so dependent on others, and this dependency is based on pain and pleasure. Knowing that dependency causes pain, we try to cultivate freedom from dependency, but this cultivation will provoke other forms of fear, conflict, and pain.

This shows that experience is a very complex thing, yet each of us is pursuing more meaningful and greater experiences; we never stop to ask ourselves why we need psychological experiences. Just as we accept many things, we also think that enlightenment, understanding, and having pleasure require experience, but the truth is quite the opposite: only a simple heart can have pleasure—only a simple heart, unburdened by experience, can have pleasure. Furthermore, all experiences are based on the division of fear and pleasure, determined by our likes and dislikes.

You only know pain and pleasure, so what we call love is not love at all. Love cannot be cultivated—if it could be like a plant, we could water it, fertilize it, and take care of it carefully, then things would be easier. If you could cultivate love in this way, it would be simple, but unfortunately, it cannot be cultivated in this manner. Love is something entirely different, devoid of any pain or pleasure; therefore, we must understand fear, pleasure, and other things before we can remove all divisions.

The essence of change is the negation of disorder. Disorder cannot become order, but negating disorder is a form of change; negation itself is a form of change, and negating disorder is the positive essence of change.

In fact, negating the wrong things is a form of change, which is the truth itself.

When both body and mind become very tranquil, that is, when you truly want to see something clearly, or when you are genuinely listening to something wholeheartedly, your body and heart will be very quiet. This is not a technique; it is a pure tranquility. Similarly, when complete emptiness arises, the attitude of disorder and the desire to change will dissolve, thus order is brought not by thought but by emptiness itself.

However, if furniture is lost, we will feel sad; this is why we cling to our husbands, wives, or families. We weave a web around our homes and then create opposition to the rest of the world. If there were no wall or circle, could home exist? You people with families should try it and see what happens. You will find that things may become entirely different, and then you will discover what love is and witness the changes that love brings.

3. Knowing Yourself#

This world offers us nothing but cars, bigger bathrooms, or other things. Therefore, we feel bored with the external world and also with ourselves because we do not know how to break free from the traps. We may also be too lazy. Furthermore, knowing oneself does not bring any profit or reward, and most of us are constrained by the motive of profit. Perhaps this is why we cannot change. We all know what traps are; we all know what life is, yet we continue to stumble along, exhausted, until death. This seems to be our fate. But is it really so difficult to delve inward and transform ourselves?

We can only observe ourselves through relationships; we have no other tools to observe ourselves because we do not exist in isolation: we are connected to everything around us. By being aware of our reactions, thoughts, and motives in relationships, we can silently recognize our truth.

We are the history of the past; there is nothing new within us. When we freely observe ourselves—if we want to be carefree, we must set these things aside—what do we ultimately discover? I do not know if you have ever asked yourself this question. What relationship do we have with this so-called life? What is the truth of life? Of course, we can quickly see its truth: an unending struggle, conflict, and battle—not only within ourselves but also in our relationships with others—there is pain, fleeting joy, fear, despair, and a series of defeats, conflicts and contradictions buried in the conscious and subconscious, existing in a state of disconnection. There is also immense suffering, often a sense of self-pity, loneliness, and boredom, and then we attempt to escape all this through religious beliefs, thus creating the division of my god and your god, which is our real life.

However, only when a profound transformation occurs within can external change have meaning: in fact, the inner and outer are the same activity; they are not separate.

If we recognize all this confusion, misfortune, and hardship, why do we still accept it? Why do we continue? Are we waiting for someone else to help us free ourselves from all this? Countless teachers, gurus, and saviors have appeared throughout history, yet we remain stagnant, thus we have lost or given up on faith in another. I truly hope you are like this. But this does not mean you will become a cynical, resentful, or cold-hearted person; rather, it is that no one can help us see the problems within. Once we see the truth of daily life and the suffering and misfortune within it, why not wholeheartedly seek to understand and break through it? If we do not do this, we cannot fundamentally create change, so what is the use of education, obtaining a doctorate, or anything else?

The essence of this energy is freedom. But the freedom we speak of is not doing as we please, being reckless, rebellious, or acting without discipline, etc. Freedom is not a lack of discipline. On the contrary, freedom requires great discipline. Please note that most people consider "discipline" to be an ugly word; in fact, its true meaning is "understanding." The root of this word refers to understanding rather than submission, to learning rather than imitation, to discovering rather than conforming. Understanding or discovering will bring its own discipline; thus, discipline or understanding is an unending activity rather than submission to a certain pattern. Once you have understanding, truly recognizing the facts within it and having a profound feeling, you will have enough energy to break through the constraints brought by anxiety, fear, and pain.

You cannot say, "I want to live in the present"—this is a meaningless thought because the present is the corridor from the past to the future. When you say to yourself, "I want to live in the present," this "you" is a product of past history. You may draw a circle around yourself and say, "This is the present or now." But this being that lives in the present is precisely a product of past history; the whole person is old. Living in the present or now—not as an ideology, conclusion, or assertion—means you must be free and unrestrained.

Although I do not quite understand what it means to live an extra 50 years in this bondage.

A person who ends each day psychologically can keep their heart young, innocent, and fresh; this is death. To reach this state, there can be no shadow of fear, and relinquishing all arguments and all resistance is a form of death. Have you ever tried to do this? To let go of the things you enjoy the most (of course, including those things you want to give up the most, the things that cause you the most pain) without any complaints, without any constraints, without any resistance? Try it, really, let them go; if you can do this, you will find your heart becomes alert, lively, sensitive, free, and unburdened. In this way, aging takes on a completely different meaning; it is no longer a terrifying thing.

Therefore, without death, there can be no love, because love is always new; it is not a routine related to sex or pleasure.

Why has sex become the only thing that makes people feel free? In it, one can completely forget oneself: at that moment, all their unhappiness, memories, torments, competitiveness, aggressiveness, violence, and struggles disappear. They no longer exist. Because they can disappear into sex, sex becomes so important; at that moment, there is no longer a division of "you" and "me," "we" and "they." Such divisions finally cease. Perhaps in that moment, you finally find the greatest freedom; sex becomes so important because it is the only thing that allows us to discover freedom; in everything else, we are unfree. Mentally, emotionally, and physically, we are all second-hand beings, completely shaped by our technological society; thus, there is no true freedom except in sex, which is why it becomes important.

If we gain freedom both mentally and emotionally, perhaps the issue of sex will not be so serious.

I can assure you this is the simplest thing; as long as you understand how to observe, it will become easy. If you can truly see the truth without attempting to change it, suppress it, transcend it, or escape it, you will find that truth undergoes a tremendous change; that is, if the heart can observe completely quietly, transformation will occur.

Because differences bring immense pleasure and satisfaction of vanity: I am original, unique, extraordinary, and you say the same thing, just in a more understated way. Emphasizing one's absolute uniqueness brings a sense of vanity and pleasure.

Therefore, fundamentally, effort implies contradiction: I am like this, but I want to become like that; I am a failure, but by God, I will become a successful person; I am very angry, but I will become a person without anger; and so on. This series of relativity will inevitably bring conflict.

Therefore, effort implies a distortion, and effort is part of willpower, which usually only brings distortion. But for us, effort is our bread and butter; we grew up on it, such as the idea that your exam scores must exceed those of a certain boy, etc. In such education, there must be embedded misfortune and harm. Therefore, recognizing the truth of the present and observing it without selection can free the heart from the contradictions of duality.

If your heart can be liberated from blame and judgment, then the distance between you and the observed will disappear, and you will no longer look out from the wall. Once you become the observed, you will face a dilemma: previously, you saw it as something separate from yourself; now you are perceiving it without any sense of division. But as long as there is any activity in your heart, that activity must be generated from the outside. If you can look at it without any thoughts, that is, completely in emptiness, then what you see from emptiness will naturally differ from what you see from within the wall.

A lively, alert person with an inner fire burning will have any relationship with someone who says, "For God's sake, please don't disturb me; I am already trapped in the shackles of society and cannot change." The relationship of the former to the latter may be one of compassion or affection, but not from a position of bestowing grace. If you are alert and aware of what is happening within and without, you will change yourself. Only a small portion of wise people in society can change the secular structure, thus another person may have the opportunity to change.

We are always pursuing an ideal, which is a form of escape. If we can throw away all escape and hope—not becoming cynical or resentful, but truly seeing the fear and despair before us—then you will have the freedom to observe. Once the heart has freedom, will there still be despair?

This world offers us nothing but cars, bigger bathrooms, or other things. Therefore, we feel bored with the external world and also with ourselves because we do not know how to break free from the traps. We may also be too lazy. Furthermore, knowing oneself does not bring any profit or reward, and most of us are constrained by the motive of profit. Perhaps this is why we cannot change. We all know what traps are; we all know what life is, yet we continue to stumble along, exhausted, until death. This seems to be our fate. But is it really so difficult to delve inward and transform ourselves?

We can only observe ourselves through relationships; we have no other tools to observe ourselves because we do not exist in isolation: we are connected to everything around us. By being aware of our reactions, thoughts, and motives in relationships, we can silently recognize our truth.

We are the history of the past; there is nothing new within us. When we freely observe ourselves—if we want to be carefree, we must set these things aside—what do we ultimately discover? I do not know if you have ever asked yourself this question. What relationship do we have with this so-called life? What is the truth of life? Of course, we can quickly see its truth: an unending struggle, conflict, and battle—not only within ourselves but also in our relationships with others—there is pain, fleeting joy, fear, despair, and a series of defeats, conflicts and contradictions buried in the conscious and subconscious, existing in a state of disconnection. There is also immense suffering, often a sense of self-pity, loneliness, and boredom, and then we attempt to escape all this through religious beliefs, thus creating the division of my god and your god, which is our real life.

However, only when a profound transformation occurs within can external change have meaning: in fact, the inner and outer are the same activity; they are not separate.

If we recognize all this confusion, misfortune, and hardship, why do we still accept it? Why do we continue? Are we waiting for someone else to help us free ourselves from all this? Countless teachers, gurus, and saviors have appeared throughout history, yet we remain stagnant, thus we have lost or given up on faith in another. I truly hope you are like this. But this does not mean you will become a cynical, resentful, or cold-hearted person; rather, it is that no one can help us see the problems within. Once we see the truth of daily life and the suffering and misfortune within it, why not wholeheartedly seek to understand and break through it? If we do not do this, we cannot fundamentally create change, so what is the use of education, obtaining a doctorate, or anything else?

The essence of this energy is freedom. But the freedom we speak of is not doing as we please, being reckless, rebellious, or acting without discipline, etc. Freedom is not a lack of discipline. On the contrary, freedom requires great discipline. Please note that most people consider "discipline" to be an ugly word; in fact, its true meaning is "understanding." The root of this word refers to understanding rather than submission, to learning rather than imitation, to discovering rather than conforming. Understanding or discovering will bring its own discipline; thus, discipline or understanding is an unending activity rather than submission to a certain pattern. Once you have understanding, truly recognizing the facts within it and having a profound feeling, you will have enough energy to break through the constraints brought by anxiety, fear, and pain.

You cannot say, "I want to live in the present"—this is a meaningless thought because the present is the corridor from the past to the future. When you say to yourself, "I want to live in the present," this "you" is a product of past history. You may draw a circle around yourself and say, "This is the present or now." But this being that lives in the present is precisely a product of past history; the whole person is old. Living in the present or now—not as an ideology, conclusion, or assertion—means you must be free and unrestrained.

Although I do not quite understand what it means to live an extra 50 years in this bondage.

A person who ends each day psychologically can keep their heart young, innocent, and fresh; this is death. To reach this state, there can be no shadow of fear, and relinquishing all arguments and all resistance is a form of death. Have you ever tried to do this? To let go of the things you enjoy the most (of course, including those things you want to give up the most, the things that cause you the most pain) without any complaints, without any constraints, without any resistance? Try it, really, let them go; if you can do this, you will find your heart becomes alert, lively, sensitive, free, and unburdened. In this way, aging takes on a completely different meaning; it is no longer a terrifying thing.

Therefore, without death, there can be no love, because love is always new; it is not a routine related to sex or pleasure.

Why has sex become the only thing that makes people feel free? In it, one can completely forget oneself: at that moment, all their unhappiness, memories, torments, competitiveness, aggressiveness, violence, and struggles disappear. They no longer exist. Because they can disappear into sex, sex becomes so important; at that moment, there is no longer a division of "you" and "me," "we" and "they." Such divisions finally cease. Perhaps in that moment, you finally find the greatest freedom; sex becomes so important because it is the only thing that allows us to discover freedom; in everything else, we are unfree. Mentally, emotionally, and physically, we are all second-hand beings, completely shaped by our technological society; thus, there is no true freedom except in sex, which is why it becomes important.

If we gain freedom both mentally and emotionally, perhaps the issue of sex will not be so serious.

I can assure you this is the simplest thing; as long as you understand how to observe, it will become easy. If you can truly see the truth without attempting to change it, suppress it, transcend it, or escape it, you will find that truth undergoes a tremendous change; that is, if the heart can observe completely quietly, transformation will occur.

Because differences bring immense pleasure and satisfaction of vanity: I am original, unique, extraordinary, and you say the same thing, just in a more understated way. Emphasizing one's absolute uniqueness brings a sense of vanity and pleasure.

Therefore, fundamentally, effort implies contradiction: I am like this, but I want to become like that; I am a failure, but by God, I will become a successful person; I am very angry, but I will become a person without anger; and so on. This series of relativity will inevitably bring conflict.

Therefore, effort implies a distortion, and effort is part of willpower, which usually only brings distortion. But for us, effort is our bread and butter; we grew up on it, such as the idea that your exam scores must exceed those of a certain boy, etc. In such education, there must be embedded misfortune and harm. Therefore, recognizing the truth of the present and observing it without selection can free the heart from the contradictions of duality.

If your heart can be liberated from blame and judgment, then the distance between you and the observed will disappear, and you will no longer look out from the wall. Once you become the observed, you will face a dilemma: previously, you saw it as something separate from yourself; now you are perceiving it without any sense of division. But as long as there is any activity in your heart, that activity must be generated from the outside. If you can look at it without any thoughts, that is, completely in emptiness, then what you see from emptiness will naturally differ from what you see from within the wall.

A lively, alert person with an inner fire burning will have any relationship with someone who says, "For God's sake, please don't disturb me; I am already trapped in the shackles of society and cannot change." The relationship of the former to the latter may be one of compassion or affection, but not from a position of bestowing grace. If you are alert and aware of what is happening within and without, you will change yourself. Only a small portion of wise people in society can change the secular structure, thus another person may have the opportunity to change.

We are always pursuing an ideal, which is a form of escape. If we can throw away all escape and hope—not becoming cynical or resentful, but truly seeing the fear and despair before us—then you will have the freedom to observe. Once the heart has freedom, will there still be despair?

4. About Meditation#

The term meditation means to ponder, to contemplate, to consider, to deeply examine, to feel something we do not quite understand, to deeply perceive the unexplored thoughts and feelings within, and the mysteries therein. The depths of meditation possess a unique beauty, and it is one of the most extraordinary things in life if we can recognize it.

As we pointed out, we must first base ourselves on sincere behavior, rather than merely pursuing some legitimate idea. Daily practice can become a revered behavior, thus straying far from a sincere heart. Any virtue that is revered by society is immoral and insincere. Can you accept this viewpoint?

But the true meaning of morality is no longer wanting to become a person revered by society—someone who conforms to social moral standards and is revered.

Virtue is not a product of cultivation, as it does not rely on the influence of the environment; it is a living, vital thing, and it is also a sincere, real, and extremely earnest behavior. Most of us are not honest enough. Those who have ideals and pursue ideals are fundamentally insincere because they are inconsistent with the personas they project.

Our hearts are always calculating, comparing, pursuing, and being driven, endlessly conversing with ourselves or gossiping about others—you are very clear about what it does every day or all day long. Such a heart cannot recognize what is true and what is false. Only when the heart is quiet can it discern truth from falsehood; if you truly want to listen to the speaker's words—if you are genuinely interested—your heart will naturally remain quiet; it will stop chattering or thinking about other things.

Focused meditation is a form of resistance, a narrowing activity that confines thoughts to a single point. Once the heart is trained to focus only on something, it loses its sensitivity and elasticity, becoming unable to appreciate the entire realm of life.

Focusing is very easy; every schoolchild can do it—though they may dislike it, they are still forced by teachers to learn to concentrate. When you truly concentrate, you will inevitably resist; if you train it day after day to focus on something, it will lose its breadth, depth, sharpness, and sense of space.

Therefore, if the heart treats the pursuit of experience as a means of giving life meaning and value, then it is projecting its inner self outward, while a heart that is free of desire possesses a completely different quality.

From the beginning to now, observation has been part of meditation, including recognizing the truth at any time, recognizing the errors of gurus, authorities, and systems of practice, laying the foundation for behavior, without any sense of effort, and not being a product of the environment. All of this suggests the quality of meditation.

Therefore, such observation must contain an element of emptiness, just as day must have night; at the same time, this emptiness is neither a product of noise nor the cessation of noise. When other qualities are present, this state of emptiness will naturally arise.

However, when emptiness truly arises, divisions disappear, thus it possesses a completely different quality, and only when such space arises can you perceive that incredible realm—a vast, supreme, and uninvitable realm.

What is truly important is not to follow anyone but to understand oneself. If you explore yourself without effort, without suppressing yourself, and truly delve deeply and fearlessly into yourself, you will discover that incredible thing, even without reading any book.

The entire world is buried in your heart; if you know how to observe and recognize, that door is right in front of you, and the key is in your hand. No one can give you the key or open that door for you, except for yourself.

Why do you need a reason to exist? (Laughter from the audience) Just because you exist in the world but do not understand yourself, you want to invent a reason. Do you know? Sir, if you can look at a tree, a cloud, or the light on water, if you know what love is, you do not need any reason to exist. You simply exist. Then all the museums and all the concerts in the world will no longer seem so important. If you have a heart and passion for observation, you will see the beauty before you—beauty is not in the clouds, the trees, or the water; it is in your heart.

The term meditation means to ponder, to contemplate, to consider, to deeply examine, to feel something we do not quite understand, to deeply perceive the unexplored thoughts and feelings within, and the mysteries therein. The depths of meditation possess a unique beauty, and it is one of the most extraordinary things in life if we can recognize it.

As we pointed out, we must first base ourselves on sincere behavior, rather than merely pursuing some legitimate idea. Daily practice can become a revered behavior, thus straying far from a sincere heart. Any virtue that is revered by society is immoral and insincere. Can you accept this viewpoint?

But the true meaning of morality is no longer wanting to become a person revered by society—someone who conforms to social moral standards and is revered.

Virtue is not a product of cultivation, as it does not rely on the influence of the environment; it is a living, vital thing, and it is also a sincere, real, and extremely earnest behavior. Most of us are not honest enough. Those who have ideals and pursue ideals are fundamentally insincere because they are inconsistent with the personas they project.

Our hearts are always calculating, comparing, pursuing, and being driven, endlessly conversing with ourselves or gossiping about others—you are very clear about what it does every day or all day long. Such a heart cannot recognize what is true and what is false. Only when the heart is quiet can it discern truth from falsehood; if you truly want to listen to the speaker's words—if you are genuinely interested—your heart will naturally remain quiet; it will stop chattering or thinking about other things.

Focused meditation is a form of resistance, a narrowing activity that confines thoughts to a single point. Once the heart is trained to focus only on something, it loses its sensitivity and elasticity, becoming unable to appreciate the entire realm of life.

Focusing is very easy; every schoolchild can do it—though they may dislike it, they are still forced by teachers to learn to concentrate. When you truly concentrate, you will inevitably resist; if you train it day after day to focus on something, it will lose its breadth, depth, sharpness, and sense of space.

Therefore, if the heart treats the pursuit of experience as a means of giving life meaning and value, then it is projecting its inner self outward, while a heart that is free of desire possesses a completely different quality.

From the beginning to now, observation has been part of meditation, including recognizing the truth at any time, recognizing the errors of gurus, authorities, and systems of practice, laying the foundation for behavior, without any sense of effort, and not being a product of the environment. All of this suggests the quality of meditation.

Therefore, such observation must contain an element of emptiness, just as day must have night; at the same time, this emptiness is neither a product of noise nor the cessation of noise. When other qualities are present, this state of emptiness will naturally arise.

However, when emptiness truly arises, divisions disappear, thus it possesses a completely different quality, and only when such space arises can you perceive that incredible realm—a vast, supreme, and uninvitable realm.

What is truly important is not to follow anyone but to understand oneself. If you explore yourself without effort, without suppressing yourself, and truly delve deeply and fearlessly into yourself, you will discover that incredible thing, even without reading any book.

The entire world is buried in your heart; if you know how to observe and recognize, that door is right in front of you, and the key is in your hand. No one can give you the key or open that door for you, except for yourself.

Why do you need a reason to exist? (Laughter from the audience) Just because you exist in the world but do not understand yourself, you want to invent a reason. Do you know? Sir, if you can look at a tree, a cloud, or the light on water, if you know what love is, you do not need any reason to exist. You simply exist. Then all the museums and all the concerts in the world will no longer seem so important. If you have a heart and passion for observation, you will see the beauty before you—beauty is not in the clouds, the trees, or the water; it is in your heart.

Love, Letting the World Be Free—Speech at the University of California, Santa Cruz#

Once you have love and understand love, you can act freely and correctly; whatever you do will be right.

We are educated but do not understand the whole of life; we merely play a specific role in the overall existence. From childhood, we have been severely constrained, merely to achieve in society, becoming utterly mediocre people, while those more sensitive intellectuals often rebel against this mode of existence. In their rebellion, they may do several things. They may become anti-social, anti-political, or turn to drugs or seek narrow religious beliefs, following some guru, teacher, or philosopher, becoming radical social activists, or dedicating themselves to foreign religions like Buddhism or Hinduism. If they have the ability, they may become sociologists, scientists, artists, writers, or philosophers, thus sealing themselves in a small circle. We think this will solve the problem; we think this means we have understood the issues of overall life. Then we describe to others what life is based on our specific inclinations, traits, or expertise.

Therefore, for me, one must inevitably ask this question: What is the purpose of life? As a person who is psychologically relatively sound, a normal person without severe neuroses, what role should I play in this world? What kind of role attracts me? If what attracts me is some aspect or part of life, then I must be aware of the danger of this attraction, as we may return to the original divisions that foster war, conflict, and struggle. Can I engage in the whole of life and not just a part of it? Engaging in the whole of life does not mean you must understand knowledge of science, sociology, mathematics, etc.; unless you are a genius, it is impossible to understand so much. Therefore, can you live a completely different way of life within your heart? This clearly means you are interested in everything external, but the true foundation or thorough revolution occurs in the inner dimension. What should we do to bring about such profound change within? In fact, each of us is the history of the past; this world and external society are us, so the real question is: how can you and I engage in the whole of life and not just a part of it? Additionally, there are questions concerning behavior, virtue, and love—what is love, and what is death? Regardless of age, we must ask ourselves these questions, as they are all part of life, part of our existence.

Once you discover that it is impossible to achieve, you will find what is possible, and it is different from past possibilities. In this way, a completely different possibility will arise in your heart, and this is the kind of possibility we want to explore, not some trivial possibility. Thus, we have explored the possibilities related to impossibility and recognized the entire pattern of existence; what can we do? In fact, that impossibility refers to loving wholly without any shadow of jealousy or resentment.

The purpose of life is to live—not this so-called life filled with chaos and confusion—but to live in a completely different way, to live thoroughly, to live wholeheartedly every day in this manner; this is the most genuine meaning of life—not living in a way that exaggerates the self. Rather, it is to live without any fear, without any struggle, without any tragedy or misfortune in this world.

Pleasure and fear are both forms of mental activity; for most people, pleasure is the most important thing in life, such as sex, pleasure, and the memories of it. Thoughts constantly revolve around this and seek to regain that pleasure tomorrow—the so-called social morality is based on pleasure.

Can you love while harboring greed, ambition, and competitiveness? Can you love while killing animals or another person? Once you let go of those non-loving things—jealousy, envy, hatred, self-centered activities, ugly competition, cruelty and violence in daily life—you will know what love is. Once you let go of all these things, not in your mind but truly from the depths of your heart—because these are clearly not love—then you will encounter true love. Once you have love and understand love, you can act freely and correctly; whatever you do will be right.

What is important is what state you are currently in, not what you believe or do not believe, or whether your experience is ordinary or psychedelic. What is truly important is to be able to live out the highest virtue (I know you do not like such words).

Virtue means love; it means no fear and living at the highest level of existence, allowing everything within to extinguish so that the mind can be clear and innocent. Only such a heart can encounter that vast, extraordinary realm, and it is not something you, a guru, or a philosopher can invent.

The truth of thought: thought is memory; thought is a reaction arising from memory, which is the knowledge, experience, and historical background you have accumulated. Whenever you pose a question, it creates a vibration, and then you react from that memory. This is thought.

Because the current world, whether society, family, parents, or children, lacks love. If they had love, would there still be war in this world? Do you think there would be governments that consider killing people as a trivial matter?

If you can observe yourself without selection, from this profound observation, a balanced and clear person will emerge, and your tendencies toward neuroses will disappear. A balanced heart is wise, not composed of criticism or opinions.

Once you have love and understand love, you can act freely and correctly; whatever you do will be right.

We are educated but do not understand the whole of life; we merely play a specific role in the overall existence. From childhood, we have been severely constrained, merely to achieve in society, becoming utterly mediocre people, while those more sensitive intellectuals often rebel against this mode of existence. In their rebellion, they may do several things. They may become anti-social, anti-political, or turn to drugs or seek narrow religious beliefs, following some guru, teacher, or philosopher, becoming radical social activists, or dedicating themselves to foreign religions like Buddhism or Hinduism. If they have the ability, they may become sociologists, scientists, artists, writers, or philosophers, thus sealing themselves in a small circle. We think this will solve the problem; we think this means we have understood the issues of overall life. Then we describe to others what life is based on our specific inclinations, traits, or expertise.

Therefore, for me, one must inevitably ask this question: What is the purpose of life? As a person who is psychologically relatively sound, a normal person without severe neuroses, what role should I play in this world? What kind of role attracts me? If what attracts me is some aspect or part of life, then I must be aware of the danger of this attraction, as we may return to the original divisions that foster war, conflict, and struggle. Can I engage in the whole of life and not just a part of it? Engaging in the whole of life does not mean you must understand knowledge of science, sociology, mathematics, etc.; unless you are a genius, it is impossible to understand so much. Therefore, can you live a completely different way of life within your heart? This clearly means you are interested in everything external, but the true foundation or thorough revolution occurs in the inner dimension. What should we do to bring about such profound change within? In fact, each of us is the history of the past; this world and external society are us, so the real question is: how can you and I engage in the whole of life and not just a part of it? Additionally, there are questions concerning behavior, virtue, and love—what is love, and what is death? Regardless of age, we must ask ourselves these questions, as they are all part of life, part of our existence.

Once you discover that it is impossible to achieve, you will find what is possible, and it is different from past possibilities. In this way, a completely different possibility will arise in your heart, and this is the kind of possibility we want to explore, not some trivial possibility. Thus, we have explored the possibilities related to impossibility and recognized the entire pattern of existence; what can we do? In fact, that impossibility refers to loving wholly without any shadow of jealousy or resentment.

The purpose of life is to live—not this so-called life filled with chaos and confusion—but to live in a completely different way, to live thoroughly, to live wholeheartedly every day in this manner; this is the most genuine meaning of life—not living in a way that exaggerates the self. Rather, it is to live without any fear, without any struggle, without any tragedy or misfortune in this world.

Pleasure and fear are both forms of mental activity; for most people, pleasure is the most important thing in life, such as sex, pleasure, and the memories of it. Thoughts constantly revolve around this and seek to regain that pleasure tomorrow—the so-called social morality is based on pleasure.

Can you love while harboring greed, ambition, and competitiveness? Can you love while killing animals or another person? Once you let go of those non-loving things—jealousy, envy, hatred, self-centered activities, ugly competition, cruelty and violence in daily life—you will know what love is. Once you let go of all these things, not in your mind but truly from the depths of your heart—because these are clearly not love—then you will encounter true love. Once you have love and understand love, you can act freely and correctly; whatever you do will be right.

What is important is what state you are currently in, not what you believe or do not believe, or whether your experience is ordinary or psychedelic. What is truly important is to be able to live out the highest virtue (I know you do not like such words).

Virtue means love; it means no fear and living at the highest level of existence, allowing everything within to extinguish so that the mind can be clear and innocent. Only such a heart can encounter that vast, extraordinary realm, and it is not something you, a guru, or a philosopher can invent.

The truth of thought: thought is memory; thought is a reaction arising from memory, which is the knowledge, experience, and historical background you have accumulated. Whenever you pose a question, it creates a vibration, and then you react from that memory. This is thought.

Because the current world, whether society, family, parents, or children, lacks love. If they had love, would there still be war in this world? Do you think there would be governments that consider killing people as a trivial matter?

If you can observe yourself without selection, from this profound observation, a balanced and clear person will emerge, and your tendencies toward neuroses will disappear. A balanced heart is wise, not composed of criticism or opinions.

Once you have love and understand love, you can act freely and correctly; whatever you do will be right.

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