Master, why am I plagued by endless worries? Even chanting scriptures brings no relief!
Answer:
The Dharma teaches that afflictions arise not from external events, but from the mind’s attachment. Chanting alone cannot dispel suffering if the heart remains entangled in delusion. Consider these truths:
- The Nature of Suffering
- “The untrained mind is like a wild horse—no matter how many mantras you recite, it will still bolt toward desires and fears.”
- Worry persists because we cling to outcomes, mistaking impermanence for permanence.
- The Limitation of Ritual
- Scriptures are medicine, but without applying their wisdom, they remain unused prescriptions.
- “Reciting ‘Amitabha’ while harboring hatred is like drinking poison and waiting for healing.”
- The True Practice
- Mindfulness: Observe worries as passing clouds—name them (“fear,” “anger”) without judgment.
- Action: Transform mental agitation into virtuous deeds; compassion dissolves karmic burdens.
- Surrender: Release the need to control outcomes. As the Heart Sutra teaches: “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.”
A Zen Koan for Reflection:
A monk asked, “How can I stop my racing thoughts?”
The master replied, “Who is it that cannot stop them?”
The scriptures are your mirror—not your escape. Chant with presence, live with awareness, and the storms will gradually cease.
[Note: This echoes Linji’s teaching: “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.”—meaning, transcend reliance on external solutions to find liberation within.]
