Set Aside All The Issues, Understand Yourself First

**Note: Truth does not always sound pleasant. If the mind is not really peaceful now, it might not be a perfect moment to listen to this podcast, one has to be aware of the emotions or reactions that can block one from listening attentively and with humility.

This talk is a meditation practice. What one needs to do is listen attentively, without getting stuck in words, examine the mind in silence, not agree or disagree, just look at the mind as it is. Doing so is already a meditation practice.

Transcript

Self-inquiry can only take place in action,

Not in abstraction.

And the very self-inquiry is to live life properly.

This is the one process.

Meditation is to inquire,

To investigate,

To observe,

To learn.

This means that the mind must be free.

A free mind means that there's no fear.

So the life is totally thin.

It's not driven by the fear.

Such a life is simple,

Is clear,

Has no confusion,

And also reasonable.

A free mind is a fearless mind.

It's the beginning of meditation.

It's also the end of meditation.

All of this is the one process.

And in this true freedom,

There's no space for the self,

For the ego.

The self is living in fear,

Seeking pleasure as the minimum life.

The seeking pleasure itself creates incessant fear.

The self wants to achieve more,

Get more,

Become greater,

Whatever.

But there's more fear around it.

So fear implies the existence of the self.

With the fear,

The mind can't meet this moment,

Can't meet all the issues at this moment.

Which means that the self can never meet this moment,

Can never really face the issues.

Therefore,

The self can never solve the issues,

Only creating more issues.

Meditation is to have a clear mind.

And a clear mind must be free,

Fearless.

Therefore,

Such a mind is full of courage to act,

To act surely.

Where there's no fear,

The mind is really peaceful,

Isn't it?

A peaceful mind is full of love,

Compassion.

Without fear,

The mind doesn't consider itself all the time.

It is because of fear,

This world is full of all kinds of self-centered activities.

Without fear,

There's concern for others.

There's care.

There's goodness.

And such a life is joyful.

And the joy of the life makes everything meaningful.

So please set aside all your issues to observe yourself,

Understand yourself first.

Then you will come back with a different path,

Different solution to all your life challenges.

Reviews

That helped a lot.. I feel like I can breathe.

Thank you Cico! Very well put as you always explain thoroughly 👏👏