Why is the mind the key to Buddhism?

Question

Any internet sources? I've been searching everywhere, but I always come up with nothing.

Answer 1

wow, that's a huge question you're asking :)
i'll try to make it as simple as possible...

Mind is the creator:
To understand healing from the Buddhist perspective, a useful starting point is to consider the Buddhist concept of mind. The mind is non-physical. It is formless, shapeless, colourless, genderless and has the ability to cognize or know. The basic nature of mind is pure, limitless and pervasive, like the sun shining unobstructedly in a clear sky.

The problems or sickness we experience are like clouds in the sky obscuring the sun. Just as the clouds temporarily block the sun but are not of the same nature as the sun, our problems or sickness are temporary and the causes of them can be removed from the mind.

From the Buddhist perspective, the mind is the creator of sickness and health. In fact, the mind is believed to be the creator of all of our problems. That is, the cause of disease is internal, not external.

Healthy mind, healthy body:
Why do some people get ill while others remain in the best of health? Consider skin cancer. Of all the people who spend many hours out in the sun, some will develop skin cancer and others will not. The external situation is the same for all of them, but only some will be affected. The secondary cause of the skin cancer - the sun - is external, but the primary cause - the imprints laid down on the mindstream by previous actions - is internal.

Also, people with similar types of cancer will often respond quite differently to the same treatment, whether this be orthodox or alternative. Some will make a complete recovery. Some will recover temporarily and then develop a recurrence. Others will rapidly become worse and die. Logically one has to look to the mind for the cause of these differences.

Buddhism asserts that for lasting healing to occur, it is necessary to heal not only the current disease with medicines and other forms of treatment, but also the cause of the disease, which originates from the mind. If we do not heal or purify the mind, the sickness and problems will recur again and again.

This introduces the notion of "ultimate healing". By ridding the mind of all its accumulated "garbage", all of the previously committed negative actions and thoughts, and their imprints, we can be free of problems and sickness permanently. We can achieve ultimate healing - a state of permanent health and happiness.

In order to heal the mind and hence the body, we have to eliminate negative thoughts and their imprints, and replace them with positive thoughts and imprints.

http://www.buddhanet.net/dhammapada/d_mind.htm <<< hope this helps

Answer 2

Good question, I found this site:

http://www.science-spirit.org/article_detail.php?article_id=186


>snipped<

Science & Spirit: Buddhists talk a lot about "the mind." What is the mind in Buddhism, and how is it different or similar to the Western notion of mind?

Mark Epstein: Mind can be many different things in Buddhism, the way Eskimos supposedly have 49 words for different kinds of snow. Mind can be the thinking mind, the way we in the West think of the word, or it can be consciousness, or it can be the Buddha Mind, which is the awakened mind, that which realizes its own true nature. This awakened mind has certain qualities in abundance, qualities like tolerance, patience and equanimity. We tend to think of mind as involved with thinking, or as intelligence. In Buddhism, mind has a greater scope and potential, especially in its awakened state.""




I attended a lecture given by a monk at a local monastery. From what I remember, the explanation of "mind" has many definitions/terms (sorry, I can't remember the three that was mentioned in the lecture). I'm not a teacher, so I won't even attempt to explain it myself (I likely just confuse you :-), but here's another site: http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/mind.html

Answer 3

I don't have an internet source, but the Rinpoche that I have taken reuge under has said that the mind is the key to life. If you are able to control your mind, the body follows. If you can control your mind, you can accomplish anything.

In Buddhism, the goal is to do away with suffering, not just for yourself, but for all sentient beings. This being said, it must also be accepted that your mind and my mind are connected with all other minds on the planet in a sort of collective conscience. If we are all able to control our minds, we can work together to cultivate compassion for all of existence.

This is in the Dochien lineage of the Tibetan philosophy.

Answer 4

Because Buddhism is about inner realizations, and not about dogma.

Go beyond Buddhism. Read "Rational Spirituality" on the Dhaxem website. It is a fast growing knowledge about God and the Universe shared by the thinking people. Sooner than you believe, it will span the globe, by the sheer power of its logical argument and lucidity. Enjoy!

Answer 5

Have you read the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path? If the answers aren't right there, you're overthinking it.

And I wouldn't say the mind is the key to Buddhism...in fact, I might be inclined to say that the exact opposite, no-mind, is.

Answer 6

What is the mind? What is not the mind? Keep looking from where what arises. Keep looking. Keep looking from where that arises. Where can one possibly look?

Man is the root of his own suffering. How can this be? Where does this occur?

Mindfulness allows an individual to see his or her own suffering at its root.

I'm not sure where you've been looking, but almost all knowledge from buddhism has for its source of gravity - mindfulness, and thus the mind.

One starts by looking from suffering in the mind.
One moves on to looking at suffering in the mind.
One moves on to looking.
One sees.
One.
.
None



{MIND}

Answer 7

~~ By seperating the Mind from the Self you have fallen into the first trap of self delusionment. YOU are your mind. It is You "speaking" to you. People fall into the trap of unrealistic expectations from "the outside" of their meditations,,, like asking your eyes to see yourself or your tongue to taste your tongue. It is about awareness of Self,,, and then an Awareness of THAT Awareness,,,The Japanese call this,coincidentally, "Aware" which is pronounced "Ah-WAH'-reh". To paraphrase a well known Zen koan, or allegory, "The fire you seek is in your own lantern,,, and your rice has been cooked from the beginning.",,,, In other words,,, Look within that you may Know Thyself. Get in touch with that part called "Ego", which essentially is Selfishness, and you are on The Path,,, Faretheewell Mate

Answer 8

I always tell people to start at the very beginning with Buddha's teachings before going on to examine the practices of the various Buddhist traditions. Ponder a few of his teachings and you might grasp the fundamental concepts of his philosophy.

Answer 9

You may find your answer from Ajahn Brahmavamso's Dhamma Talk - Power Of The Mind.

Answer 10

I believe it is because the mind is what makes us who we are. It is a marvellous machine, and the Buddha's know it's real value through meditation, something all of us could do more of.