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[ Dhamma Talk ]
I have come across an insight into the Mirror Image which was very helpful. I did so while "site-seeing" and it was not until a couple of days later that persistant recollection of the idea caused me to pay enough attention to it to see it's value.[1] The analogy of the mirror is found several times in the suttas. One in particular speaks about examining one's self thoroughly for faults before bringing the faults of others to their attention. I have always considered the idea of the Mirror in terms of the reflective properties of the mirror (as above, so below; the outer environment that is subjectively perceived being a reflection of the inner state of mind; etc.) but this teacher saw in the image the impassivity of the mirror as the important factor: the mirror reflects without interaction. Everything looks the same but there is no "subjective dimension."
I think this is very insightful and helpful.
[1]See: The Fundamentsls of Meditation Practice, by Ting Chen, translated by Dharma Master Lok To (another of my teachers). I have put it on the Downloads Page. The Reference is on page 12.
I think it is important to mention that while there are certainly things in the various schools of Buddhism with which one can strongly disagree (such as the practice of taking the Bhodisatva vows, or the idea of renouncing Nibbana), the fact is that there are teachers in these various systems who have developed or discovered or remembered or have had passed along to them some extremely valuable and effective techniques and insights. We should be like the bee: let the flower go and retain the pollen.
Contact: MikeOlds(at)pacbell.net
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