A Mind Like Space

The instruction on cultivating a mind like space forms part of a detailed teaching reportedly given by the Buddha to his son, Rāhula. After covering the four elements and the element of space in their internal and external manifestations, the instruction proceeds by encouraging Rāhula to take inspiration from each of these five elements for cultivating a beneficial mental attitude. The part relevant to space proceeds as follows:

Rāhula, just like space, which is not established anywhere, in the same way, Rāhula, you should cultivate meditation that is like space. Rāhula, on cultivating meditation that is indeed like space, arisen agreeable and disagreeable contacts will not remain and overwhelm the mind.

The idea of being able to handle the arising of what is agreeable and disagreeable without becoming overwhelmed could be fleshed out with the help of another Pāli discourse, which in agreement with its Chinese parallel describes how to undertake a cultivation of the sense faculties (indriyabhāvanā). Accomplishment in such practice leads to establishing equanimity at any sense door, with the understanding that whatever arises is conditioned and coarse, whereas equanimity is peaceful. When the eyes see something agreeable or disagreeable, for example, equanimity can in this way become established as swiftly as someone may close or open their eyes. With sounds that are agreeable or disagreeable, the same ability to establish equanimity is comparable to snapping the fingers; with odors it compares to a raindrop rolling off a sloping lotus leaf (which has a superhydrophobic surface and thus is waterproof, wherefore a drop of rain just rolls off); with flavors it is like spitting out a ball of spittle on the tip of the tongue; with tangibles it is like bending an extended arm or extending a bent arm; and with mental objects it is like a few drops of water that land on a thoroughly heated iron plate and evaporate on the spot.

The powerful images provided by this discourse can be of considerable help in actual practice, showing the ease and swiftness with which reactivity to what is agreeable or disagreeable can be avoided. Needless to say, this is a more advanced practice that would build on previous working with defilements by way of relying on antidotes. Such employment of antidotes to particular defilements clearly has its place, but it need not be seen as the only option. Based on some proficiency in the approach of employing antidotes and the resultant familiarity with our own mental tendencies, at times it becomes possible to deal with reactivity in the mind as swiftly and effortlessly as envisaged in these illustrations.

The understanding that something is conditioned and coarse in contrast to the peaceful nature of equanimity could in principle also be cultivated through the instruction given to Rāhula. The basic task would be to keep the mind like space when anything arises at a sense door. The open receptivity of the space-like mind naturally forestalls the onset of reactivity toward what is being experienced, which necessitates a narrow state of mind focused on likes and dislikes. In contrast, although we still clearly notice the initial impact of what is agreeable and disagreeable, the spaciousness of the mind simply allows this to arise and pass away without being turned into another act in the drama of experience. In terms of the terminology employed in the instruction to Rāhula, the agreeable and the disagreeable will not remain and overwhelm the mind.

Cultivating equanimity through maintaining a mind like space is not some form of escapism by way of turning a blind eye to what is happening. Instead, the mind that is like space is simply too vast to be overwhelmed by the pettiness of any contact through the six senses. The vastness of space puts things into a wider context; it thereby helps forestall reactions stemming from taking whatever happens too personally and then feeling a need to react, which usually leads to the thriving of defilements. Due to the open receptivity of the mind that is like space, there is certainly plenty of room for deciding to take action whenever this is required. However, the decisive difference is that such action springs from deliberation rather than being a compulsive reaction due to feeling overwhelmed.

There is certainly plenty of room for deciding to take action whenever this is required. However, the decisive difference is that such action springs from deliberation rather than being a compulsive reaction due to feeling overwhelmed.

The same approach applies not only to seeing but of course also to the other senses, including the mind. The agreeable and the disagreeable in the mind can quickly evaporate like water drops falling on a thoroughly heated iron pan. With sufficient training, this approach can be put to good use in relation to thinking activity in general. With a mind that is like space, there is no need to fight thoughts and force the mind into stillness. This is not to devalue thought-free stillness of the mind, but much rather to propose a different approach for arriving at it. Rather than trying to suppress thinking activity, it can simply be noticed as occurring in the vast space of the mind. When thoughts are surrounded by space, as it were, they lose much of their presumed importance and therewith much of their ability to overpower the mind and carry it away. Said differently, arrival at stillness does not require a total absence of thinking activity. Instead, it requires not taking thinking activity so very personally, not identifying with it. When cultivated in this way, the notion of space can become a powerful tool for actualizing the potential of emptiness meditation in relation to the perennial challenge of a distracted mind.

♦

Excerpted and adapted from Abiding in Emptiness: A Guide for Meditative Practice by Bhikkhu Anālayo, © 2024. Reprinted by arrangement with Wisdom Publications.