YANMAR 4TNV98 PISTON RING 129903-22050 40123 RIK

YANMAR 4TNV98 PISTON RING 129903-22050 40123 RIK

We commonly take these mental activities to be our very self. "I am thinking this; I feel happy; I feel upset." This is characteristic of ordinary beings. Yet as stated in the Shurangama Sutra, these thoughts and mental states are merely reflections of past sense-objects. What does "reflections of past sense-objects" mean? They refer to mental states formed in the past process of perceiving the world.

If we observe our inner mind a little, we will find that every mental activity is in fact cultivated by ourselves. Much like our various capabilities, practical skills and problem‑solving abilities in daily life; our likes and dislikes, interests, hobbies, and attachments — all of these are nurtured by us. For instance, many people nowadays are captivated and controlled by mobile phones, simply because we keep using them, gradually developing craving and dependence on them. The same phenomenon applies to people and every single thing.

Before such tendencies were cultivated, could people in ancient times have been dependent on mobile phones? The logic holds true for everything else: attachment to relationships, or to any place, follows this same principle. Once such mental force is built up, it will exert a long‑term influence over us.

The development of this mental force comes from constant repetition. These recurring thoughts keep drawing upon our mental energy, growing stronger and stronger, until we eventually lose control. This loss of control is what people in the world call being "enslaved". Time and again we become enslaved, swayed by all kinds of people and events. Such sway arises precisely from the corresponding mental dependencies and mental forces we have formed.​