Every Day Is a Good Day
Awakened to the truth of life, one’s happiness is not subject to living in good conditions; even when faced with unexpected disaster, pain and suffering do not control us. What matters most is to keep clear, live fully in the present, pay attention moment to moment, just do it.
The eminent teachers of the past said:
Clinging to the four elements as our body;
Originally there is no-mind till conditions appear;
Let go of conditions, return to no-mind;
Just like illusion, good fortune and misfortune come and go.
Body is formed by the elements of earth, water, fire and air. Mental cognition is created by interactions of various conditions.
Without these various conditions, thinking and feeling will not be produced by mental cognition. In other words, the mental cognition of good or bad is only an illusion created when causes and conditions come together. As the causes and conditions extinguish, the related thinking and feeling also cease.
When we can use this penetrative insight to perceive the illusory nature of all conditions instantaneously, a misfortune will not cause us to wallow in sadness and a fortunate event will not cause us to become elated.
As the last verse said: “Just like illusion, good fortune and misfortune come and go.” Any pair of opposites can be substituted for good fortune and misfortune, for example, big and small, bright and dark, heaven and hell, nirvana and samsara. All creations have the same nature as illusions, and they will ultimately extinguish. This penetrative insight to perceive the human body and mind can also help us to realize that all worldly affairs and material things are no different.
Simply remind yourself: all good things will be gone, feelings of happiness will come to an end, beauty cannot escape death, a hero will soon grow old. Since ancient times, who has not faced death? Just these mindful reflections are enough to make a person see clearly and act correctly, and to face any encounter with a different kind of thinking and feeling.
Humans often sink and get lost in their existing conditions; usually, they do not heed the inevitable creation and extinction of everything in this world; that’s just like seeing the honey on the knife blade and not noticing the sharp edge underneath the honey. When the truth of existence is clear, what lifestyle a person chooses is up to the individual to decide.