How to Turn the Light Inward to Observe the Habit of Greed in One's Own Mind

When the mind has meditative concentration, one can discover: "I have afflictions right now—this is a habit-energy seed manifesting." I have an experience of breaking through such habit-energy. For example, upon seeing a plaything such as a bead bracelet, a fondness suddenly arises in the mind, followed by a desire to possess it, and then I pick it up and fondle it. At this point I become aware: this is greed. Then I continue to analyze: the bracelet is just a piece of wood, nothing more than something polished by a machine or by hand and then coated with some paint—nothing else interesting about it. Then I contemplate similar things in the same way, such as necklaces, bangles, pendants, and the like, and it is the same. By contemplating in this manner as meticulously as possible, the seed of greed for bracelets and such is subsequently destroyed and will no longer arise. In this way the mind becomes increasingly pure, and it will not happen repeatedly; there is no need to constantly struggle whenever habit-energy manifests, which would only aggravate the afflictions. Precepts are very important; they can calm the mind and make it more refined. When the mind-water is clear and settled, one's thinking is clear and lucid.

Assessment: This kind of contemplative practice is very good, but what contemplative practice is even better than this? It is contemplating the mind—that the mind turns toward an object and gives rise to greed and desire to possess it. Why like objects such as bracelets? It is not that the bracelet has some attraction that drew you in. Liking objects, it seems as if external things have some fault, but in fact external things are just external things, merely matter of the four great elements; they have no fault and cannot attract you. Then why were you attracted? In the final analysis, it is still your own mind that is deluded and inverted. What is the inversion? How can one be without inversion? Liking external things is because one believes external things can be used for one's own benefit, can adorn and beautify oneself; it is still because there is a self that one goes on liking them—objects can satisfy one's greed, from which one can obtain a kind of felt experience and sense of satisfaction. When one attaches importance to felt experiences, there is greed.

Very often, people pursue a kind of felt experience, caring only that it feels pleasant, regardless of whether this felt experience is necessary, whether it has any fault, whether it creates obstruction, or whether it is worthwhile—none of this is considered. This is delusion and inversion. Living in this world, the mind is filled with ignorance, living blindly, doing whatever one is habituated to, following one's feelings, lacking the power of introspection, unable to resist habit, drifting with the current. Contemplate your various feelings and see what actual significance they have—this kind of contemplative practice is relatively ultimate. Contemplate over and over, and you will discover that all felt experiences have no actual significance. Let go of felt experiences and the world becomes vast; only when greed is gone can the mind be at ease, free, and liberated.