In Mahayana Buddhism, two primary philosophical schools stand out: the Madhyamaka (Middle Way) and the Yogacara (Practice of Yoga). The former, often referred to as the “emptiness school,” emphasizes dismantling attachments and conceptual views to reveal the true nature of all phenomena. The latter, commonly known as the “mind-only school,” delves into the nature of mind and matter, emphasizing the understanding of consciousness and perception. While these two schools may seem at odds — emptiness versus existence — they complement each other. While all things are ultimately empty of inherent self, they still manifest through the conditions of existence, much like how our minds, though bound by ignorance, contain the potential for awakening. One of the foundational teachings in Buddhism is the concept of “no-self.” The Heart Sutra teaches that the five aggregates (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness), which constitute our sense of self, are ultimately empty because they are impermanent. Buddhism emphasizes that the realization of no-self is central to liberation.
“While all things are ultimately empty of inherent self, they still manifest through the conditions of existence, much like how our minds, though bound by ignorance, contain the potential for awakening. “
While Buddhism emphasizes that the realization of no-self is central to liberation, it also speaks about the self in the context of introspection and self-examination. When we reflect on our actions, it’s “I,” or more precisely, “my mind,” that we examine. This is because, we are told, “all things arise from the mind.” The external world, in all its complexity, is a reflection of our inner state.
A classic Buddhist story illustrates this perfectly: the exchange between the Chinese scholar-poet Su Dongpo and Chan Master Foyin. Feeling smug, Su Dongpo asked Foyin, “What do you see when you look at me?” Foyin replied, “I see a Buddha.” Su Dongpo then countered, “Well, I see a pile of cow dung when I look at you.” Delighted by his own cleverness, Su Dongpo rushed home to tell his sister, Su Xiaomei, about his “victory.” Su Xiaomei, however, quickly pointed out the flaw in his thinking: “Foyin sees you as a Buddha because he has Buddha in his heart. You see him as cow dung because, well, that’s what’s in your heart.”Venerable Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan Monastery, summarizes this story: A mind like the Buddha sees others as Buddhas; a mind like dung sees others as dung.
There is also the well-known teaching of the Sixth Patriarch of Chan, Master Huineng, who, upon arriving at the Dharma Nature Temple in Guangzhou, witnessed two monks arguing about whether it was the wind or the flag that they saw moving. He approached them and stated, “It is not the wind that moves, nor the flag that moves; it is your mind that moves.”In our daily lives, we, too, face this question: Is it the external world that’s moving, or is it our mind that stirs? As the Avatamsaka Sutra expresses, “The mind is like a skillful painter, capable of creating the entire world. The five aggregates arise from it, and there is nothing it cannot create.”
Is the external world really a reflection of one’s inner state? Are all problems rooted in my own mind? Though I’ve often resisted this idea, I realize that Buddhism teaches that all phenomena arise in mutual dependence. Furthermore, in The Courage to Be Disliked, authors Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga explore how, while emphasizing the self, one can also learn to let go of attachments to external evaluations. The Avatamsaka Sutra illustrates this through the metaphor of Indra’s Net: all things are interconnected, reflecting and influencing each other infinitely, like countless lamps in a room, each shining its light onto the others. I personally find this perspective easier to accept than “mind-only” because it feels to me less like self-blame. “Mind-only” can create pressure by implying that all challenges stem solely from one’s own mind, whereas mutual interdependence allows for what I consider a more balanced view.
I, too, am one of the jewels in Indra’s Net. I’m still learning to understand my mind and how it interacts with the world. As the Chinese philosopher Laozi once said, “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” I may be far from being wise or enlightened, but this is the path I’m walking. Together, we should strive to shine — not only for ourselves but for others as well.
