CHAN CULTIVATION

By Upasaka Yu Kuo K'ung

(The editors regret the abrupt continuation from Issue #111, which is unavoidable due to technical difficulties with that issue).

Answer: k =16,666.67 gr/in. What is the value of k as σ = 0 gr?

Answer: k =16,666.67 gr/in. It is clear that the nature k does not change when σ changes. The nature k is still the same value even when σ = 0. However, the value k cannot be determined without the values of σ and .

We call the applied force σ an influence or cause and the displacement a response or effect of the elastic rubber band. And we call the pair (σ, ) an environmental disturbance to the rubber band. As the disturbance changes, even when there is no disturbance, the value of the spring constant k remains the same. It is also noticed that the effect is produced not only because there is a cause but also because the rubber band has a nature.

      This is also true for human beings. For an environmental influence or cause, because we have a self nature, we have a response to it. Hence, we have happiness and excitement, sadness and depression, and many other emotional expressions and afflictions. We call the totality of all these responses to the environmental influences a human response. The pair of the environmental influences and the human response, just like the pair (σ, ) for the rubber band, is also called an environmental disturbance or a human disturbance. The human disturbance may change all the time, yet it does not alter the self nature just like the disturbance (σ, ) will not change the value of the spring constant. This is what is meant in the plat­form Sutra where it says, "The self nature is not produced or destroyed, is intrinsic in itself, is unmoving."

We have observed the relation and difference between the self nature and human disturbance. These two entities also have an important difference in their relations to time. Disturbance changes with time, it has a beginning and an end, or birth and death, while the nature is independent of time, hence, it has no beginning and no end, or no birth and no death. In other words, the self nature is eternal; it has never been born, so it will never die. Furthermore, even when the rubber band is broken into two, three, or many pieces, the value of the spring constant still remains the same. It is the same for human beings. When the heart stops and the brain wave is flat, the self nature still remains. The self nature will never die since it has never been born. If one realizes his own self nature, he is the self nature and the self nature is he. How can he die?

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