No Mind

The affliction of abiding in ignorance

Ignorance means the absence of enlightenment.

The concept of Abiding Place is defined as "a place where the mind stops".

During any situation this may happen, if you focus on any one thing you may or can lose sight of everything else going on around you. When this happens it will be impossible to react to anything other than what you have become focused on. This will lead to a limited understanding of the situation and loss of what is actually happening.

In the practice of Buddhism, there are said to be fifty-two stages, and within these fifty-two, the place where the mind stops at one thing is called the abiding place. Abiding signifies stopping, and stopping means the mind is being detained by some matter, which may be any matter at all.

Effect: Improper action or reaction will result.

In today’s world, you may be focusing on a traffic light waiting for it to turn green. When it changes, you immediately accelerate without checking cross traffic. By not checking,  you may miss the driver who does not stop at the light for whatever reason and be hurt or killed. Even worse others may be hurt or killed for your lack of proper focus.

This is what it means to abide in ignorance.

The above example is based on the delusion that everyone else will do what they are supposed to do, relieving you of the burden of checking to see if they are.

As a metaphor: To miss the forest for the trees

Strictly speaking to abide in ignorance is one the greatest hindrances one can succumb to.

So what is this referring to?

Mind no Mind or Mushin. This is where perception and action come together as one. No conscience thought is needed. There is just action taken to meet the situation. This type of clarity comes from constant training. The response becomes as natural as breathing.

In the practice of a discipline when one moves from the beginning to immovable wisdom the one returns back to the beginning.

This is to say that when one is just starting and has been taught nothing, one simply reacts. This is done without thought or consideration to position, stance or state of mind.
As one progress’s in training and many stances and techniques are taught and learned, when faced with a situation the mind stops in many places considering what the proper action should be. However as time passes and the hours of training turn to years, no thought is given to the proper action that is to be used to react to a particular situation. So the one returns to the starting place as if they had been taught nothing at all.

This is the essence of the unfettered mind.

If one reaches this place the body knows what to do without any input from the mind.

If this practice is observed in training, it will become obvious that the defender will move at the same time or slightly before the attacker does. This is a perception that goes beyond the normal five senses of the body.
This concept is on automatic response system that is hard wired and geared for self-preservation. When one is surprised this takes over. This is because our normal senses are to slow to react the situation.

This is the goal of Martial Arts. Hardwiring responses so that the correct response can be applied instantly when needed.

The interval where not even a hairs breadth can be entered.

This is to say that your action and your opponent’s action must be simultaneous. If this is achieved you will be successful. If any interval between the attack and your reaction occurs your mind will have stopped and your action will be lost.

These concepts can only be achieved by applying the correct method of training.

Training in principle is the heart of the no mind. However if you do not train in technique and only principle, when confronted you will not be able to properly function. If only technique is applied you will be mechanically sound but will fall short of proficiency.

Where one puts the mind.

To place the mind anywhere in any situation is where it will reside. This is abiding in ignorance. So the proper place to place your mind is nowhere and everywhere at the same time. If your mind is placed on a certain aspect of a situation, you will become biased to that one idea. This is being one sided.

If no consideration is given to where to place the mind, it will extend freely to all parts of the body.