Original Mistake
Indeed, sin can be likened to a misguided arrow or an unintended detour. Our lives are replete with such missteps, but the journey back to the right path is surprisingly manageable once you have the guidance of wisdom. It illuminates the way, transforms our misdirections into lessons, and steers us back on the course to fulfilling our true potential.
Are we the puzzle? Or is there something we are failing to grasp?
The purpose of a spiritual journey isn’t to satiate the mind’s curiosity about the enigmatic cosmos, or to appease our six senses with a ravenous desire for pleasurable experiences while evading pain, or even to cultivate a superior self.
The primary objective of this journey is to rectify the original misconception and to awaken from the slumber of ignorance.
The Original Mistake isn’t a blight cast upon mankind by a god or a devil, typically recognized as the Original Sin. It’s not a stain of indignity or humiliation. The mistake is transient and doesn’t demand salvation through allegiance and reverence to a higher entity or master. It’s merely a case of mistaken identity, and the key to resolving it lies in Wisdom.
Have we been living life using the wrong tools?
Wisdom proclaims: Let’s scrutinize the suspects in the case of The Mistaken Identity: The Body, The Mind, and The Self.
The Body:
A complex structure composed of elements that constitute the flesh, fluids, and bones of this earthly organism, serving as a center for sensation and processing.
The Mind:
The perceptual field where non-material entities emerge. The mind, distinct from the brain — the physical input-output processing organ for the body’s five senses — is not hindered by materiality.
The Self:
The embodiment of pure awareness.
Wisdom queries: “Which among you is capable of being more, or less, than your true nature?”
The Body responds, “Not I, for I am governed by the inescapable law of impermanence. I can only express my true nature through these three characteristics: I am born, I exist, I die.”
The Self initiates a response, but is abruptly interrupted by the Identity of the Mind, who arrogantly states its supremacy over both the Body and the Self, claiming itself as the indisputable Lord, the sole arbitrator of reality and illusion.
The Mind asserts its rulership over the five senses, using them as the conduit to create and define the world around it.
A dialogue then ensues between Wisdom and the Mind:
“Wisdom,” the mind said, puffing its chest with pride, “I rule over the senses. I define what the body feels, what it sees, what it hears. I govern the self. It’s through me that everything is decided. All five senses are under my command!”
Wisdom simply nodded and asked, “Mind, what happens when the body, which is ruled by the Law of Impermanence, dies? What becomes of you?”
“I create a new body, a new persona,” the mind retorted, full of confidence, “I can never die.”
“So, you’re satisfied with this cycle?” Wisdom asked, with a hint of a smile on its metaphorical lips.
“Very much so,” the mind affirmed, “I come back again and again to uncover the universe’s secrets, to relish its pleasures, to seek out experiences I like and shun those I don’t.”
Wisdom pressed further, “And when your eyes, your senses, encounter something distasteful, what then?”
“I turn away,” the mind answered, a bit of defiance in its tone, “I look for more pleasing sights, more comforting sounds, more satisfying sensations.”
Wisdom raised an eyebrow, “Doesn’t this constant seeking of pleasure and avoidance of pain tire you?”
“Immensely!” the mind shot back, “But it’s the thrill of the chase, the sweet taste of success that makes it worthwhile. I would pay any cost to keep this pursuit going.”
“What happens when you don’t succeed in maintaining pleasure over pain?” Wisdom asked, cutting through the mind’s enthusiasm.
The mind paused, the hint of a frown on its metaphorical face, “Life becomes unbearable. Misery takes hold.”
Wisdom, seeing an opening, pressed on, “And why can’t you just decide to find pleasure in all sensations? You claim to be the master of the senses after all.”
The mind’s confidence wavered, “Well…that…that isn’t possible. Too much pleasure brings pain. Not enough of it brings pain. Balance is a rare commodity.”
“So you’ve been on this eternal quest, searching for permanence within the impermanent, for immortality within mortality, and heaven within hell?” Wisdom inquired.
“Yes,” the mind answered, its voice barely above a whisper, “I’ve been on this wheel for an eternity.”
Wisdom, having finally cornered the mind, concluded, “Mind, you’re not looking for pleasure or immortality. You’re seeking the end of suffering, the end of this constant cycle. You’re looking for peace. You are not the senses, you’re not the body, you’re not even your thoughts. You are the space where these phenomena appear. Knowing this, understanding this, experiencing this, is the end of your Original Mistake.”
With that, the mind fell silent, the error in its ways exposed. The mistaken identity was corrected and liberation was realized. In serene, observant tranquility, it yielded. The Selfless Self emerged and expressed: “I AM.”
Each stage of life is a lesson in Self-realization.
When you understand that no noun will satisfy, you will stop trying to rule the world.
