How to Understand the Mind. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

and non-faith of not-wishing. Non-faith of disbelief is disbelief in any correct object in which it is necessary to believe to make spiritual progress, such as the objects explained in Dharma teachings. If someone correctly explains Buddha’s teachings on actions and their effects and we do not believe what they are saying, this is because the mental factor non-faith of disbelief is present in our mind. Non-faith of non-admiration is a mental factor that causes us to see faults in virtuous objects such as Dharma Teachers, the Three Jewels and other holy beings. It makes our mind unclear and confused. Non-faith of not-wishing is a mind that does not desire virtuous attainments. It prevents us from developing a wish to engage in the paths to liberation or enlightenment.

      These three types of non-faith are very harmful. Disbelief prevents us from engaging in spiritual practices and attaining Dharma realizations. It is harmful even for those who are not interested in Dharma. For example, there are many diseases that doctors call cancer but which are in fact caused by spirits or by previous karma. Although these cannot be cured by ordinary medical practices, they can be cured by the healing rituals and purification practices taught by Buddha. However, for these methods to be effective we need to have faith in them. Unfortunately few people in the West have sufficient faith in these methods and so we do not have many opportunities to witness their beneficial effects.

      Non-faith of non-admiration robs us of our mental peace and makes our mind turbulent and defiled. As a result, our virtuous minds decrease and we are unable to develop pure experience of Dharma. Non-faith of not-wishing harms us by preventing us from practising Dharma purely. At present, our desire to enjoy the pleasures of samsara is much stronger than our desire for spiritual attainments, and this prevents us from practising Dharma purely, undistracted by worldly concerns. The mental factor faith overcomes all three types of non-faith.

      FUNCTION OF FAITH

      The special function of faith is to induce virtuous aspirations. Without faith in a particular practice we will have no wish to engage in it; and without such a wish we will not put any effort into the practice and so we will not accomplish any results. Faith is the root of all spiritual attainments. If we have faith in Buddha we will develop the aspiration to become a Buddha, which will encourage us to practise the paths to enlightenment.

      Faith is particularly important in the practice of Secret Mantra. An essential aspect of Tantric practice is the ­recitation of mantras, but success in mantra recitation depends largely upon the strength of our faith. A person who lacks faith may recite the mantra of his or her Deity for many years but fail to receive any attainments, whereas someone with pure faith may receive attainments after reciting the mantra for only a short time.

      In Lamp of the Jewel Sutra (Skt. Ratnalokanamadharani Sutra) Buddha says:

      Faith precedes all virtuous activities, like a mother.

      It protects and increases all beneficial qualities,

      Dispels hesitation, and rescues us from the four rivers.

      Faith is the source of the siddhi of happiness.

      It dispels mental defilements and turbulence, makes the mind clear,

      Eliminates pride, and is the root of respect.

      Faith is the supreme wealth, treasure and legs;

      And is like hands with which to gather virtues.

      Just as a mother gives birth to children, so faith is the source of all virtuous activities because without faith we will not engage in pure, virtuous practices. Faith prevents virtuous qualities from degenerating and causes them to increase. Believing faith dispels doubts and hesitations concerning Dharma practices. We have doubts and hesitations about Dharma because we lack faith, but when faith manifests, doubts cannot remain. Wishing faith causes us to strive to attain liberation from samsara and thereby rescues us from the ‘four rivers’ of birth, sickness, ageing and death. Some types of faith act as a direct antidote to the delusion-obstructions and the obstructions to omniscience. For example, it is because the vajra-like concen­tration of the path of meditation is conjoined with believing faith in emptiness that it can act as the direct antidote to the most subtle obstructions to omniscience.

      Faith is the source of the siddhi, or attainment, of happiness, because happiness is the result of virtuous actions, and all virtuous actions are motivated by faith. Admiring faith dispels mental defilements such as bad motivations or seeing faults in holy beings such as our Spiritual Guide. By pacifying the mental turbulence caused by disturbing conceptions faith makes our mind lucid and clear. Faith overcomes our pride and is the foundation of respect for the Three Jewels and our Spiritual Guides. It is the supreme wealth because, unlike material wealth, it never deceives us. To accumulate ­material possessions we frequently have to endure physical and mental hardship, and even commit negative actions, and yet even if we succeed in becoming rich we still do not experience pure peace and happiness. Moreover, material wealth can be lost or stolen and can even endanger our life. Thus, external wealth is the source of much anxiety and discontent. The inner wealth of faith, on the other hand, brings only happiness. If we strengthen our faith we perform only virtuous actions, and when we are rich in faith we experience pure, lasting happiness. The wealth of faith cannot be destroyed by fire or stolen by thieves; even death cannot take it from us. Ultimately the wealth of faith leads us to liberation and great enlightenment, and so it is far superior to external wealth.

      Faith is like a treasure because it is the source of inexhaust­ible benefit and good fortune. It is called ‘supreme legs’ because it enables us to traverse the ten Bodhisattva grounds and finally to reach the city of great enlightenment. Ordinary legs can take us only to samsaric places but the legs of faith can take us to Dakini Land, where we will meet Heruka and Vajrayogini, or to Sukhavati, the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha. Faith is also like hands because it enables us to gather virtuous qualities. Just as we need hands to collect physical objects, so we need the hands of faith to gather the internal wealth of virtue.

      DIVISIONS OF FAITH

      There are three types of faith:

      1 Believing faith

      2 Admiring faith

      3 Wishing faith

      Believing faith is a belief in any object that is conducive to our spiritual development, such as the two basic objects (the two truths), the two paths (method and wisdom), and the three resultant bodies of a Buddha.

      Admiring faith is a tranquil, lucid state of mind, free from negative conceptions, that arises when we contemplate the good qualities of virtuous objects or holy beings such as our Spiritual Guide. It is likened to a magical jewel that has the power to purify dirty water. When our mind is disturbed by negative conceptions it is like dirty water, but admiring faith causes these impure thoughts to subside and allows our primary mind to become lucid and pure, like clean, fresh water.

      Wishing faith is a wish to follow any Dharma path, based on recognition of its good qualities. All virtuous aspirations are wishing faith. An example is the wish to become a Buddha based on recognition of a Buddha’s good qualities. Although bodhichitta is a primary mind, not a mental factor, it has two aspirations – the aspiration to attain enlightenment and the aspiration to benefit others, both of which are wishing faith. Renunciation is also wishing faith.

      Believing faith is based on admiring faith, but is much stronger and more definite. Even animals occasionally develop admiring faith, but believing faith involves consciously holding a special view. Faith pervades all virtuous minds just as space pervades all places. Every virtuous mind is mixed with faith.

      SENSE OF SHAME

      DEFINITION OF SENSE OF SHAME

      The definition of sense of shame is a mental factor that ­functions to avoid inappropriate actions for reasons that concern ourself.

      Sense of shame prevents us from committing negative actions by reminding us that it is not suitable for us to engage in such actions because we are a Dharma practitioner, an ordained person, a Teacher, an adult and so on. For example, if we stop ourself from squashing a mosquito that is about to bite us by thinking ‘It is not right for me to kill this insect because I am a Buddhist’, this motivation is sense of shame.