Deep Commentary

The Buddha emphasizes guarding our minds. Why must we do so? Because the mind easily follows external circumstances. Mind and environment have always been intertwined; when the environment is turbulent, few can keep their minds peaceful. For practitioners, especially monastics, to achieve a tranquil mind, they must reduce worldly attachments. According to the experience of past masters, the best way to do this is to minimize external engagements, such as through solitary retreat. While external objects are not inherently at fault, they possess a magnetic pull—wealth, beauty, fame—that easily sways a practitioner's resolve. The allure of these worldly desires is a massive obstacle. In the Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters, the Buddha frequently warns of the dangers of sensory desires. For instance, He taught: 'A person chasing fame and wealth is like burning incense; when people smell the fragrance, the incense has already burned to ashes, and the fire of ruin follows right behind.' He also taught: 'Worldly desires are like a drop of honey on a sharp blade; it is not enough for a meal, but a child who licks it risks cutting their tongue.' This illustrates the profound danger of sensory indulgence! If a true practitioner wishes to escape the suffering of birth and death, they must avoid worldly desires like a pit of fire, for getting too close will eventually lead to destruction.