To find out the origins of your consciousness of mind, you can test it out and find out where you come from. The mind is the biggest thing in the world because it can see everything and everything can fit in the mind. An origins talk is beneficial for many reasons, including that it reminds us of the importance of the mind. Mind is comprised of delusion, craving and ignorance. The way we understand and experience the world is based on these three factors. The Buddha said that life is a process in action and that one can’t say there is absolutely nothing because the process of arising is seen. When you watch or experience anything, be aware of the six senses and how they work to create your experience. The lotus at night closes up to protect its petals from the sun, but when the first rays of the sun reach the outer petal, it warms up and the petals open. This is analogous to stillness of mind, which opens up layer by layer to see things as they truly are. When you achieve full enlightenment, you reach the jewel in the heart of the lotus: emptiness.

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This dhamma talk was originally recorded using a low quality MP3 to save on file size on 25th October 2002. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans.

These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Patreon page.