When we look at the world and the people around us or even at ourselves, we feel everything is so real and so concrete. There are real people, there are real problems, there are real this and real that. But all these things, ourselves included, exist only by being labelled. They exist in dependence upon the mind, not as outside, objective entities. It is the mind that contributes to creating these things, that puts pieces together, develops a conception, gives a name, creates meaning, and reacts to that meaning that we create.

Things do appear and exist on the nominal level, but if we are able to see that all these things are not real objective entities, that there is nothing objective out there to grasp onto or to fight with, then there is no one in here to protect and to gratify. If we can understand this, then our minds can be relaxed about a lot of things. Not only do we go forward on our spiritual path towards liberation, but we become more capable of benefiting all beings.

“365 Gems of Wisdom” e-book is out now!