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If you look at the nine levels of consciousness in the Buddhist literature the 9th is the fundamental ground of consciousness that is in all things. That level embodies the generative, intelligent power of the universe and we are one with it. That sounds esoteric until you look into someone’s eyes and see consciousness there. The animals have it, the plants have it, insects have it. Buddhism describes it as though we are a single wave arising out of the ocean and simultaneously we are one with the ocean and have the same qualities.
That intelligence, that consciousness within all things is in us as well. We are different from other species on the planet. The other species are all comfortable in their environment and operate by instinct within it. Man has been given a different sort of mind. We are not comfortable in our environment, we must create it and we do that by default or by design every moment of every day.
How do we do it? Through the way we think. President Ikeda has given important indicators on the power of thought in Faith into Action.“One thing is certain. The power of belief, the power of thought, will move reality in the direction of our belief.” Faith into Action, pg. 9
“In accordance with the principle of 3000 realms in a moment of life, pessimistic thoughts or feelings take form, just as they are in reality producing negative results. People who have negative thoughts create effects for themselves that perfectly match their thinking. So it’s important to be optimistic.” FIA p. 10
We know that everything is created twice, first in thought and then in the material world. Think about how an architect builds a house. First, he/she has the vision of the finished house, then it is put into blueprints and finally, the concrete house is built. At some level, we all know this, but we don’t understand its power and what it means for all the rest of our lives.
What I’m saying to you is that your future is in your hands. People’s lives sometimes work and sometimes don’t because they don’t realize the power of this. Let’s say you have a goal and you chant about it. But then you keep doubting that goal can happen. What are you projecting to the universe? I want this but I don’t believe I can have it. Not surprising that a muddled mixed response comes back because the universe is mirroring our thoughts back to us.
We must believe that what we want is ours the moment we ask. If you ordered something from a website online, you would expect it to arrive. That’s the kind of belief you need to have. Once you can truly believe that you have it now, then it can appear. If you keep noticing that you don’t have it yet, this is what you are projecting to the universe that you don’t have it yet. So guess what you are creating– that you don’t have it yet and that is what appears in your life.
The hardest part of the process is to trust the invisible, what we can’t see. We have to stop looking at our circumstances and instead trust our relationship with the universe. That’s the big shift.
And it takes practice. A good part of the time we aren’t aware of what we are thinking. Thoughts are subtle. They control our feelings. But feelings are more noticeable. If you find you aren’t feeling good, you’re not projecting positive thoughts to the universe. When you feel wonderful, then you are on the wavelength that will produce good things. So just notice how you are feeling from time to time. When you pay attention to them, your feelings become a feedback mechanism that will let you know how you are thinking.
Why am I talking about this? Because as Ikeda says, “Understanding the subtle workings of one’s mind is the key to faith and to attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.” Clear Mirror Guidance, My Dear Friends in America, p. 99