Exploring Ryokan Ara's Mind-Heart Principle

 

The Archbishop of Tendai Buddhism, Ryokan Ara (1928-2019), once shared a profound insight: "When one's mind-heart is not firmly fixed or established, one can be deceived by people's words, leading to one's stumbling." Despite searching online for an explicit explanation of what it means for the mind-heart to be firmly fixed or established, I couldn't find a precise definition. From my own understanding, individuals with a firmly fixed or established mind-heart resemble wise individuals who possess sound judgment. These wise individuals actively seek information from various perspectives through their actions, engage in independent thinking, learn from numerous mistakes, and exhibit experience and rationality. These traits are precisely what an information society, filled with myriad conflicting perspectives, demands.

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