Dharma Discourse: Where Is the Barrier by Geoffrey Shugen Arnold Sensei:
On Looking outside myself:
"Yuanwu says, "Since people of these times do not understand, they frantically search outside themselves." Searching outside is deceptive, because every time we search, we'll find something. And if we already have a sense of what we're searching for, we might very well find that very thing. This, in turn seems to confirm the search. But what does it mean to not search outside? Seeking outside doesn't just mean looking to our external world. We can be looking within ourselves and still be seeking outside. At the moment when we understand our complete responsibility, there can be no more outside of ourselves.
Liang says, "So then knowing my fault I must change." Yuanwu says this response was undeniably extraordinary. Knowing my fault I must change. This is the great pivot point of spiritual practice, the beginning of being responsible for the whole catastrophe, as my teacher would often say. It is here that practice begins. When we don't understand, then both the problem and the solution are thought to be external."
'via Blog this'
