How can you teach other people if you don’t understand yourself?
You say that other people won’t listen to you. But what do you understand? What do you say? Do they want to hear your words? Do they want your understanding? Since you have your opinion and other people have theirs, there are differences, and people won’t listen to you. First you must throw away all your opinions, all your cognition, your concern about your situation, and your explanations. Then there will be nothing. And then you will understand other people’s minds. Your mind will be like a clear mirror. Red comes and it becomes red; white comes and it becomes white. When your mind is clear, then it is a reflection of other people’s minds. If they are sad, then you are sad; if they are silent, you are silent; if they have desires, then you understand these desires. Then it is possible to teach others and to fix their minds.
Good and bad both are your true teachers. If you cut off your “small I,” then there is no like or dislike, no good or bad. All things in the universe are your good friends and teachers. So you must kill your self. Then you will get freedom and you will have no hindrance. This is how you will find your true way. If you understand this true way, then only go and watch your step. Don’t be attached to what is on the side of the road. Just go straight ahead.
Buddha once said, “If one mind is clear, then the whole universe is clear.” If your mind cuts off all thinking and becomes clear, then your place, wherever it is, is clear. Don’t worry about other people. If you have a strong practice, they will all follow you. Your mind is very strong; but your “self” is attached to your strong mind, so you have strong likes and dislikes, strong anger, frustration, bad thoughts about other people, and so on. You must completely cut off this strong mind, this strong I. This is very important. When you talk about your understanding, this is being attached to your mind. CUT OFF THIS I!
Somebody once asked Zen Master Jo-ju, ‘Does a dog have Buddha-nature?” Jo-ju answered, “No!’”” Do you understand this “No”? What does it mean? If you open your mouth, I will hit you thirty times. If you don’t open your mouth, I will hit you 30 times.