The seeker of truth and love engaged in study must fundamentally prevent a concept of knowledge from perpetuating the idea that "I have achieved this and that."

If you live for others, you are truly close to the path!

What is the best way to eliminate such a concept?

First and foremost, one should carefully and with good doubt examine one's inner self for "what is known". Those who seek different methods and means only increase conflicts in the mind by creating otherness (objectification), while attentive doubt empties everything. The next consideration is the clingy bondage, as between children and parents, which creates the strongest entanglements. For a while, clingy attachment combined with feelings seems to be best for life. However, this relationship can become very antagonistic to the point of committing a crime and sending each other to hell.

Instead of having such an outcome, what would be the best way to get along and still be born in paradise? For the one you have a personal relationship with, don't lose control of your mind that you are only chasing the feeling; but examine the self with the same living doubt as when you pray or call out the name of Buddha, God, or some other great one. Then all the hidden forces of good will be experienced. This is called true love and this is the right way to love and care for someone.

You should all know that the ships are only karmic, temporal and shadowy; disappear in vain, like a movie. If one does not understand this, then the suffering of life-and-dying, defilement and delusions will be perpetuated indefinitely. To like or love only the physical body, which is no different than that of a corpse, is an illusion.

What is true Love?

If the body is an illusion, what is not an illusion? Should it be the ghost? Or the soul? Because spirit is only a name, it does not live. How can you even call it spirit or soul? But what should we care for? When someone calls out, "Hello," one thing that knows how to answer is "Yes." When a child calls out "Mother," then one thing that knows how to answer is "Yes, darling." This is the one thing each of us possesses; this one thing cannot be called body or mind.

It has no name and cannot be understood, but it is obviously present. Well, that one thing is the only thing you should love and cherish. Fall asleep with Buddha every night, get up together in the morning; stand and walk, speak and be silent, live and visit. That is not separate, just like your shadow; Do you want to know where Buddha and God went? Just look at this one.

Zen Master Myo Vong