Ordinary Mind, Original Nature and Self Nature True Mind

What is ordinary mind?
Ordinary mind is the mind
you were born with, subject
to cause and effect, which
is called Monkey Mind,
due to it swinging from
thought to thought mindlessly.

What is original nature?
The basic goodness everyone is
born with, yet is hidden
by the action of Monkey Mind.
Original nature is Self Nature,
which can be uncovered through
meditation and Buddha Remembrance.

What is Self Nature True Mind?
Self Nature is original nature,
and True Mind is buddha-mind.
Thus True Mind is awakened
to its original nature.

Ordinary and Diamond Mind (poem)

Who possesses the ordinary mind? Everyone,
even the child just born has it,
but with ignorant craving, she forgets
the Diamond Mind which arose
when Buddha Nature directed her
to her dear mother's womb.

Who possesses the Diamond Mind? No one,
for the Diamond Mind is freely available
yet we all have to to chop wood and carry water
until that moment of serendipity arrives.
Then, it's back to chop wood and carry water.
For the Diamond Mind is carried
to term in the Buddha womb.

The Ultimate Pain-killer

If you are afraid of pain,
if you don't like it,
do nothing evil,
either openly or in secret.
For if you do,
even if you get up and run away
you won't escape its pain.
If you are afraid of pain,
if you don't like it,
take refuge in the Buddha,
the Dharma and the Sangha.
Train in the precepts.
This is good.

-Theri-Gatha, 246-249

In this context, "pain" refers to the psychic pain of suffering. It is called psychic because suffering affects the psyche i.e. the mind.

"Evil" refers to mental calculation to achieve short-term satisfaction by an ordinary mind.

"Do nothing evil" thus means to do everything that is good. It stands to reason to include all acts both openly and in secret.

When one does evil, running away will not allow one to escape the pain of suffering.

Since we are afraid of pain and do not like to suffer, taking refuge in the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is the solution.

By training in the precepts, the Buddhist is doing great good. His actions will neutralize the evil he has done.

All is a miracle

I like to walk alone on country paths, rice plants and wild grasses on both sides, putting each foot down on the earth in mindfulness, knowing that I walk on the wondrous earth. In such moments, existence is a miraculous and mysterious reality.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child--our own two eyes. All is a miracle.

-Thich Nhat Hanh, "Miracle of Mindfulness"

When the Buddhist practitioner walks in this world in mindfulness, existence becomes "a miraculous and mysterious reality."

The life of ordinary existence is like that when mindful of each moment in it, savoring the miracle and mystery of walking on this earth, enjoying the moment.

This is known in Tibetan Buddhism as the basic goodness of reality as it is.

In Mahayana Buddhism, when we see with wisdom eyes, everything under the sun is basically good.

When even one sentient being sees reality as it is, it is true that "all is a miracle!"

Reference:

Thich Nhat Hanh:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Nhat_Hanh
http://www.answers.com/topic/nhat-hanh
http://here-and-now.org/IMSB/pages/TNH.page.html

Reviews of Thich Nhat Hanh's book, Miracle of Mindfulness:
http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/thihan/part8.shtml
http://theyogashop.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=246