Thirty-Six Eight-Diagram Array: The Array of Thinking
Xuefeng
1+1=2.
Can 1+1 equal 0, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7…?
This is a matter of thinking, or rather, a matter of cognitive ability.
What is the relationship between an elephant and a stone? In the usual sense, there isn’t much of a relationship between an elephant and a stone. However, in the well-known story “Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant,” Cao Cao’s seven-year-old son established a corresponding relationship between an elephant’s weight and a stone using a boat as a medium, easily solving the problem of the elephant’s weight. This is thinking.
The method by which the ancient Greek philosopher, mathematician, and physicist Archimedes determined whether a crown was counterfeit is also a good example of understanding and exploring thinking.
How can an ant freely climb from one surface to the other side of the same surface without going through a hole or climbing over an edge? Conventional thinking cannot find a solution; only unconventional thinking with a Möbius strip can achieve this.
The level of a person’s intelligence is mainly reflected in their ability to think. It can be said that with stronger thinking ability comes a higher level of LIFE; with weaker thinking ability comes a lower level of LIFE. The stronger the thinking ability, the closer it is to a higher level of LIFE; the weaker the thinking ability, the closer it is to a lower level of LIFE.
Clearly, the thinking ability of plants is lower than that of animals, the thinking ability of animals is lower than that of humans, the thinking ability of humans is lower than that of celestials and buddhas, the thinking ability of celestials and buddhas is lower than that of gods, and the thinking ability of gods is lower than that of the Greatest Creator.
Therefore, I summarize thinking ability into eight levels: material thinking, image thinking, associative thinking, illusive thinking, visualized thinking, Tai Chi thinking, formless thinking, and holographic thinking, with each level higher than the last.
So, what is thinking?
Thinking is the dimension and process of thought, pondering, and contemplation. The broader and deeper the dimension of thought, the stronger the ability to analyze, summarize, synthesize, reason, judge, infer, and find solutions to problems.
Thinking is related to dimensionality. The thinking of a caterpillar is limited to the two-dimensional world, so its thinking ability is low. The thinking of plants is limited to the static three-dimensional world, so their thinking ability is lower than that of animals whose thinking is limited to the dynamic three-dimensional world. Birds live in four-dimensional spacetime, so they are freer than land animals. Humans exist in the three-dimensional world, but because of their rich imagination, they can extend sensory knowledge into the realm of reason, so their thinking ability is stronger than that of birds. Celestials live in a world of four dimensions or more, so they are higher LIFE forms than humans. Buddhas and gods traverse the thirty-six-dimensional spaces, and their thinking ability is unimaginable. The Greatest Creator lives in holography, and His thinking ability is beyond imagination; it is inscrutable.
When thinking ability is low, one can appear very foolish and stupid. When humans observe animals, they often perceive them as incredibly stupid. Similarly, when celestials observe humans, they also find them to be incredibly foolish! For instance, humans have been struggling within the confines of the institution of marriage and family for thousands of years. Why not change their way of life? Humans can indeed seem incredibly stupid!
Human suffering and distress stem from consciousness, with thinking being a primary component of consciousness. To alleviate the suffering and distress rooted in consciousness, one must diligently work on their thinking. This involves transforming the way we think, expanding the scope of our thinking, and breaking free from the constraints of conventional thinking to think creatively. Otherwise, suffering and distress will persist endlessly.
Confining all levels, types, and layers of life within certain dimensions, such that their thinking cannot transcend the spacetime of their existence, thereby presenting the wonderful diversity and maintaining the orderly hierarchy of LIFE, is what constitutes the Array of Thinking.
In order to elevate the quality of LIFE, to venture into higher dimensional spaces of LIFE and live freely, it is essential to break free from the constraints of original thinking, not to adhere rigidly to established rules, and to understand that nothing is impossible; there are only things that are beyond imagination and beyond the reach of one’s thinking ability.
The miracles presented by Jesus are beyond our imagination, beyond our ability of thinking. This is the difference in thinking between humans and gods.
The Super Celestial Beings of the Elysium Celestial Islands Continent are capable of performing 64 kinds of divine abilities and can transform all things at will. This is something that we, with our limited thinking abilities, cannot fully comprehend.
So, how does one break free from the array of thinking?
The answer is that it’s impossible to completely escape the array of thinking. The only solution is to elevate our lower-level thinking to a higher level. As humans, if we think, ponder, and contemplate with the thinking of celestials, discard our human thinking, then we can escape the Thinking Array granted to human and enter the world of celestials, then the pain and troubles associated with being human will disappear.
The following eight points can help people escape from the array of thinking for human and enter the thinking realm of celestial and buddha:
Thoroughly understand the principles and reincarnation mysteries of LIFE, and realize that LIFE is not extinguished, only transformed, so do not fear death; instead, consider it the greatest good.
Escape from the Time Array, find the true self, and view the self who acts as an actor in the script as a play, a dream.
Frequently let consciousness enter the Thousand-year World, the Ten-thousand-year World, the Elysium Celestial Islands Continent, imitating and emulating the way of life and thinking of Celestials.
Strengthen visualized thinking, frequently and freely imagining beautiful things, scenes, and people.
Escape from the heart array, desire array, affection array, ethical relation array, belonging array, and wisdom array; live by one’s nature.
Do not take one’s kind as the reference object; do not always consider oneself as human in consciousness; do not believe there are no solutions to difficult problems; do not think in terms of conventional thinking when considering problems; do not be afraid to think freely as bound by traditional moral preaching and scientific knowledge; do not be influenced and restricted by one’s appearance, gender, race, physique, culture, environment, etc., and dare not enter the micro and macro worlds; do not think that without wings, one cannot fly; do not think that without eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body, one cannot eat, drink, excrete, sleep.
Fully understand and comprehend that all phenomena are illusory, emptiness is not different from form, and form is not different from emptiness; consciousness creates reality, and time and space cannot block consciousness.
Act according to one’s nature. (Here, “nature” refers to the nature of the Tathagata.)
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