The following is a classic excerpt from the first volume of the *Śūraṅgama Sūtra* regarding the "Seven Inquiries into the Mind" (the Buddha dispelling Ānanda's erroneous attachment to the mind):
Plain Language Explanation of the Scripture: Where is the True Heart?
The Buddha asked Ananda, "You initially renounced your worldly life to become a monk because you saw the Buddha's handsome appearance. What was it that made you have this thought?"
Ananda replied, "I used my 'heart' and 'eyes.' Because my eyes saw the Buddha's majestic appearance, my heart arose with admiration and longing, which is why I followed the Buddha and became a monk."
The Buddha asked Ananda, "Then, where exactly is your 'mind' now?"
Ananda replied to the Buddha, "I have always believed that this 'mind,' capable of discerning things, is inside my body."
The Buddha asked, "If your mind is inside the body, then it should be able to see inside the body first. But does anyone see the inside of their body first and then the outside? No, that doesn't happen. Since it can't even see inside the body, how can you say the mind is inside?"
Ananda pondered for a moment and then changed his answer: "Then I understand. Just like when we light a lamp, if the light is outside the room, it can't illuminate the inside; since it can't illuminate the inside, then my mind must be 'outside' the body."
The Buddha countered, "If the mind were outside the body, the mind and body would be unrelated. But if your body feels cold or hot, pain or itching, your mind immediately knows; if the mind were outside the body, the body's sensations would be unrelated to the mind, which is illogical."
Key Analysis
Core Meaning: This dialogue, through simple logical deduction (internal and external), points out that the "conscious mind" we usually cling to actually cannot find a definite location.
Purpose: The Buddha used this to break the delusions and attachments of sentient beings to the body and senses, and further guided the masses to recognize the true mind that everyone inherently possesses, which is neither born nor dies.
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