Ordinary People Lack an Ordinary Mind
The phrase "ordinary mind" is one that Duan Yongping mentions most frequently. However, it is extremely difficult to understand. The reason is simple: "ordinary mind" is a Zen term, referring to the finger pointing at the moon, not the moon itself. Duan Yongping's use of this phrase here is quite obscure, and it's unclear if this was his original intention.
In fact, when trading or investing, the more you fear losing money, the more you are likely to lose. This is not apparent in good times, but becomes very clear in tough times.
The more you want to make money, the harder it is to earn.
This is the issue of "ordinary mind" that Master Duan talks about.
As one progresses in the market, technical aspects become very simple. With time, you develop your own views and strategies. However, it is the mindset and psychological issues that often become the real whirlpool, pulling you into turbulent waters. It is like climbing a mountain, but also like falling.
The best explanation of "ordinary mind" that I have seen is in the "Family Tradition of Martial Arts" by Yagyu Munenori.
Excerpt as follows:
Ordinary Mind
A monk asked a sage, "What is the Way?" The sage replied, "Ordinary mind is the Way."
The principle contained in this story applies not only to the way of the sword but to all arts. "What is the Way? Ordinary mind is the Way." These simple question and answer reflect the highest state of enlightenment. Once you reach the state of "ordinary mind is the Way," all the distracting thoughts of making and unmaking, right and wrong, acceptance and rejection, desires and aversions will completely disappear.
All things in the world are like this: only with an ordinary mind can one reach the pinnacle of life. Suppose you are drawing a bow to shoot an arrow. If you are conscious that you are shooting an arrow, your shot will be unstable. Similarly, when you swing a sword, if you are consciously aware that you are swinging a sword, your attack will be unstable. When you write, if you are consciously aware that you are writing, your handwriting will be unstable. Even when playing a musical instrument, if you are aware that you are playing, the music will go out of tune.
If an archer can reach the state of "forgetting to shoot" while drawing the bow and shooting the arrow with an "ordinary mind," as if nothing happened, the bow will become steady. The same applies to using a sword and riding a horse. You are not "using a sword" or "riding a horse," you are not "writing," nor are you "playing music." If you can treat everything with an "ordinary mind," everything becomes easy to master.
No matter what you choose as "the Way," if you consider it to be the only important thing and become attached to it, it is not the true "Way." Only by reaching a state where the mind is empty can one master the Way. Whatever you do, if you do it with an empty and clear mind, everything becomes easy.
This is like the principle of a mirror reflecting objects. Because the mirror's reflection is clear and formless, it can reflect all things without the slightest error. For those who have attained enlightenment, their minds are like a clear mirror, empty and pure, without any thoughts or ideas, yet capable of mastering everything.
This is the "ordinary mind." Those who can treat everything with an ordinary mind are considered experts.
Whatever you do, if you have the intention of doing it deliberately, you cannot achieve harmony. Maybe you can do it well once, but then, when you feel proud of your success, you will fail again. Or you succeed twice and fail once. If you feel pleased for succeeding twice and only failing once, you will fail again. Just because you have the intention of pursuing success, you cannot always succeed.
Constantly practice and cultivate without seeking quick results. Do it without intention, naturally, and gradually enter a profound state. At this point, you may not even know who you are; although the body, hands, and feet are moving, the mind remains still. Once you reach this state, there will be no more failures. If you do it ten times, you will succeed ten times.
Even if you reach this level, if there is a slight attachment in your heart, you will still fail. Only with a mind free of intentions can you succeed every time. A mind without intentions is not a mind without anything; it is just a mind with an ordinary heart.
Like a wooden man seeing flowers and birds
In a poem by Layman Pang, there is a line "like a wooden man seeing flowers and birds," which means that although the wooden man sees the flowers and birds, his mind is not distracted by them.
A wooden man has no mind, so naturally, he is not affected by external temptations, which is inevitable. However, how can a person with feelings and thoughts achieve the same as a wooden man?
Here, "wooden man" is just a metaphor, a way to explain the principle. A person of flesh and blood, with knowledge and thoughts, cannot be exactly like a wooden man. After all, people cannot turn into bamboo or wood. However, if you can see flowers without the thought of seeing flowers, you have reached the state of the "wooden man."
To achieve this, the key is to realize the pure original mind with an "ordinary mind." When you are shooting an arrow, do not consciously think that you are shooting an arrow. In other words, you are shooting with an "ordinary mind."
The ordinary mind is to see all things without arising any thoughts. If you abandon the ordinary mind and replace it with various conscious thoughts, then the form will change with the situation, and the mind will follow the situation, so nothing is seen in its true nature; seeing mountains is not seeing mountains, seeing water is not seeing water.
Even something as simple as speaking, if you say it with a firm and decisive tone, you will gain people's approval. In Buddhism, the "unattached mind" is considered the ultimate in Buddhist teachings.
Yagyu also speaks of a higher state beyond the ordinary mind: the free mind and the pure mind.
It is truly profound, and it is already a great achievement to grasp the general idea of the ordinary mind.
Like a wooden man seeing flowers and birds. Ordinary people lack an ordinary mind.