Mushin (mental state)

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No-mind (Chinese: 無心, pinyin: wuxin; Japanese: mushin; Sanskrit: acitta) is a mental state that is important in East Asian religions, Asian culture, and the arts. The idea is discussed in classic Zen Buddhist texts as "the experience of an instantaneous severing of thought that occurs in the course of a thoroughgoing pursuit of a Buddhist meditative exercise".[1] It is not a total absence of thinking however, instead, it refers to an absence of clinging or being stuck in thought.[1]

This idea eventually influenced other aspects of Asian culture and the arts. The effortless state of "no mind" is one which is sought by Asian Buddhist and Daoist meditators, as well as by artists, craftsmen performers, and trained martial artists.[2][3][4][5][6] They also attempt to attain this mental state during everyday activities.

Etymology[edit]

The term contains the character for negation, "not" or "without" (無), along with the character for heart-mind (心). The term is also found in the phrase mushin no shin (無心の心), a Zen expression meaning the mind without mind and is also referred to as the state of "no-mindness". That is, a mind not fixed or occupied by thought or emotion and thus open to everything. It is translated by D.T. Suzuki as "being free from mind-attachment".[7]

Overview[edit]

According to Buddhist studies scholar Charles Muller, "the locus classicus" for the Asian idea of no-mind is found in the Zen Buddhist Platform Sutra, which says: 

"No-thought" [無心] means "no-thought within thought." Non-abiding is man's original nature. Thoughts do not stop from moment to moment. The prior thought is succeeded in each moment by the subsequent thought, and thoughts continue one after another without cease. If, for one thought-moment, there is a break, the dharma-body separates from the physical body, and in the midst of successive thoughts there will be no attachment to any kind of matter. If, for one thought-moment, there is abiding, then there will be abiding in all successive thoughts, and this is called clinging. If, in regard to all matters there is no abiding from thought-moment to thought-moment, then there is no clinging. Non-abiding is the basis.[1]

As such, the idea is originally connected to Buddhist practice which allows one to be aware of the originally enlightened buddha-nature that all beings have. According to Muller, some scholars and practitioners have made the error of thinking that the term "no-mind" or "no-thought" refers to "some kind of permanent, or ongoing absence of thought" or to "a permanent incapacitation of the thinking faculty or the permanent cessation of all conceptual activity". However, this assumption is mistaken and it is not what is taught in the classic Chan / Zen texts like the Platform Sutra, or the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment.[1] Muller explains the classic Zen Buddhist understanding of no-mind as follows:

the interruption of the discursive process at a sufficiently deep level allows for an experiential vision of a different aspect of the mind, a vision that allows for a change in the nature of the mental function. But it is not that thought no longer occurs--the conceptualizing faculty still functions quite well--in fact, even better than before, since, now, under the influence of the deeper dimension of the mind it no longer has to operate in a rigid, constricted, and clinging manner. It is now possible to see things more clearly, unfiltered by one's personal depository of presuppositions. This is what is meant by seeing the "suchness" of things. When the Ch'an writers talk about no-thought, or no-mind, it is this state of non-clinging or freedom from mistaken conceptualization to which they are referring, rather than the permanent cessation of thinking that some imagine. The deeper, immeasurably more clear aspect of the mind that they experience in the course of this irruption of the discursive flow, they call "enlightenment." Realizing now, that this potential of the mind was always with them, they call it "innate."[1]

Thus, no-mind is a pure experience achieved when a person's mind is free from thoughts of anger, fear, or ego. There is an absence of discursive thought and judgment, so the person is totally free to act and react effortlessly without hesitation and without disturbance from thoughts. At this point, a person relies not on what they think should be the next move, but simply acts naturally and spontaneously from their deepest nature (the buddha-nature). It is not a state of relaxed, near-sleepfulness, however. The mind remains clear and awake, but with no intention, plan or direction.[8]

Some masters believe that mushin is the state where a person finally understands the uselessness of techniques and becomes truly free to move. In fact, those people will no longer even consider themselves as "fighters" but merely living beings moving through space.

In martial arts[edit]

In Asia, the Buddhist idea became widely applied to various arts, especially martial arts, where it was seen as a useful addition to physical training.

On page 84 of his 1979 book Zen in the Martial Arts, Joe Hyams claimed Bruce Lee read the following quote to him, attributed to the legendary Zen master Takuan Sōhō:[9]

The mind must always be in the state of 'flowing,' for when it stops anywhere that means the flow is interrupted and it is this interruption that is injurious to the well-being of the mind. In the case of the swordsman, it means death.
When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements. He just stands there with his sword which, regardless of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man's subconscious that strikes.

However, mushin is not just a state of mind that can be achieved during combat. Many martial artists train to achieve this state of mind during kata so that a flawless execution of moves is learned and may be repeated at any other time. Once mushin is attained through the practice or study of martial arts (although it can be accomplished through other arts or practices that refine the mind and body), the objective is to then attain this same level of complete awareness in other aspects of the practitioner's life. Dr Robert Akita claims it helps him "listen to my wife and children more closely...especially when I disagree with them, [and] in my business it has helped when I am faced with difficult decisions...."[10]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Muller, Charles. "Innate Enlightenment and No-thought: A Response to the Critical Buddhist Position on Zen". Toyo Gakuen University, A paper delivered to the International Conference on Sôn at Paekyang-sa, Kwangju, Korea, August 22, 1998.
  2. ^ A Dictionary of the Martial Arts. Louis Frederic (author), Paul H Crompton (editor). 2006. Dover Publications Inc.. ISBN 978-0486444024
  3. ^ Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Manual Of Zen Buddhism, p. 80, http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/manual_zen.pdf
  4. ^ Kohn, Livia (2010), Sitting in Oblivion: The Heart of Daoist Meditation, Three Pines Press. pp 73-100
  5. ^ Steve Odin. Artistic Detachment in Japan and the West: Psychic Distance in Comparative Aesthetics. University of Hawaii Press, 2001, p. 152
  6. ^ Veltri, Michael (2017). The Mushin Way: How the Power, Clarity and Mindfulness of Aikido Can Bring Success in Business and Life. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. ISBN 9781119285267.
  7. ^ Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Manual Of Zen Buddhism, p. 80, http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/manual_zen.pdf
  8. ^ "mushin – Elite Karate Academy & Personal Protection". Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  9. ^ Hyams, Joe. Zen in the Martial Arts. New York: Bantam Books, 1979.
  10. ^ Akita, Dr Robert L. Mushin. Dorrance Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-4349-7451-8.
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