starter wrote:I thought the Buddha warned us that we first have to realize the pure nature of the mind "as it actually is" which is only defiled by the "incoming defilements", before we can actually develop it.
This is true...
The Buddha also defined in MN 1 the trainee as the ones who know nibbana as nibbana, not those who don't know nibbana.
I think it's more like to try see it for what it is, without any pre-conceived notions, or personal ideas, so that one might actually comprehend it... instead of fantasizing about it, trying to describe it with different characteristics, identifying oneself with it, or putting a personal spin on it, like an uninstructed person would.
I basically read the, "The mind, bhikkhave, is luminous," in the following way:
There is a shiny goldfish in a bowl. An uninstructed person's bowl would have a lot of algae in it (defilement). He probably inherited this bowl from an old person who died recently (kamma), and he doesn't have any motivation in really cleaning it up (which is even more bad kamma).
He can't even see the goldfish... and might not know that it's there. He might be confusing that the bowl is what makes him a fish owner. So, he doesn't really have the opportunity to train this fish, make it do nice things, like to make other people happy... or even make it point them at nibbāna.
This fish actually can do great things like that... but only if it's seen clearly, without the algae messing it up.
I think that we probably need to read more suttas in this area from the AN... here are some from the collection by Ven. Nyanaponika and Ven. Bodhi. These will put it in context, of how the citta should be viewed:
AN I, iii, 1-10; selected
No other thing do I know, O monks, that is so intractable as an undeveloped mind. An undeveloped mind is truly intractable. (The fish is very unruly, if left untrained.)
No other thing do I know, O monks, that is so tractable as a developed mind. A developed mind is truly tractable. (The fish is nice, if trained.)
No other thing do I know, O monks, that brings so much suffering as an undeveloped and uncultivated mind. An undeveloped and uncultivated mind truly brings suffering. (An unruly fish is not nice to have.)
No other thing do I know, O monks, that brings so much happiness as a developed and cultivated mind. A developed and cultivated mind truly brings happiness. (A nice fish is pleasant.)
AN 1, iv, 1-10; selected
No other thing do I know, O monks, that brings so much harm as a mind that is untamed, unguarded, unprotected and uncontrolled. Such a mind truly brings much harm. (The fish has a bad temper.)
No other thing do I know, O monks, that brings so much benefit as a mind that is tamed, guarded, protected and controlled. Such a mind truly brings great benefit. (The fish is extremely useful when trained.)
AN 1, v, 8
No other thing do I know, O monks, that changes so quickly as the mind. It is not easy to give a simile for how quickly the mind changes. (The fish is floppy, extremely quick, and very slippery.)
This doesn't really belong in the Pāli forum... so I apologize for deviating. (Except maybe it's helpful in pointing out how I think that citta is used, in its context.)