Buddhadasa BhikkhuDhamma is the ecology of the mind. This is how nature has arranged things, and it has always been like this, in a most natural way. The mind with Dhamma has a natural spiritual ecology because it is fresh, beautiful, quiet, and joyful. This is most natural. That the mind is fresh means it isn’t dried up or parched. Its beauty is Dhammic, not sensual or from painting colors. It is calm and peaceful because nothing disturbs it. It contains a deep spiritual solitude, so that nothing can disturb or trouble it. Its joy is cool. The only joy that lives up to its name must be cool, not the hot happiness that is so popular in the world, but a cool joyfulness. If none of the defilements like greed, anger, fear, worry, and delusion arise, there is this perfect natural ecology of the Dhammic mind. But as soon as the defilements occur, the mind’s natural ecology is destroyed instantly. These defilements are like evil spirits or demons that destroy the mind’s natural state.
Our physical bodies have a similar condition when nothing disturbs them; they have a natural material ecology. When no “evil spirits” or “demons” disturb the natural state of peace, the result is most satisfying. But now something is bothering it. Who? Human beings, of course! Unaware that we are disturbing nature. As the defilements possess us, we destroy the nature which was doing fine without us. Once I heard the words, “God creates and human beings destroy.” This is how it has always been. God said it was good but humanity has continually destroyed that creation. In other words, nature managed fine until we came along to destroy everything with our selfishness. As soon as the defilements appear, they destroy. That is their nature.
