Black Box World (Part 1)

The black box is the vast world we live in. What is the black box? The black box typically refers to a dark, confined space that is sealed on all sides, impervious to sunlight. In Buddhist teachings, it denotes the location of the subtle sense faculty at the back of the head. This area is enveloped by skin and is pitch-black inside. Because it is not on the exterior of the body, light cannot reach it, hence its darkness. Our physical eyes cannot see it; it can only be observed through surgical incision or with the divine eye. Therefore, we call it the black box. The so-called vast world we perceive—the six dust realms of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects—all exist within this black box at the back of the head. Thus, we live within the black box.