Magnetic Field Effect

He who stays near vermilion gets stained red; he who stays near ink gets stained black. Permeation and influence occur imperceptibly: first one is dyed in the hair, then dyed in the skin, then dyed in the flesh, then dyed in the sinews, then dyed in the bones, and finally dyed in the marrow. Once the dye reaches the marrow, it becomes deeply rooted and can no longer be uprooted—this holds true for both red and black alike. Therefore, the surrounding field of influence is extremely important, and the people one associates with matter the most. Do not say that your own resistance is strong and thus fail to carefully choose good spiritual friends. One is free from permeation only above the eighth bhūmi, and absolutely free from permeation only at the buddha-bhūmi. Even a returning practitioner who has crossed over the mystery of the intermediate state will, during the stage of being deluded, still undergo slight defilement; although the mind consciousness is defiled, it can be easily uprooted, yet it still exerts an influence.

Why does one group have one kind of prevailing atmosphere, and one family one kind of habitual tendency? It comes about through contagion—imperceptibly, habits are formed; then, again imperceptibly, the habitual tendencies enter the marrow and will manifest life after life. This is true for both wholesome and unwholesome tendencies alike. May we all be permeated within wholesome groups—staying near vermilion and thereby thriving—and not be permeated within groups with very strong afflictive habitual tendencies—staying away from ink and thereby living. In this way, the accumulation of merit will be swift, and the transformation of one's own field of influence will also be swift.