What Is Self-Healing Ability

The characteristic of the mental faculty (manas) is that it constantly engages in activities unbeknownst to the conscious mind, refusing to remain idle. Its primary function is self-oriented, safeguarding all its own interests. It consistently seeks ways to fulfill its needs and resolve its most immediate problems. Possessing considerable power, it achieves its objectives and attains its goals because the Tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature) behind it strives to satisfy its demands to the greatest extent possible.

Therefore, it is essential to make the mental faculty believe that one’s body will inevitably regain health. Once the mental faculty believes this, it will seek ways to restore health. Whether afflicted by illusory ailments or actual illnesses, it will endeavor to resolve them and resist stubbornly. If the mental faculty refuses to accept illusory afflictions, it will fight tenaciously. When a portion of karmic obstacles dissipates and meritorious virtues increase, beings from the shadowy realms will retreat.

In the case of actual illnesses, if the mental faculty desires health, the Tathāgatagarbha will manifest its inherent nature of the great elements, transmitting harmonizing seeds of the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind) to allow the physical body to gradually recover. This is what is commonly referred to in the secular world as the body’s innate self-healing power. The mental faculty will also work behind the scenes to seek various opportunities to improve one’s condition. Thus, the physical body gains many chances to regain health.

The key is to instill confidence in the mental faculty—confidence that one can become healthy, that one is not ill, and that everything will improve. Then, the mental faculty will strive toward this direction and ultimately resolve the problem. Hinting to the mental faculty and encouraging it is tantamount to blessing oneself. Ultimately, it is the self-nature Buddha who bestows the blessing; one liberates oneself, one saves oneself.

A contrasting example is when a patient, upon learning the severity of their illness, exhibits fear and anxiety. This is precisely the result of the mental faculty believing the doctor’s words. Due to fear, the mental faculty causes the body and mind to change according to its thoughts. If the mental faculty relaxes, the physical body likewise changes accordingly. This means that information received by the conscious mind from the doctor is processed and transmitted to the mental faculty. Once the mental faculty believes it, it forms intentions, and the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) complies with the mental faculty, thereby manifesting either a healthy or deteriorated state in the physical body.

If one curses others, the curser’s mental faculty emits a certain energy. The mental faculty must harbor an intention or wish, and the curser’s own Tathāgatagarbha, in coordination with the mental faculty, causes the cursed person to fulfill the curse-wish.

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