Liberation of Mind is the Heartwood

So this holy life, Monks, does not have gain, honor, and praise for its benefit, or the attainment of virtue (moral conduct) for its benefit, or the attainment of concentration for its benefit, or wisdom and vision for its benefit. But it is this unshakeable liberation of mind that is the goal of this holy life, its heartwood, and its end.

Suppose a man needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, came to a great tree standing possessed of heartwood, and cutting off only its heartwood, he would take it away knowing it was heartwood.

Then a man with good sight, seeing him, might say: This good man knew the heartwood, the sapwood, the inner bark, the outer bark, and the twigs and leaves. Thus, while needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, he came to a great tree standing possessed of heartwood, and cutting off only its heartwood, he took it away knowing it was heartwood. Whatever it was this good man had to make with heartwood, his purpose will be served.

(Reference: MN 30)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how the goal of The Path to Enlightenment is “unshakeable liberation of mind”. An “unshakeable liberation of mind” is the way Gotama Buddha described Enlightenment.

As a Practitioner trains the mind to attain Enlightenment, it is no longer possible for the mind to be shaken up by anything. All discontentedness is eliminated, and the being will no longer experience any discontent feelings.

Instead, the mind will be peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently. The mind will be relaxed and calm yet attentive and alert at all times.

The mind will have deeply understood and be practicing The Natural Laws of Existence, the truth. In understanding the truth, a Practitioner can no longer be misled or convinced otherwise because they have already seen the truth and know the truth. The mind is unshakable.

There are multiple topics in your life where you might have seen the truth, and no one could convince you otherwise. For example, you have seen the truth of The Natural Law of Gravity. You know it exists and that it affects everyone and everything on planet earth. There is no one that could convince you otherwise that this natural law does not exist.

You have fallen down, dropped items, and otherwise been affected by this natural law too many times that you have seen the truth and acquired the wisdom that this natural law exists. There is no way to convince you otherwise, the mind is unshakeable on this topic.

A Practitioner who learns, reflects, and practices The Natural Laws of Existence that Gotama Buddha shared in his Teachings will come to understand these natural laws through his Teachings in the same way. Through learning, reflecting, and practicing, a Practitioner deeply observes the truth through their own independent verification and experiences to acquire wisdom. That wisdom liberates the mind where belief no longer exists in the mind.

With belief, an individual does not know if it is true or false, therefore, the mind can waver and be shaken up. But, once a Practitioner has learned and independently verified these Teachings describing The Natural Laws of Existence, it is impossible for the mind to be shaken up because it knows the truth and has profound wisdom being deeply trained to no longer experience any discontentedness.

Gotama Buddha makes it clear that The Path to Enlightenment is not for gain, honor, and praise. While many people may choose to praise you for various aspects of your life, it is important to remain unaffected by the admiration, always remaining humble. Gain, honor, and praise will pollute the mind encouraging arrogance and pride (i.e. conceit). A Practitioner will need to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “conceit” to attain Enlightenment. So it is highly important that one trains the mind to eliminate 100% of all conceit to attain Enlightenment.

Conceit (Arrogance, pride, judging, measuring or comparing as superior or inferior to others.)

The Buddha further describes that The Path to Enlightenment (i.e. holy life) is not for the attainment of virtue (moral conduct), concentration, or wisdom. These are all benefits that a Practitioner will experience as part of The Path to Enlightenment but, that is not the primary goal.

The “heartwood” is the center core of a well grown and matured tree. The heartwood is the highest quality of wood the tree produces. The most elegant and highest quality products are made from the “heartwood”. The heartwood is the most admirable aspect of the tree.

The Buddha uses this analogy of the tree, the heartwood, to describe the center and core of The Path to Enlightenment is liberation of mind, or Enlightenment.

While there will be plenty of benefits along the way as a Practitioner’s mind nears closer and closer to Enlightenment, those benefits are quite noticeable and beneficial. However, if a Practitioner gets attached to those benefits, they will not experience the ultimate goal “liberation of mind” or Enlightenment - the heartwood.