The closed mind of the beginner
To some degree, the beginner's mind is a closed, prejudiced, arrogant mind. The beginner expects to find that Buddhism agrees with its preconceived opinions. The beginner doesn't want to find out that Buddhism may actually go against practically all of his beliefs, or the same, the beginner's prejudices.
Another problem with the beginner's mind is that it resists change which means it will not open itself up to the possibility that it is wrong. One notable example is rebirth. Westerners, especially, safeguard this prejudice. Asians, for the most part, accept the idea of rebirth. Trying to get Western Buddhists to change their prejudice towards rebirth is next to impossible. This applies also to beginners. While such a stubborn attitude is a product of introjection which, specifically, comes from materialism, Western beginners are, nevertheless, reticent to acknowledge this fact and become more open minded.
Books like Shunryu Suzuki's book, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, are not helpful either. They only serve to delude the beginner even more as if there is something precious about a beginner. The Mind of Zen, that is, the Mind attained by sages like Bodhidharma, is not the same as the mind of the novice or beginner (J. shoshin). Far from it.
The huge majority of beginners, with the so-called beginner's mind, are curiosity seekers. They make up the bulk of those who join Dharma centers. These seekers are more interested in the Asian ambiance of a Buddhist temple and the personality of the teacher than the teaching, itself, which requires of us eventually to see the Buddha Mind.
Believe it or not it is possible to have a beginner's mind and to have studied Zen for twenty years or more. Even some Zen teachers have a beginner's mind who have never managed to have the Mind that is awakened (bodhicitta).
We don't begin to leave beginner's mind until we look for the Buddha Mind.
"The marvelous brightness of the Buddha-mind, by means of words, is able to enlighten people and deliver them from their illusions one by one. And when someone hears these words, and understands and affirms them, he will know for himself that the Buddha-mind's wonderful brightness surpasses even the brightness of the sun and moon. What an incalculable treasure your Buddha-mind is!" (trans. Waddell, The Unborn [2000], p. 68).
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