The
unsatisfactoriness that we experience in life arises due to the way we live.
Gautama Buddha saw this and showed the world how to live free from both
unsatisfactoriness and its cause. None of us wants to experience
unsatisfactoriness willingly, it comes to us owing to the way we live our life
and while we engage in our day to day affairs. Therefore, meditation is not
merely to sit at one place with closed eyes but to identify and address the
cause for unsatisfactoriness in order to live without stress. Buddhist
teachings show us the way to live our life in such a way that is beneficial to
both our present life and the life beyond.
When we
plant a papaya seed we get a papaya tree and subject to necessary conditions
such as water, sunshine, air and fertile soil it will produce fruit. The
ripened fruit will consist of seeds that have the potential to germinate
further papaya plants.
The papaya
tree is comparable to our present life which came to be as a result (vipaka) of
our previous deeds (kamma). Similar to the papaya seed, the seed that
germinated our present life was the relink consciousness that arose (as a
consequence or vipaka) from our previous kamma. The Buddha identified that the
life we have got now is a bundle of aggregates consisting of Form, Sensations,
Perceptions, Formations and Consciousness, as a result of the ignorance, kamma
and craving we developed in our previous existence. These are referred to as
five clinging aggregates as they are susceptible to clinging.
What we
first encounter with our senses and experience through contact, as a result of
previous kamma, is free from defilements (Keles) and hence the mind that arises
is untainted. This state of mind can be referred to as the ‘Unrestricted mind’
which is seamless and hence there is nothing that we could attach to or avert
in such a state of mind. The five forms of matter, sound, smell, taste and
tactile are first received by our senses in a sketchy format. They do not
appear with descriptions and hence are not ‘value added’. As we are ignorant of
this truth we ‘restrict our mind’ allowing defilements and fermentations to
take precedence in discerning specific objects. This process of adding value,
positively or negatively, through volitions (kamma) consists of seeds of
consciousness that are now tainted with greed or aversion (or ill will). For
instance, when we limit (or focus) our attention on an object, say a phone, a
thought arises (mental cognition) either with greed or aversion, similar to the
papaya tree producing a fruit with seeds. As a result of our kamma in forming
the seed of cognition we are able to re-cognise the phone again, either with
like or dislike, which is the vipaka.
Due to
ignorance we overlook the unrestricted state of mind that we got naturally and
create kamma by restricting our mind adding value in the process to what we
experiences through our senses. If we ignore this occurrence in this life, as
we have done before and continue to have volitions, with greed and ill will,
the arising of seeds of relink consciousness (vipaka) is inevitable. The state
of becoming that follows will once again ensure unsatisfactoriness that
consists of association with unbeloved, separation from the loved and not
getting what is wanted and so on. If we continue to cling to sensual pleasures
in this existence the unrestricted state of mind will be overlooked again and
we will continue to accumulate value added objects such as gold, silver and
diamonds as well as attachments such as mother, father, son, daughter etc.
tainting the mind.
The void in
this value adding process is explained through an example of a currency note. A
$100 note is of value to us but a mere piece of paper to a little child. Our
attachment will also be to the extent that the note has its value and if the
government suddenly decides to discontinue $100 bills, thereafter we will treat
it as same as a child does. The unrestricted mind only associates the truth and
not things with value. When the truth is
ignored defilements and fermentations come to the fore to add value and
therefore, we undergo lamentation due to death, i.e. death of mother, father son
etc. and grief over losing gold, silver, house, car etc.
A
grasshopper hops into the flame seeking pleasure and burns itself. It does this
of its own will and the flame has nothing to do with the insect being burnt in
the process. However, due to its
ignorance of the consequences, the grasshopper keeps on jumping into the flame.
Similarly, we are responsible for our own faults such as grasping a form of
metal as gold / silver or a bundle of aggregates as a person, mother, son,
daughter etc. The more we develop craving the higher will be the consequences
in form of unsatisfactoriness.
This dhamma
is elaborated through another interesting metaphor; ‘When you book a hotel to
stay you are only entitled to what is offered for the price you paid. If you
ask for more you have to pay more.’ Similarly, grasping as my son, my daughter,
my car, my gold or silver are all in excess of what you are entitled to and
thus comes with a costly price tag. The Buddha has reiterated that
unsatisfactoriness that is present in all three existences is solely due to defilements
we form ourselves.
The blessed
one has preached,
‘Objects of sensuality in the world
become sensual only due to man’s lustful conceptions. The things of beauty
exist in this world as they are; they do not carry sensuality that man
associates with. The wise, subdue their desire, in this regard.’
When the
state of an unrestricted mind is ignored we produce kamma adding value with
greed or ill will. For instance, when we behold an object as gold we may
contemplate to acquire it or perhaps even steal it thereby acquiring demerits,
but on the other hand if we contemplate to offer it, say to a temple, we gain
merit. The former thought of ill will would result in arising of a relink
consciousness at a lower realm but the latter meritorious thought, at a higher
realm.
The papaya
tree grown in an infertile soil is inferior compared to a tree grown in a
fertile ground. Similarly, a being born in a lower realm lacks intelligence
compared to that of a being born in a higher realm. The prime advantage that the
latter has is that he is capable of realising the truth and following the Noble
path to overcome ignorance by seeing things as they really are, unlike the
former.
With
necessary guidance and direction from a friend in dhamma (Kalyana Mitta) and
with mindfulness aided by morality and virtue, one can maintain the
unrestricted mind and hence be free from defilements. The one without such
direction will follow the stream, however, as the rest of the world does; see
sawing between greed and ill will. This is a decisive point and can be compared
to arriving at a T junction where it is our choice to decide which way to
turn.
The Buddha
taught us how to live without adding value and the one who follows his dhamma,
taking necessary care in maintaining the ‘Unrestricted mind’, will not have
valuables to lose or loved ones to die but will experience pure bliss and joy
of detachment (Niramisa Preethi), while continuing to fulfill his or her duties
to the family and the society.
