Can We Let Go?

In his first sermon the Buddha revealed to the world about suffering (Dukkha) as the first of the Four Noble Truths & identified craving (Tanha) as the cause for suffering, the second Noble Truth. He further preached that suffering ceases when craving ends which is the Third Noble Truth. These three Truths are considered as phenomena which take place naturally. On that account, when the Tathagata declared the path to end suffering as the Fourth Noble Truth, he did not preach to simply end craving to achieve cessation of suffering but declared a path as a truth by itself. The Noble Eight Fold Path helps the practitioner to discard craving and cease suffering.

Any direct effort to restrain craving is considered as an attempt through ‘self’ which is contrary to Buddhist teachings and thus it is expected to take place spontaneously when necessary conditions are fulfilled. In this context the widely accepted idioms, linked to Buddhist teachings in some instances, such as ‘let go’ or ‘detach’ to achieve emancipation (by ceasing suffering) are not plausible as an intervention of a doer becomes apparent. Spontaneous release on the other hand does not involve a doer and is considered to be a natural occurrence which corresponds to the arising of suffering, its cause & its cessation.  

The teachings elucidate that the Right View provides insight to suffering enabling one to abandon craving & accomplish cessation, as one peruses the Noble Eightfold Path. The path involves practice at two levels, firstly, the preliminary practice (purvabhaga prathipada) which focuses on fostering the path and removing hindrances. When the hindrances fade away the practitioner moves to the next level gaining the Right View at supermundane state where he or she sees things as they really are, with ultimate concentration (Anantharika Samadhi).

Complete eradication of fermentations (Asrava) is only achieved in this latter state of meditation by removal of latent tendencies (Anusaya), and hence is beyond the comprehension of a worldly being. Within the world where one associates things of pleasure such as gold, silver, car, house etc. and attachments, such as farther, mother, son daughter etc., craving prevails.

However, it isn’t, by any means, a call to simply discard relationships & to neglect parents or children without due care. The principle has to be understood within the context, i.e. a state beyond the world (lokottara) where one embraces abundance of compassion, loving kindness, care & equilibrium, a Noble state that exceeds humanity. It advocates release from restricted bondages, moving beyond selfishness.

The preliminary practice aims to gain penetrative insight to see the body as a name-matter form rather than a ‘person’. The composition of the body is further analysed as a thing formed by the Four Great Elements and that there is no difference between the body and those formed by the Four Great Elements found externally. For instance, the property of hardness (patavi) in the body is noted as same as the hardness found in external objects. The only distinction is that the body, which is internal & formed of the Four Great Elements, associates the mind. The body is a manifestation of the mind while the two are interdependent. Nutriments for the body are edible foods while the mind is a product of ignorance, kamma & craving. Another technique is to observe the body as a composition of 32 parts, i.e. hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh & bones etc.

In order to develop the penetrative vision and to see as discussed above, the practitioner needs to calm the mind. A tranquility meditation technique such as mindfulness of breathing (Anapana Sathi) is beneficial in this regard. Continence of the speech and action is considered contributory and thus morality is a necessity.

The disciple should meditate until he or she reaches the final goal of abandoning the notion of an existence of an entity, a sentient or person, but just a body. The Name Matter formation should be clearly identified and moreover, that it is a phenomenon which is subject to causality. "One has to make an effort only up to this state until the hindrances are removed and leave the rest to take its own course, naturally", says Venerable Sudassana.

The mind that is free from hindrances will begin to experience pleasantness that will culminate to a state of joy or rapture & happiness followed by relaxation & tranquility that develops ultimate concentration. Such concentration unveils the reality of the phenomena with development of the Right View at the super mundane state, where one begins to see things as they are, gaining insights to the visible form. At this point the disciple realises that the visible form is a mere image created by the eye and not what exists externally (applies to other forms, e.g. audible, as well). Such realisation results in disgruntlement making the person to ‘let go’ of all ‘attachments’ enabling he or she to reach ultimate liberation.