and we are just happy, happy, happy. So happy, we joke all the time, we
make others laugh, we go out of our way to show happiness in all situations.
We may be truly happy and gleeful or we might be covering up the sadness.
But this is a temporary emotion as well. Happiness will end some day and,
thus, we cycle back and forth between happiness and sadness. We are
gleeful and then we are not - never finding that middle ground, so to speak,
or contentedness.
Oftentimes, we are encouraged by self-help books, life coaches, friends,
family, and all kinds of input into our senses to be happy, just be happy. I
want to be happy. Why can’t I just be happy?
Well, the goal is not to be happy. The goal is to be peaceful, calm, serene,
and content with joy or to be “satisfied with what is”, “satisfied the way
things are”. That is the true goal and that is “Walking The Middle Way”.
We can’t be happy (pleasant feelings) all the time, because we know that is a
temporary emotion subject to impermanence, and we for sure are not
interested to be sad (painful feelings) all the time. The third option would be
boredom or loneliness (feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant) which is
also impermanent, therefore, the best option is to create a life where we
“Walk The Middle Way”.
The mind can reside in the middle peaceful, calm, serene, and content
with joy. This is Enlightenment, it is permanent because to attain
Enlightenment you need to obtain wisdom through these Teachings
which liberates the mind.
Once you learn something, you do not “unlearn” it, thus, Enlightenment is a
permanent state of mind. The mind can reside peaceful, calm, serene, and
content with joy permanently unaffected by the impermanent nature of all
“things”.
As we pursue Enlightenment, that does not mean we can’t laugh, we can’t
cry if we need to, we can still experience these other emotions on all sides of
the spectrum. It simply means that when we feel those emotions, we need to
recognize them as being impermanent and train the mind to come back to
the middle where it can reside peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy.
Do not try to maintain these impermanent emotions of happiness, sadness,
or loneliness, but rather actively apply effort to bring the mind back to the
middle with meditation, reading, activities that are grounding, outdoor
activities, gardening, massage treatments, whatever we need to help bring
the mind back to the middle and a wholesome state. Over time, you will be
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able to maintain the “middle way” through your “life practice” which includes
meditation.
Apply The Seven Factors of Enlightenment from the Chapter titled
“Enlightenment: What is Enlightenment?” (Chapter 3) to move the mind into
the middle along with all The Teachings as part of The Eight Fold Path.
Often, the first thing people tell you when you are sad is “snap out of it, go
outside, do something”. What they are really saying is “change your state of
mind”. Put the mind in a different environment so that it can experience a
new emotion and cultivate the healthy vibes of something else. By focusing
on something that will bring the mind back to the middle, the mind will go
there. Maybe not right away, but with training and experience you will find
this becomes easier and easier until eventually the mind will be peaceful,
calm, serene, and content with joy 100% of the time with an unshakable
inner peace.
Moving the mind to the middle is an application of Right Effort, taking the
effort to eliminate the unwholesome qualities and arise the wholesome
qualities. So, as you observe the mind is discontent, eliminate that from the
mind by cutting off those thoughts and letting them go. Take the effort to
move the mind in the direction of the middle way where the mind can be
peaceful and calm.
The same Teaching of The Middle Way can be applied not only to happiness
and sadness but also to money, possessions, relationships, trust, love,
compassion, excitement, etc. We must always walk the Middle Way,
because if we have craving, desire, or attachments, we will cause
discontentedness for the mind.
Finding the Middle Way and staying there is a “practice” in your LIFE
PRACTICE!!!
It is possible to love and have love for others without being attached or
clinging to them. We must allow all beings to follow their path without being
affected by our own attachments or aversions. If we try to block people from
pursuing their goals, try to get them to stick close to us, or persuade them to
follow what “we want” rather than what “they need”, then it is difficult for
those close to us to find and follow their own path. Likewise, if we have
aversion and keep ourselves or others “away” from certain aspects of our
life, we potentially lose the opportunity to gain insight or wisdom from a
given situation.
One aspect of a meditation practice is to develop the ability to see the
emotions, thoughts, and feelings that aren’t in the middle, then, you can use
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techniques to bring the mind back to the middle. Breathing Mindfulness
Meditation in the positions of seated, lying, or standing along with walking
meditation are perfect for finding the middle way and staying there while also
training the mind not to cling or attach. Then, apply effort to consistently
maintain the middle way throughout your day. Whenever you noticed the
mind is not in the middle, take active steps to move the mind back to the
middle by cutting off unwholesome feelings and let them go. This becomes
easier as a Practitioner accumulates the benefits of a well developed
Breathing Mindfulness Meditation practice.
Eventually, the mind will be trained to always stay in the middle and you will
not need to apply this effort. But, as long as the mind is longing with a strong
eagerness and pulling in the direction of its cravings/desires/attachments,
you will need to apply effort to cut those off and let them go. The mind will
eventually get tired of this repeated cutting off and will choose to stay in the
middle. It is just going to take time, effort, and dedication to develop your life
practice.
You will need to study Gotama Buddha’s Teachings and practice them
diligently before everything will click, and each day all The Teachings and
practices will lead you further on The Path to Enlightenment as the mind
becomes more trained. It is peaceful when you can experience life without
discontentedness or even the slightest suffering of the mind.
Why wait to the end of your life to know what will happen, when you can
experience Enlightenment during this life and enjoy it for the rest of your life.
You can study the practices shared with us by Gotama Buddha, practice
those daily, and experience Enlightenment.
Getting to Enlightenment is not meditating and hoping you will get there one
day. Breathing Mindfulness Meditation is a tool to train the mind to not cling
or attach and bring it to the present moment but takes practice. Breathing
Mindfulness Meditation will help you train the mind to eliminate the mind’s
“wanting”, “craving”, and “clinging” so that you can eliminate the mind’s
tendency to form attachments - a mental longing for something with a strong
eagerness. This is how the mind pulls in the direction of the objects of its
affection and, thus, the mind is not in the middle.
You have to pursue your own Enlightenment through a daily practice of
learning and implementing The Teachings into your life. By doing this, you
will start to see the results of the difficulties in your life slowly start to
disappear - life changes for you. You gain a higher level of consciousness
that equips you with new tools to handle life and respond to the situations
around you.
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As you seek Enlightenment, life problems are not going to instantly vanish -
the way we usually picture heaven. Nope, you are still on earth in a world full
of discontentedness and the suffering it causes. But when you have attained
Enlightenment, you have a new mind through having acquired new wisdom
to deal with the impermanent nature of existence and you will not allow
impermanence to affect the mind. You will no longer be affected by pleasant
feelings, painful feelings, or feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant.
Once you step forward into the light, there is no going back into the
darkness. The mind will be liberated with the wisdom you acquire in your
practice.
Unfortunately, many of us make ourselves way too busy with regular life that
we do not take the time to study The Teachings and implement them into our
practice or daily life. The mind becomes complacent and struggles through
life just accepting the difficulties of experiencing repeated discontentedness
rather than take action to eliminate it from the mind. Those who do
implement these Teachings can tell you, they are experiencing the results as
the mind moves closer to being peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy.
Anyone that has dedicated time to learn and implement Gotama Buddha’s
Teachings will tell you without a doubt their life has improved greatly from the
time prior to learning and implementing his Teachings.
Now, you can apply this Teaching of the middle way to your life and life
situations. As you need guidance, you are welcome to reach out to seek
guidance to more deeply understand and apply these Teachings into your
life.
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Adjusted to a Balanced Pitch
Tell me, Soņa, in the past, when you lived at home, weren't you skilled at the lute (a
stringed instrument)?
‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’
What do you think, Soņa? When its strings were too tight, was your lute well tuned and
easy to play?
‘No, Venerable Sir.’
When its strings were too loose, was your lute well tuned and easy to play?
‘No, Venerable Sir.’
But, Soņa, when its strings were neither too tight nor too loose but adjusted to a
balanced pitch, was your lute well tuned and easy to play?
‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’
So too, Soņa, if energy is aroused too forcefully this leads to restlessness, and if energy
is too soft this leads to complacency.
Therefore, Soņa, be determined on a balance of energy, spiritual faculties, and take up
achieving evenness of the object there.
‘Yes, Venerable Sir,’ the Venerable Soņa replied.
(Gotama Buddha)
(Reference: AN 6.55)
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Walking The Middle Way - Two Extremes That Should Not Be Followed
Monks, these two extremes should not be followed by one who has gone forth into
homelessness.
What two?
The pursuit of sensual happiness in sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, the way of
worldlings, not honorable, unbeneficial; and
The pursuit of self-mortification, which is painful, not honorable, unbeneficial.
Without veering towards either of these extremes, The Tathāgata has awakened to the
middle way, which gives rise to vision, which gives rise to wisdom, which leads to
peace, to direct knowledge (experience), to Enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
And what, Monks, is that middle way awakened to by The Tathāgata, which gives rise
to vision, which leads to Nibbāna (Enlightenment)?
It is this Noble Eight Fold Path; that is, Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right
Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.
(Gotama Buddha)
(Reference: SN 56.11)
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Walking The Middle Way - Two Extremes That Should Not Be Followed
(continued)
Author’s Thoughts: This Teaching from Gotama Buddha helps a Practitioner
understand that seeking pleasant feelings or “sensual happiness” in “sensual
pleasures” will not lead to Enlightenment. In fact, training the mind to not seek inner
fulfillment in sensual pleasures is a major aspect of The Path to Enlightenment.
This does not mean that a Practitioner is unable to enjoy the many aspects of life, but it
is when the mind mistakenly believes that it is sensual pleasures that will create lasting
inner fulfillment that the mind causes itself to be discontent because it is then basing its
inner feelings on impermanent conditions.
And, if the mind mistakenly believes that “self-mortification” or depriving the senses
through harsh practices is what will produce the Enlightened mind, then it is
misunderstanding and not practicing “The Middle Way”.
Gotama Buddha awakened to Enlightenment where the mind is peaceful, calm, serene,
and content with joy through “the middle way”. His mind functioned in the same way as
yours and through understanding the middle way, a Practitioner can experience
Enlightenment just like Gotama Buddha.
If sensual desires for pleasure nor self-mortification is the middle way, then what is “the
middle way”?
Gotama Buddha makes clear in countless Teachings, including this one, that it is The
Eight Fold Path that leads to the complete elimination of all discontentedness and here
he refers to it as “the middle way”.
Through learning, reflecting, and practicing The Eight Fold Path, a Practitioner trains the
mind to reside in the middle being perfectly tuned to not chase after the objects of its
affection through sensual desire, but also needs to train the mind to not inflict physical
pain through depravation of the senses. It is only when a Practitioner finds the middle
and trains the mind to stay there that they will experience permanent focus,
concentration, deep memory, and clarity of thought as the mind performs as it was
intended to function. The Enlightened mind will be trained to reside in the middle
permanently.
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Chapter 7
The Five Precepts:
A Householder’s Guide to Daily Practice
Gotama Buddha gave us guidance to conduct life without harm to other
beings or ourselves. In his Teaching titled “The Five Precepts”, he provides
some basic guidance that when learned and practiced, will significantly
reduce the harm you are causing in the world.
These are not commandments nor rules to follow, rather how to ensure you
are not causing harm to others or yourself. By causing harm to others, we
cause harm to ourselves by The Natural Law of Kamma. Through practice of
these precepts, you will drastically eliminate unwholesome Kamma
production and, thus, experience a more peaceful and content existence.
(More on “Kamma” in a later Chapter.)
It is The Eight Fold Path that completely and fully extinguishes all
unwholesome Kamma through the production of only wholesome Kamma,
but here in The Five Precepts, we gain more insight into Right Speech and
Right Action to further help us understand The Eight Fold Path. Through
making wholesome choices in our life, we will experience wholesome
outcomes. Through making unwholesome choices in our life, we will
experience unwholesome outcomes. It is always our choice of whether we
choose to make decisions based on wholesome or unwholesome teachings
and then we experience the results according to our choices.
Gotama Buddha’s Teachings are not to control an individual nor dictate what
they should or should not do. But instead, provide guidance that when
practiced, will lead to Enlightenment, liberation of the mind, a peaceful and
content mind and, thus, a peaceful and content life. Everything in this
practice is attained through personal free will choices.
The Five Precepts will not be a surprise for you as they are all things you
have been taught your entire life. The Five Precepts are required as a
minimum for realizing the benefits of Enlightenment. You can gradually train
the mind towards practicing these Teachings more closely each day rather
than feel that you need to make multiple drastic changes at one time. If you
have in the past practiced these precepts or are currently doing any of these
now, good. If not, you can change or slowly modify your conduct to still seek
Enlightenment.
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1.) Abandoning the taking of life, refraining from taking life, without stick
or sword, diligent, compassionate, trembling for the welfare of all living
beings.
This is often translated in other writings as, “Do not kill or No killing or
intentional taking of life”. As you can see here in this direct translation, we
get much more details directly from Gotama Buddha himself. The final
conclusion is, do not intentionally kill another being, human or animal. We
should have compassion for all living beings.
There are three components that are needed to create a living being. An egg,
sperm, and a consciousness (i.e. a mind). If these things are present, there is
a living being.
Plants do not have a mind. While we may consider them as being “alive”, in
some respects, they are not living beings. Bacteria are not a living being
because they do not originate from an egg, sperm, nor have a
consciousness. (This book series will share The Five Aggregates to help you
understand what makes “a being, a being” based on this important
Teaching.)
Euthanasia of a human or animal, termination of pregnancy, suicide, assisted
suicide, capital punishment, attacking in war or any government sponsored
killing, are all the intentional killing of another being. A person who is seeking
Enlightenment or has attained Enlightenment, would not participate in
intentions, speech, nor actions of these events. If you have conducted these
actions in the past, that does not preclude you from pursuing and attaining
Enlightenment. Putting the past behind us is important. Focus on the present
moment to eliminate these actions.
Not being able to afford medical care to extend the life of a being, that if care
is not administered would die, is not an intentional killing of that being. This
is death that occurs by Kamma in that medical care could not be provided to
extend the life of a dying being. There was no intentional action to kill the
being and if the resources were available, the life of the being would have
been saved. The being was not intentionally killed but instead died due to
lack of resources. In a perfect world, the resources would have been
available and the being would be saved.
If insects land on you, blow them off or take them off with a flick or swipe of
the hand. If you unintentionally kill an insect or another being, you did not
cause the intentional death of that being. This instead would be an
accidental killing and not the result of a deliberate intention and action to kill
the being.
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This precept is helping a Practitioner to cultivate loving-kindness and
compassion in the mind to eliminate any anger, hatred, or ill will. If the mind
is making decisions through anger, hatred, or ill will, those unwholesome
qualities are going to produce unwholesome decisions resulting in
unwholesome outcomes.
Notice this precept is not, “preserve all life at all costs”. That is not possible.
So, what a Practitioner is doing through learning and practicing this precept
is training the mind to live compassionately with concern for the welfare of all
living beings.
Suicide
Craving is the fuel that causes rebirth. Craving or desire to end one’s life is a
“craving for the extermination of life”. Suicide will not resolve a person’s
discontent mind as they will be reborn into a new existence with
discontentedness and suffering continuing in The Cycle of Rebirth. They will
most likely not be reborn back into the human realm and require many
rebirths in other realms of existence to potentially once again obtain the
human state, for a new chance to attain Enlightenment.
It is possible to attain Enlightenment during this life or at the time of natural
death, if one has eliminated craving which includes extinguishing 100% of
their unwholesome Kamma. If a person experiences 100% of their
unwholesome Kamma in this human existence (to experience natural death
without craving for the extermination of life), they have the ability to attain
Enlightenment at death and escape The Cycle of Rebirth. If a person has
craving to exterminate their life, they have not extinguished craving 100%
and will be reborn. A person who works towards extinguishing all craving
and experiences 100% of their unwholesome Kamma, will not be reborn to
experience life in a new existence.
Avoiding natural death is a craving for the extermination of life and will
continue the suffering of a person for countless more rebirths.
Obtaining the human state is extremely rare and should not be wasted. A
being who has a desire to end their life should learn and practice these
Teachings while in this current human form to attain Enlightenment which
would eliminate the desire to end one’s life through wholesome practices
that train the mind. Suicidal thoughts can be eliminated through learning and
practicing these Teachings. Enlightenment is the only permanent solution to
end all discontentedness of the mind and the suffering it causes.
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Defense and Protection
There may come a time in life where you need to defend the body from an
attacker. Should you find the body in this situation, it is understandable if the
decision is to defend against bodily harm in that immediate moment to
protect the body or the safety of those around you.
However, keep in mind that there are many choices and decisions that can
be made each day to ensure we do not find ourselves in a situation where
the body is attacked. Having a well developed mind and purity of mind is
your first line of defense and protects the body from negative events and
experiences (i.e. unwholesome Kamma).
If the body is being attacked due to your speech or actions, that is Kamma
and due to your speech and actions, another person has chosen to attack
the body. To avoid this, practice The Eight Fold Path as your “life practice” to
extinguish all unwholesome Kamma production.
If you find yourself in an unprovoked attack and you can get away to avoid
the situation, you should. A person with no ego would have no interest to
stand and fight for the sake of fighting, but instead, would prioritize safety of
the physical body to continue life over protection of the ego. However,
removing the body from the situation is not always possible. If you need to
defend the body in that immediate moment to be safe, you can.
If there is a way for you to defend against bodily harm without killing the
attacker, that would be best but not always possible. Defend the body with
as little harm to another being as possible while ensuring the body is safe
and protected. Do not prolong the defense and only apply as much force as
required to provide for your immediate safety and the safety of those around
you.
Consuming Animal Products - Vegan
Gotama Buddha was supposedly asked about whether it is important for the
Ordained Practitioners to be vegan during his lifetime. It is rumored that his
reply was in the line of, the intentional killing or action of killing of an animal
is done by another being and that person is producing the unwholesome
Kamma. Gotama Buddha explained how as an Ascetic, they must accept
whatever is given to them and not show a preference.
Gotama Buddha did include in his Eight Fold Path the “wrong livelihoods” of
“business in living beings and business in meat” so he understood the
massive amount of unwholesome Kamma produced through these activities,
which we are currently seeing the results of today. He encouraged us not to
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participate in these livelihoods as a way to sustain our life and if everyone
practiced these Teachings, there would be no meat to eat.
You can also see in his very First Precept his Teachings are that we should
practice “Abandoning the taking of life, refraining from taking life, without
stick or sword, diligent, compassionate, trembling for the welfare of all living
beings.”. Gotama Buddha taught that no one should kill a living being as this
produces unwholesome Kamma. Any harm caused will be returned to us
through The Natural Law of Kamma.
There are no contradictions in Gotama Buddha’s Teachings. Based on his
central Teachings and guidance, we should practice Right Livelihood by not
having business in living beings and business in meats. One should practice
The First Precept of not killing living beings, living compassionately, and
concerned for their welfare.
A Practitioner should also practice The Second Precept of not stealing as
taking a life for consumption of meat or use of animal products is stealing.
The being did not give permission for use of its flesh or other parts of its
body. So, to take what is not given would be harmful to that being and, thus,
harmful to you.
Gotama Buddha taught to have loving-kindness and compassion for all
beings. How could one practice loving-kindness and compassion for all
beings while eating another being?
We can understand that the rumor shared in some Buddhist communities
that eating meat does not cause any unwholesome Kamma “is untrue”, and
it can be considered “just a rumor”. Gotama Buddha understood the effects
of killing living beings and the harm it would cause for those living beings
and, thus, that harm would be returned to us as we are witnessing today.
Someone that is practicing these Teachings and may be interested to
practice them very closely, will choose to be a vegetarian or vegan to
progress towards Enlightenment. Being vegan will provide the mind more
clarity as the body will be free of the harmful drugs, hormones, toxins, and
emotions of the animal found in the flesh of an animal and animal by-
products. There is unwholesome Kamma associated with eating animal
products and that is returned to you through the unwholesome animal
products which is loaded with drugs, toxins, and emotions of fear the animal
experienced at the time of death.
There is enormously more unwholesome Kamma associated with eating
animal flesh now than during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha due to the toxic
substances found in animal flesh that is ingested by you if you choose to eat
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animal products. Additionally, to produce animal products like eggs, milk,
cheese, leather, etc., it creates an environment where massive numbers of
animals suffer to provide humans these products. Animals are being trapped
in the animal realm. These beings cannot be reborn to take human form for
the opportunity to attain Enlightenment as long as humans are attached to
producing animals and animal products for their use and consumption.
Animal products are not required to sustain human life. Proteins and other
important nutritional value humans obtain from eating animal products can
be ingested through plant-based products. Viewing food as merely a
substance that is needed to sustain the body can help to eliminate the
attachment to wanting to taste flavors of certain foods. Instead view food as
just a requirement to sustain life rather than something that you “want" to
please the tongue through certain flavors although there are plenty of foods
you can enjoy that are plant-based foods. What we ingest into the body is to
nourish and sustain “the body”, not to please “the mind”.
Eliminating the attachment to the “sensual pleasure” of the tongue can help
you gradually eliminate the craving/desire/attachment to animal products.
By not eating animal products, you can find joy in knowing that your eating
habits are not causing harm to another being and you will benefit from the
healthy effects of a plant-based food supply. A Practitioner may need to
investigate using a B12 supplement as part of moving to a plant-based food
supply. There are only a limited number of plants that have B12 and this
vitamin is needed by the human body.
The important Teaching here is do not intentionally kill another being while
having compassion for all living beings. If we are eating animal flesh and/or
using animal products, how could we have compassion for all living beings?
Gotama Buddha, as an Ascetic, could not choose his food. As
Householders, we can choose our food and choose what we offer to
Ascetics. Choosing a vegan lifestyle is a choice to do no harm to other
beings.
If you have compassion for “all living beings”, as explained in this precept,
you will not have a desire to consume or use animal products as your
personal choice. One aspect of progressing to Enlightenment is to develop
loving-kindness and compassion for all living beings. How could a
Practitioner have loving-kindness and compassion for all living beings if they
are eating a living being?
As with all these Teachings, you can gradually train the mind to move in this
direction.
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All beings that exist today have experienced countless rebirths in multiple
forms including countless animal rebirths. Gotama Buddha explained that it
would be difficult to find a being in existence that has not previously been
our mother, father, sister, brother, or some other relative in a past existence.
Eating animal products that promotes the killing of animals can be
considered as killing your relatives and ingesting their flesh. We should have
loving-kindness and compassion for all beings.
Today, many people who practice these Teachings closely are vegetarian or
vegan. You can understand through “Kamma” that the massive production of
animal products around the world has created massive amounts of
unwholesome Kamma for the world through an unwholesome environment.
Just like accepting a possession that was stolen by another person could
cause you harm, accepting animal flesh that has been killed by another
person will still cause you harm. The fact that another person has killed the
living being does not protect you or the environment from the harmful effects
of producing and ingesting the animal products.
Producing animal products has left the environment around us in drastically
poor health. Consuming animal products on an individual level is causing
cancers and other bodily illnesses to humans. Through the growing,
preparing, packaging, transportation, and selling of animal products, there is
a massive amount of harm being done to the planet’s environment.
It is well understood that in order to bring our world’s environment into a
more healthy existence, humans will need to transition to plant-based foods.
As a result of not killing or causing the suffering to a tremendous amount of
animals, we generate wholesome Kamma. Our planet is more healthy and
our individual body and mind is more healthy.
By consuming animal products, it does cause harm to animals, to our
environment, and to ourselves individually. That harm will be returned to us
through an unhealthy planet and effects on our individual health. It is best to
not consume animal products as this will ensure a healthy body, a healthy
mind, and a healthy planet. You will notice the body and the mind function
better when you only consume plant-based foods.
In addition to eliminating the action of killing another being, this precept also
relates to the cultivation of deep compassion for all beings. Your practice of
not consuming animal products will bring you into more harmony with all
beings and a healthy planet, while eliminating the unwholesome Kamma that
affects the planet and you individually.
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Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)
With the modern advances in medical treatments with the ability to prolong
or extend one’s life, it is common for people to make a conscious decision to
put in place a “Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)” prior to natural death.
A DNR is a document that a person signs to ensure that if they die, they are
not brought back to life through modern medical advances. A DNR is not an
active intentional killing.
A DNR means, the human being is already dead and they are not interested
in going to extreme measures to bring them back to life.
They are perfectly content with dying and have chosen to do so naturally,
without artificial ways of bringing them back to life.
A DNR is not euthanasia. These are two different things.
A DNR is choosing not to be brought back to life after one has already died.
Euthanasia is an active decision to take a life, that is killing.
2.) Abandoning the taking of what is not given, living purely, accepting
what is given, awaiting what is given, without stealing.
This precept is exactly what you think it is and have, potentially, been taught
your entire life. Do not steal or take what does not belong to you. This would
cause harm to others and is morally not the proper way to conduct a
wholesome life. Stealing will cause harm to others which will cause harm to
us and means there is still craving and desire.
Accepting What is Given
In a society of people who practice generosity, oftentimes people will make
generous offerings of food, supplies, money, or gifts. “Accepting what is
given” is to accept all offerings without expectation or judgment. By
accepting an offering made by others, we are not blocking the wholesome
intentions of another being while being open to allow all people to practice
generosity.
If an offering is made, one should accept the offering graciously without
expectation or judgment of the offering or the person making the offering.
If we reject an offering made by another person, we are shutting down their
opportunity to practice generosity. This will harm their wholesome practice of
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generosity and harm your relationship with that person. If you block
someone from making an offering to you by not accepting what they offer,
there is a good chance they will experience painful feelings associating that
with you, rather than their own craving/desire/attachment, and then choose
to no longer make you offerings or perhaps distance themselves from you
entirely by ending the relationship.
If someone offers you something that you know you will not use, it is fine to
accept the offering and then at some point, through practicing generosity,
give this item to someone else. Eventually, the item will find a home with
someone who can use the item. In the meantime, the item has gone through
multiple hands of individuals who benefited from practicing generosity and
ultimately ended up with someone who could truly use the item. Rather than
the item going to waste in your possession as the mind just “holds on”
thinking that you cannot “let go” of this item through giving it to someone
else, giving the item to someone else means that it can be put to good use
and used for beneficial purposes.
There is no harm in giving away items that have been given to you. The
person who gave you the gift should have done so out of the kindness of
their heart without any expectations of what you will or will not do with the
gift.
A practice of generosity should come without any expectations of what the
receiver of the gift will or will not do with the item. If the person who gave the
gift is hurt by you giving it to someone else, this was caused by their mind’s
own expectations. They caused their own discontentedness through having
expectations of what you should or should not do with the gift. That means
they did not give the gift without expectations and caused their own
discontentedness due to not practicing pure generosity as found in these
Teachings.
Awaiting What Is Given
We should also not ask for possessions, gifts, or wealth from others. Gotama
Buddha shares with us in this Precept “awaiting what is given”. In this way,
he is providing guidance that helps us to eliminate craving and desire which
is the cause of all discontentedness.
Having craving and desire to obtain more and more possessions, gifts, or
wealth, etc., will have a direct effect on your own mind by causing it
discontentedness, and will affect others by placing obligations and
expectations of delivery of the requested items. If those items cannot be
provided, it can cause stress in the relationship and a discontent mind for
anyone involved. The request for possessions, gifts, or wealth can create
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expectations. Expectations are a form of attachment which will lead to a
discontent mind.
If we ask another being for help, it should not be because we “want”
something but because we “need” help. We should not place undue
obligations and burdens on another person.
3.) Abandoning un-chastity. Abandoning sexual relations with women
[men] who are protected by their mother, father, mother and father,
brother, sister, or relatives; who are protected by their Teachings; who
have a husband [wife or partner]; whose violation entails a penalty; or
even with one who has been garlanded by a man [woman or partner] as
a sign of engagement.
This is often translated in other writings as “no sexual misconduct”. As you
can see here, the sexual conduct that is suggested to abstain from involves
sexual actions that would cause harm to other beings.
• Sex with minors.
• Sex without consent.
• Sex with multiple partners (i.e. un-chastity).
• Sex while living in the home of relatives and while still being guided in
life by relatives. (If relatives have accepted a committed relationship
and allow you to co-habitat in their home, they have accepted the
committed relationship and understand sexual contact is part of your
relationship.)
• Sex with someone who has previously decided to remain celibate.
• Sex with people who are already committed in other relationships.
• Sex outside any relationships you are committed to and pledged to be
faithful.
Based on other Teachings of Gotama Buddha, this would also be included
as harmful sexual conduct.
• Sex with people that are human trafficked.
Un-chastity would be to have constant and continuous casual sexual
relationships without an interest or goal for a committed and loyal
relationship.
Chastity would be to have a loyal and committed relationship where the goal,
objective, or interest is a long term relationship while having sexual
intercourse as part of the relationship.
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Marriage is not a requirement for sexual intercourse but, through practicing
as described in this precept, it will ensure one does not cause harm through
their sexual contact and thus, does not experience harm due to their sexual
contact.
Sexual intercourse is not wrong or immoral. It should be conducted in a way
that does not cause harm to yourself nor others. You can enjoy sexual
contact and attain the first two Stages of Enlightenment. This would require
you to participate in sexual contact without extensive craving/desire/
attachment, having sexual contact in a committed relationship.
To attain the highest two Stages of Enlightenment, you will need to eliminate
sexual contact which is a “sensual desire”. To achieve this objective, you
would need training of the mind to reduce and then eliminate the craving for
sexual contact or this “sensual desire”.
If you have or do not have sexual activity, can the mind still maintain
contentedness? You should not be attached to sexual activity but rather
enjoy it as needed until you have made a decision to gradually reduce or
eliminate your craving for sexual contact to attain the two highest stages of
Enlightenment.
If you are attached to sexual contact, there will be extensive craving and
desire that leads to potential harmful actions and results including
discontentedness. If attachment to sexual contact exists, the mind will be
discontent if you do not have sexual contact. A mind that is pursuing
Enlightenment can enjoy sexual contact or not, and still be content. And at
some point, make the effort to reduce or eliminate sexual contact, if you
choose to attain the two highest stages of Enlightenment.
When or if you choose to eliminate sexual contact and have a partner at that
time, it would be wise to discuss your decision with them so that you are
both in agreement to gradually eliminate sexual contact. You will need to
consider your partners’ thoughts and then ultimately come to a decision
based on what is in your best interest while choosing not to cause harm to
others.
It is important that you have responsible sexual contact. If there is a life
conceived as part of your sexual contact, you need to accept responsibility
for your role as a parent from conception, to birth, through complete natural
life. Termination of a pregnancy is killing another being and, thus,
unwholesome Kamma would be produced that affects you as a result of this
action. This is mentioned in the First Precept.
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Sexual conduct is particularly emotional and sensitive with the potential to
cause grave harm if not conducted with the purest of intentions.
If this is a precept you have not practiced closely in the past or present, it
does not mean you cannot attain Enlightenment. It means that you need to
bring your actions closer to practicing this precept so that you can continue
your walk towards Enlightenment.
Multiple Partners
Having multiple sexual partners at the same time is “un-chastity”, whether
known and approved by all parties or not, this would create unwholesome
Kamma resulting in the potential of sexually transmitted diseases and harm
to others. To have multiple partners, one will oftentimes need to lie causing
much stress and anxiety. Arguments, fights, financial ruin and even murder
have resulted from decisions to have multiple partners. These are the
unwholesome results of the unwholesome decision to have multiple
partners.
Even in situations where partners have agreed to allowing multiple partners
in a relationship, this produces distrust and lack of closeness where partners
are oftentimes experiencing internal conflicts affecting their ability to
maintain a trusting and loving relationship through practicing loyalty in a
relationship.
To reduce unwholesome results (i.e. unwholesome Kamma), humans will
need to have a long term committed relationship with only one (1) partner.
Human beings are most often reborn from the animal realm. Our craving/
desire to have multiple partners is a behavior that comes from our countless
animal existences and the ego. The Path to Enlightenment is a path to
becoming more and more human. Choosing to have trusting, loving, and
loyal relationships will produce the best results in this human existence and a
Practitioner may need to actively train their mind to develop their life practice
towards seeing this as beneficial to their life and peace of mind.
Paid Sexual Services
There is significant dilemma in having a “temporary sexual relationship” that
requires payment. There is unwholesome Kamma associated with “paid
sexual services” due to several aspects and nature of the temporary
relationship.
As Gotama Buddha explains, humans need to “abandon un-chastity”.
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Having several partners outside of an established, long term, committed
relationship for a sexual worker and/or a customer would result in significant
unwholesome Kamma. You should not pay for sexual services nor offer
sexual services for payment as there is unwholesome Kamma associated
with this temporary sexual relationship for the customer and sexual worker.
In a “temporary pay for service” sexual encounter, there is sexual contact
outside of an established, long term, committed relationship. Due to the
temporary nature of the encounter, the sexual worker and customer are not
in an established, long term, committed relationship. The sexual worker
could be a minor, human trafficked, and either party the sexual worker or
customer could have sexually transmitted diseases.
The sexually transmitted diseases, guilt, and shame are the unwholesome
Kamma production for both the customer and sexual worker - this is the
“effect”. The “cause” of the sexually transmitted diseases, guilt, or shame is
the un-chastity, having sexual contact outside of a committed relationship.
Prostitution promotes “un-chastity” and generates unwholesome Kamma for
the sexual worker and the customer which is observable in the effects
through The Natural Law of Kamma in the potential for sexually transmitted
diseases, shame, guilt, and loss of a wholesome reputation that can affect
personal and professional relationships.
Providing money to a partner in an established, long term, committed
relationship to sustain their life, is not a “temporary sexual relationship” and
is not considered paid sexual services. An established, long term, committed
relationship, is in an effort to develop a lasting loving relationship and the
money offered to this partner is a practice of generosity.
Humans should have sexual contact only in an established, long term,
committed relationship to ensure no harm, and thus no unwholesome
Kamma production through sexual contact.
Same Sex Partners
It is important to note that there is no Teaching that sex with the same
gender (same sex relationships) would preclude someone from pursing
Enlightenment. There are people that prefer same sex relationships who
have earned Enlightenment.
It is shared in The Pāli Canon that Gotama Buddha was well aware of people
born into a male body whose mind does not identify with masculine
qualities. He also discussed people born into a female body whose mind do
not identify with feminine qualities. Yet, he never taught sexual contact
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between people of the same gender would preclude one from pursuing and
attaining Enlightenment.
Our sexual identity is our own sexual identity and our own decision. What is
important is to ensure there is no harm in the conduct of our sexual
activity. Two loving consenting adults who are loyal and faithful to each other
that happen to be the same gender are causing no harm to others through
their relationship and personal choice for sexual contact. If you are not
causing harm with your sexual contact, there is no unwholesome Kamma
production. Therefore, as you learn and practice this precept to understand
Enlightenment, you will come to know that relationships of the same gender
cause no harm to others. People who would like to seek Enlightenment and
maintain a loving relationship with the same gender can do so while pursuing
Enlightenment.
Sexual activity is a pleasurable and natural part of life. It is not wrong and
does not need to be avoided. What needs to be avoided is unwholesome
sexual practices as described in this important precept that would cause
harm to other beings.
To attain Enlightenment as a Non-Returner or Arahant, one would need to
eliminate “sensual desire” which includes sexual contact.
Transgender
During Gotama Buddha’s lifetime, he shared with Students that he observed
people who are born into male bodies, when the mind does not identify with
masculine qualities. He mentioned that there are people who are born into
female bodies, who do not identify with feminine qualities.
But that is all he says.
He just makes the observation and shares what he observed with his
Students. He never says anything else about the topic.
If one understands The Cycle of Rebirth, in that we have all been countless
beings in the past of various species and various genders, it is completely
understandable that a body and mind coming together right now in this
human form do not necessarily match in gender.
Meaning, the body can be of one gender and the mind may identify with a
different gender. This is completely normal. It is a normal part of life.
Additionally, for one who understands The Universal Truth of Impermanence,
it is completely normal and understandable that not every single human born
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with male sexual organs is going to identify with masculine qualities, and not
every single human that is born with female sexual organs is going to identify
with feminine qualities.
This is completely normal and matches exactly with what Gotama Buddha
taught on the topic of The Universal Truth of Impermanence.
Gotama Buddha had nothing to teach on this subject other than make the
observation and share that observation because, it is completely normal.
There is no Teaching that anything is wrong or that one should have negative
feelings towards a human being whose mind does not identify with the
sexual organs of the physical body.
Gotama Buddha taught to love “all beings”, have compassion for “all
beings”, to be polite to “all beings”, to be kind to “all beings”, to be friendly
to “all beings”, and to be respectful to “all beings”.
There is no one or nothing that we should hate or have anger towards.
Those whose mind and body do not identify with the same gender, those
who prefer same gender relationships, those who prefer opposite gender
relationships, and those who prefer no life partner at all, are “all” the same.
Completely normal.
We are all “human beings” and the more we love and care for one another,
the world only gets better and better.
Masturbation
Masturbation is sometimes thought of as immoral. That is not true as one
who masturbates is not causing harm to other beings through the self
pleasing sensual pleasure. Gotama Buddha’s Teachings are about not
harming other beings, thus, masturbation has nothing to do with another
being and you are not causing harm with this conduct.
Masturbation is a practice that can be used to thin your sexual craving so
that you can ultimately eliminate the craving for sexual contact if you
choose. The highest stages of Enlightenment require “thinning” or
“eliminating” “sensual desire” which includes sexual contact with a partner.
Masturbation can be used to gradually train the mind to reduce or eliminate
the sensual desire of sexual contact with a partner.
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Excessive masturbation can be destructive to your own mind as the craving
for sensual desire will cause a discontent mind and one should work to
eliminate this craving as they progress closer to Enlightenment.
To attain the highest two stages of Enlightenment, masturbation would need
to be extinguished to eliminate the “fetter/taint/pollution” of “sensual desire”.
Sex with Animals
Animals and humans are not meant to closely interact and doing so creates
environments in which humans are able to be easily exposed to illnesses that
cause significant harm.
A sexual relationship is meant to be between two loyal consenting human
adults. If a human being were to choose to have sexual contact with an
animal, this would cause harm to the animal and thus, will cause harm to
humans. A Practitioner who chooses to practice these Teachings closely
would not choose to have sexual contact with any animals but only through
loving, loyal, and consenting adult relationships.
Pornography
Pornography did not exist during the lifetime of The Buddha. There was no
technology to capture pornographic images and to allow the mind to indulge
in viewing pornography at its own leisure.
Viewing pornography mostly harms one’s own mind and because of that, it
can also harm one’s relationships with a partner, friends, family, etc., along
with impacting one’s social interactions.
Some partners consider viewing pornography as “cheating” and they feel
one is being unfaithful, therefore, it can impact one’s relationship by
degrading of a partner’s trust and confidence in you and the relationship.
There are relationships that have been ended due to one’s indulgence in
viewing pornography.
If an individual is secretive in their actions, The Buddha discusses this as
being unwholesome. If we are conducting ourselves with good wholesome
moral conduct, there is no need to be secretive in our actions. So if we are
being secretive about certain things we do, such as pornography, we can
understand that this is unwholesome and the mind knows it and is why it’s
being secretive in its actions. Therefore, the mind becomes conflicted with
its choice of unwholesome moral conduct and oftentimes experiences the
painful feelings of guilt and shame associated with viewing pornography.
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This guilt and shame is discontentedness that is caused due to the mind’s
craving/desire/attachment to pornographic material.
Additionally, there can be challenges for an individual who is addicted to
pornography in that they will find it difficult to relate to others in wholesome
ways, becoming socially awkward with anxiety in social settings. When in the
presence of others, the mind can be obsessed with pornographic images
due to the addiction and they find that relating to others in wholesome ways,
through interactive conversations and finding a true “human connection”,
can oftentimes be difficult as the mind struggles to develop real life
connections.
Because the mind is so hooked (i.e. attached) to pornography and the
images viewed, the individual can find it difficult to experience meaningful
human interactions because they lack the human experience of intimacy
through human interactions but instead, have relegated themselves to
viewing of pornographic material. The intimacy the mind craves/desires is
being thwarted (i.e. prevented) because the mind gradually slips into its own
world of viewing pornography losing its ability to comfortably interact with a
partner who would be able to provide the intimacy that the mind craves/
desires.
Pornography is like a self sabotaging activity, in that, the mind truly craves/
desires intimacy but the more it drowns itself in pornography, it takes itself
away from and loses the ability to experience the closeness it craves with a
true real life partner.
Rather than directing one’s sexual energy towards pornography, if one
developed their life practice and channeled their desire for intimacy towards
a real partner, they could more readily satisfy the craving/desire for intimacy
rather than allowing the mind to dwell in a fantasy world that is never real or
fully satisfying.
Even in emerging from a pornography addiction, the mind can struggle
because the real life experiences with a partner seem to never live up to
those experienced in the fantasy world of pornography. Therefore, again, the
mind is self sabotaging in that the mind is dwelling in an unrealistic world
that cannot become real, and even when the mind moves towards true love
and intimacy with a partner, the mind can feel as if something is missing,
thus, the mind still craves/desires the pornography.
It’s like a downward spiral that can only be resolved through the elimination
of craving/desire/attachment to pornography such that, the mind can “let
go” of pornography seeing it as part of the problem, not the solution to its
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lack of intimacy. And, that continued viewing of pornography would only
further dilute the mind creating constant difficulties and struggles.
For all cravings/desires/attachments, there are skillful means to employ that
gradually eliminates the craving and moves the mind in a healthy direction.
But to be successful, the Practitioner needs to be dedicated to elimination of
pornography and be committed to training the mind to “let it go”. This is
typically accomplished over a gradual period of time as the mind will be
most comfortable to let go of craving/desire/attachment gradually. Working
directly with a professional or Buddhist Teacher who understands how to
accomplish the goal to eliminate a pornography addiction through skillful
means would be required so that the mind can move closer to Enlightenment
through the elimination of this craving/desire/attachment.
The mind oftentimes lacks self-discipline to eliminate this on its own and will
need to reach out for personal guidance to learn and actively practice
methods that are known to work to eliminate the obsession.
Allowing the mind to indulge in viewing pornography is based on craving/
desire/attachment. It is due to the mind’s craving/desire for pleasant feelings
through the eyes and often includes masturbation, craving/desiring for
pleasant feelings through the body.
The mind views the physical body of others as attractive and is looking for
gratification to please the senses and longs/yearns for pleasant feelings in
the mind.
It is the same issue that all unEnlightened minds experience in that the mind
continues to chase after pleasant feelings, seeking the objects of its
affection, wanting to cling to pleasant feelings.
Those pleasant feelings are temporary and when they fade away, the mind is
typically left with painful feelings of guilt, shame, boredom, loneliness, etc. It
is the same cycle the mind experiences with all cravings/desires/
attachments.
The mind thinks that it is the next new shining object around the corner that
is going to bring it permanent and lasting fulfillment, but the mind is never
satisfied and keeps chasing after the objects of its affection (i.e.
pornography) never being permanently satisfied because the mind keeps
craving, and craving, and craving until it is trained otherwise.
Just like all cravings/desires/attachments, a Practitioner will need to
gradually train the mind to eliminate the craving/desire for pornography
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through training the mind to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of mind
described as “sensual desire” in The Ten Fetters.
There are specialized meditations and specific training that is offered to help
the mind eliminate this craving/desire/attachment.
To attain Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to eliminate pornography
from their life practice. As long as this craving/desire/attachment exists in the
mind, a Practitioner will not experience liberation, peace, freedom from
strong feelings, Enlightenment.
The individual choosing to participate in pornography is harming themselves
through their own decision to participate in pornography.
To sustain one’s life on business in living beings is part of “wrong livelihood”
as described in Chapter 5 of this book and would oftentimes require multiple
sexual partners, thus, leading to harm.
A person who chooses to work in the pornographic industry will have
multiple consequences and effects (i.e. Kamma) as a result of their choice to
sustain their life through creating pornographic content. There is oftentimes
guilt and shame the individual experiences as a result of this work.
Additionally, there can be difficulties related to relationships and social
interactions as described in this section. There can be a degrading of one’s
reputation and even sexually transmitted diseases as a result of this “wrong
livelihood” and not practicing this Precept closely.
The choice for an individual to view the pornographic material is providing
the financial support and other means for this harm to occur but, that is not a
direct harm. If the individual did not choose to participate in the
pornographic industry, they would not receive the harm. So it is the
individual’s choice to participate in the pornographic industry that creates
the direct harm.
The harm caused by the customer/viewer is more of an indirect harm but
that would not occur for the other individual if they had not chosen to
participate in the pornography profession as their livelihood.
It is the individual’s choice to base their livelihood on pornography that is
causing them harm. And, it is the viewer’s choice to view pornography that is
causing them harm.
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4.) Abandoning false speech, refraining from false speech, a truth-
speaker, one to be relied on, trustworthy, dependable, not a deceiver of
the world.
This is often translated as “Do not lie”. That is correct and most of us have
been taught this our entire life. There is further and deeper meaning here in
this precept.
Through having false speech, one is not a truth-speaker, cannot be relied on,
is not trustworthy or dependable, and is a deceiver of the world.
Through practicing only speaking the truth, one is a truth-speaker, one to be
relied on, trustworthy, dependable, and well received in the world.
Not only is it wise to speak the truth, in terms of, not telling a deliberate lie
but also, it is important to verify the accuracy so that all you share through
communication is 100% true. Whether you are speaking, writing, or
otherwise communicating in any way, ensuring that you have independently
verified what you share with others will ensure the best possible outcomes
and the mind can be at ease knowing that what you share is accurate and
the truth. Propagating untruths, conspiracy theories, or otherwise unfounded
content will only create harm in the world, therefore, it will produce
unwholesome results for you. Where you can talk through your own direct
experience, this will ensure you are speaking the truth, not only by not telling
a deliberate lie, but also ensuring all that is communicated is accurate and
based in wisdom.
Through practicing this precept closely, one comes to develop a reputation
that they only speak the truth and can be looked to as a leader in their family,
career, and/or community leading to wholesome results in your personal and
professional life.
We should not gossip, slander, lie, or talk with deceit. While most countries
have freedom of speech laws, having false speech and the freedom to do it
under the law does not mean it is correct, proper, or wholesome. It can
cause harm to others if speech is untruthful and, therefore, will cause harm
to you. Just because you are following the law regarding speech, does not
mean you have a pure mind and will earn Enlightenment.
It is important to engage in wholesome and purposeful speech that does not
harm others. (See “Right Speech” as part of The Eight Fold Path for more
details on Speech.)
Gotama Buddha understood Kamma so well and the need to speak the
truth, he did not even lie as part of a joke as any lying will cause harm.
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I Will Not Utter a Falsehood Even as a Joke
Even so unwise and empty, Rahula, is the recluseship (life practice) of those who are
not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie.
So too, Rahula, when one is not ashamed to tell a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I say,
that one would not do. Therefore, Rahula, you should train thus:
“I will not utter a falsehood even as a joke.”
(Gotama Buddha)
(Reference: MN 61)
We can use this Teaching from Gotama Buddha to help us make wise
choices in our personal and professional relationships. If one is deliberately
lying, there is no evil that they would not do.
A significant aspect of learning and progressing on The Path to
Enlightenment is to have wholesome friends and associates. Through
developing wholesome relationships, a Practitioner will have a tendency to
practice wholesome qualities of mind. The converse can also be said that if
one chooses to surround themselves with unwholesome friends and
associates, a Practitioner will have a tendency to practice unwholesome
qualities of mind.
While not judging nor looking down upon others, you may consider that if
someone is lying in your relationship, this is an indication that there is no evil
that they would not do, and you will need to consider whether it is wise for
you to maintain a personal or professional relationship with this person.
5.) Refraining from strong drink and sloth-producing drugs (substances
that cause heedlessness), the basis for heedlessness.
This precept is often translated as “Do not take intoxicants”. The purpose of
pursuing Enlightenment is to clarify and purify the mind. If we take
substances with the “intention” to become “heedless”, this only complicates
the process towards Enlightenment as you will find it difficult to observe the
true mind and you will lack “Right Mindfulness” or awareness of mind.
Being heedless with alcohol, drugs, or other substances, either legal or
illegal, does not promote a mind that is on a path to become clean, clear,
and pure.
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The meaning of “heedlessness” is: careless, thoughtless, inattentive, un-
calm, unaware, or unmindful.
If one chooses to become heedless, they are more likely to not practice the
other four (4) precepts and all the other Teachings that are needed to
experience Enlightenment. This means that when one is heedless, they are
more likely to kill, steal, commit sexual misconduct, or have false speech
causing untold amounts of unwholesome Kamma.
Therefore, this precept is very important, and anyone interested to attain
Enlightenment should deeply consider whether substances that cause
heedlessness is helping or hurting them on the journey to a peaceful, calm,
serene, and content mind with joy.
Based on the negative effects these substances have on the body and the
mind, if you view them as “poison”, this can assist you in your training to
eliminate these substances. There is no wholesome purpose to ingest
substances that cause heedlessness; so “why do it”?
Gotama Buddha could not have envisioned all the various substances that
would be invented after his death. So, he used language that is timeless.
With the understanding that the goal is to purify the mind, developing
awareness of mind, and that substances that cause “heedlessness” would
detract from this goal, one could easily apply this precept 2,500 years ago,
now, or 10,000 years from now. These Teachings are timeless and when one
understands the true goal of the guidance of Gotama Buddha, they can
apply effort towards improving their life practice to experience the results of
an Enlightened mind.
While there are many substances in the world that cause heedlessness, let’s
explore some of the more common substances to help you understand
application of this precept into your daily life. Any and all substances that
cause heedlessness should be avoided to produce a mind that is fully aware
practicing Right Mindfulness and has developed Right Concentration.
Marijuana
Marijuana is a substance that has recently been known to provide significant
medical benefits for patients. An individual consuming marijuana for medical
purpose and not for the sake of “heedlessness” would be practicing this
precept properly. Only you know your true and real intention in using
marijuana. If you are ingesting it for heedlessness, you will not be able to
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attain Enlightenment because you will lack the ability to have “Right
Mindfulness and Right Concentration”.
A person who is ingesting marijuana for medical purposes would most likely
be interested in looking for versions of this plant that have a low level of THC
and a high concentration of CBD. Research shows that THC effects the mind
and causes heedlessness, while CBD contains the properties of this plant
that are beneficial for medical purposes. You should consult experts in this
field for guidance on how to best benefit from the medical qualities of this
plant and avoid any potential effects that would cause heedlessness.
Keep in mind that smoking marijuana versus another form of ingesting this
substance, can cause harm to the lungs much like cigarettes. This is
unwholesome Kamma in that the action is “smoking the substance” with the
result being “damage to the lungs”.
There are ways to ingest medical marijuana that could provide medical
benefits without the harmful effects of smoking marijuana or other forms of
ingesting that is harmful to the body.
Stress and anxiety are not a medical reason for ingesting marijuana. The
marijuana is masking the stress and anxiety, not getting to the root of the
problem which is craving/desire/attachment. Stress and anxiety are
discontentedness, and craving/desire/attachment is the cause of
discontentedness. Through training the mind, one can uproot the conditions
that are causing the stress and anxiety permanently eradicating these from
the mind, rather than the continuous ingesting of a substance that hinders
the mind from observing its true nature, and address the source of the stress
and anxiety which is craving/desire/attachment - the untrained and
unEnlightened mind.
Through training the mind to attain Enlightenment absent of marijuana,
stress, anxiety, and all other discontent feelings can be eliminated allowing
the mind to reside peaceful and calm. But if one continues to turn to
marijuana to push down the stress and anxiety, then they aren’t addressing
the true problem and will be dependent on this substance throughout their
life. These Teachings provide the remedy to a discontent mind, not
marijuana.
Cigarettes
Cigarettes are a craving and attachment that will cause the body to be
harmed, and can harm others through second hand smoke. Smoking causes
unwholesome Kamma for you, and you can observe this through harm to the
body. When you smoke, it does harm to the body, shortens your life
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expectancy and, thus, limits the amount of time you have in this existence to
attain Enlightenment and escape The Cycle of Rebirth.
If you are smoking near others, you are causing harm to them through the
inhalation of second hand smoke.
To attain Enlightenment, all craving must be extinguished including the
craving and attachment to cigarettes. You will need to find a way to train the
mind to eliminate this unwholesome craving so that you can attain a clear
and content mind while eliminating this craving.
Prescription Medications
There are various medications that if used outside the temporary use
prescribed can become an addiction and habit that produces heedlessness.
It is important that a Practitioner look closely at any prescription medications
they ingest and ensure they are being used for their intended purpose and
not through long term addiction to heedlessness.
Caffeine
Caffeine, while legal, is a drug and stimulant that is abused worldwide.
Caffeine is a substance that causes heedlessness and should be avoided.
This drug contributes to anxiety, depression, loneliness, boredom, and other
unwelcomed emotions that affects the ability to practice “Right Mindfulness
and Right Concentration” to attain Enlightenment. Let me explain…
When one ingests caffeine, it provides a stimulant that produces excitement,
energy, and pleasure (pleasant feelings). It also helps to speed up the mind
and oftentimes contributes to racing thoughts and emotions. Anxiety and
rapid thoughts will usually follow the ingesting of caffeine. The more caffeine
ingested, the more noticeable the effects. While one might say that is the
desired effect, the condition of the mind can become so intense, it is hard to
focus and have “Right Mindfulness or Right Concentration”.
As the effects of the caffeine start to diminish, just like with all drugs, there
can be withdrawal symptoms that include headaches, limbs shaking,
emptiness of mind, dry mouth, aggressiveness, and other conditions.
The mind adapts to the pleasurable feelings of caffeine and will often “crave”
this substance regularly giving us the feeling that we can’t conduct our daily
activities without it. We become “hooked” or “addicted” just like the potential
with all other drugs and stimulants.
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With repeated use, the mind becomes trained and reliant on this substance
to get excited, awake, and have pleasurable feelings.
Then, when we do not have caffeine in the body, we feel down or depressed
- leaving us feeling more empty or lonely inside (feelings that are neither
painful-nor-pleasant).
This up and down of the emotions through use of caffeine can be mistaken
as symptoms of bipolar disorder or other conditions - pleasurable feelings
and painful feelings or excitement and then lethargy.
By purging this substance from the body, you can see that your real true
emotions can be quite stable and calm. You do not need to rely on this
substance, or be attached to this substance, as you can feel more stable
experiencing the calmness and peacefulness that already exists inside the
mind.
You can eliminate caffeine if you currently drink sodas by moving to a soda
or fruit drink that does not contain caffeine. If you are a coffee drinker, you
can move to a tea with less caffeine or perhaps an herbal tea without any
caffeine. Many decaffeinated coffees actually still have some caffeine so
those aren’t always a wise choice.
As you move away from coffee, the aroma of coffee can sometimes pull you
back in. You will need to mentally manage this craving and desire for coffee
and the effects of caffeine. You will need to train the mind to eliminate the
craving to ingest caffeine to further liberate the mind from this attachment.
The vast majority of coffee drinkers do not actually enjoy or like the taste of
coffee. That’s why we include milk, sugar, and other additives to our coffee
to get rid of the bitter taste of completely black coffee.
What we like is the sweet milky flavor of sugar and milk with the effects of
caffeine. If coffee drinkers actually liked the taste of coffee, they would drink
completely black coffee. Few people enjoy coffee this way and when they
do, they are still affected by caffeine which can cause the mind to race with
pleasurable feelings and then drop into painful feelings described as
depression.
You will do yourself a big service to eliminate caffeine from the body. As you
do, allow the withdrawal symptoms of headaches, foggy mind, body shaking
and others to remind you that you are indeed “detoxing” from a drug. You
will be better off without it.
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You can replace caffeinated drinks with water, fruit drinks, herbal drinks,
vegetable juices, and other more wholesome substances that the body can
use to create a healthy environment for the mind to exist.
Eliminating caffeine from the body will ensure you do not have any foreign
substances creating un-welcomed and unwholesome thoughts, emotions, or
mental states. This will allow you to see the true mind with “Right
Mindfulness and Right Concentration” ultimately realizing that the natural
state of the mind is actually quite calm, stable, and steady. Purging this
substance from the body will allow you to see the true mind so that you can
work on eliminating other unwholesome mental states.
Sugar
Sugar in large quantities at one time can also cause heedlessness. If you
have ever ingested a significant amount of sugar and then crashed
afterwards, then you understand the effects of sugar.
There is research that shows sugar in large quantities can have the same
effects to the mind as addictive substances like cocaine.
A wise Practitioner will need to be observant of their sugar intake and ensure
this is not excessive to maintain awareness and concentration of mind.
Psychedelic Substances
Throughout history and in current times, people have relied on psychedelic
substances to induce temporary periods of deep thinking and deep thought.
These substances can produce pleasurable feelings that become enveloped
into the mind.
Psychedelic substances produce impermanent mental states, not the
permanent mental state of Enlightenment. One can become attached or
crave the journey experienced through psychedelic mushrooms, LSD, and
other substances that produce reflection and thought beyond what one has
ever experienced in the unEnlightened state. Some think that through
ingesting these substances, it will make their path to the Enlightened state
more streamlined or rapid.
The mind will produce many reasons and rational for the various habits and
activities one decides to pursue as reasons to continue craving to avoid
elimination of various aspects of one’s life practice. Justification that
substances help to produce an Enlightened mind sounds quite interesting
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and provides the mind a reason to hold on to this craving for the impermanent
pleasant feelings.
Through understanding and practice of these Teachings, you can see how
any craving leads to a discontent mind because the mind cannot maintain the
mental state permanently. Psychedelic substances are another attachment or
craving that will lead to a discontent mind due to the impermanent nature in
the effects of these substances.
To attain Enlightenment, one would need to eliminate the ingesting of
psychedelic substances, and attain Enlightenment through learning,
reflecting, practicing, and observing the results of a dedicated practice of
these Teachings. By developing a “life practice” that leads to Enlightenment,
you will be able to attain the Enlightened mental state permanently.
Psychedelic substances will never lead to a permanent mental state of
Enlightenment. Experiencing Enlightenment will far outweigh what one
experiences with psychedelics, and Enlightenment is a permanent mental
state while psychedelics are not. Psychedelics can be dangerous and, thus,
you can experience long term effects from ingesting these substances both
physically and to your quality of life.
There are no shortcuts or rapid paths to Enlightenment. One needs
dedication and commitment to learning and practicing The Teachings of
Gotama Buddha with Teachers who have already attained Enlightenment as
Guides.
It makes sense that in our modern society there are some who would
convince themselves that there is a quick fix of the mind that involves
ingesting a psychedelic substance to produce Enlightenment.
If The Path to Enlightenment was as simple as ingesting a certain substance,
Gotama Buddha would not have needed to teach for 45 years. If attaining the
Enlightened mind was as easy as ingesting a psychedelic substance, then
the entire world would already be Enlightened as this information would
surely spread throughout the world for everyone to rapidly attain the
permanent mental state of Enlightenment.
Enlightenment does not require any external substance or any external
possession.
To attain Enlightenment, you will need to develop the mind into a pure mind
through learning and progressing along The Path making wise personal
choices to a dedicated practice of these Teachings. There are no shortcuts.
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Additional Notes
The legality of certain speech or actions versus that which produces
Enlightenment are sometimes two separate things unless a government has
organized in such a way to follow these Teachings. I am not currently aware
of any government that has setup entirely in line with these Teachings. This is
why it’s important that you study, learn, and implement these Teachings into
your own life. By merely following the law made by humans, this will not
produce a pure mind or Enlightenment.
The application of The Five Precepts and other Teachings from Gotama
Buddha is not black and white or right and wrong. There is a significant gray
area that a Practitioner will need to navigate. Oftentimes the mind wants
Teachings like this to be clear cut of either “right or wrong”. But, that is not
how these Teachings work. This path requires reflection, deep thought, and
wise decision making.
Seeking guidance from a Teacher can help you to navigate the gray area and
then you can observe the truth through practice of The Teachings. You
should not believe a Teacher but instead, learn, reflect, and practice so that
you can discover the truth to acquire wisdom.
Depending on your lifestyle, there are increased numbers of precepts. The
precepts one chooses to practice is up to the individual and their lifestyle,
however, “The Five Precepts” is a baseline minimum that is required for all
individuals to attain Enlightenment. Learning and practicing precepts beyond
The Five Precepts provide additional insight and training guidance should a
Practitioner choose to explore deeper into The Teachings of Gotama
Buddha.
The book titled “Foundation in The Teachings” (Volume 3) in this same book
series has additional Teachings on The Five Precepts and detailed Teachings
on The Eight Precepts to help you deepen your life practice.
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Chapter 8
Transforming The Three Poisons:
Craving, Anger, and Ignorance
Gotama Buddha’s Teachings to eliminate craving, anger, and ignorance are
known, for good reason, as The Three Poisons, The Three Unwholesome
Roots, and The Three Fires. Also known as (greed, hatred, and delusion) or
(desire, ill will, and confusion).
These are The Three Poisons that exist and are present in the mind as part of
rebirth into the human realm. It is our goal, through these Teachings, to
eliminate these three poisons through practice of non-craving or generosity,
non-anger or loving-kindness, and non-ignorance or wisdom. To attain
Enlightenment, one would need to completely eliminate The Three Poisons.
These metaphors suggest how dangerous afflictive thoughts and emotions
can be if they are not understood and transformed. Craving (Greed/Desire)
refers to our selfishness, desire, attachment, and grasping for contentedness
and satisfaction outside of ourselves. Anger (Hatred/Ill Will) refers to our
hostility and aggression, our aversion and repulsion towards unpleasant
people, circumstances, and even towards our own uncomfortable feelings.
Ignorance (Delusion/Confusion) refers to our dullness, confusion, and
misperception; our unknowing or wrong views of reality misunderstanding
the world around us as described as part of The Natural Laws of Existence in
Gotama Buddha’s Teachings.
The poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) —
mask our true nature, the awakened mind of wisdom and compassion.
These poisonous states of mind then motivate non-virtuous and unskillful
intentions, speech, and actions, which produces unwholesome Kamma so
they need to be transformed, remedied and an antidote applied to
experience the brightness of the Enlightened mind.
Craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) are deeply
embedded in the conditioning of our personalities. Our behavior is habitually
influenced and tainted by these three poisons, these unwholesome roots
buried deep into the mind. Burning within us as craving (greed/desire), anger
(hatred/ill will), and ignorance (delusion/confusion), these poisons lay to
waste hearts, lives, hopes, and civilizations, driving us blind and thirsty
through the seemingly endless round of birth and death - The Cycle of
Rebirth.
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Gotama Buddha describes these defilements as bonds, hindrances, and
knots; the actual root cause of unwholesome Kamma and the entire
spectrum of human discontentedness. It is The Three Poisons, The Three
Unwholesome Roots, or The Three Fires that keeps the mind in the
unEnlightened state. It is only when a Practitioner deeply understands these
and uproots them from the mind, that one can reside permanently peaceful,
calm, serene, and content with joy.
Although this Teaching may appear negative or unpleasant, indeed, a wise
understanding of The Three Poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance
(unknowing of true reality) is ultimately positive and empowering. With this
superb understanding, we can clearly see and observe the factors that are
causing discontentedness and suffering in our lives. And with this clarity and
insight, we can make the choice to eliminate those factors.
The Teaching of The Four Noble Truths clearly explains that when we
embrace and understand the exact causes of our discontentedness,
suffering, and dissatisfaction, we can then take the necessary steps to
extinguish those causes and liberate the mind. This is certainly positive and
empowering.
In addition, it is important for us to realize that Gotama Buddha’s Teachings
regarding defilement and purification are not just rigid, restrictive, or
authoritarian theories regarding morality, but are real and solid truths
essential to our correct understanding of reality and eventual awakening.
Through learning these Teachings and the practice of these Teachings, we
awaken to true reality, acquiring wisdom, eliminating the poison of
ignorance/delusion or “unknowing” we have of true reality that keeps The
Three Poisons well rooted into the mind causing us untold amounts of
discontentedness and suffering.
Through learning, reflecting, and practicing these Teachings while seeking
guidance with a Teacher, a Practitioner will independently observe the truth
acquiring wisdom to liberate the mind removing these poisons to experience
Enlightenment.
Craving
Our craving is a burning desire, a never ending thirst, yearning, and longing;
we want the objects of our desire to provide us with lasting satisfaction so
we feel fulfilled, whole, and complete.
The poison of craving creates an inner hunger so that we always seem to be
chasing an unattainable object. We mistakenly believe our contentedness is
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dependent upon that object, but once we attain it, we get no lasting
satisfaction. Then once again, our craving and desire will arise, looking
outside of ourselves for the next thing that will hopefully bring satisfaction.
Influenced by craving/greed, we are never content.
Another common face of our craving shows up as a lack of generosity and
compassion towards others. Even a moment of honest and mindful reflection
will reveal how deeply-rooted our craving can be. We can experience the
symptoms of our craving appearing in even the most trivial instances, and of
course, craving can manifest itself in even more compulsive and destructive
ways as well.
We always seem to want more, we want bigger and better, we want to fulfill
our never ending inner hunger and thirst. This type of craving affects our
personal lives, our professional lives, and the domain of international
business and politics. Global conflict and warfare, as well as the destruction
of our precious environment are obvious results of our corporate and political
greed. Our craving, greed, and thirst affects each of us on a personal and
global level. Our craving is an endless and destructive cycle that only causes
discontentedness and suffering in its wake.
Anger
The symptoms of anger can show up as hatred, hostility, aggression,
aversion, resentment or ill will; wishing harm or suffering upon another
person. A mind being affected by the poison of anger reacts to insignificant
circumstances with intentions, speech, and actions causing harm in our
personal and professional relationships.
With aversion, we habitually resist, deny, and avoid unpleasant feelings,
circumstances, and people we do not like. We want everything to be
pleasant, comfortable, and satisfying all the time. As the unEnlightened mind
experiences painful feelings, it will falsely attribute the painful feelings as
being caused by someone else or something else. With an interest to
eliminate the painful feelings, the unEnlightened mind will then push away
the people and situations it mistakenly attributes as being the cause of the
painful feelings. This behavior simply reinforces our perception of separation
inhibiting one from being able to have healthy relationships with all people.
An individual can become isolated unable to interact with others who do not
meet one’s criteria or conditions for a relationship. It is only a matter of time
before the unEnlightened mind finds a problem with each individual in their
life and then pushes them away erecting a wall between themselves and
others, oftentimes, with anger, hatred, hostility, aggression, resentment, and
ill will. This is referred to as aversion and only complicates one’s life with
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increased struggles where you will find relationships difficult, challenging,
and unsuccessful.
Aversion would be to experience painful feelings caused by your own
cravings/desires/attachments, falsely attribute the painful feelings as being
caused by another person, push them away thinking that will solve the
problem, and doing so with anger/frustration/irritation/annoyance, etc.
Anger or hatred thrusts us into a vicious cycle of always finding conflict and
enemies everywhere around us. When there is conflict or perceived enemies
around us, the mind is neurotic, never calm, and we are endlessly occupied
with strategies of self-protection or revenge. We can also create conflict
within ourselves when we have an aversion to our own uncomfortable
feelings.
With anger and aversion, we deny, resist, and push away our own inner
feelings of fear, hurt, loneliness, and so forth, treating these feelings like an
internal enemy. With the poison of anger, we create conflict and enemies in
the world around us and within our own being.
We cannot benefit from openness to all people and situations that could
potentially be helpful in our life journey. We sabotage ourselves through the
unwholesome mental state of anger and hatred caused by our own cravings.
Anger coming into the mind degrades concentration and wisdom which
often leads to leaving one to feel lost and confused.
No one can cause us anger or hatred, we cause it ourselves. Because we
cause our own anger, hatred or ill will, through the pursuit of Enlightenment,
we can eliminate 100% of our anger, hatred and ill will.
Ignorance
Ignorance (unknowing of true reality) is our wrong understanding or wrong
views of reality. Ignorance is our misperception and misunderstanding of the
way the world works; our inability to understand the nature of things exactly
as they are, free of perceptual distortions.
The mind does not understand it causes its own discontentedness and how
to eliminate the discontentedness (The Four Noble Truths), the way leading
to the complete elimination of discontentedness (The Eight Fold Path), The
Natural Law of Kamma, or how to significantly reduce one’s unwholesome
Kamma (The Five Precepts), along with all the other wholesome Teachings
from Gotama Buddha described as The Natural Laws of Existence.
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Influenced by ignorance, we are not in harmony with ourselves, others, or
with life; we are not living in accordance with these Teachings.
Affected by the poison of ignorance, which arises from ignorance of our true
nature, we do not understand the interdependent and impermanent nature of
life. Thus, we are constantly looking outside of ourselves for contentedness,
satisfaction, and solutions to our problems. The word ignorance/delusion
was not used in a derogatory way by Gotama Buddha as this word is used
today. Instead, Gotama Buddha was describing that the mind is “unknowing
of true reality” and is not understanding The Natural Laws of Existence.
This outward searching of craving creates even more frustration, anger, and
confusion. Because of our ignorance, we also do not understand the
virtuous, life-affirming actions that can create contentedness, nor do we
understand the non-virtuous, negative, and unwholesome actions that create
discontentedness.
Wholesome actions are described as any actions that do not conflict with
“The Eight Fold Path” or “The Five Precepts”. Again, our ignorance
(unknowing of true reality) binds us to a vicious cycle where there does not
appear to be any way out.
Transforming The Three Poisons
For countless eons we have been influenced and motivated by our craving,
anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) being reborn as various
beings throughout The Realms of Existence. Therefore, this work of
purification and transformation of the mind cannot be rushed, despite our
impatient demand for quick results.
This work requires patience, care, persistence, and deep compassion for
ourselves and others through a well developed “life practice”. Gotama
Buddha taught us that the poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance
(unknowing of true reality), which cause so much suffering, can indeed be
purified and transformed. We can break the chain of discontentedness and
unwholesome Kamma and live a content, fulfilling life.
Gotama Buddha’s Teachings tell us that Enlightenment is our true nature,
and will naturally shine forth through the purified mind. Therefore, the goal of
our life practice is to liberate ourselves from the defilements that obscure the
natural clarity, radiance, and joy of our Enlightenment.
So how do we encounter The Three Poisons and transform them in a way
that leads to genuine liberation of the mind?
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We must begin this work of purification in the precise place where the
poisons originate — in the mind itself (the conditioned mind or personality).
This purification and transformation begins with the challenge of calming the
mind and seeing deeply into the mind. In other words, to eliminate the
poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality), we must
first learn to recognize them when they first appear. Being mindfully aware,
we can then discern how these deep-seated poisons influence our everyday
thoughts, feelings, perceptions, decisions, intentions, speech, and actions.
This mindfulness (awareness of mind), this seeing deeply into the mind, is
the beginning of understanding; the beginning of our ability to transform
these defilements.
To accomplish this awareness, we train the mind through Breathing
Mindfulness Meditation. We learn to concentrate on our breathing through
the nose, cutting off all thoughts and feelings that arise and let them go
without evaluating them or reacting to them. Learning and practicing
Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, we train the mind to become aware of the
thoughts and feelings then “cut off the thoughts” and “let them go”. By
training the mind to develop awareness (mindfulness) and let go, we learn
how to control the mind in any and all situations.
Through this practice, we become much more aware of the mind in everyday
situations. We are able to notice when thoughts, feelings, and emotions arise
and begin to disturb us. In this way, we can become conscious of these
thoughts, feelings, and emotions and work with them skillfully before they
get out of control, causing harm to ourselves and others. Then, eventually
we can eliminate disturbing thoughts entirely from the mind by attaining
Enlightenment with a well developed life practice that is beyond just
meditation alone.
The Antidotes
In addition to meditation practice, there are also the antidotes or alternatives
to The Three Poisons. For every defilement, Gotama Buddha has given us
the antidote, the method whereby we eliminate unwholesome mental
qualities and replace them with virtuous, wholesome qualities which benefit
ourselves and others.
Therefore, the entire aim of our life practice is to gradually subdue the
poisons of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) by
cultivating the alternative mental factors that are directly opposed to them.
These antidotes are called The Three Wholesome Roots: generosity, loving-
kindness, and wisdom.
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To overcome craving, is to cultivate selflessness, generosity, detachment,
and contentment. If we are experiencing craving, strong desire, or
attachment and we are interested to let it go, we can reflect on the
impermanence or the disadvantages of the objects of our desire. We can
practice giving away those things we would most like to hold on to. We can
also practice acts of selfless service and charity, offering care and assistance
to others in any way we can, free of all desire for recognition or
compensation.
In truth, there is no objection to enjoying and sharing the beauty, pleasures,
and objects of this material world. The problems associated with craving and
attachment only arise when we mistakenly believe and act as if the source of
our contentedness is outside of ourselves in impermanent conditions.
The antidote to craving/desire/attachment is Breathing Mindfulness
Meditation and practicing generosity in daily life. Both of these practices
train the mind to “let go”. Craving is how the mind wants to pull and chase
after the objects of its affection and then holds on to them, thinking that is
what will create contentedness and peacefulness in the mind.
Breathing Mindfulness Meditation and a well developed practice of
generosity in daily life will gradually transform the mind to train it to “let go”
which becomes easier over time as the mind is more deeply trained through
both of these methods. The mind needs to accumulate the benefits of this
training over a consistent period of time through determination, dedication,
and diligence of a well developed life practice. These techniques and
practices will be shared later in this book and book series to help you
cultivate a well developed practice of these Teachings.
To overcome anger, we learn to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion,
patience, and forgiveness letting go of any resentment or hostility that has
accumulated in the mind. When we react to unpleasant feelings,
circumstances, or people, with anger, hatred, ill will, or aversion, we can use
these superb antidotes to counteract this poison.
Here we learn to openly embrace the entire spectrum of our experiences
without anger or aversion. Just as we practice meeting unpleasant
experiences in the outer world with patience, kindness, forgiveness, loving-
kindness, and compassion, we must also practice meeting our own
unpleasant feelings in the same way.
Our feelings of loneliness, hurt, doubt, fear, insecurity, inadequacy,
depression, and so forth, all require our openness and loving-kindness. The
challenge in our life practice is to soften our habitual defenses, open our
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heart, and let go of anger, hatred, ill will, aversion, hostility, aggression,
resentment, and denial. In this way, we can meet and embrace ourselves,
others, and all inner and outer experiences with great compassion and
wisdom.
The antidote to anger is Loving-kindness Meditation and a well developed
practice of loving-kindness in daily life which will gradually transform the
mind developing deep interest to see all beings be well. Then, a Practitioner
will need to practice loving-kindness in daily life through treating all beings
polite, kind, friendly, and respectful without any interest in anything in return.
These techniques and practices will be shared later in this book and book
series to help you cultivate a well developed practice of these Teachings.
To overcome and antidote ignorance, we cultivate wisdom, insight, and
“Right View” through learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings of
The Buddha to discover The Natural Laws of Existence. Learning to
experience reality exactly as it is, without the distortions of our self-centered
desires, fears, and expectations, we free ourselves from ignorance
(unknowing of true reality). Developing a comprehensive approach to
acquiring wisdom while seeking guidance from a Teacher through practice of
these Teachings will eliminate all ignorance.
Deeply sensing and acting in harmony with the interdependent,
impermanent, and ever-changing nature of this world — realizing that all
living beings are inseparably related and that lasting contentedness does not
come from anything external — we free ourselves from ignorance.
As we develop a clear understanding of The Natural Law of Kamma,
knowing the positive, wholesome actions that bring contentedness, and the
negative, unwholesome actions that bring discontentedness, we cultivate the
wisdom, insight, and “Right View” with wise decision making that free us
from ignorance.
By studying The Teachings and applying The Teachings properly in our lives
through a “life practice”, we will gradually wear away even the most stubborn
habitual behaviors, fully liberating the mind from stress, discontentedness,
and suffering. Gotama Buddha calls this the “taintless liberation of the
mind.”
The superb peace, wisdom, limitless awareness, unity, and calmness of
Enlightenment shines forth as our essential nature when The Three Poisons
of craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) have finally been
extinguished through our life practice with non-craving or generosity, non-
anger or loving-kindness, and non-ignorance or wisdom.
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