The Four Noble Truths
Sutra
Again, bhikkhus, one dwells contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects (dhammas) in terms of the Four Noble Truths. And how does one dwell contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the Four Noble Truths?
Here one understands as it actually is: “This is suffering”; one understands as it actually is: “This is the origin of suffering”; one understands as it actually is: “This is the cessation of suffering: one understands as it actually is: “This is the way/the path leading to the cessation of suffering”.
Insights from this section.
“In this way, one dwells contemplating mind-objects (the cause of suffering) internally (within our self), or dwells contemplating the cause of suffering externally (in others), or dwells contemplating the cause of suffering both internally and externally.
Or else one dwells contemplating the cause of suffering and its arising factors, or dwells contemplating cause of suffering and its vanishing factors, or dwells contemplating the cause of suffering and their arising and vanishing factors.
Or else mindfulness that “there are mind-objects”(there is a cause for suffering-craving) is simply established to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and continuous mindfulness. And one abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. That is how one abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the Four Noble truths.
The Second Noble Truth: The Origin (Cause) of Suffering
Sutra
“Here, one understands as it actually is: “This is the origin of suffering”
And what is the origin of suffering? It is craving; craving for that which is agreeable and pleasurable. That is to say, sensual craving, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence.
And what in the world is agreeable and pleasurable? The six senses, the six sense objects, the six types of sense consciousness, the six types of sense contact, feelings that arise from sense contact, perception of the sense objects, volition in regards to the sense objects, craving itself in regards to the six sense objects, thinking of the six sense objects, and reflecting about the six sense objects.”
Practice 1
For this month, please focus on sense craving:
We continue with the cycle of Dependent Origination (below) outlining the cycle of how we continually move from one episode of suffering to another as long as we continue to crave (and not see clearly- not see the way things truly are). See last month’s installment for the first seven steps)
Step 8. In dependence on feeling (the quality of a sense experience that is pleasant) and not breaking the dependently arisen chain of events at this point, craving arises. Craving is the essence of the Second Noble Truth, or the source of our suffering. It is wanting things to be other than they are. There are three types of craving according to Buddha:
a. Sense Craving – the desire (desire, is used synonymously with craving) for pleasant sense experiences that arises when contact is made through any of the six sense doors. It is the desire, (often obsessive in nature) of the identified sense of self to engage in the enjoyment of sense pleasures. Please remember that craving isn’t “bad”. It’s simply a cause for suffering!
“Truly, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, impelled by sensuous craving, entirely moved by sensuous craving, kings fight with kings, princes with princes, priests with priests, citizens with citizens, the mother quarrels with the son, the son with the mother, father with the son, the son with the father, brother quarrels with brother, brother with sister, sister with brother, friend with friend. Thus, given to dissension, quarreling and fighting, they fall upon one another with fists, sticks, weapons. And thereby they suffer death or deadly pain.
And further, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, impelled by sensuous craving, entirely moved by sensuous craving, people break into houses, rob, plunder, pillage whole houses, commit highway robbery, seduce the wives (or husbands) of others. Then the rulers have such people caught and inflict on them various forms of punishment. And thereby they incur death or deadly pain. Now this is the misery of sensuous craving, the heaping up of suffering in this present life, due to sensuous craving, conditioned through sensuous craving, caused by sensuous craving, entirely dependent on sensuous craving” The Buddha
Craving is not the only cause of evil action…wherever there is craving, there, dependent on craving, there may arise envy, anger, hatred, and many other evil things productive of suffering and misery. …everything is ultimately rooted in blindness and ignorance. The Buddha
By what sense experiences are you enamored and enchanted? Which cravings or desires move you to act? These can remain invisible until we deeply investigate why we make the choices we do. Of course we are not to judge what we see. We are just trying to become clear about how craving leads to suffering.
There is such a wide range of craving; obsessing over a goal, drugs, sex, money, power, “love”, alcohol… to much less noticeable motivations that are still a driving force in our lives. It’s very helpful here to try and notice your motivations. Subtle craving can sometimes seem so ordinary!
What are the drawbacks, the down side, to having our actions and our lives defined by the things we crave? Look to see this for your self! “Bikkhus, I set out seeking the drawbacks in the world” Buddha.
The Pali word for draw back is adinava which means disadvantage or dangers.
How does impermanence factor into this?
Can you feel the feverish quality of craving? The agitation of craving?
How does the gratification of our craving reinforce the craving cycle?
Does the sense experience deliver on its promise of fulfillment? Happiness? Or are these pleasant sensual feelings only momentary?
Have these cravings ever led you to unskillful behaviors that you now regret or have in the past regretted?
When the good times are rolling along, have you ever stopped to notice and ask yourself “What could be the downside to this?”
How does this craving impact your meditation practice? Do you look at an unpleasant experience because you want it to pass? Do you meditate to have pleasant experiences through concentration or having insights? What makes this seductive is that as far as practice, the craving can be disguised as a “Noble Aspiration.”
Can you look at the downside in the very midst of enjoying a sense pleasure?
Does looking in these ways seem gloomy or depressive? Why might that be?
Our goal is to wake up from our “enchantment;” to become disenchanted. “Disenchantment” here means to see through the spell that ignores the perils of craving.
Practice 2
Please focus your practice on Craving for Existence:
b. Craving for Existence – the wish to go on living. It is the most powerful force in the universe. It can manifest as the desire for an eternal afterlife or as the fear of death. It is the sense of self that wants to either continue in its current form, or to have eternal life after death. There is a biological and a psychological craving for existence
It is also the wish to have things remain (exist), as they are if pleasant feelings are being experienced.
It can also arise as the “planning mind” that is always reaching for some future time and experience when fulfillment will occur. I call them “future fantasies”.
It can arise by craving for a different “me”. Perhaps younger, more intelligent, better looking, or maybe you simply crave “for a better past”.
We always need to remember that freedom is not about getting anything or going anywhere. We’ve never been closer to complete peace that we are at this moment— and we’ve never been further away either.
How does “Craving for Existence” arise for you?
Consider, for example, how the fear of dying may have arisen when an airplane in which you were riding suddenly hit an air pocket. Think about concerns that arose the last time you were seriously ill.
Consider any wish you may have to be reborn in heaven, or have some subsequent life after you die.
Reflect on any desire you may have to make a difference and to leave your “mark” in the world.
How often do you live in “planning mind”? Is your happiness continually postponed until….. (you fill in the blank)
Practice 3
Please use this practice period to reflect on Craving for Non-Existence
c. Craving for Non-Existence – When issues appear to be unsolvable, when suffering becomes overwhelming, the desire to have life come to an end may arise. It is very much centered around a “self” that is having these difficult experiences.
A subtle form of this craving occurs for meditators when they see the perceived self as the enemy and want to destroy it. We cannot, however, kill or destroy something that never in actuality existed.
It is also the wish to have things different than they are if unpleasant feelings are being experienced.
It can be the wish to be different than the way you perceive yourself.
How does “Craving for Non-Existence” arise for you?
Our responsibility relative to the Second Noble Truth is that craving, in all its three forms, is to be fully abandoned.
If its root remains
undamaged and strong,
a tree, even if cut,
will grow back.
So too if latent craving
is not rooted out,
this suffering returns
again and again. The Buddha
Practice 4
Please take this time to reflect on the balance of the dependent origination process (below)
Step 9. In dependence on craving, clinging arises. Clinging is an intensified form of craving. The nature of clinging is to tightly grasp that which the mind craves. We cling to sensual pleasures, wrong views regarding the nature of the world, the idea that rites and rituals can purify the mind, and the belief in the existence of a self. The Pali word for clinging is upadanna which means “fuel”. It’s when the mind “locks” onto the craving and won’t let go until it gets what is want! Can you see how this acts like gasoline being poured on craving?
There are various types of clinging: to sense pleasures; to views and opinions; to conventions, gurus, meditation techniques, an ethic, or to religious forms; and clinging to the idea of self.
We may think, “I shouldn’t be attached or cling to anything.” This, however, is an affirmation of “myself” as someone who becomes attached to something and “I” shouldn’t be that way. When we take a position against attachment or clinging, it is actually another kind of attachment or clinging.
Step 10. In dependence on clinging, existence/becoming arises. This link in the dependent origination chain refers to the existence of our intentional actions (words, thoughts, and deeds) – generated as a result of clinging – and to the existence of the results of those intentional actions. In other words we do the act, say the words driven by our craving.
Step 11. In dependence on existence/becoming/acting out, birth arises. This refers to the birth of our self-concept. The emerging of this mental construction is sustained throughout the dependent origination process as a result of ignorance, or not seeing things as they really are. (As long as there is any “one” to suffer, they will!). Birth is the “me” that arose as a result of the action driven by craving.
Step 12. In dependence upon birth, aging, suffering, and death arise. With the concept of birth (of a self) comes the concept of death (of a self). As a consequence of maintaining the view of having a self that is born and dies, there is an ongoing experience of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair – what the Buddha referred to as the whole mass of suffering.
In other words, as long as we are attached to the illusion of a self, all we are going to get at the end is old age, sickness, and death, grief, sorrow, despair and anguish. Or on a momentary level we suffer the consequences of our ignorance.
On the other hand, with the cessation of ignorance, then at that moment, all the rest of the dependent origination sequence ceases.
Some people may say, where is the love in this process? Love is always there once there is no self-delusion, since at that point there is nothing to block off or prevent love from manifesting.
Through working with the dependent origination process a question of whether there is “free will” typically arises. Will is merely another mental factor that rises and falls based upon specific causes and conditions. There is no permanent state of will that is or is not free. Nonetheless, we are still responsible for our moment-to-moment choices. We need to be sure that we are intentionally choosing skillful courses of action. Quite a paradox!
Final practice.
For this contemplation, there are four things to observe:
• When craving arises, look for the subtle sense of insufficiency that actually motivated the craving. Even if the craving was based upon pleasant feelings, the sense of insufficiency is that we do not have enough pleasant feelings. The sense is that we need more “pleasant “ feelings.
Buddha described three characteristics of existence; Suffering; non-self and impermanence.
2. Notice that the amount of suffering being experienced as the mind tries to capture that for which it is craving, is in direct proportion to the strength of the craving that is present. This is the characteristic of “suffering”.
3. The moment you become aware that craving has arisen, recognize how the mind began craving without any conscious control on your part. Recognize the selfless nature of craving. This is the characteristic of “non-self.
4. Recognize the absence of craving either when no craving has arisen, or the arisen craving has dissipated. This is the characteristic of impermanence.
Directly experience the freedom of a peaceful and present mind in the absence of any craving! Right now! It’s here- right now! May you all be well, happy and peaceful.
