RIGHT VIEW
Understanding the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
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What is the origin of
suffering? It is craving, which brings renewal of being, is accompanied
by delight and lust, and delights in this and that; that is, craving for
sensual pleasures, craving for being, and craving for non-being. (MN 9)
When one does not know and see perception as it actually is, then one is
attached to perception. When one is attached, one becomes infatuated,
and one’s craving increases. One’s bodily and mental troubles increase,
and one experiences bodily and mental suffering. (MN 149)
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Perception is
the mental process by which we interpret incoming sensory information
and create meaning from it. Perception uses the cognitive faculties of
the mind to weave words and concepts into explanations and stories that
help define the world we inhabit and our place in it. The problem is
that we often take these stories to be more real than they are, at which
point they can become sources of attachment.
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Learn to hold
your perceptions lightly. Perception is a useful tool and can be used by
wisdom to disengage us from suffering. But as with any tool, if we
mishandle it we can cause harm to ourselves and others. Practice
reminding yourself that your perceptions are only creating a map of the
world that may or may not depict the terrain accurately. When our
stories give rise to craving, they are doing more harm than good.
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Tomorrow: Cultivating Compassion
One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
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