RIGHT VIEW
Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
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What is the cessation of
suffering? It is the remainderless fading away and ceasing, the giving
up, relinquishing, letting go, and rejecting of craving. (MN 9)
When one knows and sees consciousness as it actually is, then one is not
attached to consciousness. When one abides unattached, one is not
infatuated, and one’s craving is abandoned. One’s bodily and mental
troubles are abandoned, and one experiences bodily and mental
well-being. (MN 149)
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Last week we
were reminded of the consequences of not knowing and seeing
consciousness as it really is, namely attachment, infatuation, and an
increase of troubles generally. Here we discover the positive side of
the story. We are much better off when we understand that consciousness
is a series of momentary phenomena that arise and pass away in rapid
succession. Seeing this, we do not get attached to it.
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Become familiar
with the habit of regarding your own mind as a series of events rather
than as a solid thing with enduring qualities. Little is lost by doing
so, and much can be gained. With a process, there is nothing to attach
to. It is like watching a game or a performance: you want to stay
present and attentive, but you don’t want to inhibit what is happening
by trying to hold on to it. Your mind too is like a performance.
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Tomorrow: Cultivating Appreciative Joy
One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering
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