A personal blog by a graying (mostly Anglo with light African-American roots) gay left leaning liberal progressive married college-educated Buddhist Baha'i BBC/NPR-listening Professor Emeritus now following the Dharma in Minas Gerais, Brasil.
RIGHT VIEW Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering
When people have met with
suffering and become victims of suffering, they come to me and ask me
about the noble truth of suffering. Being asked, I explain to them the
noble truth of suffering. (MN 77) What is suffering? (MN 9)
In short, the five aggregates affected by clinging are suffering. (MN 9)
Reflection
Some forms of
suffering are glaringly obvious, such as a pounding toothache or the
deep grief that comes from losing a loved one. Others can be subtler and
more pervasive rather than episodic. Such is the case with the
suffering that comes from clinging to anything whatsoever. Even things
that feel overtly gratifying can on another level be sowing the seeds of
disappointment. Clinging always involves some sort of suffering.
Daily Practice
Clinging is the
word used to refer to our response to desire. When we want something,
we reach for it or hold on tightly so it does not slip away. When we
don’t want something, we push it away and try to avoid or destroy it.
Notice how this attitude of attachment and aversion can manifest, often
subtly, in all aspects of experience. Learn to become consciously aware
of the unconscious reflex to grasp, and also to let go of it.
Tomorrow: Cultivating Lovingkindness One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
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