One of the key things that Buddha taught us was about attachment
(anicca), and how that attachment creates desire to hold onto things, and when
we can no longer maintain that hold it creates suffering (dukkha). There
is a misconception that Buddha believes we can only grow through suffering,
what he was trying to say that our false preconceptions of what is useful or
valuable to us causing suffering because of our attachment to something.
For example, we may desire a new phone (doesn't matter if we need
it or not, the desire is present) so we buy a new phone. We give
ourselves lots of rationales like I deserve it because I worked hard last week,
all my friends have one so I don't want to get left behind. Temporarily
it brings us happiness as we can join in with our friends, we get to play with
new buttons. However the happiness is impermanent, we may have had to
take a new credit contract to purchase it, and now regretting it, the dog may
slobber on it and break it and thus the cycle continues through to
suffering. It was the desire, not the phone that brought about the
suffering, the desire for something that would bring temporary happiness.
Yet we find ourselves blaming the phone, that thing that is just plastic and
electronics that you didn't even need in the first place, you just desired it.
However, when we become aware that things are temporary and constantly
changing (impermanence) we accept the temporary happiness and enjoy it while it
is with us. We are grateful for that time. It is not the impermanence
that creates the suffering, it is our attempt to cling to something that is ever-changing
that causes the suffering.
2020 created the greatest level of change many of us will ever see in
our lifetime. It taught us that life truly is impermanent as friends and
family became ill and sadly passed, often without the ability to grieve
properly. Jobs, businesses, friendship groups have all been tested to
their limits and some have fared far worse than others. Buddha also
taught us that people do not have a fixed self or soul and are constantly changing
(Anatta) and again each of us has transformed in some way during the last 12
months because we are not fixed.
He talked of the four noble truths:
- There is suffering, this is
inescapable and to think otherwise is foolish - Dukkha
- Suffering has a cause, be it
physical, emotional, or due to false attachment - Samudaya
- Suffering can come to an end
- Nirodha
- There is a way to bring
suffering to an end - Magga
The idea that there is a cause
for suffering is explained by Tanha,
- craving things that please
the senses
- craving to be something you
are not
- craving to stop experiencing
something
But we're back to the idea of
attachment because everything changes that chocolate you crave today will taste
different tomorrow and you may also be cursing the change that the weight gain
gives you. Your cravings change, your body changes, your needs change,
and to grow attached to something that gives short term benefit may lead to an
attachment or addiction which in itself will cause harmful effects. He then
spoke of the three poisons
- greed or desire (cockerel)
- hatred or anger (snake)
- ignorance (pig)
Budhha believed that people get trapped into these cycles and that the poisons are linked to the cravings or Tanha. Craving something you do not possess leads to greed and perhaps anger at not being able to have something. It is also to ignore what you need and replace it with desire and thus the negative cycle continues.
By living in harmony with the four noble truths and recognising that life does indeed constantly change, as do we within it and accept it we begin to take control of our own lives. Living in the present is about accepting what we have, not what we desire; value the body we have, not desire to be something we are not. If we are unhappy about something then we need to look inwards and see if we are not poisoning ourselves by false attachment or expectations? I for instance will never be a 6' glamour model and there is absolutely no point pretending otherwise!
Nibbana is a state of freedom, happiness, and peace or enlightenment. It doesn't mean you sit in temple praying with monks for hours in contemplative silence, it means you are living in the present. Content with what you have, valuing the ever-changing world around you, and accepting that if suffering is present it will not last. Change is the only constant and Buddha asked we be mindful of the eightfold path to allow us to get closer to eliminating the poisons that hold us back and cause suffering.
It isn't easy right now to always
think kindly, act with good intention, and be grateful for what we do
have. Many are experiencing struggles they could never envisage 12 months
ago so it is important we are grateful for what we do have and offer support to
those that may need it.
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