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Venerable
Ajahn Viradhammo -
Trying to Find a Sweet One
Ajahn
Viradhammo, based on a talk given at the June 2002 retreat at
Bodhinynanrama.
I'll just read a bit first. This is from Ken Wilber's book No Boundary:
"The movement of descent and discovery begins at the moment you
consciously become dissatisfied with life. Contrary to most professional
opinion, this gnawing dissatisfaction with life is not a sign of "mental
illness", nor an indication of poor social adjustment, nor a character
disorder. For concealed within this basic unhappiness with life and
existence is the embryo of a growing intelligence, a special
intelligence usually buried under the immense weight of social shams. A
person who is beginning to sense the suffering of life is, at the same
time, beginning to awaken to deeper realities, truer realities. For
suffering smashes to pieces the complacency of our normal fictions about
reality and forces us to become alive in a special sense - to see
carefully, to feel deeply, to touch ourselves and our worlds in ways we
have heretofore avoided. It has been said, and truly I think, that
suffering is the first grace. In a special sense, suffering is almost a
time of rejoicing, for it marks the birth of creative insight. But only
in a special sense. Some people cling to the suffering as a mother to
its child, carrying it as a burden they dare not set down. They do not
face suffering with awareness . . . "
Now that, of course, comes from a well fed, middle class, American. I
wouldn't apply it to a Palestinian refugee in Hebron. We can, however,
see that if one has the basic requisites of life and one lives in a
civil society, then one has the opportunity to contemplate Dhamma. In
that case suffering, stress and various forms of discontent can be
instructive and hence sources of growth and maturity. Our cynical side
might joke, "One more growth experience and I'll be dead." Our more
sincere side, however, is inspired by the aspiration to free our selves
from delusion. "To see carefully, to feel deeply, to touch ourselves and
our worlds in ways we have heretofore avoided."
We may be confronted by some species of fear that we have historically
avoided but at long last, for various reasons, we are willing to observe
and inquire in order to understand this fear. Insight is given a chance
to surface and deeper truths are realised. These truer, more profound
realities constitute Right Understanding, the first factor of the Noble
Eightfold Path. I would like to contemplate a part of our morning
chanting in order to deepen this Right Understanding. Specifically let
us consider the five khandhas.
Right Understanding is in part the insight we need in order to undertake
the Buddhist project of liberation in the same way that we need some
understanding to start any project such as creating a garden or building
a new home. Perhaps our understanding is very rough at first (we learn
as we go) but at least we have some sense of the work involved for the
development of our lives in line with the teachings of the Buddha. We
need to understand the logic of how to proceed. This is not simply a
matter of accumulating knowledge or acquiring information. The knowledge
has to enter our hearts so that we have the right faith, right
conviction and right intelligence to develop our lives in a skilful and
liberating manner. To do this we need to understand the teachings
concerning the five khandhas.
The problem of human suffering
If we turn to our chanting books we have, "…birth is dukkha, ageing is
dukkha, and death is dukkha, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and
despair are dukkha, association with the disliked is dukkha, separation
from the liked is dukkha, not attaining one's wishes is dukkha. In brief
the five focuses of attachment are dukkha." Dukkha is translated as:
stress; suffering; pain; distress; discontent. The five focuses of
attachment are the five khandhas. The khandhas are the physical and
mental components of the personality and of sensory experience in
general. According to Buddhism, then, the problem of human suffering
arises because of attachment to the five khandhas.
The khandhas are categories of the mind-body experience defined by the
following five groups.
Rupa means body; physical phenomenon.
Vedana is feeling, pleasure (ease), pain (stress), or neither pleasure
nor pain.
Sanna is perception that is based on memory. If I speak about Ajahn Cha,
most of you probably know who he is, some of you don't. If you know him
you have a particular perception but your perception is different from
mine because our experiences of Ajahn Cha are different. Our memories
are different and hence our perceptions are different.
Sankhara has a very broad meaning: formation, compound, fashioning,
fabrication. In the context of the five khandhas it is defined as mental
formations. All the mental constructs that make up the processes of
thinking and pondering, planning and worrying and so forth.
Finally, vinnana is consciousness; cognizance; the act of taking note of
sense data and ideas as they occur. Thus we have eye consciousness, nose
consciousness, ear consciousness, tongue consciousness, body
consciousness, and mind consciousness.
When one first comes upon these definitions they can be a bit daunting
or confusing. But we need to go into Right Understanding so that our
perspective of observing sense consciousness is in line with the
teachings. The problem is attachment to the five khandhas. We attach to
sense experience. We attach to the body. We attach to feeling. We attach
to perceptions. We attach to concepts and ideas. We attach to sense
consciousness. Conversely, non-attachment is one way of describing
liberation, the freedom from suffering.
Continuing with the chanting we have, "rupupadanakkhandho (attachment to
form), vedanupadanakkhandho (attachment to feeling), sannupadanakkhando
(attachment to perception), sankharupadanakkhando (attachment to mental
formations), and vinnanupadanakkhando (attachment to sense
consciousness). " Upadana translates as attachment. So we have rupa +
khandha + upadana = rupupadanakkhandha. The attachment to the bodily
group and so on for the other groups. These five then: rupa(form),
vedana (feeling), sanna (perception), sankhara (mental formations), and
vinnana (sense consciousness) are the focuses of attachment.
Thus to have Right View or Right Understanding we must understand this
crucial element of the Buddhist project. To seek the deepest spiritual
fulfilment in the khandhas or in sense experience is a mistake. It's
like searching in the fridge for a hot meal. And if you don't really
understand that, if you don't have a good grasp of that intellectually,
then you can spend all of your time trying to get it right but looking
in the wrong place. It's like that delightful story of Nasrudin, the
Sufi mystic.
Nasrudin is sitting outside an Arabian spice shop. He's sitting beside a
huge basket of red hot 'dynamite chillies'. Nasrudin's eyes are filled
with tears as he takes chillies from the basket and bites into one after
another. His friend comes along and sees Nasrudin sweating and crying. "Nasrudin
what are you doing. You're crying and sweating. Why are you chewing on
those chillies?" Nasrudin answers, "I'm trying to find a sweet one."
The teachings of non-attachment: anicca, dukkha and anatta
Let's look again at the chanting book and further consider the teachings
regarding non-attachment to the khandhas: "Rupam aniccam (form is
impermanent), vedana anicca (feeling is impermanent), sanna anicca
(perception is impermanent), sankhara anicca (mental formations are
impermanent), vinnanam aniccam (sense consciousness is impermanent)."
And then, "rupam anatta (form is not self), vedana anatta (feeling is
not self), sanna anatta (perception is not self), sankhara anatta
(mental formations are not self), vinnanam anatta (sense consciousness
is not self).
The teachings on impermanence and 'not self' are of course primary to an
understanding of Buddha Dhamma. Anicca (impermanence and uncertainty)
seems to be self-evident. We can all see change, can't we? Or at least
we think we see what the Buddha was pointing to. We may not have a
profound grasp of that idea but we have some inkling of what it might
mean. And we certainly see lots of stress and suffering so dukkha also
seems self-evident. Again perhaps our vision is not as profound as the
Buddha's but we can relate to that aspect of the teaching. But anatta,
that's difficult. One of the mistakes that is commonly held about the
teachings on anatta is that there is no self, thus implying there is
nothing. But obviously I am conscious. If you kick me in the leg I feel
pain not you. There is a story where a monk tells his teacher that if
there is no self then nothing matters. The teacher then smacks the
fellow in the head who cries out in pain, "Hey, that hurts." The teacher
answers "You said nothing matters, so what's the problem?"
The teachings on anatta do not state there is nothing. Form is not self,
feeling is not self, perception is not self, mental formations are not
self, consciousness is not self. There is no abiding essence or person
in that. In the khandhas there is no self. We ask ourselves, "So who
feels the pain? If I break my leg, it's my pain not yours. I don't get
it." Exactly. We don't get it. If it was easy to understand we wouldn't
need a Buddha to offer his insights to help us. The Buddha's realisation
was deep and profound so it's not surprising if we come across some part
of the teaching and say, "I don't get it." This is where we need to
investigate, to contemplate the teachings, to study the texts and our
own minds and bodies until we see in line with the Buddha's seeing. To
understand anatta is to understand attachment and non-attachment. It's
the heartwood of the bodhi tree.
To reach a deeper understanding of anatta we simplify our perspective on
life's events by observing our experiences as bodily sensations,
feelings, perceptions, mental constructs, sensory phenomena. In other
words we observe the changing nature of the khandhas. If this objective
perspective is missing we easily get caught up with the narrative or
story line that each life situation generates. For instance, not only is
there a feeling of annoyance because of some disturbance in our lives
but there are also all the thoughts, stories, justifications, past
resentments, guilt trips that proliferate from that energy of annoyance.
All of this will have a strong smell of self and other. This is full
blown attachment.
Training the mind in non-attachment
If we are practising non-attachment we observe the physical sensations
that are conditional upon annoyance. We observe the thoughts that are
conditional upon annoyance. Most importantly we observe the craving that
is conditional upon annoyance. This might be the craving that manifests
as a desire to hurt the other person through cruel speech or the
feelings of guilt and harsh self judgments. Indulging in these story
lines the annoyance would become a personal problem. However, when
emotions such as annoyance are observed as objects of mind rather than
ultimately true realities, then we are inclining to right understanding
and non-attachment.
The khandhas are the changing conditions that come and go; are born and
die. This is not the whole story, however, "…there is the uncreated, the
un-originated, the unformed, Nibbana, the deathless." The realisation of
the deathless or nibbana is the goal of Buddhism. The way to realise
that goal is through non-attachment to the five khandhas. Non-attachment
thus has depths of meaning that become apparent as we develop the path.
A novice's understanding of letting go changes and becomes both more
subtle and more accurate over the years.
Why do we get so wrapped up in the five khandhas - in our thoughts,
emotions, passions, relationships, bodies and all the rest of it? When
we seek to maximize pleasant experiences and minimize unpleasant
experiences we become enmeshed in our desires and our desires are
focused on the khandhas. This is the magnetic attraction that conditions
attachment. If we refer to the Four Noble Truths then in the Second
Truth we have the cause of suffering as attachment to craving. The Third
Noble Truth is that the end of suffering is the abandonment of craving.
Craving is concerned with trying to get these khandhas happy or pleasant
or nice or comfortable or good or whatever. Craving is this energy that
is always going out from the heart, out from the mind, trying to
reorganize something or get rid of something or figure something out or
own something.
Craving can be future oriented - trying to become successful, powerful,
thin, or beautiful; dreaming about being with the perfect partner;
worried about losing your job and so on. It can be fixed on the past -
replaying a painful incident over and over again, dwelling on old hurts
with resentment and revenge; or dwelling on nostalgic replays of the
good old days. It can violent or it can be petty. It takes many shapes
and forms but its hallmark is a lack of peace. If our attention is taken
up with this energy of dissatisfaction we are not available for
spiritual inquiry. This is the struggle with craving that focuses on the
khandhas, this is preoccupation with the khandhas.
When our attention is preoccupied with bodily things, with feelings,
with perceptions, preoccupied with things mental, preoccupied with sense
consciousness, that preoccupation is a symptom of attachment. As long as
we are preoccupied we are distracted by creation; preoccupied with
changing experiences; preoccupied with being born and dying. This
precludes any possibility of noticing deeper realities.
To understand the Buddhist project we must understand what is meant by
non-attachment. Buddhists will sometimes take a position that they
shouldn't be attached but are not clear about what that implies. From a
wrong understanding they then feel guilty about negative emotions rather
than simply observing negativities coming and going as a natural part of
the conditioned mind. The meditation practices that we develop help us
train in this simple witnessing to things as they arise and pass. For
instance, watching the breath can be an exercise of patiently observing
change and discovering or remembering the still centre of witnessing. In
this practice, awareness (witnessing or observing) is more important
than the object that is being observed. Awareness takes precedence over
the object of awareness, the object of awareness being some aspect of
the khandhas. We stress the knowing rather than the object.
Compare this to worldly endeavours mesmerized and addicted to the
quality of the experience. Here the object of attention becomes all
important and that importance is governed by craving. The worldly person
tries to acquire pleasant experiences; to get rid of some aspect of
experience; obsessing about some idea; lost in dreams about this and
that. Craving is always pulling us into objects, be it mental objects,
emotional objects or material objects. This is conditioned by memories
of past pains and pleasures, pulling our attention here and there with
the energy of fear and desire. This creates a tension in the mind;
attraction and repulsion; liking and disliking. In the practice of
awareness and clear understanding we try to observe that push and pull
of the world and not buy into it.
Observing feelings as objects of the mind
At the risk of too much repetition let's consider another concrete
example. I'm told that my company will be reducing its work force by 10%
and I may lose my job. Naturally enough this triggers anxiety. I feel it
both physically and in my brain, my thoughts being conditioned by
anxiety. How will I pay for my mortgage; should I work more overtime and
so on. On a social level I need to make contingency plans and think
through the problem. Having done that I still feel anxiety. If I can
observe this emotion as one of the khandhas, as bodily tensions that
move and change in consciousness; if I can witness to anxiety rather
than be obsessed with anxious thoughts, then already I have some space
and freedom. This is the first step in non-attachment. I notice anxiety
as an object, rather than be the subject of anxiety. There is a
difference between being an anxious person and knowing anxiety as an
object of mind.
Anxiety arises and with the anxiety comes the craving not to feel
anxious. This is natural enough. But in the practice of non-attachment
this craving is also observed as yet another manifestation of the
khandhas. We witness to this craving, the craving for security and a
happy future. If we pay attention to the craving rather than seeking a
distraction or compensation to replace the anxiety then we are
practising non-attachment. Knowing anxiety as a sankhara; knowing it as
anicca, dukkha, anatta; knowing it as a condition that has arisen, that
stays for a while, that is not a personal problem and is not worth
grasping - this is the art of letting go.
It's not something that you have to believe, it's something that you
have to understand and then implement in your daily life. It's not a
belief system. This practice has a goal that is known as liberation from
the khandhas. So it's a project, it's a wonderful hobby. If you are
going to spend your time on a hobby you might as well take liberation.
There is work to be done, there is a point to this.
Craving is the magnet that draws us out to the khandhas. Knowing the
limitations of the khandhas and hence the limitations of craving puts
life into a perspective that is in line with Right Understanding. Then
craving is OK. There is nothing right or wrong about craving but knowing
its limitations prevents us from being deluded by those magnetic pulls.
We can drink our fruit juice and enjoy the warmth and light of a sunny
day but we realise that liberation does not lie in the object, in the
fruit juice or the beautiful weather. It doesn't lie in an experience
per se, it does not lie in the khandhas.
Not pursuing the dictates of craving is the meaning of renunciation -
abandoning the belief that fulfilment can be found in an objective
experience. When we renounce that movement towards the khandhas what is
left? If we're not pursuing bodily experiences, and feelings of
pleasure, pain or indifference; nor perceptions; nor thoughts, nor
ideas, nor emotions; nor sights, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily
sensations nor mental phenomena, what remains? Are you bankrupt? What is
left? Is there anything left? Is it just nothing? What remains is
knowing the way things are or simply being aware. This may not sound
like much but if we give awareness a chance we find in it the resolution
of our deepest yearnings. Awareness is the path to the Deathless.
The art of skilful living
When we follow our desires in attempting to maximize pleasure and
minimize pain our attention is preoccupied with the khandhas. Attention
is always out, away from the still centre of knowing. If, however, we
are following a path of awareness our attitude is receptive rather than
controlling, domineering or manipulative. The Buddhist project is one of
waiting and letting go rather than becoming, getting or getting rid of.
Renunciation is based upon this kind of understanding. This requires
patience, courage, and a willingness to allow life to unfold. This in
turn implies a kind of love and respect for life in all its
manifestations.
Right view guides our efforts on the path and keeps our intellect in
harmony with the Dhamma. Once we understand the project, that it's about
the letting go of the khandhas, then there's still a lot of work to do,
but at least it becomes much more clear how to do it, what to do. The
liberation from stress can't be realised by the pursuit of craving.
Focusing on the khandhas as a way out of suffering is doomed to failure.
But what about my desire to be free from stress? Isn't that craving?
Let's say there is wise wanting and stupid craving.
Smart wanting concerns our aspiration to freedom both for ourselves and
others. We want to live in a society that is decent and fair so wise
desire addresses the various issues we face in the world, our social
life, our relationships, duties, the expressive side of our life, our
cultural joys and interests. We want the environment to be protected so
that we have good water to drink and clean air to breathe. These are
natural and wholesome desires. Good governance, artistic beauty,
universal health care, moral and spiritual education - and so many other
issues come to mind. These kinds of wishes and aspirations for
ourselves, our families and our societies are healthy and fall into the
societal teachings of the Buddha. These teachings include ethics,
altruism, right relationships, right communication and a range of
guidelines that help us with the various choices we must make throughout
the days of our lives. We desire to be free from suffering and we wish
the same for others. These suggestions from the teachings guide us in
the way of smart desire.
In parallel to these social teachings we also have the inner teachings
among which an understanding of attachment to and letting go of the
khandhas is very important. We reflect on the contemplative teachings
about our inner world and the workings of consciousness. Part of these
contemplative teachings concern a perspective of observation wherein we
observe life as a stream of conscious events or we might say a stream of
khandha events. The task is to witness this stream of consciousness with
the wisdom of non-attachment.
These two aspects of the Buddha's words, the social and the inner,
define the Buddhist Path. In a social sense we have to try and get it
right. If there's immorality we address that. If there is starvation we
try to address that. We try to be altruistic and help the world as best
we can according to our capabilities and resources. We gain
encouragement and support from our spiritual friends and companions and
we develop attitudes and skills that hopefully give joyous expression to
our lives. At the deepest level of realisation, however, we know that no
external condition or relationship is ultimately stable or reliable.
These are all the movement of the khandhas within which there is no
perfection.
Right View thus implies an understanding of skilful living as well as
the wisdom of letting go. Not a letting go that is dismissive,
repressive or alienating but rather a letting go that is empathetic to
life and yet not deluded by attachment to life's changes. This is what
understanding attachment to the five khandhas implies. Call it the five
khandhas, the psycho-physical process, the mind-body experience or life.
If it moves don't grasp it, let go and respond to life from empathy and
generosity rather than from craving, grasping and all the stress that
entails. This path of letting go of the khandhas then becomes an art
form, the art of skilful living.
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