-HH The Dalai Lama in Essence of the Heart Sutra
I had heard things like this for a long time, but they never sunk into the heart.
I understood them intellectually, like the answer to a multiple choice question. But I was not living my life with this understanding. Because, like so many people, I was glamoured into thinking that being rich or loved or smart was what would solve all the problems of unhappiness. And, accordingly, I was focusing on adding more money or more fame. And trying to avoid losses and blame.
I was able to finally get it. Some writings of Thanissaro Bhikkhu probably pointed the way to a sutta, that roughly said, even if you gave everyone a mountain of gold, it wouldn't be enough to satisfy people.
Hmm... really. A mountain of gold? That's a lot of gold. Having a Billion Dollars would be much less, and that... I think that could solve my ills.
But, I kinda looked at those I knew and those we see in pop culture. The super rich that I knew had the same problems (trust, betrayal, annoyance, illness) albeit better resources to address them. And the history of Hollywood is littered by scandals and meltdowns.
So, I did the thought experiment. I think the Buddha would have been very supportive of the notion of thought experiments, to the extent that they are helpful.
And I thought about the things I wanted. Great friends. A reliable partner. Great sex. Tons of money. Respect. Fame. To be listened to.
And one by one, I went through them. With amazing hyperbole. What if I could have the best sex anytime I wanted with willing partners. 10X a day if I wanted it.
Hmm... really. A mountain of gold? That's a lot of gold. Having a Billion Dollars would be much less, and that... I think that could solve my ills.
But, I kinda looked at those I knew and those we see in pop culture. The super rich that I knew had the same problems (trust, betrayal, annoyance, illness) albeit better resources to address them. And the history of Hollywood is littered by scandals and meltdowns.
So, I did the thought experiment. I think the Buddha would have been very supportive of the notion of thought experiments, to the extent that they are helpful.
And I thought about the things I wanted. Great friends. A reliable partner. Great sex. Tons of money. Respect. Fame. To be listened to.
And one by one, I went through them. With amazing hyperbole. What if I could have the best sex anytime I wanted with willing partners. 10X a day if I wanted it.
And, one by one, I realized, from the thought experiment, that it wouldn't satisfy. It all came back to times I'd binge on sugar or bread. I would be VERY happy for a few hours. And then re-upping it... maybe a few more days. But, it would fade. It's solve that craving... but it wouldn't solve the issue of craving (tanha) itself.
What if I could have 10000 great friends to talk to all the time....
What if I could have 10Billion....
What if I could have 10000 great friends to talk to all the time....
What if I could have 10Billion....
What if everyone praised me....
Part of me wanted to shoot the experiment in the foot. Well, money causes it's own problems, as does fame. But that's not the point. Suppose you could have all the upside with none of the downside. One would still be left with those orthogonal issues. Greed. Aversion/Anger. Delusion. Stress. Impermanence.
They don't fix things in one's own mind.
Now, there is an element of privelege here. If you grew up poor, then money is going to be important... a part of not having to go back to old traumas. And, I don't want to let Buddhism be used to support inequality and injustice. (One might say, since money isn't everything, the social justice movement shouldn't be fighting for money.)
And, if you grew up emotionally abused, then having safety and approval will be a big part of one's life.
The thing here is not that these aren't helpful. They are, and I wish that people would share wealth and share safety and look out for each other. But that's not enough. There's still the issue of craving. Greed. Anger. Delusion.
Now, there is an element of privelege here. If you grew up poor, then money is going to be important... a part of not having to go back to old traumas. And, I don't want to let Buddhism be used to support inequality and injustice. (One might say, since money isn't everything, the social justice movement shouldn't be fighting for money.)
And, if you grew up emotionally abused, then having safety and approval will be a big part of one's life.
The thing here is not that these aren't helpful. They are, and I wish that people would share wealth and share safety and look out for each other. But that's not enough. There's still the issue of craving. Greed. Anger. Delusion.
In mathematical/logical terms.
Money is neither necessary nor sufficient for ending greed, anger, and delusion.
Money is neither necessary nor sufficient for ending greed, anger, and delusion.
Praise is neither necessary nor sufficient for ending greed, anger, and delusion.
Avoiding blame is neither necessary nor sufficient for ending greed, anger, and delusion.
Sex / pleasure is neither necessary nor sufficient for ending greed, anger, and delusion.
Sex / pleasure is neither necessary nor sufficient for ending greed, anger, and delusion.
That last one requires a small comment. Pleasure itself is not the problem. It is the clinging. For a long time I wanted to escape the five aggregates because I heard some people way that was the path. But then Thanissaro Bhikkhu helped clarify that it is the clinging to the aggregates that needs to be abandoned. That was a big middle path lesson.
So, more and more.... does not lead to more.
More can be less.
More can also be more.
So how can you tell?
Look for what is useful.
Develop the watcher.
So, contentment for external things is to be developed.
ON DISCONTENTMENT
However, in the mind, one does need to go for more and more. It is said, though not fashionably, that the Buddha was able to succeed because he wasn't content with lesser levels of awakening. He kept looking (watchering) for the tiniest bits of stress and then found that there was a way to be so sensitive and heedful that one could find an understanding that wiped away all the stress.
So how can you tell?
Look for what is useful.
Develop the watcher.
So, contentment for external things is to be developed.
ON DISCONTENTMENT
However, in the mind, one does need to go for more and more. It is said, though not fashionably, that the Buddha was able to succeed because he wasn't content with lesser levels of awakening. He kept looking (watchering) for the tiniest bits of stress and then found that there was a way to be so sensitive and heedful that one could find an understanding that wiped away all the stress.
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