Buddha on the Path Leading to the Ending of Suffering

"And what, monks, is the Noble Truth of the path leading to the ending of suffering (dukkha)? It is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely, Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. And what, monks, is Right View? The understanding of suffering; the understanding of the cause of suffering; the understanding of the cessation of suffering; the understanding of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. This, monks, is called Right View. And what, monks, is Right Thought? Thoughts directed to liberation from sensuality; thoughts free from ill-will; and thoughts free from cruelty. This, monks, is called Right Thought. And what,monks, is Right Speech? Abstaining from lying, from tale-bearing, from abusive speech, and from vain and not beneficial talk. This, monks, is called Right Speech. And what, monks, is Right Action? Abstaining from killing living beings,from stealing and from wrongful indulgence in sense pleasures. This, monks, is called Right Action. And what, monks, is Right Livelihood? Here (in this teaching), monks, the noble disciple completely abstains from a wrong way of livelihood and makes his living by a right means of livelihood. This, monks, is called Right Livelihood. And what, monks, is Right Effort? Here (in this teaching), monks, a disciple generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to prevent the arising of evil, unwholesome states of mind that have not yet arisen. He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to abandon evil, unwholesome states of mind that have arisen. He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to attain wholesome states of mind that have not yet arisen. He generates an intention, makes effort, rouses energy, applies his mind, and strives ardently to maintain the wholesome states of mind that have arisen, to prevent their lapsing, to increase them, to cause them to grow, and to completely develop them. This, monks, is called Right Effort. And what, monks, is Right Mindfulness? Here (in this teaching), monks, a disciple dwells perceiving again and again the body as just the body with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again feelings as just feelings with diligence, clear understanding and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world, he dwells perceiving again and again the mind as just the mind with diligence, clear understanding, and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world; he dwells perceiving again and again mind-objects as just mind-objects with diligence, clear understanding and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and mental pain in the world. This, monks, is called Right Mindfulness. And what, monks, is Right Concentration? Here (in this teaching), monks, a disciple being detached from sensual desire and unwholesome states attains and dwells in the first absorption (jhana) which has applied and sustained thought; and rapture and happiness born of detachment (from the hindrances). With the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a disciple attains and dwells in the second absorption, with internal tranquility and one-pointedness of mind, without applied and sustained thought, but with rapture and happiness born of concentration. Being without rapture, a disciple dwells in equanimity with mindfulness and clear understanding, and experiences happiness in mind and body. He attains and dwells in the third absorption; that which causes a person who attains it to be praised by the Noble Ones as one who has equanimity and mindfulness, one who abides in happiness. By becoming detached from both happiness and suffering and by the previous cessation of gladness and mental pain, a disciple attains and dwells in the fourth absorption, a state of pure mindfulness born of equanimity. This, monks, is called Right Concentration. This, monks, is called the Noble Truth of the path leading to the ending of suffering."

(Digha Nikaya 22, Tipitaka)

Buddha on the Ending of Suffering

"What, now, is the Noble Truth of the Ending of Suffering? It is the complete fading away and extinction of this craving, its forsaking and abandonment, liberation and detachment from it.

But where may this craving vanish, where may it be extinguished? Wherever in the world there are delightful and pleasurable things, there this craving may vanish, there it may be extinguished.

Be it in the past, present, or future, whichever disciples regard the delightful and pleasurable things in the world as impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha), and without a self (anatta), as diseases and cankers, it is they who overcome craving."

(Digha Nikaya 22, Tipitaka)

A Buddhist Reflection on Listening





Listen up, folks!

There are different levels of listening that normally we do not explore or even know of that well. This is because we’re so caught up in the world, with its many, many distractions that our desires feed on, sustaining themselves and begetting more desires. We’re too busy to stop and listen to the world around us, including the people we meet. In fact, we’re usually too preoccupied to listen to ourselves, never paying attention to these bodies and minds that we take to be our selves. If we do manage to wriggle free of the entanglements of the passions for a moment, however, we can learn to see things as they truly are and not as we take them to be. We can learn to listen.

Listening to the world: The visual sense is predominant for most of us, most of the time. We rely on it to identify and negotiate the world around us, and in doing so build up our worlds of delusion upon it. We see, we want, or we see, we dislike. Vision is so caught up in our desires and misconceptions of this life that it can take another sense all together to challenge those misconceptions. If we close our eyes right now and simply listen to the world, we can open the door of wisdom. What can you hear in this moment? I can hear insects in the tropical evening, as well as music flowing from the stereo speakers in the room that I’m writing. These sounds aren’t full of desire or delusion in them selves, are they? They’re simply what they are: sounds. It’s what we think and feel about them that make them appear pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable.

Listening to others: So often in life we don’t really listen to each other. We wait for the other person to cease talking so that we can air our views and opinions (no matter how misguided they may be). We don’t make the effort to actually listen to the other person’s tone of voice, choice of words, and what they’re talking about. We hear them, but don’t truly listen to them. We’re unaware of just how upset they are if we aren’t taking note of how they saying what they’re saying; they may be angry with us, frustrated with life, or making subtle invitations, but if we’re not attentive to them, we’ll miss all these signs. And then we’ll wonder how we missed what they were really saying. We’ll be astounded by our own ignorance, born of the fact that we didn’t listen to them.

Listening to ourselves: Not only do we fail to listen to others, including the ones we hold most dear, but we don’t even listen to ourselves. Our bodies produce all subtle (and unsubtle!) sounds, including the creaking of bones, the chewing of food, the swallowing reflex, and the sound of our breathing. Listening to the breath, for instance, we can determine if we are more agitated than we realize, or discover that we’re not as fit as we previously thought, panting like a randy poodle! The mind can be listened to also, in the sense that we can hear the silence that thoughts, feelings, and memories appear in. Ever had a song that sticks in the brain and repeats endlessly despite our wish that it didn’t? Well, next time that arises, try listening to the silence that surrounds it, and see what happens to the annoying tune.

Listening to the sound of silence: The American monk Ajahn Sumedho has for many years talked of ‘the sound of silence’, an inner sound that can be heard if one quiets the mind to the point that it opens up to the subtlest of noises. This sound is also called the ‘primal’ buzzing or hissing, and appears to be a kind of ringing inside the ears rather than outside of them. It’s a physical sound that isn’t ‘out there’, but rather ‘in here’. Listening to this sound has a calming affect on the mind and helps it to develop concentration also. It gives consciousness something less distracting to focus on, enabling one to let go of other noises as well as the ‘inner voice’ that normally rambles on about every little event that occurs in our lives. It leads us to the real silence that’s found not in tranquil surroundings, but within ourselves.

Listening to the silence: This silence is with us always. But usually we’re unaware of it because we never listen out for it. We don’t know where to look for this transcending silence: we never imagine that it could be found inside ourselves. Once we’ve become alive to it, we can focus on this silence and notice that all sounds arise in it, whether the sounds of nature or of humanity, whether outside of us or within us. This silence is ever present if we have the skill to listen to it. It’s a peace that we take with us everywhere we go, but are normally completely oblivious to it! It puts all our delusions and desires into perspective, as objects in audio-awareness. They lose a lot of their power to disturb us, seeming much less important in this sea of tranquility.

So, true silence is found whatever audio objects can be heard. Even in the deafening din of loud music, the silence is still here, as calm and unaffected as ever. If the mind can be turned away from particular noises to that in which they exist, then a radically different way of experiencing oneself and the world will be discovered. Those distracting sounds will lose their power to disrupt the contentment that lies at the very heart of every human being, and is waiting to be found and fed upon. For feeding on this silence leads us to our real home: peace. This can be achieved by truly listening to the world, others, ourselves, the ‘sound of silence’, and ultimately silence itself. And this silence is one that can never be disturbed, whatever the cacophony that inhabits it!

Buddha on the Contemplation of the Mind

“But how does the disciple dwell in contemplation of the mind?

Herein the disciple knows the greedy mind as greedy, and the not greedy mind as not greedy; knows the hating mind as hating, and the not hating mind as not hating: knows the deluded mind as deluded and the undeluded mind as undeluded. He knows the cramped mind as cramped, and the scattered mind as scattered; knows the developed mind as developed, and the undeveloped mind as undeveloped; knows the surpassable mind as surpassable and the unsurpassable mind as unsurpassable; knows the concentrated mind as concentrated, and the unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated; knows the freed mind as freed, and the unfreed mind as unfreed.”

(Buddha, from the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta)

Buddha on the Contemplation of Feelings

"In experiencing feelings, the disciple knows: ‘I have an agreeable feeling’; or: ‘I have a disagreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have an indifferent feeling’; or: ‘I have a worldly agreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have an unworldly agreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have a worldly disagreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have an unworldly disagreeable feeling’, or: ‘I have a worldly indifferent feeling’, or: ‘I have an unworldly indifferent feeling.’

Thus he dwells in contemplation of the feelings, either with regard to his own person, or to other persons, or to both. He beholds how feelings arise; beholds how they pass away; beholds the arising and passing away of feelings. ‘Feelings are there’: this clear awareness is present in him, to the extent necessary for knowledge and mindfulness; and he lives independent, unattached to anything in the world. Thus does the disciple dwell in contemplation of feelings."

(Buddha, from the Maha-Satthipatthana Sutta)

The Middle Way Principle

K.D. Lang: 'Constant Craving'

Tanha (craving, desire) lies at the heart of Buddha's teaching. In the four noble truths that form the core of his teachings, it is craving that causes dukkha (suffering, stress), and it is the removal of craving & suffering that is the aim of the Buddhist life. The basic formula of these truths is: 1) There is suffering, 2) Craving causes suffering, 3) Ending craving ends suffering, 4) The path that leads to the ending of suffering. Here, we are concerned with the second of thee four truths, that of craving. Understanding this truth - and seeing it as it occurs in us - is crucial to walking the Buddhist path to awakening. 

As K.D. Lang sings so beautifully, craving is a constant in our lives - until we end it and become enlightened, that is! Craving causes us to do so much that is wicked & selfish, motivated by desire for money, possessions, sex, drugs, land, power, and much, much more! Now, we may not be ready to end all craving & suffering right now, but we can deal with much unnecessary desire & stress if we apply the simple Buddhist idea of the middle way. The middle way is also part of Buddha's essential teachings given in his first sermon, along with the four noble truths. In Pali, this sermon is known as the Dhammacakkappavatana Sutta, or, 'The Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dharma (Truth).' In it, he presents the middle way between the extremes of self-indulgence & self-asceticism. 

We can use this idea of the middle way principle as a guiding rule in our everyday lives to avoid indulging in extreme craving & the resultant suffering. When about to eat a whole packet of cookies, we can contemplate as we look at it, "Is acting on this desire to eat it all beneficial or harmful? Is it an extreme behavior?" If the answer is yes to either of these questions, then we can heed the middle way ideal and not eat the whole packet of cookies, saving some for another occasion, or to share, and saving money. too. If craving drives us to push our partner for more and more sex despite their reluctance, if compassion for them doesn't check our behavior, perhaps considering sexual desire in the light of the middle way will help: "Is it beneficial or harmful to demand sex from our partner; is it an extreme behavior?"

Another important teaching in Buddha's first discourse is the noble eightfold path, which is a more detailed version of the middle way itself, also being the fourth noble truth of the way leading to the ending of suffering. The eight aspects of this path are: 1) right view, 2) right thought, 3) right speech, 4) right action, 5) right livelihood, 6) right effort, 7) right mindfulness, and 8) right concentration. These eight aspects are 'right' in that they lead to enlightenment, the goal of Buddhism, whereas their opposites will lead to further suffering. Applying the middle way principle helps us to cultivate the various facts of the path, for example in avoiding extreme views which will contradict right view, or extreme actions which would go against right action. Even in meditation, Buddha taught that one should avoid the extremes of forced attention and a wandering mind, instead following the middle way of relaxed attention. The middle way principle is of great assistance to walking the noble eightfold path, which should be of no surprise, as the latter is an elaboration of the former.

According to tradition, Buddha gave us five precepts to keep that help us avoid extreme, harmful behavior. These are 1) Not to kill, 2) Not to steal, 3) Not to commit sexual misconduct, 4) Not to lie, and 5) Not to take intoxicants. Applying the middle way principle to our life can help us to keep these precepts, encouraging us to contemplate our actions and their results, avoiding those extreme actions that are harmful to both ourselves and others. These precepts, along with the middle way principle, can help us to reduce stress in our lives, as well as in those that we come into contact with. Indeed, the two are wholly complementary, helping to sustain one another; so, if one applies the middle way to ones' moral behavior, this helps to keep the precepts, and if one keeps the precepts, this helps to develop the middle way principle.

So, applying the middle way principle to our lives can help in so many ways; it can help us to see and understand the truth of suffering in our lives - craving; it can help us develop the noble eightfold path in our lives, which also leads to a reduction (and eventually, the eradication) of suffering; it can assist us to keep the five precepts which make reduce our harmful actions and make us better members of society. As mentioned at the top of this article, according to Buddhist teaching, only this that are enlightened are completely free of suffering - and not many of us would claim to have achieved this! But, for the rest of us, the middle way principle can at least help to us to dramatically reduce the amount of craving and resultant stress in life - and that has to be good thing, doesn't it?

Buddha on the Origin of Suffering

“What, now, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? It is craving, which gives rise to fresh rebirth, and, bound up with pleasure and lust, now here, now there, finds ever-fresh delight.

But where does this craving arise and take root? Wherever in this world there are delightful and pleasurable things, there this craving arises and takes root. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes root.

Visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily impressions and mind objects, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes root.

Consciousness, sense impression, feeling born of sense impression, perception, will, craving, thinking, and reflecting, are delightful and pleasurable: there this craving arises and takes root.

This is called the noble truth of the origin of suffering."

(Buddha, Digha Nikaya 22, Tipitaka)