Categories: Be Happy 24 hours
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Welcome. For those of you exploring the spiritual life through these teachings, today we hope to illuminate another aspect of the mind’s nature, using mindfulness as our foundation. We constantly speak of this practice the practice of mindfulness, or what is called Sati in the Pali language.
By now, these words may be familiar, settled in your mind, and you are making a sincere effort to apply them practically in your life. This effort is incredibly important. It is only through this continuous, gentle effort that we begin to see results. The more we practice cultivating mindfulness, the more this quality of awareness develops within us.
What Are You Thinking? A First Look Inside Your Mind
Mindfulness, or Sati, is the one tool that helps us in the journey of understanding the mind. To realize the ultimate peace of liberation, or Nibbāna, is to have fully developed mindfulness and, through it, to have gained a complete understanding of the mind. And to understand the mind is to understand the entire universe.
It is to understand all of nature and all living beings. This is the true science the study of the mind. We are not speaking of the technology or Western medicine that has emerged in recent times. The authentic science is the inner exploration of consciousness, and this can only be discovered by developing mindfulness.
In the early stages, as we establish our mindfulness practice, we must begin by studying our thoughts. As the Buddha taught in the Satipatthana Sutta, the discourse on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, we can learn to recognize the thoughts that arise within us. This practice is known as Cittānupassanā, or the contemplation of the mind.
A Simple Guide to Identifying Your Thoughts
You can begin to simply notice the different textures of your thoughts. You don’t need to judge them, just see them clearly. You may notice:
- Thoughts rooted in greed (rāga), aversion (dvesha), and delusion (moha).
- Thoughts free from greed (alobha), aversion (advesha), and delusion (amoha).
- Thoughts you might label as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
- Thoughts of jealousy, and thoughts of goodwill.
- Thoughts that wish to cause pressure or harm to another, and those that do not.
- The impulse to perform generous acts, whether material or through practice.
- The impulse to sabotage another’s good deeds, or the thought that such acts are useless.
- The desire to meditate, and the resistance to meditation.
- Thoughts that are actively seeking some kind of pleasure, and those that try to avoid or obstruct that search.
Observing each of these as just ‘a thought in my mind’ is a simple way to practice. This method is accessible to anyone, regardless of their background, age, or beliefs. That is why we explain it in plain language. The important thing is not the specific words we use, but whether the teaching is understood and applied. If it helps you develop your mind and move toward liberation, that is all that matters.
Bringing Mindfulness Into Your Everyday Moments
This practice of understanding the mind is not separate from your life; it is your life. You can maintain this awareness in all four postures sitting, standing, walking, and lying down. Your job, your household chores, or caring for your children are not obstacles. In fact, you practice while doing these very things. This is how you cultivate both mindfulness (Sati) and clear comprehension (Sampajañña).
We continuously encourage this practice because mindfulness is the only place where you can truly meet yourself. Without it, you cannot understand who you are. You live in a state of heedlessness, or what we might call ‘un-mindfulness’. Think of the billions of people in the world. So many are lost in this heedlessness, driven by a deep-seated craving, known as Taṇhā. This craving manifests in every field technology, finance, business all rooted in a fundamental desire for more.
But as we cultivate mindfulness, this craving naturally begins to subside. We find ourselves less interested in these worldly pursuits and more drawn to deepening the practice itself, simply because it brings us freedom from that very craving.
Beyond Thoughts: Recognizing Attachment and Aversion
As we continue the practice of understanding the mind, we naturally lose the desire to compete with the world. We begin to see the endless chase as a futile process. This does not mean you must abandon your responsibilities. You can still live in society, engage in your work, and care for your family, but you do so without getting caught in the competitive race. You learn to move at your own, authentic pace. By practicing these teachings, you are already becoming this kind of person.
Now, we come to a deeper level. As we continue observing our thoughts, we eventually notice something more subtle. We see thoughts with which the mind fiercely grapples thoughts that are constantly ‘clinging’ and ‘colliding’. These are the powerful forces of attachment and aversion.
The Nature of Clinging: How We Feed Our Attachments
A powerful example is desire, or rāga. Many people cling to this. It’s important to understand that rāga is not just sexual lust. It encompasses all forms of affectionate attachment the love for a partner, the love for a child, the love for a parent. All of these fall under the category of rāga, even though society often reserves the term only for romantic or sexual connection.
As you practice, you may notice how the mind engages with these feelings. For example, you might be sitting quietly, and a memory arises of a happy moment with a loved one perhaps a walk you took together. This event happened in the past, maybe a week, a month, or a year ago.
Yet, in the present moment, you are deriving pleasure from that memory. With mindfulness, you see this process with stunning clarity: ‘This is a memory, a thought of the past. Because I am attached to it, I am feeling happiness now. I am even intentionally replaying it to feel this pleasure.’ You are no longer just seeing a thought; you are seeing the mind’s *reaction* to the thought. This is a very subtle and profound step in understanding the mind.
The Profound Wisdom We Have Almost Forgotten
When you realize how subtle this level of mindfulness is, you can begin to imagine the awareness of the great enlightened beings, like the Buddhas and Arahants. Their mindfulness is immeasurably vast and profound. This helps us appreciate the deep wisdom, or paññā, of the ancient masters.
One could say that much of what passes for ‘wisdom’ in the modern world driven by Western science and technology is a system introduced by Māra, the symbolic tempter, designed to destroy true wisdom by amplifying worldly cravings and desires. It is a path away from wisdom, not towards it. It is good to remember this distinction.
The Subtle Dance of Clinging, Aversion, and Equanimity
As you continue to watch, a fascinating dance begins. You might notice the mind settling into a peaceful, empty state. Then, you see it: the mind is clinging to this peacefulness. A moment later, that state may shift, and you see the mind has become balanced, in a state of equanimity, known as upekkhā. But then, if that peaceful, empty state fades, a feeling of sadness, frustration, or aversion (domanassa) arises. You see that, too. And then, the clinging returns, as the mind craves the peaceful state once more.
Watching this unfold is like seeing a dark room slowly fill with light. It is not a mystical vision or a ‘third eye’ opening, but a simple, growing clarity. The feeling of emptiness deepens, the mind becomes more settled, as if approaching a state of deep concentration (samādhi) or even meditative absorption (jhāna). Whether these states arise depends on the individual’s journey and past cultivation of merit.
The Breakthrough: Are You Clinging to Emptiness?
This leads to a special and crucial breakthrough. After the stream of discursive thoughts has quieted and you rest in that peaceful, empty space, the next stage of practice begins. You must turn your mindfulness onto that very state of emptiness itself and ask: ‘Am I clinging to this feeling of emptiness?’
To recognize this subtle clinging is a tremendous victory. It strengthens and energizes the mind for the journey ahead. The process becomes very clear:
Mastering your observation at this precise point is the key to truly understanding the mind’s fundamental nature. Remember, if you find your mind in such an empty state, watch it closely. See if it is clinging, see if it is pushing away when the state is gone, or see if it can rest in the middle, in equanimity.
Your Path Forward: Continue With Gentle Awareness
If you can do this, it is possible. The Buddha would not have taught this if it were not achievable. Persist in watching this particular area of your experience. As you do this over time, you will have experiences you cannot even imagine now. As you explore this, reflect on what you discover.
Sharing these insights with a spiritual friend or teacher can be helpful, just as these teachings are shared with you. By looking in this way, you will begin to see reality as it is. The true nature of your mind and of life will become clearer and clearer.
For now, continue with this practice. We will explore the next steps in future teachings. Continue to develop your spiritual path by cultivating this gentle, persistent awareness.
This concludes today’s teaching on recognizing the mind’s clinging, aversion, and equanimity. May the power and blessings of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha the Triple Gem provide you with the clarity to mindfully realize these truths for yourself.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
