The aim of practicing the path of the Buddha is to overcome suffering and ultimately transcend dukka. Now Dukka and suffering have two distinct meanings. They are not the same. Some of us think that Dukka is suffering. But that is not a correct understanding. Let me explain to the best of my understanding and experience.
Dukka is a natural law. We have no choice. Dukka will always be there whether we like it or not. Being born is dukka, being sick is dukka, dying is dukka, receiving blame is dukka, losing loved ones is dukka....and there are many other factors that make up dukka. We all experience one or more things from time to time. Even the great Buddha himself experienced sickness, old-age, death, blame etc.
However unlike dukka which is a natural law, suffering is a choice. We have the option to suffer or not to suffer. Now isn't that a wonderful thing!!! How is that so? Well suffering is a reaction to dukka. For example, when we are sick, in addition to the sickness we suffer because we think "Oh why do I have to get sick?", "Why me?", "Why now?", "What did I do to deserve this"?, "How can this happen to me?"........many such questions lead us towards the path of suffering. When loved ones die, we say "Oh why did they die?", "They should not have died so young, it's unfair", "I cannot live without them"......many such lamentations.
Now whether we like it or not death is going to happen; our parents, children, partners, sisters and brothers are going to die; we are going to die; we are going to be sick and old and we are going to get wrinkles, white hair and those wonderful phenomena that come with old age....these things happen because that's the way it is. But when we react to it, that reaction brings suffering.
So what causes us to react? Because logically if you figure out what causes the reaction then we can figure out how to address the cause which will stop the reaction and as a result any suffering. Well the reaction happens because of craving. In other words, we desire or we want something else and not the dukka that we are experiencing. For example, when we get sick, we want NOT to be sick. Now that wanting NOT to be sick is called suffering.
Another example, we go on holidays. Well we have to come back home. Now coming back home after a holiday is not as bad as thinking "Oh I don't want to go back home", "I'm not looking forward to going back to work".....so what makes you suffer is your wanting for your holiday to continue and your wanting not to resume normal life.
Even the Buddha and the great Arahants had dukka but because they understood that that is the way things are, they did not suffer from it. The Buddha was said to have suffered from severe diarrhea during the last months of his life. Imagine how painful that would have been. Imagine if that were to happen to us how miserable we would be. But the Buddha understood that having a body meant, that it would get sick, it was subject to decay, pain....but he was also very wise to know that complaining about it or worrying about it not going to change things other than make yourself and others miserable.
I know we are not as wise and capable as the Buddha, at least I am not. But we can certainly make a stride in the right direction. It's incredible that with each small step that you begin to realise the power and the truth of what he taught 25 centuries ago. But it's not easy. It's an uphill battle. It takes a lot of determination and courage and patience. I have read many management books and self-improvement books and I am sure that most of you have done that as well. Some of you including myself would have made great effort to be the kind of leader described in those books by striving to follow the methods, instructions given.
The path of the Buddha is the same. In fact I have found that it takes even more personal courage and determination because results are slow. You also find that at most times you have no companion on the path and that you are there by yourself and that you have to depend on your own understandings and learn to listen to yourself and keep to the code of ethics laid down by the Buddha. Also you will find that most people are walking in the opposite direction to the path you are taking.
So the chances that you get discouraged are enormous. The chances that you would questions as to why bother or why walk a difficult path all by yourself when all the others are having fun and walking the easy way will swamp your mind. So I would like to end my blog with the following story which I found in Steven Coveys book on "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". I think the story has the answer to the question why.
"Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.
Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported "Light, bearing on the starboard bow."
"Is is steady or moving astern?" the captain called out.
Lookout replied, "Steady, captain." which meant we were on a collision course with that ship.
The captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees"
Back came a signal, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees"
The captain said, "Send, I'm a captain, change course 20 degrees"
"I'm a seaman second class," came the reply. "You had better change course 20 degrees"
By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send, I am a battleship. Change course 20 degrees."
Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse"
We changed course.
No comments:
Post a Comment