Twist Your Mind — More on Buddhist Psychology
As it was stated in the previous article relating to this philosophical view, more subject is to be revealed, as promised.
Mindfulness, attachment, metaphorical teachings and suffering was slightly touched and as for now, we shall take a closer and deeper look on certain aspects. The course and flow of life according to Buddhist tenets will be discussed along with cause effects, meditation and related topics.
On Life itself
There is a flow to the course of happenings and phenomenons, and life is no exception from these. Most of our acts are happening due to an act of ignorance. We breathe, we walk, we move without truly being conscious and aware of it. Those acts which are deliberate can birth mindfulness and from mindfulness comes the awareness of mental and psychical phenomenons. From that we arrive to our five senses and to our minds. But how does life builds up from these listed things?
Let’s take ‘feelings’ itself for instance. From feelings comes desire. From desire comes attachment. From attachment comes union. From union comes birth. Birth is then followed by passing. That is how the circle of life, Saṃsāra builds up.
As it is known, all aspects of live is bound to a certain condition. The ability to produce life, emotion or just the simple act of breathing is connected and dependent on some sort of condition. Everything is in constant movement and all that exists are operated by a certain criterion.
A delicate subject of life, freedom is also questioned in this regard as if everything is bound to a certain condition isn’t that the case with liberty itself as well? How it is free — then? What would be the response of those individuals to this statement who are considering themselves to be free spirits? Aren’t their freedom dependent on something?
During practices of meditation and mind development, questions like these are presented and digested. According to the flow of cause and effect nothing can be really free in this world. Life in its whole and existence is merely relative and tied to provisos.
What does Buddhism has to say about self and soul then? The foundations of life?
As per it is clearly laid down in the beginning of the studies, the ‘self’ and ‘soul’ of one, is addressed as something which is dependent on causes and conditions and is a constantly changing phenomena.
From this statement we can conclude that all things conditional are fleeting, and all that is fleeting comes hand in hand with suffering. The Pāli language which is the base tongue of ancient Buddhist texts calls suffering ‘Dukkha’ दुक्ख.
As strictly Buddhism denies the existence of the ‘self’ and ‘selfishness’, and much as it emphases the importance of finding peace within ourselves. As happiness and other emotions are just a condition of the mind, we are ought to search for happiness within ourselves. It is not something that arrives and feeds from an external source. Everything that we feel and interpret gets created within our mind, that is the soil for all that is happening.
Thus, if we seek happiness, we should get to know our own mind first.
Be your own refuge.
After a long day of trying and not succeeding, we all seek refuge and a hideaway. We find it in many ways and in many things but what about that scenario when we are completely lone and unsupported? In these cases and on other occasions too, the philosophy states that we, ourselves should be our first and primary support. We have to develop the ability to turn to our inner selves with understanding and acceptance. As soon as we are able to find refuge within ourselves first, a deeper state of peace begins to form. When we support ourselves, then we become able to provide shelter for others too. Handling our vulnerability becomes a skill that we have mastered and we’ll be aware of our own limits.
It is wrong to say “I have no self.” — that is the theory of complete annihilation.
It is wrong to say “I have a self.” — that is the theory of eternity.
What should we believe then? — asks the frustrated person over-flooded with the river of the dense teachings.
There is a so called Middle Path the Golden Road on which everyone should thrive to walk on. It means balance between two opponents, refraining from complete denial and utter acceptance of things, a walk on the line between dark and light, high and low.
Based on Buddhist teachings one should never practice torment nor live for desires only. One should always attempt to find the middle of things and stick to it without falling into one extreme or the other.
On Meditation
According to the ancient knowledge there is two types of sickness.
The sickness of the mind and the sickness of the body.
But when does the average human being sits down to meditate? When in times of need, when focus is missing.
However, the authentic Buddhist meditation should not be a runaway or an escape from something.
What is the purpose of real meditation then? To cleanse the mind from contamination, desires, hatred, malevolence, laziness and skeptic doubts.
That sound like a lot of work right? Indeed. To perform these practices, most of the times a life time isn’t enough.
We can practice meditation in two ways: Focusing the mind and Being aware of the nature of things. On the first method we can understand that all mental conditions are produced by the mind and we can bear witness above them. On the second method we are to see things as they are, in their true nature along with focusing, being aware and mindful. We can watch our bodies and its functions, like being aware of the flow of air as we breathe. The most important of this practice is to concentrate on the present moment.
Victory can result in hatred. Defeat can be followed by suffering. The right way is to refuse both victory and defeat, and by that we remain settled.
As of this knowledge, the true victor is the one, who conquered his or her own self.
