Dukkha is more than suffering.

Life is suffering. The truth of suffering.

You've heard these statements of the Buddha about the nature of this life. Over the past one hundred years, much of the Buddha's teachings have made their way into Western thought and culture. Knowing that all of the Buddha's teachings revolve around the four noble truths, we should be sure to come to a correct understanding about what he meant when he laid out his foundational teachings.

In his first sermon, the Buddha taught:

Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of dukkha: birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, illness is dukkha, death is dukkha; union with what is displeasing is dukkha; separation from what is pleasing is dukkha; not to get what one wants is dukkha; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are dukkha.

 It is easy to see how the early translators of the dharma may have chosen suffering or pain as a substitute for the Sanskrit term dukkha. It makes sense, birth is painful, aging is suffering, not getting what you want is painful. Those translations offer insight into what the Buddha was trying to convey.

But words are limited in their meaning.

The Buddha first states that birth, aging, illness and death are all dukkha. Every stage of human life is dukkha. The human condition is subject to pain and suffering, discomfort and unease.

The Buddha then says that uniting with what is displeasing is dukkha. It is unsatisfying, frustrating, miserable.

Next we find that separation from what is pleasing is dukkha. It is grief, sadness, distress.

The Buddha goes on to say that not getting what one wants is dukkha. It is despair, disappointing, upsetting.

Finally, the Buddha states that the five aggregates, or all conditioned phenomena, are dukkha. There is a basic unsatisfactoriness that pervades all forms of the human condition, which is subject to change, impermanent and without any lasting substance. That which changes, is impermanent and without lasting substance is incapable of satisfying us.

Later in his first discourse, the Buddha taught that dukkha was to be fully understood. What are we to understand? Is it enough to understand that life is suffering?

We need to understand the human condition in its entirety. The central tenet of the Buddha's teachings is that we need to understand our own pain and suffering, but also the myriad ways in which we fall into states of loss and sadness, dissatisfaction and despair. We need to fully understand how all things change, how the very nature of this life and this world is that it is impermanent and without any lasting substance.

Dukkha includes understanding suffering, but it is much more than suffering. It is understanding the human condition, and all that it entails.

Finally, we should take a look at what is meant by 'understand'. Is it to be known, acknowledged or perceived?

It is not enough to know the words or even the meaning. To fully understand dukkha we have to be aware of dukkha, acknowledge it, feel it and sit with it. We need to see it and listen to it. We need to fight the urge to wallow in it, push it away or pretend it isn't there. Then we might understand the truth of dukkha.

3 marks of existence.

Fully understand dukkha.

To learn to be fully present and whole in the world, we need to learn to look deeply into our own lives and the human condition. The Buddha taught this as the very basis of the journey of awakening.

The journey of self-discovery and awakening is not a journey outside ourselves, but a pilgrimage to the very center of our being. It is more about being than doing, more about going deeper than exploring wider.

How are we to look at the reality of the human predicament in order to gain insight and understanding? The Buddha use a very simple method of contemplation called the three marks of existence, otherwise known as the three seals.

It is impermanent. It is the nature of dukkha. It is not-self, or empty. 

These three marks of impermanence, dukkha and selflessness or emptiness inform our perspective and contemplation. These three marks are a lens through which we see our experience in meditation.

Observing the body, we can see clearly that it is impermanent, the nature of dukkha, and not-self.
Observing feelings, we can see clearly that it is impermanent, the nature of dukkha, and not-self.
Observing mind and thoughts, we can see clearly that it is impermanent, the nature of dukkha, and not-self.
Observing phenomena, whether sights, sounds, smells, tastes or touch, we can see clearly that it is impermanent, the nature of dukkha, and not-self.

Contemplating these three marks, there is no need to reject our experience or present condition. In order to truly contemplate these three marks, we must look at our present condition the way it is. By looking into our own life, we approach the very nature of reality itself.

As we learn to be truthful to our own life and the human predicament that we find ourselves in, we find that we are right on the very threshold of awakening. There is no where to go, and no one else can make this journey for us. You are the doorway and the one who must pass through. There is no where else to look but within.

As our self-awareness deepens, our connection and compassion for others naturally grows and warms. The separation that we see between ourselves and others becomes less distant as we learn to be less separated from ourselves and the world around us. As self-awareness deepens and compassion grows, we discover a means of living fully in the world. We rediscover the very ground of being, the primordial state from which we have never parted but rarely recognize.

When you fully understand the human predicament, or dukkha, by contemplating the three marks, you are at home in the world. Understanding deepens our presence and belonging, and these are among the greatest gifts we can bring into the world.

Embarking on the path of meditation.

In the Buddha's first sermon, the Buddha stated the following:

Fully understand dukkha.

Let go of arising.

Actualize cessation.

Cultivate the path. 

What gives rise to dukkha is the three poisons of ignorance, craving and aversion, that is the truth of the origin. Craving and aversion reinforce a cycle of reactivity. Ignorance creates an underlying confusion about who we are, the nature of the world around us and our place in it. In meditation, we can train our mind to let go of craving, aversion and ignorance. The result is the actualization of the state of cessation, the third noble truth. 

Actualizing cessation can be interpreted according to different practice traditions. The common Buddhist tradition used the metaphor of a doctor to understand the relationship between the four noble truths and how we actualize cessation. 

The doctor metaphor goes like this: you are sick, I know why you are sick and I know what is best for you. Listen to what I say and follow my advice, and you will get better. 

That might work in many cases. A lot of times we know that we are not happy, that we have a deep dissatisfaction with our life and we simply don't know the way out. We don't know how to get better. We look for a good doctor, and faithfully follow his advice by practicing his prescription. And we get better.

The common tradition approaches the four noble truths like this: 1) truth of dukkha (you're sick), 2) truth of origin (I know the cause), 4) truth of path (I know how to make you better), 3) truth of cessation (you are better). One, two, four, three. 

 

The uncommon traditions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen approach the four noble truths differently. From the very beginning, we recognize your innate buddha nature, your innate potential and disposition for flourishing. These practice traditions recognize that you have something to contribute and they recognize your own innate wisdom, which is the wisdom of your own dukkha and life (the truth of dukkha). With this opportunity available to you comes tremendous responsibility, but we need to learn how to get out of our own way. We are the storm, the shit show is our own thoughts, feelings and actions. We need to learn to relax and self-regulate (let go of arising), in order to actualize our nature, which is the state of cessation. Then we are able to continue to walk and practice the path. 

 

The uncommon tradition starts by empowering you and approaches the four noble truths accordingly: 1) truth of dukkha (your innate wisdom of situation and life), 2) truth of origin (you learn to let go of arising craving, aversion and ignorance), 3) truth of cessation (you recognize and actualize the resultant state), 4) truth of path (you continue to practice the path).  One, two, three, four. 

You don't need to practice the path in order to attain some said result. The result is the path, each and every step. Actualizing the state of cessation doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It doesn't mean your a Buddha and that you never fall back into worldly existence. Not at all! Don't confuse yourself!

Actualizing cessation means that we recognize and abide in our true nature, or buddha heart. We are introduced to our nature through the teachings of the resultant vehicles and the grace of our teacher. When we recognize that nature, we embark on the long journey of the path of meditation. We carry that recognition into all of our activities, learning how to carry it in the form of the six perfections for the benefit of others. The practice of the path reveals the middle way between indulgence and beating ourselves up. We can enjoy life, and our practice makes everything workable. 

The uncommon traditions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen only bring final attainment if you live a life dedicated to practice. If you practice for a little while, have some kind of experience, then set the teachings aside and go about your normal existence then it will be no different than drinking a fine wine or going on some grand trip. Sure, you'll have some kind of memory of that experience, something you can hold onto and tell your friends about, but you won't be changed. 

A life of practice is a life of doing. To be, you have to do. You have to keep doing the inner work of being. Practicing the path in this way will give your life meaning and purpose. Your practice will present you with the opportunity to do art, to make a difference in others lives, to make an impact. You will always have the opportunity to be present, understanding and kind. 

Working with darkness.

What if your ordinary life were to become extraordinary?

What if it were possible to live your everyday life, just as it is, such that it displays great purpose and meaning. It is possible? Could you do it?

The great practitioners of the past found that the key was to work with light and darkness. Light- in the form of our values, aspirations and ideals. Darkness- in the form of our pain, sorrow, challenges and obstacles.

The essence of a good practitioner and a doorway to discovering purpose and meaning is to get the shadows right. This is why it is so important to spend time and attention studying and contemplating dukkha and the human condition. Dukkha is extremely important because it gives our life perspective, without which our life would be ill defined and lifeless. Dukkha is the way in which life takes its form. To contemplate dukkha is to fully understand who we are, our place in the world, and to recognize the troubles that we all face as we learn to make our way forward.

Life cannot be understood in its details without understanding dukkha.

We often look to the light to find purpose and meaning. We look to the heavens as if hope is the way. Yet time and again, it is those who have wrestled with their own being who give rise to true freedom of expression. We must look into our own flesh, our own open sores and wounds to find what is true.

As our awareness of our own condition deepens, we naturally begin to empathize with others. As we are able to develop more equanimity towards our own condition, we start to recognize the equality of all beings in this world.

Perhaps the proof is that we can mimic the practice of others and yet still remain unchanged. Their practice doesn't reflect our lived experience. The infinite varieties of which life can take shape do not allow for a one-size-fits-all solution. You must look within. The key lies in you.

Praise the light. Rejoice in its presence and proclaim its virtue. But tend to the darkness, sit with it, acknowledge it. As you learn to be more accommodating with the pain and discontentment of your own condition, you will be able to carry that openness and ease into the world and bring benefit to others.

Working with the light reveals the possibility before you. Working with darkness enables you to step into and occupy that space. When you can do that, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

"Whatever arises must cease."

"Whatever is subject to arising is subject to cessation."

This was the phrase that Kondanna uttered after hearing the Buddha's first sermon on the four noble truths. To which the Buddha replied, "Kondanna understands. Kondanna is one who understands it all."

This seemingly insignificant exchange occurs at the end of the Dharmachakra-pravartana sutra but it points to exactly what the Buddha was trying to illuminate, the wisdom of dependent origination.

That which changes is impermanent.
Whatever is impermanent is subject to dissatisfaction, or dukkha.
Whatever is conditioned is empty of inherently existing.

The three seals of impermanence, dukkha, and emptiness or not-self form the basis for understanding all the Buddha's teachings. If you understand these three seals, you are never far off from the Buddha's insight into the nature of the self and reality.

These are not complicated principles. They are accessible in our present experience. They are readily taught without dogma, even small children can observe how things are subject to change.

Much has been taught and can be taught about Buddhist philosophy. Simply understanding these three seals is enough to give rise to a greater understanding of the world around us, and insight into our own nature.

Contemplate these three seals with the four noble truths and you have a complete path to awakening.

Changing the human predicament.

Fully understand dukkha. 

The human condition is inherently complex. The very nature of our life is one of constant change and dissatisfaction. We are all subject to aging, sickness and death, to loss of loved ones and to parting with what we desire. Stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, among others, all ornament this life in various ways and at various times.

Understanding the human predicament is the first step on the path. The Buddha encourages us to look at the truth of dukkha. It is a truth, not a deception or a false proclamation. Look at the truth of your own human predicament.

The original aim of the Buddha was to deeply explore this human predicament, and then to move towards an alteration of our very being. We cannot escape the human condition, but we can dramatically alter the way in which we live in the world.

The Buddha taught that by letting go of the arising of attachment, aversion and ignorance, we could actualize the state of cessation. Actualizing that state cultivates qualities like selflessness, equanimity, loving presence, and impartial compassion. Living with these traits is fundamentally different than our everyday experience of worrying, self-focus and impulsiveness. Who we are and our posture in the world shapes all of our interactions and relationships. Our actions are quite different when they are informed by compassion and equanimity, than when we are being ruled by selfish intentions and impulsiveness.

This is the challenge. We cannot escape the human condition, but by looking closely at the human predicament we can change ourselves and the world around us. We can choose to let go of reactivity, and become more familiar with our genuine nature of being.

Eustress

Most of us are very familiar with distress.  It is our habitual mode of existence- the non-stop busy-ness, distraction, projects and responsibilities that compose our day to day life.  I think all of us are looking for a way to reduce or escape this distress altogether.  We long for a relaxing weekend getaway, a sunny beach vacation or even just a sound nights rest.

Our efforts to escape this endless pattern of distress has been futile to date.  How many times have we said, 'After this project' or 'once I get this finished'.  How many dreams and resolutions have we formulated to excise this aspect of our lives once and for all.

A lot.

The thing about distress is that we cannot escape it, no matter where we go or what we gain.  This was the First Noble Truth of the Buddha, the truth of dukkha- the inevitability of suffering or distress.  The tricky thing about distress though is that we create it.  Reality hands us a stressor and we react to it in such a way that it causes distress.  There is another way though, we can use that same stressor that reality deals us and use it to create eustress.

Eustress is a positive response to stress that is healthy and gives one a feeling of fulfillment.  Here is one example of eustress: 

What if in our meditation we took our obstacles and negative circumstances onto the path?  What if we could actually use attachment and aversion, all of our negative mental states and conceit as catalysts for awareness, insight and realization?  I know it doesn't seem likely, but this is exactly what we are asked to do when practicing the Vajrayana, the Indestructible Vehicle.

As we sit here today that doesn't seem very possible.  However, there are two simple steps we can take to get started:
1. Discover your fundamental ground
2. Train in mindfulness

Both of these will require instruction from a qualified teacher and daily meditation to establish a solid footing.  All in all though, neither are too far from where you are currently sitting. 

Conception of identity.

When my nature is not understood and the phenomena

that manifest from me become the object of judgement, 

desire and attachment give rise to the creation of concrete vision

that is impermanent and destined to vanish like a magical apparition.

Then one becomes like a blind man who does not know what is happening.

From the Supreme Source, Kunjed Gyalpo 

The primordial state, our own pure awareness, has three characteristics. Being unborn, it is originally pure emptiness. Being unceasing, it is clearly apparent as the variety of phenomena. Being responsive, it is great compassion beyond effort or action. 

Not understanding the true nature of the mind and all phenomena as being empty of inherent existence we conceive of the differences between mind and what is appearing to mind. The unceasing clarity of the mind not being recognized as our own display, we give birth to identity. Reifying subjective awareness gives birth to dualistic consciousness and forms the very basis for ego and self-grasping. Reifying appearances gives birth to a concrete reality that continually evolves as the play of dependent origination. 

Stuck in dualistic perception, we have no choice but to cycle through repetitive loop of conditioned existence. The only way to break the cycle is to fully understand the very nature of our own mind, which is inseparable from the nature of reality itself. 

Fully understand dukkha, the human predicament by contemplating the nature of the five skandhas and the three marks of existence. Let go of whatever is arising and learn to rest in the natural state. Resting in the authentic condition of the nature of mind, actualize pure awareness, the primordial state of being free from birth and death.

Siddhearta's Essence of 2018.

Despite the incredible challenge of our times, I have felt incredibly fortunate and blessed this year. The kindness and support all of you have given me is hard to put into words. A simple thank you does not due justice, and yet gratitude is what my heart feels.

I wish you all a wonderful new year, a year of health and a peaceful mind! May you focus on your practice, find the time and space needed to share generously, and may you fulfill your own aims and the aims of others. Thank you for your kindness and support!

Here's an old poem for the road ahead:

I sit, stand and walk,
catching fleeting reminders
of where we have been
and where we want to go.
Moments of clarity and insight,
of fear and anger and exaltation, 
strewn across a lifetime of moments,
captured in bottles left to drift at sea.

May you stumble upon what you need,
a worn wood inscription,
a chance encounter,
a guidepost on your journey,
a cairn on a forgotten path,
a note in a book you've always had.

Wherever you are,
this battle is not your own.
Those paths you walk,
those lonely and precarious paths,
you are not alone. 
We are out there,
we are all over,
and we walk with you.

Here's some of the top posts of 2018, in no particular order:

An important life lesson.
"Adversity reveals genius."
Working with darkness.
Embarking on the path of meditation.
Letter to a young practitioner.
Letter to a friend (The Renaissance Letter)
You are the work.
Dukkha is more than suffering.
Right livelihood.
Don't worry about the result.
Shantideva on How to Live a Good Life.
Reclaiming liberty.
Mechanics of karma.
Setting the angel free.
Culture of awakening.
FOMO.
Self-loathing.
Compassion, redefined.
Contributor.

Getting closer.

In meditation we get closer to the pain, closer to dukkha, closer to reality, closer to the situation as it really is. We learn how to sit in that space, not doing anything. We learn how to gain the composure necessary to be there, to be present, to witness and stay engaged, but not to react.

Normally, amidst pain and chaos and confusion, we tend to shut down. We tend to close ourselves us, put up our guard, insulate ourselves. Protection is a normal response to fear and uncertainty.

In our practice, we don't need to deliberately choose pain or subject ourselves to tortuous situations, but we can choose to stand amidst the pain. We can choose to be present instead of reacting and shutting down.

A genuine practice authentically aligns us with the world and others around us. It's okay to be close to the pain. Our pain is real.

You are the work.

Farmers direct the stream;

archers straighten the arrow's shaft;

carpenters shape the wood; 

the spiritual work on themselves.

Buddha

from the Dhammapada 10:17

The farmer knows his fields, the condition of his crops and how the seasons affect his harvest. He knows when water is plentiful and when it needs to be used judiciously. The farmer understands his medium. 

The archer knows her bow and arrow. She knows when the arrow is true and when it is must be straightened. Her craft is mastered by knowing the subtle nuances and conditions of her medium so that she can reliably hit her mark. 

The carpenter knows wood. He knows how it will split, which wood is soft and which is hard. He knows how the grain will appear and how to use the inherent qualities of the wood to produce a work of art. 

To practice the dharma we need to understand our medium. We are the medium, our own body, speech and mind. We are the wood to be shaped and the arrow to be straightened. We must understand the human condition in order for our practice to take root. Mastering our practice means understanding the human condition, and that starts by understanding dukkha.

Entering the stream.

The journey of self-awakening and discovery takes many forms. The way of the bodhisattva is that of the great vehicle, with the intention to awaken for the benefit of all beings. It is the intention of bodhicitta that makes this a superior vehicle, because the scope of the practice is greater than traveling the path for your own benefit.

Until you take the bodhisattva vow, you traverse the common stages of the path, known as the four stages to enlightenment. These four stages are the stream-enterer, once returner, non-returner, and arhat. These stages can be traversed either as an upasaka, or lay person, or as a monk/nun.

Stream-enterer

The stream-enterer is said to have 'opened their dharma eye', meaning they have an intuitive grasp of the dharma and unshakeable confidence in the Three Jewels. The stream-enterer has abandoned the first three of the ten fetters that bind oneself to the repetitive existence of samsara.

The first fetter is the belief in a permanent identity, what we would call a soul or self. The stream-enterer has given rise to the wisdom of selflessnes, or anatman.

The second fetter is doubt or skepticism about the Buddha and his teachings. The stream-enterer has gained experience and knows first hand the benefit of practicing the teachings.

The third fetter is attachment to rituals or rites. The fixation here is that something outside of ourselves is going to save us, some ritual, some event. The stream-enterer knows that it is their own effort that will enable them to traverse the path and experience liberation.

The stream-enterer is said to have no more than seven rebirths before they achieve the state of cessation.

Once-returner

The once-returner is the second stage to enlightenment. The once-returner is so called because they will only have one more rebirth before they attain the state of cessation. The once-returner has abandoned the first three fetters and has significantly weakened the three poisons of attachment, aversion and ignorance. Through their practice they have gained familiarity with letting go of the arising of the three poisons, thus having a glimpse of the state of cessation in their own practice. In regard to the fetters, the fourth fetter is attachment and the fifth fetter is aversion or malice.

Non-returner

The non-returner is the third stage of enlightenment. The non-returner has taken their last human birth, and is destined to attain the state of cessation in the intermediate state after death. The non-returner has completely abandoned attachment and aversion, but has not completely eliminated ignorance and the higher fetters of meditative equipoise.

Arhat

The arhat is the fourth and final stage of enlightenment. The arhat has actualized the state of cessation and has severed the cycle of repetitive existence. To actualize the state of cessation the arhat has abandoned the five higher fetters, which are fixation to meditative experiences of the form realms, fixation to experiences of the formless realms, arrogance, excitement and ignorance.

The form and formless meditative absorptions, or dhyanas, are absorptions in the state of samadhi that lack the liberating aspect of insight into the true nature. The Buddha actually learned the eight dhyanas from his Jain teacher Ramaputta after he had set out on his own journey of awakening. The Buddha saw through his own experience that these absorptions lacked the liberating aspect. As skilled experts in meditation, we need to recognize when we are falling into these meditative states and strive to uproot our fixation.

After one has let go of the fetters of fixating on meditative experience, one can fall prey to arrogance and pride due to one's 'accomplishment'. This is the slippery slope of spiritual materialism and is sure to trip us up on the path.

Excitement is the ninth fetter, for at this point one can become elated or overjoyed with the prospects that lie just ahead. This excitement can lead to restlessness and agitation and further delay complete fulfillment.

The last fetter to be abandoned is ignorance, confusion about who we are and the nature of the world around us. It is the root of samsara, the last tether to be undone.

I hope you can recognize the connection of these four stages of enlightenment with the way we move through the four noble truths in our practice. If you understand how these are connected and develop then the journey ahead becomes clear.

Fully understand dukkha.
Let go of the arising of the three poisons.
Actualize the state of cessation.
Practice the path.