Buddha Teaching, for Living in This Messed World.
Learn Buddhism But Get More Depressed…?
“Dhamma is beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, and beautiful in the end.” — It is a phrase that is widely known about Buddha’s teachings. Nonetheless, I found some people who learn Buddha’s teaching get depressed at some point in their life. Including me, of course. I was so depressed that there was no one I can count on in this life. I was so depressed looking for the truth of the meaning of this life! No one is here to help me out. I am all on my own!
Your own self is your own mainstay,
for who else could your mainstay be?
With you yourself well-trained
you obtain the mainstay hard to obtain.
— Attavagga (self)
The other day, when I wrote an article About Me, I mentioned ‘letting go’ as one of the essences of Buddha’s teaching. In the same article, I also mentioned what I am ‘looking for/seeking’ in this journey. Strangely, after finishing that article and reading it again and again, something comes to my mind 💭💡!!!
The words ‘looking for/seeking’ sounds just the opposite meaning of ‘letting go’!
Buddha’s teaching is supposed to be beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, and beautiful in the end and yet, some people still suffer despite knowing Buddha’s teaching, on the ‘theory’ level.
Many of us are ‘seeking’ the truth of the meaning of this life. The meaning of our existence (existential crisis). The word ‘seeking’ contain an act of ‘pursuing and desire (taṇhā)’ for something. However, taṇhā (desire) is known as the cause of dukkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness) which is known as the second noble truth out of the four noble truths in Buddha’s teaching.
So, according to the theory then, how do we achieve happiness, liberation, and Nibbana, with something (taṇhā/desire) which is the source and the cause of suffering??
It doesn’t make sense!!
I have had an experience where the more I wanted to achieve some mental qualities I want in my meditation courses, the more I got carried away with anger, fury, unstable, and disappointment with myself.
Buddhism's way and goals are the exact opposite way with what we did in our mundane life. While people are taught to ‘chasing’ and to become what they want, Buddha, on the other hand, taught us to ‘letting go’ in order to be free from this endless circle.
The flow of the world teaches people to look outward, while the flow of the Dhamma teaches people to look within. Therefore, he/she who practices the Dhamma is called paṭisotagāmika — One who goes against the flow (of the world)!
— Santacitto Navakapabbajita, 29 March 2011.
Upon realization about the exact different meanings of the words and having discussed it with my friend yesterday, who is a former monk, I decided to discard the words ‘looking/seeking’ about the truth of the meaning of this life.
‘Looking/seeking’ the truth of the meaning of this life is the force I needed in the first place but when I have firmly know what I am looking for and learned the way, theoretically, then all I need for now is to walk on it in order to accumulate all the causes that could bring me to what I am aiming for.
Action is needed.
I’ll have to walk on the path using the tools given according to the current state and environment I am, naturally, organically, without ‘forcing’ myself or else, I’ll surely fall into the same hole again, again, and again!
Below, I will explain the package of Buddha teaching for us to cultivate in our life which works for me, personally. (HINT: It CAN’T BE just theory!)
Dāna, sīla, samadhi, paññā, the package of Buddha’s teaching in general for the realization of Nibbana, and happiness or peace in this messed worldly life. And no, I haven’t enlightened yet and haven’t realised Nibbana either but at least, this is the theory that I have learned and I have walked and proven a bit of it by myself, — peace.
1. Dāna
The practice of cultivating generosity. It’s a practice that teaches us to ‘letting go’, which is one of the essences of Buddhism teaching. It can be in a form of sharing/giving whatever we are able to share/give with another person or other living beings around us.
The first time I learned about the happiness of sharing was when I am still little. I had my meals and I keep the yolk that I loved the most in order to savour it on the last but I just don’t have the heart to gobble it up at the very end. Instead, I gave it to my mom. There was a rush of ‘content’ feeling at that moment when I watched my mom eat the yolk that I love the most. Since then, I like to share foods that I loved with people when I had the chance to do so. I didn’t encourage giving blindly though.
2. Sīla
It refers to the moral practices, which affect the practitioner on mental wellness. When one conducts their behaviour according to the moral practices described in Buddha’s teaching and knows it’s a wholesome thing to do, an act that is praised by virtuous beings, it’s hard for regret or remorse to arise in one’s mind because she/he believed and firmly know that he/she hasn’t done anything that is to be blamed by virtuous beings. The impact of practising sīla (moral practices) is that the person will be able to train their mind more easily in order to build their concentration (samadhi) later on due to the absence of remorse but joy.
3. Samadhi (concentration).
By cultivating samadhi (concentration), especially the ‘right samadhi’, one is building all the factors for wisdom (paññā) to be arises.
4. Paññā (wisdom)
With the help of ‘wisdom’, one finally can investigate all the Dhamma taught by Buddha and will have the chance to realize Nibbana the moment all the factors are aligned. Nibbana is not a realm. It’s not something we can seek from the outside. Nibbana is always present no matter where we are. But our greed, our hatred, our ignorance, and our defiled minds prevent us to realize its presence.
Conclusion
Buddha's teaching in general practice for the realization of Nibbana, and happiness or peace in this messed world is:
1. Dāna (giving)
2. Sīla (moral ethic)
3. Samadhi (concentration)
4. Paññā (wisdom)
By the act of giving, one cultivates the mindset of ‘letting go’, and by maintaining moral ethics, it helps the mind to stay firm and steady to be trained for concentration. After concentration is gained by training the mind, it will help one to see things as they are (four noble truths). The more one sees things as they are, the more wisdom he/she experiences/grows and eventually, that wisdom will ripen and lead the person to realize Nibbana when all the supporting condition is aligned.
Don’t worry, Nibbana ain’t going anywhere. It’s always there. Nibbana is not a realm either. It’s not something we can seek from the outside. Nibbana is always present no matter where we are. It is because of our greed, our hatred, our ignorance, it’s those defiled minds that prevent us to realize its presence.
Samadhim, bhikkhave, bhavetha;
samahito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu yathabhutam pajanati.
