..續本文上一頁lness, we are willing to bear with the whole of life; with the excitement and the boredom, the hope and the despair, the pleasure and the pain, the fascination and the weariness, the beginning and the ending, the birth and the death. We are willing to accept the whole of it in the mind rather than absorb into just the pleasant and suppress the unpleasant. The process of insight is the going to dukkha, looking at dukkha, admitting dukkha, recognising dukkha in all its forms. Then you are no longer just reacting in the habitual way of indulgence or suppression. And because of that, you can bear with suffering more, you can be more patient with it.

　　These teachings are not outside our experience. They are, in fact, reflections of our actual experience — not complicated intellectual issues. So really put effort into development rather than just getting stuck in a rut. How many times do you have to feel guilty about your abortion or the mistakes you have made in the past

　　 Do you have to spend all your time just regurgitating the things that have happened to you in your life and indulging in endless speculation and analysis

　　 Some people make themselves into such complicated personalities. If you just indulge in your memories and views and opinions, then you will always stay stuck in the world and never transcend it in any way.

　　You can let go of this burden if you are willing to use the teachings skilfully. Tell yourself: ”I”m not going to get caught in this any more; I refuse to participate in this game. I”m not going to give in to this mood.” Start putting yourself in the position of knowing: ”I know this is dukkha; there is dukkha.” It”s really important to make this resolution to go where the suffering is and then abide with it. It is only by examining and confronting suffering in this way that one can hope to have the tremendous insight: ”This suffering has been understood.”

　　So these are the three aspects of the First Noble Truth. This is the formula that we must use and apply in reflection on our lives. Whenever you feel suffering, first make the recognition: ”There is suffering”, then: ”It should be understood”, and finally: ”It has been understood”. This understanding of dukkha is the insight into the First Noble Truth.

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