..續本文上一頁experiential level. One finds that whenever an agreeable thought arises in the mind about the past or the future, one feels very happy. And whenever a disagreeable thought arises in the mind about the past or the future, one feels very unhappy.
When an agreeable thought of the past or the future arises in the mind and it feels pleasant, one part of the mind starts reacting, "Oh, very good, I want more of it, I want more of it." and this habit of "wanting, wanting" continues all the time. Similarly, we find that as soon as a disagreeable thought of the past or the future arises in the mind, a part of the mind starts reacting, "Oh, I don”t want it, I do not want it. Let this never happen." and this habit of "not wanting, not wanting" continues all the time. In India”s ancient language, this habit of "wanting, wanting" was called rāga (craving); and the habit of "not wanting, not wanting" was called dosa (aversion). One generates these thoughts of craving and aversion continuously in the mind. Agreeable or disagreeable thoughts, either of the past or of the future, cause pleasant or unpleasant feelings and result in craving or aversion continuously.
Sometimes a thought may arise in the mind and before it is completed, another thought arises. Before that thought is completed, a third thought arises. Thoughts arise without any sequence or meaning. Such mental behaviour is commonly regarded as a sign of madness.
An example:
A plate of food is served to a mad person who has been hungry since many days. He is happy because he was very hungry. He takes a morsel but before he can eat, another thought arises in his mind-"I am in the bathroom, I have come here to have a bath and this is a cake of soap," and he starts rubbing the food on his body. Then another thought arises-"This person standing before me is my enemy, he has come to kill me. Before he kills me, let me kill him. How can I kill him
These are hand-bombs. If I throw them at him, he will die." So he throws all the food away. Such a person is called mad.
A discerning meditator discovers that his mind is also full of delusions, full of ignorance. In the ancient language, this was called moha (ignorance). Because of this habit of continuously generating craving, aversion or ignorance, the mind is unhappy and agitated. At the surface level of the mind, one tries to remain aware and to avoid generating craving and aversion. At times, one may feel that the surface part of the mind has become very wise and does not generate craving, aversion or ignorance any longer. But this is a very small part of the mind. The larger part of the mind, its deeper layers, is generating craving, aversion or ignorance every moment. All mental impurities arise because of the stock of these impurities in the mind. The deeper layers of the mind are unable to come out of this strong habit pattern of craving, aversion, and ignorance.
During the whole day, there may be only a few moments when one is able to cut oneself off from the past as well as the future and remain in the present. The mind is fully concentrated on respiration, the truth of the present moment. There is no delusion, no ignorance. One does not generate craving for incoming breath or aversion towards outgoing breath. One simply observes the breath entering and leaving the nostrils objectively without reacting to it. In such a moment, the mind is free from craving, aversion, and delusion; it is completely pure. This moment of purity at the conscious level has a strong impact on the old impurities accumulated in the deeper levels of the mind. The burning coals of craving, aversion and ignorance that one has accumulated within are smouldering. One has put thick layers of ash on them. "Bhasmācchanno va pāvako" The Buddha said that it is like …
《Awareness Of Natural Respiration》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…