Lessons In Practical Buddhism - Sirimangalo.Org
Lessons In Practical Buddhism - Sirimangalo.Org
Lessons In Practical Buddhism - Sirimangalo.Org
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see the simple reality of our experience for what it is.<br />
When walking, the movement of one foot arises and ceases;<br />
then the movement of the other foot arises and ceases in<br />
turn. The awareness of each movement likewise arises and<br />
ceases, never lasting beyond the object of awareness itself.<br />
This is the simple truth, but our minds can't be easily<br />
contented with such truth, preferring to create ideas and<br />
concepts about "who" is walking, or "who knows" the<br />
walking. It is because of our inability to accept the simple<br />
truth of experience that we give rise to all kinds of views,<br />
philosophies and beliefs about self, soul, existence and<br />
reality.<br />
Likewise, when we hear teachings about impermanence,<br />
suffering and non-self, we take it as instruction to think<br />
about whether this or that is impermanent, about what<br />
things cause us suffering, about our inability to control<br />
everything. We may even take it as a reason to doubt the<br />
Buddha's teaching, since it certainly isn't in accord with our<br />
views and beliefs to think everything to be so. <strong>In</strong> this<br />
example as well, the truth we are trying to understand is so<br />
simple that we are unable to appreciate it. <strong>In</strong> meditation, we<br />
are simply trying to appreciate what we already see - that<br />
everything arises and ceases, that it therefore is<br />
unsatisfying, and unfit to be regarded as self or soul, "me" or<br />
"mine".<br />
The truth of impermanence is that everything that arises<br />
ceases. It's not a thought like "yes, it was here a moment<br />
ago, now it's gone, so it must be impermanent!" It's the<br />
awareness that arises when you realize that something you<br />
took as a stable entity is actually made up of momentary<br />
experiences. When you watch an experience from beginning<br />
to end, for example walking, noting "stepping right" and<br />
"stepping left", or watching the stomach, noting "rising",<br />
"falling", you will see without need for speculation that every<br />
part of the experience is momentary and insubstantial,<br />
without essence or intrinsic worth of any kind. This is what is<br />
meant by seeing impermanence, suffering, and non-self; it is<br />
the result of the practice of meditation. It is not the practice<br />
itself.<br />
The moment to moment realizations that occur in this way<br />
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