by MV Khensur Tamding Rinpoche
MV Kensur Tamdim Rinpoche
It is very important to remember and realize from time to time that we have the intelligence and capacity to develop this potential. ”
In general, beings work for the maintenance of the body; then, it is convenient to think about the attitude of wishing to end this body as pitiful as suicide, thereby losing all human potential to overcome mental problems with discipline and training.
The mind that seeks suicide, it is recommended that you think of the precious human rebirth and its past virtuous causes, the difficulty of obtaining such circumstances again. Think of the opportunity to practice with our body-mind for the benefit of others, as well as our own liberation; of the possibility of being able to be reborn in a higher realm, or of working to obtain high spiritual realizations, until reaching enlightenment.
Melancholy for the pain of past situations is very common. Unpleasant memories alter our present peace. Instead of remembering or fighting against someone, it is better to deal with the deceptions of the mind, counteracting them with its antidote; if we cannot do it, it is better to forget it by concentrating on other activities or by meditating on breathing.
Inapetence, disgust, etc., have their antidote in the practice of Tong-Len, observing the problems of others and mentally taking their dissatisfaction or pain, generating the desire to be released. Or, less demanding, recover past hobbies such as listening to music, reading, etc. It is also beneficial to contemplate the image of a smiling Buddha (Kashang). The sensation of stress has its antidote in meditating in a concentrated way on the breath, imagining that all the suffering and unfavorable aspects in the form of black smoke are exhaled: problems, oppressions, negativities, etc., come out. Inspiring, all kinds of blessings come in; like what can make us happy in the form of white light.
As for depression, the first thing is to indicate that it is a state of low mental energy, which must be overcome by the subject that experiences it, no external person can achieve it. In these circumstances, it is good to think of the precious human rebirth, which has a body, intelligence and other valid skills to discern between what must be practiced and what must be abandoned. Direct the mind towards the valuation of the good we have (family, means, opportunities) and not in what we do not have. To think that we could have been reborn as a being from the lower realms, who has to endure immensely worse sufferings, and that we are fortunate with our favorable circumstances, much more valuable than other situations from which we are free, such as wars, malnutrition, physical handicaps and mental, etc; Then, thinking like that, there is no reason to feel depressed, miserable, etc.
It is the case of being sad for the death of a loved one, which has no solution, or for the breakage of an object that cannot be recovered, etc.
Shantideva has already said that if a problem has a solution, it is not worth worrying, nor if it does not. If something can be fixed, it is better to try not to repeat the error instead of worrying; and if we cannot do anything to fix or change the situation, there is also no reason to worry.
Anxiety or concern arises from checking some errors in our plans, desires or actions.
Regarding the attitude of not accepting what happens to us (anxiety or concern due to the mistakes of our activity or for a project that has not worked out for us, it is another group of mental afflictions. energy of the depressed mind, or the disgust for some reason, or the tense sensation of oppression and stress, being able to produce bodily pain or physical blockages, etc; or suffer from the memory of past sufferings, or the extreme situation that pushes someone until suicide, given the inability to find a solution to their mental conflicts.
The understanding that this pain is due to negative actions of our past, for which we have to take responsibility, already has a valuable opposing power to better face adversity.
In someone who has little mental maturity, physical suffering may mean added mental suffering, and his fear or anxiety towards physical pain will drive him to a higher level of amplified suffering. Then, our familiarity with the Buddhist teachings and practices will provide us with the ability to deal in the best possible way with any suffering we have to experience. People who reach the extreme of madness or suicide, or depression, are proof of lack of mental training. What Buddhism gives us are the keys to understanding and training our mind, with the aim of being happy in any circumstance.
Animals do not have this type of conflict, since they do not plan, schedule, or have expectations; Rare are cases where an animal goes crazy or commits suicide. Perhaps in the case of sexual desire, some animal presents unusual behaviors, although they are exceptional.
Since we generate ideas and plans with great intensity, this great internal activity raises mental problems much more complex than in the case of animals. Sometimes, people who set up a plan and do not do well, as a result, they feel bad, depressed or even commit suicide.
The animal acts in response to basic stimuli such as protection, finding food, matching, etc; However, humans, in addition to this, think, calculate, propose strategies, protect possessions, procure friends or enemies, etc.
If we look at animals, we see that they are also exposed to suffering or happiness, just like humans, although they do not have so many mental problems. We have the potential of intelligence, but it often powers or can act as a promoter of suffering.
Then, our current happiness or pain is bound or conditioned by the virtuous or negative actions of our past. In this way, karmic or evolutionary potentials do not mature or emerge if the right conditions are not met.
It is with the support or based on this gross mind that we experience the various sensations, the root of which is found in the karmic seeds of our mental continuum. When we talk about feeling good or bad conventionally, we do it on a gross level.
Included in the subtle mind, there are various levels. There is a gross level that manifests itself in afflictive emotions such as hate, attachment, pride, envy, etc., adding up an extensive number of mental factors. In addition, so-called 80 indicative conceptions are also part of the subtle mind, and there is a more subtle mental level that is the Clear Light. This manifests itself at the time of death until it enters the intermediate or bard state; The nature of this subtle mind is neutral, it is neither of happiness nor of suffering.
The mental awareness of these sensations corresponds to the subtle level: the grossest mind stops working when we fall asleep, and it works again when we wake up, there is no awareness of the 5 sensory perceptions when sleeping, only consciousness operates mental that is able to capture the pleasant, unpleasant or neutral sensations due to the dreams we may have.
We can also discern between a gross level, a subtle level and a very subtle level of the mind. The sensory perceptions connected to the respective organs correspond to the grossest level of the mind.
Its function is to perceive and distinguish the phenomena: forms, sounds, tastes, tactile sensations, etc., for this the mind is trained. Likewise, the mind is beyond the body, governs us, thinks and decides previously what the body does, we obey the orders of the mind; the word and the body are something like the servants of the mind.
Some say that the mind is part of the body, that it is the brain or that it is the heart. Any of these beliefs is wrong. The physical organs of the body can be seen, analyzed, photographed, studied empirically; but in the case of the mind or its continuity, it must be said that its origin lies in the beginningless.
We all know how to discriminate between a more pleasant or less pleasant sensation, but that does not mean that the mental mechanisms are known; The proof is that animals also have the ability to discern between satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
The basic rule given by the Buddha is to avoid negativity, practice virtue and control one's mind.
If the mind itself is not mastered, it will be more exposed to imbalances and mental suffering than in a situation of disciplined self-control of the mind.
The Buddha said that no one but oneself can be the master himself, and that as all phenomena depend on the mind, it is convenient for us to know how our internal or mental mechanisms work.
To cure them, surgical methods, medicines, etc. are not enough. Since they are internal or mental problems or imbalances, also with the mind and internal work they will have to be addressed.
“We are all affected in general by these problems, although they are much more common to western people than eastern people.
