The Lessons of Unawareness AJAHN LEE

The Lessons of Unawareness
AJAHN LEE

“We may latch on to the body as being our own, or to the five khandhas—form, feelings, perceptions, mental fabrications, and consciousness—as being our own. Some people identify themselves with greed, anger, or delusion. For example, when greed arises they identify with the greed. When anger arises they identify with the anger. When delusion arises they identify with the delusion. But these things arise only at certain times. Sometimes when lack of anger arises, these people identify themselves with the lack of anger. And when lack of greed or delusion arises, they identify with the lack of greed or delusion—and so these things get all mixed up because of unawareness, or ignorance of the truth.

But once we’ve developed awareness, then when greed arises we won’t identify with it. The same holds true with anger and delusion. This is a step we have to master so that we can catch sight of how these three defilements actually come and go.

In other words, when greed comes we sit and keep watch on the greed until it dies of its own accord. We’ll then be able to know exactly what ugly features it has when it comes and exactly how good it is when it goes. We just sit there and watch it until it disbands and we’ll feel an immediate sense of relief. When anger or delusion comes, we sit and keep watch on the anger or delusion—don’t go running off anywhere else—and we’ll be able to see exactly how bad anger is when it comes, and how good it is when it goes. 

What delusion is like when it comes—no matter which side it’s going to be deluded about—we make a point of keeping our gaze fixed on it. When we can hold ourselves in check this way, that’s awareness.

But if, when greed comes, we get carried along with the greed, or when anger or delusion comes, we get carried along with the anger or delusion, that’s unawareness. If we’re constantly on the look-out for these three defilements, the day is sure to come when they grow ashamed of themselves. We’ll know how they arise, we’ll see how they take a stance, we’ll perceive how they disband. This is the awareness that comes from unawareness.

When we can contemplate things in this way, we’ll be able to gain all eight forms of cognitive skill. If we can hold ourselves in check in the midst of our defilements, without feeling obliged to let them come out in our actions, we’ll give rise to awareness within. This is what is meant by vijjā-caraṇa-sampanno. Our hearts will be pure, free from greed, anger, and delusion. Sugato lokavidū: We’ll fare well whether we come or go, and wherever we stay. This sort of awareness is the real thing. It’s the awareness that will bring us success in the sphere of the Dhamma.”

Source: The Lessons of Unawareness

AJAHN LEE

https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/InnerStrength/Section0009.html

3 January 2023