Feelings and the ethical dimension of afflictions

• Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feeling occurs with afflictions
• Virtuous mental states are accompanied by happy feeling or equanimity
• Mental happiness or unhappiness occur with auxiliary afflictions
• Ignorance, view of a personal identify, view of extremes are ethically neutral
• Explanation of mixed ignorance and unmixed ignorance
• Afflictions in the form and formless realms are ethically neutral
• Examining how harmful actions are rooted in ignorance and triggered by afflictions
• Learning to apply remedial measures to afflictions

Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature 31: Feelings And The Ethical Dimension of Afflictions (download)

Contemplation points

1. Why is it that we can’t just drop our afflictions?
2. Examine your own mind: When you are under the influence of an affliction, are you seeing the object, situation, person, etc accurately? Does it have the qualities you perceive? What are some of the thoughts that influence how you see it? How might transforming the thoughts and seeing it accurately change the way you relate to it?
3. What are the strongest of the afflictions for you? Resolve to watch your mind and apply the antidotes right away.
4. Venerable Chodron said that it’s helpful to make personal examples. Take some time to consider your own experience in light of these afflictions. Where do you see them operate in your own life?