Monday, February 2, 2009

How to stop this craving...


The six senses


"Craving is... an arrow. The poison of ignorance spreads its toxin through desire, passion, & ill will."


1. What is craving?

It is the selfish desire or unwholesome disire

2. What is the cause of dukkha (suffering or stress )?

Craving

3. What traps us in samsara?

Craving

Buddha said:"Monks, I don't envision even one other fetter — fettered by which beings conjoined go wandering and transmigrating on (samsara) for a long, long time — like the fetter of craving. Fettered with the fetter of craving, beings conjoined go wandering and transmigrating on for a long, long time."

4. There are three types of cravings

1. Craving for sensuality

2. Craving for becoming

3. Craving for non-becoming

5. Six kinds of craving (classes)

1. Craving for forms

2. Craving for sounds

3. Craving for odors

4. Craving for flavors

5. Craving for tangibles

6. Craving for mind-objects

6. How to stop this craving ?

Before we try to stop this craving we need to know where it arises and dwells. We also need to know where it is abandoned and ceases.

It is “coming to our senses,” again! These are our six senses.

This is how it is explained in Maha –satipattana sutta*

Where does this craving arise, and where does it dwell?

"And where does this craving, when arising, arise? And where, when dwelling, does it dwell? Whatever is endearing & alluring in terms of the world: that is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is where, when dwelling, it dwells."And what is endearing & alluring in terms of the world? The eye is endearing & alluring in terms of the world. That is where this craving, when arising, arises. That is where, when dwelling, it dwells.(Same is true for other senses, ear, tongue, nose, body, and the mind)

Where does this craving abandoned, and when ceasing, does it cease?"

And where, when being abandoned, is this craving abandoned? And where, when ceasing, does it cease? Whatever is endearing & alluring in terms of the world: that is where, when being abandoned, this craving is abandoned. That is where, when ceasing, it ceases."And what is endearing & alluring in terms of the world? The eye is endearing & alluring in terms of the world. That is where, when being abandoned, this craving is abandoned. That is where, when ceasing, it ceases.(Same is true for other senses, ear, tongue, nose, body, and the mind)

How do we do this? (difficult but not impossible)

We have already discussed some practical aspects of how we can get rid of this craving WITH INSIGHT MEDITATION (Vipassana) in other threads such as, “it is a sticky business” (“glue” here was the craving), “the party is cancelled” and Dependent origination-how do we apply it?


(Please see below)
Other related posts:
"Why are these two boots tied together"?

* Maha-satipatthana Sutta -The Great Frames of Reference

2 comments:

Peter Clothier said...

A useful post, thanks! But the typo in your title makes it sound like a turkey! Metta...

Dr. Piyal Walpola said...

Thanks Peter,

Fault finding mind is not a good thing in Buddhism.....I am just Kidding. :)

I was actually craving for a turkey!

Thank you again for your comment.

With Mudita,

Piyal