Steve McMichaelBuddhist Psychology I

PSYB 314A – Fall 2012Frank Berliner

Reflection Paper #2

Examination of The Nature of Suffering

In the last section we examined the nature of human existence and how to begin to relate

to it as full human beings. Through hearing, contemplating and meditating on the

teachings of the Four Noble Truths. In this section we are taking a closer look at the

nature of suffering. We look at how fear and the mistake of duality begin to create the

continuous cycle of Samsara.

The skillful means used to present this to us is the use of contrast. Through contrast we

are shown fear and fearlessness. We begin to get a glimpse of what is the Cocoon or

setting-sun vision and what is The Great Eastern Sun Vision. We then go on to see how

this setting-sun mental activity creates the Six Realms that manifest as habitual patterns

in our lives. Finally we are introduced to the obstacles to working with this habituation

and what we can begin to do about it through our meditation practice.

The scope of this paper cannot encompass a full explanation of each of these topics. In

this case I would like to start with my direct experience while reading this work.

I have taken up residency directly on the banks of Clear Creek in Golden. My meditation

space is on the roof of my RV overlooking the creek thus my gaze falls upon the flowing

water of the creek. This is a new experience for me. The flowing of the water does not

allow for fixation. As soon as a thought arises my eyes fix on the object, which is the

flowing water, so I am immediately aware of thinking by the strain of my eyes following

the water downstream. The thought thinking does not even need to arise. This is all fine

and good you say, but what does this have to do with this section of the readings. Well, it

is through this experience that basic goodness took hold in my heart. This loss of fixation

allows for a space where I, basic goodness, am experiencing basic goodness and basic

 

goodness is experiencing me. So, everything without exception is basic goodness. This is

significant in that the Cocoon becomes basic goodness, the Six Realms become basic

goodness and the obstacles become basic goodness. Everything becomes workable and

the illusion of duality has been palpably diminished as noted by a slight sense of

fearlessness.

Does this mean that I am now exempt from the realm of the Hungry Ghosts or jealousy or

even that my cocoon has fallen away never to be seen again? No. What it has done is

allow a space for fearlessness to accompany fear. The vision I get of it is that I can dip

my brush into the ink of basic goodness and paint the world with the Letter of the Black

Ashe for the benefit of all beings. Further, a genuine sense of humor has arisen. For

example, as I am writing this paper I hadn’t noticed that my battery had run low. When

my computer shut down without having saved this document, I was struck with that

uprising of surprise. In previous days I am certain that this would have been met with a

very cowardly reaction from the Hell Realm of kicking the cat and blaming my partner

for this somehow being her fault. This time the surprise was met with a belly laugh at my

lack of awareness and an appropriate response of getting it plugged in quickly such that

the document could be recovered. Which, as evidenced by your receiving it, was

achieved.

In conclusion, I may not be able to read and repeat what I have read. Such is the nature of

this brain injury. Non-the-less path does happen and is happening. If there is judgment of

this path to be done by others for accreditation purposes I will leave it to those who are

 perhaps further along the path to do. For now, I have a sense of satisfaction. This is

something that has been missing from my Hungry Ghost realm for a very long time. I

will rest in the gratitude of that and use it to further my discipline, exertion and how I

relate to our world.