Page 12 - EH70

10 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Like this, the postures are not even. and how this causes suffering. So at ignorance. You grasp them with
If they are even, we always have first we are grasping hold of things wisdom and put them down.
awareness. We will know when we and with awareness seeing the fault
are grasping at good and grasping in that. How is that? It’s because In this way the postures can be even
at bad - this is better. Even though we grasp tightly and experience and consistent. It means the mind is
we can’t yet let go, we are aware suffering. Then we will start to seek able. The mind has awareness and
of these states continuously. Being a way to let go and be free. ‘’What wisdom is born. When the mind has
continuously aware of ourselves should I do to be free?’’ we ponder. wisdom, then what could there be
and our attachments, we will come beyond that? It picks things up but
to see that such grasping is not Buddhist teaching says not to there is no harm. It is not grasping
the path. We know but can’t let go: have grasping attachment, not to tightly, but knowing and letting
that’s 50 percent. Though we can’t hold tightly to things. We don’t go. Hearing a sound, we will know,
let go, we do understand that letting understand this fully. The point is to ‘’The world says this is good,’’ and
go of these things will bring peace. hold, but not tightly. For example, I we let go of it. The world may say,
We see the danger in the things we see this object in front of me. I am ‘’This is bad,’’ but we let go. We
like and dislike. We see the danger curious to know what it is, so I pick know good and evil. Someone who
in praise and blame. This awareness it up and look: it’s a flashlight. Now doesn’t know good and evil attaches
is continuous. I can put it down. That’s holding to good and evil and suffers as a
but not tightly. If we are told not result. Someone with knowledge
So whether we are being praised to hold to anything at all, then doesn’t have this attachment.
or criticized, we are continuously what can we do? We will think we
aware. For worldly people, when shouldn’t practice sitting or walking Let’s consider: For what purpose
they are criticized and slandered, meditation. So at first we have to are we living? What do we want
they can’t bear it; it hurts their hold without tight attachment. You from our work? We are living in
hearts. When they are praised, can say this is tanhā, but it will this world; for what purpose are we
they are pleased and excited. This become pāramī. For instance, you living? We do our work; what do we
is what is natural in the world. But came here to Wat Pah Pong; before want to get from our work? In the
for those who are practicing, when you did that, you had to have the worldly way, people do their work
there is praise, they know there desire to come. With no desire, because they want certain things
is danger. When there is blame, you wouldn’t have come. We can and this is what they consider
they know the danger. They know say you came with desire; it’s like logical. But the Buddha’s teaching
that being attached to either of holding. Then you will return; that’s goes a step beyond this. It says,
these brings ill results. They are like not grasping. Just like having do your work without desiring
all harmful if we grasp at them and some uncertainty about what this anything. In the world, you do this
give them meaning. object is, then picking it up, seeing to get that; you do that to get this;
it’s a flashlight and putting it down. you are always doing something in
When we have this kind of This is holding but not grasping, order to get something as a result.
awareness, we know phenomena as or to speak more simply, knowing That’s the way of worldly folk. The
they occur. We know that if we form and letting go. Picking up to look, Buddha says, work for the sake of
attachments to phenomena, there knowing and letting go - knowing work without wanting anything.
really will be suffering. If we are not and putting down. Things may be
aware, then grasping at what we said to be good or bad, but you Whenever we work with the desire
conceive of as good or bad, suffering merely know them and let them go. for something, we suffer. Check this
is born. When we pay attention, we You are aware of all good and bad out. EH
see this grasping; we see how we phenomena and you are letting go
catch hold of the good and the bad of them. You don’t grasp them with