Defense Against The afflictions

It is important to guard ourselves against the afflictions on the heart in our daily lives, as I also mentioned in my post of synergising bball and studies , I find it important to mention it again here in my own blog to remind myself constantly about the kind of affliction where we should draw up our defense against!! I’ll just be adding short sentences below each category, so feel free to check them out!

 

Procrastination

One who complains , saying, its too early , its too late, its too hot , its too cold, i am too full or i am too hungry and acts in line with these thoughts , is said to be procrastinating .

Defend Against Procrastination With : Right Effort

Over Confidence

If you dont know its best to keep it at that, if you dont know and say you know , then you’re really spreading your ignorance around.

Defend Against Over Confidence With : Humility

Fear

Dont be afraid to fail, for failure is the mother (And father) of success!

Defend Against Fear With : Courage

Aversion

Liking and disliking is two faces of the same kind . For both disliking and liking takes something that is not for something that is. Example, we say durian smells nice, does it really smell nice? if its really nice, why doesnt everyone like it? because smell of durian is subjective. from this example, one can tell that liking and disliking is based of the action of the mind, not the object of which the mind counters.

Defend Against Aversion With : Equanimity* in accordance to Right View

*(click on the word if you dont know what it means)

Regret

Whatever that has happened has past, whatever that is happening will shape the future! Focus on whats happening now, not the what has happened or what is going to happen !!

Defend Against Regret With : Right View

Understanding Others ?

Recently I’ve came to realise that one can never understand how another person thinks or feels through reflective thinking – i.e. just by analysing his bodily actions or his look etc. Although an expert can come very close to how a person may be thinking or feeling, they cannot be 100% sure – at least this holds truth for reflective understanding .

 

 

And the interesting thing is we judge others action, feeling and intention based upon our own heart. Its like using your finger to measure how long or how short something is , the gauge is always based on your finger, is it “one finger long , or two finger long?” . Ultimately, its still boils down to your finger.

Many people quarrel over such things “oh this thing is two fingers (of mine) long” , and then someone disagrees “oh no, its 2.5 fingers (of mine) long”, so whos right? both are! whos wrong? both are!

Hence when we intend to judge anyone by anything at all, always remember, you wont know how he feels or think or intends , you can at best guess , gauge and analyse.

Bearing this in mind , and being able to let go of judging others constantly, one gains release from some form of suffering. When we truly let go and allow others to be as they are, its a blessing.

Although when we see the chance of the person being receptive to what we have to say, and what we say will lead to goodness , then we should do our best to encourage the other person to do good.