Time To Face Your Feelings | Anger and Sensuality

How to learn from the enduring of restraint, and not just bear it.
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[@kabkay4646]

Bhante, Thank you for still being persistent in the topic of sensuality. Buddha said that sensuality is the biggest obstacle in the realm of humans. I, once again, greatly appreciate Bhante for hammering this concept over and over. I'm not having an 'Aha!' moment in regards to the disenchantment of pleasure. Rather I feel that its something progressive, thanks to Bhante's persistency. Please keep being persistent. Eventually we will all get there.

[@9tiesimonsomething]

Sotthi Bhante(s) (joined palms). It is a blessing to see The Dhamma discussion between to bhikkhus, thank you very much for sharing the life of peace 🌷🌷🌷

[@sompong2482]

Good Men much appreciated

[@aliciamontero7061]

Thanks a lot for all the wisdom you share here. 🙏

[@jks8241]

Sidhu Bhante. So clear. Thank you.

[@JamesSmith-kt3bi]

radical

[@hariharry391]

🙏

[@janetkocsis8066]

Bhantes, thank you again for spending time on this topic. I think laypeople like myself could benefit in practice by gaining an understanding/reminder of how indulging in sense pleasure/running from that which is unpleasant links up with becoming and further reinforcement of the “self”, craving, and more suffering. Just contemplating how my actions coincide with becoming is sometimes enough to stop me in my tracks, giving me fortitude. I wonder if a talk about becoming would be helpful or perhaps I misunderstand the order of things. Thank you so much

[@fingerprint5511]

"Rahula, develop the meditation in tune with earth. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as when people throw what is clean or unclean on the earth - feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood - the earth is not horrified, humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind." MN 62 🙏🙏🙏

[@khamano]

*SN12.63* _… if he were struck with one spear he would experience pain and displeasure on that account, not to speak of three hundred spears._ _... When the nutriment consciousness is fully understood, name-and-form is fully understood. When name-and-form is fully understood, I say, there is nothing further that a noble disciple needs to do. ..._ *SN12.37* _… this body is not yours, nor does it belong to others. It is old kamma, to be seen as generated and fashioned by volition, as something to be felt. ..._ With Metta & may all beings be encouraged to practice in accordance with the Dhamma. 🙏🙏🙏

[@khamano]

Here a complete sutta I share with those who wish to seek liberation. May it bring joy & happiness to their life … *SN22.94* At Savatthi. “Bhikkhus, I do not dispute with the world; rather, it is the world that disputes with me. A proponent of the Dhamma does not dispute with anyone in the world. Of that which the wise in the world agree upon as not existing, I too say that it does not exist. And of that which the wise in the world agree upon as existing, I too say that it exists. “And what is it, bhikkhus, that the wise in the world agree upon as not existing, of which I too say that it does not exist? Form that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change: this the wise in the world agree upon as not existing, and I too say that it does not exist. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness that is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change: this the wise in the world agree upon as not existing, and I too say that it does not exist. “That, bhikkhus, is what the wise in the world agree upon as not existing, of which I too say that it does not exist. “And what is it, bhikkhus, that the wise in the world agree upon as existing, of which I too say that it exists? Form that is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this the wise in the world agree upon as existing, and I too say that it exists. Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness that is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this the wise in the world agree upon as existing, and I too say that it exists. “That, bhikkhus, is what the wise in the world agree upon as existing, of which I too say that it exists. “There is, bhikkhus, a world-phenomenon in the world to which the Tathagata has awakened and broken through. Having done so, he explains it, teaches it, proclaims it, establishes it, discloses it, analyses it, elucidates it. “And what is that world-phenomenon in the world to which the Tathagata has awakened and broken through? Form, bhikkhus, is a world-phenomenon in the world to which the Tathagata has awakened and broken through. Having done so, he explains it, teaches it, proclaims it, establishes it, discloses it, analyses it, elucidates it. When it is being thus explained … … and elucidated by the Tathagata, if anyone does not know and see, how can I do anything with that foolish worldling, blind and sightless, who does not know and does not see? “Feeling … Perception … Volitional formations … Consciousness is a world-phenomenon in the world to which the Tathagata has awakened and broken through. Having done so, he explains it, teaches it, proclaims it, establishes it, discloses it, analyses it, elucidates it. When it is being thus explained … and elucidated by the Tathagata, if anyone does not know and see, how can I do anything with that foolish worldling, blind and sightless, who does not know and does not see? “Bhikkhus, just as a blue, red, or white lotus is born in the water and grows up in the water, but having risen up above the water, it stands unsullied by the water, so too the Tathagata was born in the world and grew up in the world, but having overcome the world, he dwells unsullied by the world.” With Metta 🙏🙏🙏

[@jonathanaroi4629]

Some "dhamma teachers" are saying you should let go of all uncomfortable feelings. But what about shame and a sense of guilt or wrong-doing?

[@HillsideHermitage]

No, you should cultivate those. Not irrationally, but in regard to unwholesome actions rooted in desire.

[@pannavaddhi6573]

What about sensual restraint in handling electronic devices such as smartphones for example ? The use of these gadgets in particular can activate a lot in the mind and the use of social media can lead to increasing restlessness, increasing lust and increasing anger - depending on the input (sometimes not even intentionally caused). Unfortunately, their use is almost inevitable these days unless you are lucky enough to live in a monastery where you don't have to worry about organizational matters, so one can restrain from it, but this is becoming increasingly rare these days. These phones also have many good sides, no doubt, for example one can listen to this talk anywhere in the world. This is undoubtedly useful and incredibly helpful. But smartphones and all these gadgets also have hidden dangers related to sense restraint. It is very easy to get drawn into the seductive swamp, even if the original intent was very wholesome and in line with Dhamma: "I want to hear Dhamma Desana from Hillside Hermitage and in the end catch myself reading the news." All of this scatters the mind enormously because these images and informations get stuck somewhere in consciousness and I notice how disruptive the use of these gadgets is when it comes to cultivating samadhi, for example. Of course I am also aware that I am fully responsible for all my actions, but it is a dangerous balancing act.

[@HillsideHermitage]

Those are just tools, it's up to the individual to restraint themselves and use those tools for skillful purpose. Gadgets cannot be disruptive, your intention to read the news can. If you cannot see/restrain where the line is, then you should minimize or even stop using them, until you can.

[@pannavaddhi6573]

@@HillsideHermitage thank you Venerable Sirs for your kind answer. I think that I suffer from vibhava tanha. Must have a closer look in order to understand it further. With Metta, may you be well and happy !

[@pannavaddhi6573]

@@HillsideHermitage Dear Venerable Sirs, it was only when I heard the discussion again , that I heard something that caught my attention : "You feel much more; mundane things, daily things. You feel them amplified because now you are restraint." (@ approx. 15:48) I have been practicing the eight for many years, but it never really occurred to me even for a second that this training could be the reason why (more and more) things get perceived in an amplified way. Cultivating the sila , cultivating celebracy is dynamite then. A bit like deactivating a bomb. So it needs skill. Jhana could be one of the tools? Suddenly the vibhava tanha seems clearer to me. It's actually just a displacement activity. It replaces one with the opposite, and therefore has an excuse ?! "Sense restraint equals you feeling the touch of your feelings" This is definitely the case. But it's not necessary pleasant. With metta, respectfully, may you be well and happy

[@bayee2169]

Bhantes, thanks for the talk. For one who practicing celibacy for few years, it now seem "easy" to endure as the environment I am in is "safe", so to speak, without much sexual pull. But the underneath tendency is still there as sometime I still welcoming, entertaining, delighting sexuality in dream. How to progress in the training to fully uproot sexual desire?

[@HillsideHermitage]

By removing the gratuitous assumption (upadana) that pleasure (of ANY kind) has VALUE. See our playlist on "Overcoming Sensuality".

[@mumblerocks77]

@@HillsideHermitage What about unworldly pleasure? Or the pleasure of the brahmavirharas?

[@HillsideHermitage]

@mumblerocks77 Theoretically no, practically yes. Until the EXTENT of sensuality has been understood, any IDEA of pleasure (worldly or otherwise) will be infected with that VALUE. That's what the Buddha meant by saying that many samanas and brahmins, by not KNOWING this escape, end up even meditating "with sensuality".

[@bayee2169]

@@HillsideHermitage Bhante, regarding meditating with sensuality is it in the sutta MN50 which take about "just as a jackal on a river-bank waiting for fish meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates"? If not, could you highlight which sutta talk about that? Thanks!

[@HillsideHermitage]

@xinyi No, it's MN 108: "Here, brahmin, someone dwells with his mind in sensuality, liable to sensuality, and he does not understand as it actually is the escape from sensuality. While he maintains sensuality within, he meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mis-meditates."

[@mumblerocks77]

What about the range of equanimity that lies in the untrained mind. Those who can endure unpleasant situations with a laugh and a realization that "it too will pass" as the folk saying goes. While the spectrum of choice to compulsion still applies to them, what determines their lack of anger and need to smother their pain with sensuality if they have never been trained in dhamma?

[@InojSameendra]

Bhante, My mom has a difficulty in comprehending English. Will it be possible to include Sinhala subtitles to all your videos so that i can discuss with mom.

[@Ikelaces]

Hello Bhante, I have a question that has been giving me a lot of trouble. If a sankhara is a “thing that depends on another thing”, why is it divided into body, speech, and mind in paticca sammupada? Why would a “thing that depends on another thing” be an aggregate? How does that definition fit with intention? There is a lot of confusion around this topic, I would appreciate any useful pointers. Also, if you take them,I would like to put in a request for a video that covers the four types of updana, the thread that connects them all, and why they originate from craving and serve as a basis for bhava. As always, much gratitude for your work. Your weekly insistence on the value of sense restraint is always encouraging.

[@HillsideHermitage]

This should provide you with answers: nanavira.org/notes-on-dhamma/shorter-notes/sa-khara and nanavira.org/notes-on-dhamma/paticcasamuppada

[@karrimzz]

@Jacob Elliot, see kzbin.info/www/bejne/jX_SpY2OjryJY5I for bhante talk on upadana

[@MeMe-gy4kl]

Bhante it is quite hard to see how anger or ill will is the same coin of sensuality and the same for sensuality in regards to ill will. Does it mean if i stop assuming pleasure to be outside of my pain (or to stop assuming pleasure to be in the 5 sense objects (does it include the mind objects also?)this way i not only am free from sensuality but in fact also from ill will, why is this? my thought on what I have heard from you before and my reflection is this : is it beacuse the putujana by assuming the dimension of pleasure outside of pain (which is the same assumption i think as assuming pleasure to be in the 6 sense objects or is it only the 5 sense objects or the mind objects also ?) he implyes and assumes that by craving against this pain he has the possibility to come to the pleasure which he assumed is in the sense objects outside of that pain or in sense objects? please even if this is truth write your comment on this, so craving towards painful feeling is dirrectly determined by assuming that pleasure is in sense objects ? and if i stop assuming that pleasure is in sense objects my craving against painful feeling will stop it will have no meaning anymore beacuse i am craving against painful feeling only beacuse my craving against painful feeling implys that there is pleasure as a possibility if i get rid of this pain which is determined by assuming pleasure to be in sense objects? please write your thought Bhante. Thank you.

[@sompong2482]

Vipaka is not always kamma payback ?

[@InojSameendra]

Vipaka is kamma payback. But everything that happens is not Vipaka. Just do only wholesome, then the chance for wholesome vipaka increases.