Obsessions, Compulsions: Mental Proliferation in Buddhism

What does early Buddhism have to tell us about our everyday obsessions and compulsions? We'll look at the centrality of such syndromes in Buddhist dharma, particularly around the idea of "papañca" or "mental proliferation". Note that I will not be discussing OCD as such, though there is a link below to a NIMH article about OCD for those who are interested.
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00:00 Intro
02:09 Central importance of the proliferating mind
03:57 How mental proliferation works
13:21 Practicing with obsessions, compulsions, and papañca
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[@DougsDharma]

🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive videos, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂 📙 You can find my book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook

[@jacopoziroli3846]

I really appreciate the fact this lesson on mental proliferation and how to calm down the obsessions it's perfect in a world that everyone want everything, and it's dominated by anxiety and overthinking. Thank you for the video!

[@DougsDharma]

Yes I think this is a real epidemic nowadays.

[@nimbus500]

I think an interesting dimension to this is how compulsions can take over practice and make it negative. I suffer from compulsions and obsessions (I have suspected OCD), and one hing that I realized pretty recently is that I will sometime practice as a compulsion, which almost negates some of the better effects of that practice. Similarly, the less I try to think, the better my practice is. This was an insight I had recently that I think is worth noting. To people like me with very anxious minds, you can do something good compulsively, which means that if your doing something good like meditation or mindfulness but you aren't seeing any results, it might not be your fault. Compulsions can and do overtake experiences, so its worth remembering that we don't have full control over the mind. like the buddha said, you can't compel or will for your thoughts or perceptions to be whatever (source: anattalakkhana sutta)

[@DougsDharma]

That's right. Best to you on your journey. 🙏

[@nimbus500]

@@DougsDharma and you too🙏

[@andrewlee7797]

Great content! I really like the idea of offering metta to the proliferating mind. I have been practicing along those lines and delighted to hear about it here. Thank you.

[@paulomoreira995]

Amazing how the idea of the fellings preceding the perception matchs the modern idea in behavioral economics of endowment.

[@DougsDharma]

Ah? I'm not familiar with that concept.

[@susanjones1925]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@budhabhushanmate2397]

Hey doug 👋 wonderful video you make very good videos with satisfying explanation keep going , can you make videos about buddhist cosmology the 31 realms of existence of thervada and 6 realms of existence in mahayana and please explain every realms in detail Thankyou

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks! I did an earlier video on the three realms of existence you find in early Buddhism: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHbagqmim7KInJo

[@xiaomaozen]

Very concise and precise and thorough! As always! 😅 Thanks! 🐱🙏

[@DougsDharma]

You are very welcome! 🙏😊

[@dylanjayatilaka8533]

Hey @DougsDharma. First let me thank you for your efforts on your channel. I'm sorry, I am too poor to support you on Patreon, so double thanks. I just wanted to say be very careful about this notion of bashing the ego. That itself can become an obsession. Since in my case I don't have a strong ego, I never believed in the "self", even as a child - I was just an observer - hence I have been always drawn to the Dharmic teachings. But when something bad happens in your life the incorrectly stated teachings of the Buddha (",life is unsatisfactory" etc) can lead to a feeling of life not being worth it. Such was my position when deep misfortune struck. Luckily I used to belong to the temple of Ajahn Brahm, and when speaking to a few of the Sangha such as Ajahn Brahmali, I was convinced that my overly negative view of existence was unwarranted. I had no desire to live or die - I was neutral - which I though was the correct point of view - almost my default mode - but as I now know WRONG from a Buddhist perspective. Because the last of the four noble truths is that "there is a way to end suffering". That means there is a way to end suffering *during living*, now or (if you believe in reincarnation, for which I have suspended doubt) in future lives. The last is an exhortation to keep trying. The last is an exhortation not to abandon the body. So, to temper your message a little, for people such as myself - it IS OK and equanimous to obsesses about the ego to the extent that it preserves the body - to achieve liberation from suffering. Otherwise, Buddhism can be seen as a nihilistic philosophy. But it isn't really. I view it now as path to achieve happiness with as little as possible - and without undue harm to other beings - to have compassion for them - and yourself! The issue is: where to draw the line? What does the Buddha say about that? Perhaps you might enlighten us? Is there any guidance from the suttas? Thanks again so much for your efforts. You make a difference in this world.

[@DougsDharma]

Oh for sure, bashing the ego would be unskillful and counterproductive. It's a form of anger and aversion. I've done a number of past videos on minimalism and Buddhism as well as on the role of the constructed self in Buddhism.

[@yumenounkai]

Would you make a video about celestial maidens? ❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉

[@sonamtshering194]

I think one form of mental proliferation that most of us deal with is overthinking

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, that's mental proliferation in a nutshell.

[@adhith4905]

can you explain why concuss arise? if nirvana is the main aim does it repeat again ?

[@DougsDharma]

I did a recent video on the arising of consciousness, if that's what you are asking about: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYCYhZeuo6iLn6M

[@IAn0nI]

@@adhith4905 Because when you hit your head hard, your brain sloshes around in your skill and bruises itself. Hence the concuss.

[@claudiapirani8948]

The only way to cut off the idea of "i'm the thinker" one need to reach the first stage of enlightenment at least.

[@fireatwill8143]

Yes! In other words to transcend the illusory sense of self which imprisons us in the first place! But what choice do we have either way when reality devours the personality? 😉👍

[@saralamuni]

enlightenment

[@DougsDharma]

Yes I believe it's really not completely gone until full enlightenment.

[@billhicks8]

I think this is why I'm more comfortable with zen buddhism, because with their philosophical approach, I find I don't think too much about achieving enlightenment, which would be in itself counterintuitive.

[@haovan5273]

@@billhicks8 actually main point of practicing is letting go, not achieving. Noble States are just results from letting go enough and correctly.

[@adhith4905]

can u explain how buddha died

[@Frooji-ps1xk]

The story most agreed on is that he ate some bad pork and got an infection of some kind.

[@toericabaker]

do a vid explaining the decline of buddhism... i think its crazy buddha kept his princely attitude towards work and relies on the community to support his sitting... buddhism does not protect the worker thats my guess

[@fireatwill8143]

Well if you look at Monk's of any order, from many parts of the world, more often than not they rely on support. I can't see this as a reason for any decline.

[@bobvillanueva712]

The BUDDHA was a psychotherapist, counselor, social worker, and spiritual teacher for the common human of that time, yea? He did this for free, no payment was needed for his kindness, yea? "EVERY WISH FULFILLED" E.T. ......................................................

[@ADIMM0]

The Buddha left his “princely” attitude when he left on his journey for nirvana. Buddhism has always has had a dynamic of the lay population and the monastic population. Buddhism acknowledges not everyone can become an arhant so the lay population is their to support the monastics and in turn they receive knowledge on a wide array of topics and advice when it comes to the Dharma

[@DougsDharma]

I have a video on the decline of Buddhism in India: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2mqf5qNltmIrac