The Downey Patriot

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Buddhism

DOWNEY-- The Buddha taught, “Cling to nothing as I or mine.” Any time we cling to or identify with any aspect of our experience, our possessions, our world, or our personal characteristics, we create the causes and conditions for suffering. This is so because everything in our conditioned world, including our selves, is impermanent and subject to causes and conditions. Anything we cling to is bound to slip through our fingers like sand that we try to grasp.

What are the causes of clinging and identification? Ultimately, as noted above, we cling out of confusion. We fail to recognize the three characteristics of existence-impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness. We also cling as a means of creating for ourselves a sense of certainty and predictability. Even when we know that there is nothing we can cling to, clinging creates a sense that we know who we are, and how the world is.

So, what are some of things we cling to? At the most basic level, we cling to parts of our social identity, the things that A.H. Almaas refers to as “driver’s license” information. So, we cling to our names, addresses, occupations, appearances, and status as married or single. We take for granted that we are a certain height, or that we are a mother or father, son or daughter. And there is nothing wrong with noting that these things are true-it is just the practice of viewing ourselves as essentially these things that causes suffering.

To see any characteristic as essentially us means that we take that characteristic to define ourselves. And, with that definition, we often assign a certain value to having that particular identity. So, we may define being a certain marital status, or having a certain profession, as imbuing ourselves with value. And, it is in that process of valuing that suffering starts. For, if we cease to be these things, we fear that we lose our worth. Because most of the things we take to be our self are themselves fleeting and subject to causes and conditions, we then are always on the edge of fear that we are about to lose something of value about ourselves. And then we place great amounts of energy into defending those things we value about ourselves. And that defense often alienates us from the rest of the world.

At more subtle levels, we identify ourselves not only as having certain roles and a certain appearance, but also having more subtle personal characteristics. We see ourselves as strong, or compassionate, or in control, or virtuous, or smart, or hard working. Again, nothing is wrong with those characteristics. But, we can never be these things with absolute reliability, to the exclusion of their opposites. So, we may be strong in one circumstance, but incapable of strength in another. Going from one circumstance to the other, we then fear loss of what we value.

We also identify with more abstract ideas. How many of us identify ourselves as Buddhists? Or spiritual seekers? Or as having a certain set of beliefs and values? Arguably, these characteristics are ones we cling to even more tenaciously than our height and weight.

We also identify with and cling to views of the world. Do we see the world as a hostile place? Or a benign place? Do we have judgments about the actions of others? Is there suffering as a result of these ideas? With respect to the beliefs we hold onto with tenacity, do they limit our ability to see the world with fresh eyes? In this area, Mathew Flickstein has said that there is nothing wrong with having beliefs as long as we don’t believe them!

Ajahn Sumedho in one of his dharma talks notes that one of the characteristics we form an identity around is enlightenment. He notes that most of us do not identify ourselves as enlightened (or don’t dare to express it if we do!) But he notes that most of us do identify with the notion that we are not enlightened. Note the limitation that this identification of ourselves as unenlightened places on us. What implications does this have for our practice? For the effort we put into the practice?

Related to this, it is important to note that not all of the things we form an identity around serve to bolster our sense of self-esteem. We can identify ourselves as anxious, or unable to connect with others, or as dependent, or as a victim, or as in recovery. Paradoxically, people sometimes hold to these identifications with great tenacity, because even though they cause the person pain, they provide a sense of consistency and certainty in how the person views him or herself.

Now, with respect to identification with personal frailties, this is not to say that we ought not recognize these characteristics if they are present. It is to say, however, that when we identify ourselves with them, we begin to tell ourselves that we are them. And that sets limits on how we view ourselves and what we see as possible for ourselves.

The Buddha spoke of identification as clinging (upadana). He noted that there are four things people typically cling to. First, they cling to sense pleasure, wanting to experience pleasant things and avoid pain. We crave for things to be pleasant, and fear when they are painful. Second, we cling to views. Some of the things we discussed before-views of the self, views of the world, philosophies, politics -- all of these come under the rubric of views to which we cling. Thirdly, people cling to rites and rituals. This is the belief that there are certain rituals that will in and of themselves create spiritual progress, leading to enlightenment. Now, this is not to say that we should avoid having a daily meditation practice. In the Buddha’s time, reliance on rites and rituals referred to such things as animal sacrifices designed to curry favor with the gods. In our day, it may have to do with our insistence in our daily lives that things have to be done a certain way. We then become willing to create misery in others and in ourselves by insisting things are carried out the way we think they have to be carried out.

Fourth, and perhaps most important, the Buddha noted that people cling to views of the self. In this, we identify our self with one or several of the five aggregates-physical form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. We might see our self as being the body. Another view might be of the self as being in the body, or as being the witness of what goes on in the body. Or, the self might be viewed as being separate from the body. With respect to feeling, some people identity themselves with their experience of feeling as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, and then become quite upset when they do not feel good. Those who take pride in their ability to recognize patterns in life may be identifying with perception that function where we classify our experiences based on our memory. Some cling to a view of the self as being their volition – for them, if they are unable to change themselves or the world based on their intentions, they feel out of control and distressed. Finally, people can identity with consciousness. In this we identify our self with our awareness.

The Buddha historically did not answer questions related to the truth or falsity of views. He did this in part because he did not want to give energy to speculations that he felt would get the questioner nowhere. So, he refused to answer questions such as the following: Does the self or the world exist or not? Does the self exist after death or cease to exist after death? Is the self that performs an action the same self that reaps the consequences of that action or does a different self reap those consequences? These questions he saw as only getting the questioner entangled in a thicket of views that would confuse and hinder the person’s efforts to end suffering.

            So, this is the condition we find ourselves in with respect to our tendency toward clinging. How do we most effectively practice with this reality? The teachings offer several recommendations as to practice. First, the very act of becoming aware of the places in our lives where identification is happening is a first step in disentangling ourselves. Often, the power of an identification comes from the fact that we are unaware of its action in our lives. Secondly, we can ask ourselves how accurate it is to stand on that particular belief. Does that particular stance speak truth, or is truth a bit more ephemeral (as it often is). Third, we can practice mindfulness with our identifications. We can notice where a particular belief or self-identification is experienced in the body, or the texture of the mental states that accompany having that identity. Once we recognize that we are identified, we can begin to question that identification. When we note that we view ourselves in a particular way, we can remind ourselves not to form an identity around that view.

         As we practice with our patterns of clinging and identification, we become more attuned to the ways in which we limit ourselves with our beliefs, and views, and stances about ourselves and about the world. We may discover a hidden power and wisdom in recognizing that we don’t know. Also, as we expand our ability to be comfortable with the fear and uneasiness of not knowing, our hearts connect to the hearts of all the other beings in the world who are similarly uncertain. And this can be the start of true compassion for ourselves and others.