Published Tuesday, 07 April 2020
Distorted views,
which give rise to seeing right as wrong
and wrong as right,
cause beings to disintegrate.Dhammapada v.318
The way we view things defines how we relate to those things. If, for example, we view lounging in the sun as agreeable, then we might spend hours outside soaking up the warmth. However, once we learn about the heightened risk of skin cancer from excessive exposure to the wrong kind of UV rays, we are more likely to restrain ourselves; even though the thought of lying in the sun is still appealing. On a more subtle level, if we perceive holding fast to thoughts of resentment as somehow nourishing, then we are inclined to cling to those thoughts. If we study the Buddha’s teachings on the path of awareness to the point where we see how being caught in resentment leads to confusion and depression, then we are inclined to let go of such negativity. In letting go, maybe we will find a new level of contentment.