Where Do Afflictions Arise From? Why Do We Experience Troubles?

 The Buddhist Approach to Healing the Mind

Buddhism originated in India, and the Buddha, Shakyamuni, began his teachings to heal humanity. Human suffering is inherent, starting from birth; as soon as we are born, we begin to suffer. Those who have not suffered have not been born, and if they are born, they will only be free from suffering after death. Therefore, throughout life, whether it is physical or psychological, there will be pain and illness. The Buddha said that for physical ailments, one should seek medical treatment, while for mental afflictions, one should use the teachings of Buddhism.

However, the healthier one’s mind, the fewer physical ailments one will experience, and the less one will feel the suffering of physical illness. Therefore, the Buddha’s salvation and compassion for people are more important than addressing physical ailments.

If one can completely heal mental afflictions, it is called liberation. If the body is healthy but the mind is not, such a person will suffer more than someone with a physical illness. Therefore, the Buddha’s concept of suffering refers to both physical and mental aspects, but the mental suffering is more significant. If the body is ill but the mind is healthy, the physical ailment can be endured.

Physical illness should be called pain, while mental illness is called suffering. Buddhism is not used to alleviate pain because it is not an anesthetic; it is used to alleviate suffering.

The Causes of Suffering

From the perspective of Buddhism, suffering has two main causes:

a. Arising from primordial ignorance
Some religions discuss a beginning, and philosophy and science also address the question of when the universe began. However, it is not easy to determine when something truly begins. Therefore, Buddhism asserts that it is without beginning, much like a circle with no discernible starting point. There must be a starting point, but it cannot be found. Because every point could be the starting point, it is referred to as without beginning. Therefore, when asked where our suffering comes from, Buddhism answers: it has always existed, originating from primordial ignorance.

b. The cycle of afflictions and their consequences
Previous causes give rise to subsequent effects, which then become new causes, leading to further effects. This cycle perpetually moves forward in time, continuously creating future causes.

In our daily lives, afflictions fall into three categories:

1. Arising from the natural environment
San Francisco is a good place, with light fog, cool breezes, and a scenic bay, but it can also be cold and hot. Many people consider San Francisco a paradise on earth, yet even those living there fall ill. I once asked a layperson on a car ride, “Why are you sick?” She replied, “It’s not sickness, I’m sensitive to cold air.” I thought people living in paradise wouldn’t fall ill, but even in a place as good as San Francisco, people become ill, and there’s even a major hospital there. Despite the excellent weather and fresh air in San Francisco, the environment can still make us ill. Occasionally, terrifying earthquakes and prolonged droughts occur here. Even in this place, there are occasional toxins in certain foods.

2. Arising from interpersonal relationships
Relationships between people can cause us distress. Who causes us the most trouble? Many believe it’s enemies, but it’s not always the case; it could very well be one’s spouse, children, or relatives. Apart from immediate family, the relationships we form with friends, whether known or unknown, can be both helpful and troublesome. Being among them, we often compete with one another. Yesterday, I spoke at Stanford University, and someone told me, “The academic world is the darkest and most competitive.” One would think that scholars, with their knowledge and intelligence, would understand and help one another, rather than compete. However, the more knowledgeable individuals are, the more intense the competition becomes. Whether it’s for power, fame, or profit, or for differing ideologies and perspectives, this phenomenon is universal. Wherever there are people, competition arises. Have you never felt belittled by someone? Have you never competed with anyone? Darwin said, “The struggle for survival is the law of nature,” but this pertains to the natural world, not human nature, much less Buddhist nature, and it brings suffering to humanity.

3. Arising from internal emotional struggles

Our greatest enemy is not external but internal. We constantly change our minds and our thoughts. If we regret yesterday’s actions or feel proud because of them, emotional changes occur, and this is suffering. Often, due to considerations of urgency, closeness, quantity, right or wrong, positive or negative, we find it difficult to make decisions. We frequently weigh the pros and cons, leading to indecision, which is very painful. Moreover, believing that there is no problem within oneself, yet frequently experiencing anger and sorrow. I once asked someone similar: “Why do you have so many troubles?” They replied, “I don’t have any troubles; it’s those people who trouble me.” In reality, they themselves have problems, which cause interpersonal issues.

The Five Major Categories of Afflictions

There are five major categories of psychological afflictions: 1. Greed, 2. Anger, 3. Ignorance, 4. Arrogance, 5. Doubt. These are classified from a Buddhist perspective.

When afflicted, if one can analyze which category the affliction falls into, the affliction will diminish accordingly. When afflicted by greed, one should reflect and recognize the greed within, and the momentum of the affliction will naturally decrease.

Similarly, when suffering from anger, if one can reflect and recognize the anger within and the suffering it causes, one should tell oneself, “Why am I causing myself such suffering?” This will gradually reduce the suffering and anger.

If one behaves foolishly and suffers as a result, recognizing one’s own foolishness will reduce the affliction caused by it.

Arrogance may not initially seem like an affliction, but it is rooted in inferiority, which arises from a lack of self-confidence, and ultimately, a lack of security, making it a form of suffering.

Additionally, doubt brings suffering because it leads to indecision and a lack of trust in oneself, others, and situations, causing much distress. Recognizing the suffering caused by doubt can help one think, “I hope to achieve this, so I must believe it is good and right, and not doubt it.” This will enable one to act and pursue it. When in doubt, one should tell oneself, “If I truly doubt, I should not engage. If it is necessary, I must accept and believe it.” Complete absence of doubt is impossible, just as it can be said that it is normal for ordinary individuals to suffer from ailments.

The Causes of Imbalance

There are five reasons for psychological imbalance:

a. Pursuing and resisting beyond one’s capabilities
It is common for people to overestimate their abilities, disregarding their own limitations, and hope to avoid or resist unavoidable circumstances unreasonably. This is often seen in young people who believe in their own capabilities and potential strength. They think they can do what others can, and obtain what others can. However, when faced with setbacks or adversity, they seek to resist unreasonably, leading to inevitable failure due to their lack of strength.

b. Never being satisfied with expansion and conquest
People always hope to expand themselves, which is a universal trait. They wish to exert influence with their thoughts and actions, unrestrictedly extending outward. Some seek fame, hoping for global recognition. Others seek power, aiming to conquer others and the world. Some seek wealth, aspiring to be the wealthiest in the world. Even within families, it is common to see wives hoping to conquer their husbands, and vice versa. The pursuit of fame, power, and wealth often leads to conflict, as seen in personal relationships, groups, societies, nations, and ethnicities, and it never ceases.

c. Arrogance
When one achieves something, they often become arrogant. Arrogance and pride are difficult to separate and are contrary to humility. Humility allows for accommodation and tolerance, while arrogance leads to self-injury and harm to others.

d. Blaming and resenting
When facing failure, many become despondent, disheartened, and blame others. They fail to recognize that life’s experiences have causes and consequences. Instead of acknowledging the law of cause and effect, they curse, which is of no help.

e. Doubt and fear
Those with heavy doubts lack a sense of security.

Balancing the Mind

How can one balance the mind? Generally, people use three methods to address psychological illness:

The first is self-deception, denying one’s illness, which is pitiable.

The second is acknowledging the imbalance but believing that one can control and suppress it. However, suppressing it for too long can exacerbate the problem, which is also pitiable.

The third is seeking a psychologist, using analytical and explanatory methods for guidance and medication for treatment. While this can be helpful, it only aids a portion of the problem and only for a certain period. Psychologists can only know a part of you, and you only know a part of yourself, not fully understanding the nature of your illness, and the psychologist does not fully comprehend the cause of your illness. After counseling, it may seem like the problem has been resolved, but it may resurface later. Therefore, some people have been seeing psychologists for over a decade or two and still need regular visits. Psychologists who see such patients frequently may also develop psychological issues.

Therapeutic Methods in Zen Buddhism

How can Zen Buddhism’s methods be used to treat psychological suffering?

a. Conceptual Methods
Three types of conceptual methods can be employed:

1. The concept of cause and effect
The concept of cause and effect is a religious belief and a fact. In our daily lives, every action has a reaction, and every result stems from various causes. Through religious belief, one entrusts their hopes to an eternal future, letting go of present troubles. If one has the confidence to embrace this concept, when facing unavoidable and unresistible circumstances, they can face and accept it calmly.

2. The concept of dependent origination
All phenomena arise from the aggregation of different factors and disappear due to different causal relationships. When one understands the causes of success, there is no need for excessive excitement or pride, as the achievement is not solely due to one’s efforts but also from various external factors. Similarly, when facing adversity, one need not be too distressed, as the appearance and disappearance of any phenomenon are due to dependent origination. Therefore, there is no need for excessive distress or excitement.

3. The concept of compassion
Ordinary people often hope for compassion from others but are unwilling to show compassion themselves. When they make mistakes, they hope for forgiveness, yet they are unwilling to forgive others. This lack of compassion can be alleviated by harmonizing one’s inner contradictions, showing compassion for others’ foolishness, forgiving others’ mistakes, and caring for others’ suffering. Achieving inner peace will lead to genuine compassion for others.

b. Practice Methods
Two types of practice methods can be employed:

1. Recitation of Buddha’s name
Reciting the Buddha’s name serves two purposes: seeking rebirth in the Pure Land and transforming psychological issues. When the mind is unbalanced, focusing on reciting the Buddha’s name can temporarily set aside the imbalance. Therefore, I often advise people, “When you are about to lose your temper, recite the name of Amitabha Buddha.” It is akin to saying, “When you are angry, entrust the problem to Amitabha Buddha.”

2. Meditation
Meditation allows one to concentrate the scattered mind, calm the unbalanced mind, and dispel scattered thoughts, leading to a succession of right thoughts. In this state, nothing and no one can cause distress. From this level of concentration, one can further realize the wisdom of selflessness, leading to enlightenment. When enlightenment occurs, the mind is undoubtedly quite healthy. However, there are varying degrees of enlightenment. While a small enlightenment period resolves the problem at that time, it may resurface later. Nevertheless, those who have experienced enlightenment know how to resolve these issues. Therefore, even a small enlightenment is better than none.

This translation is a summary of the provided text and may not capture every nuance of the original language.