1. The confusion arises from not recognizing the existence of two realities: mundane reality and ultimate reality.
- In mundane reality (i.e., within the framework of the world of 31 realms and all the living beings in it), all investigations will prove that the sensations of ‘pleasure’ and ‘pain’ are real.
- In ultimate reality (where everything in this world of 31 realms arises via Paticca Samuppada), all those sensations of ‘pleasure’ and ‘pain’ are ‘mind-made.’
2. Even a living Arahant (in daily life) will experience the sensations of ‘pleasure’ and ‘pain.’ They also experience the mundane reality. But they have fully comprehended that those are all mind-made and will last only until the death of their physical bodies.
- The mistake many people make is to try to overcome these sensations of ‘pleasure’ and ‘pain’ by force. They cannot be overcome in the sense that they are ‘built-in’ to our physical bodies.
- The ‘ultimate reality’ must be understood with wisdom; it is called ‘dhamma cakkhu.’ That is in the first sutta, “Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11):”‘Idaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccan’ti me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi, ñāṇaṁ udapādi, paññā udapādi, vijjā udapādi, āloko udapādi.” The translation there is better as: “This is the noble truth of suffering.’ Such was the dhamma vision, knowledge, wisdom, and realization of truth (vijjā udapādi) that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another, leading to my separation from the world (āloko udapādi).”
3. If it is not possible to understand what I am trying to explain, it is better not to try to ‘force it in.’
- In the “Alagaddūpama Sutta (MN 22),” the Buddha stated that ‘sensual pleasures’ provide little gratification and much suffering and distress. That “little gratification’ is the “feeling of pleasure’ one feels with sensual pleasures at that moment; that is the ‘mundane reality.’
- But they can bring suffering and distress in the long run. At markers 6.4 through 6.12, he gave many analogies to ‘sensual pleasures’, including a ‘pit of glowing coals.’ That is in the ‘ultimate reality.’
- At marker 6.14, the Buddha tells Ariṭṭha that Ariṭṭha has misunderstood his teachings. Please read the sutta from the beginning to understand the context. Ariṭṭha had many misconceptions about Buddha’s teachings.
- At marker 10.10, the Buddha explained to Ariṭṭha that grasping his teachings the wrong way can be deadly. It is like trying to catch a cobra (snake) by its tail. The cobra will twist back and bite. It must be caught by close to its head.
- If they don’t make sense and lead to stress, it may be better to avoid reading these posts. Sometimes it is not easy to express concepts with words. I always worry about that.
