This is an interesting topic. The parallels with Stoicism and CBT are a bit more obvious, though Buddhism does not believe in a self in the same sense. Depth psychology, with the whole id/ego/super ego seems a bit harder to reconcile with Buddhism. There is a distinction made between the “cognitive unconscious” and the Freudian version, with the cognitive unconscious being more akin to “background processes” or something of the like. It doesn’t get into all the repression, complexes, drives, etc. This “Buddhist unconscious” seems similar to an evolutionary psychology view of instincts, with humans not being a “blank slate,” etc. Maybe even a Jungian collective unconscious to some extent. The parallels are fascinating, with Buddhism arguably being one of the world’s oldest forms of “therapy.” I know some connections have been drawn with Heidegger and phenomenology, but that’s a bit more of a philosophical issue-the boundaries between philosophy, religion, and science become less obvious upon closer inspection.
My hypothesis is this. Karma is one's intention which creates a neural pathway. As one repeat the same intention, the neural pathway is strengthened which becomes the underlying tendency. Meeting with the same situation, the super neural pathway will take over the respond automatically. In order to uproot these tendencies, one has to rewire the brain to create new pathways and abandon the undesirable ones from the past.
Greetings. Sorry, I have a question about the "Escapism" tendency. How can we reconcile this notion of not escaping negative feelings and thoughts, with the practice of removing negative thoughts and trying to substitute a negative thought with a positive one. So, should we indulge in negative feelings and thoughts and let them rise, or should we actively try to substitute them? (As laypersons, not monks or skilled Buddhists) Thank you :)
This is a hard question to answer conclusively, it depends on our practice. But I'd suggest that we try to face negative feelings skillfully, that is without aversion. We see them for what they are, after which the feelings may well dissipate on their own. If they don't, and if they are becoming obsessive, then we can consider ways to substitute for them when we feel it necessary.
@@DougsDharma I was wondering about it because I vividly remember your video on removing negative thoughts. It was quite helpful to me when I first came upon it. Specially since my default setting is also pessimistic and I need to actively try to negate my negative thoughts and substitute them. Otherwise, if left alone, they would ruin my day! ruclips.net/video/FHu6VG5r7vA/видео.html This one was amazing as well: ruclips.net/video/9CRAC8hQ7V0/видео.html Thank you for the response and for all that you do :)
This might not be particularly related to this video but would you say the notion of Alaya-vijnana is similar to the idea of collective consciousness by Jung?
I'm not very familiar with Jung's psychology, but so far as I understand it I'd say they are very different. The ālaya vijñāna is something that pertains to one person in particular: it stores up their karmic past. It's not a kind of collective.
@@DougsDharma jung speaks of a collective as well as personal unconscious. Personal unconscious contains the shadow, which is similar to a complex of the seed tendencies you describe. 'uprooting' in jungian terms might be 'individuation through integration of these seeds into conscious'. This deserves a more in-depth study. Generally jungian analytical psychology is concerned with the psyche, not the mind. Different level of analysis. Buddhism seeks to get beyond the proliferating mind, whereas jung tries to engage with it in order to relieve trauma.
How should we deal with pain (non-physical) without aversion? Without sensual desire can we be grateful? Would it be wrong to look at a pleasant sunset and simply think "I'm grateful for this beautiful sunset"? And when we are trying to rid ourselves of these tendencies how can we make sure we don't become emotionless and numb or in other words turn towards ignorance?
There is also the related idea of 'Asava'..mental defilements via craving for sensual pleasures, renewed existence, and ignorance. These asavas continues the karmic flow of confused samsaric existence. Wondering if latent anusayas lead to asavas...
Thanks for that Susmita. The āsavas and anusayas overlap. There are traditionally four āsavas, sensuality, views, becoming, and ignorance. Those are basically identical to four of the seven anusayas, the other three being aversion, doubt, and conceit. These are very, very similar lists.
Thank you so much for this explanation! I find this topic particularly interesting, especially these ideas from the later buddhist schools. Do you maybe know some kind of publication or something that can help learn about the many buddhist schools and allow for further study? I feel like I'm torn at the moment between the jungian ideas and the buddhist ones, although i see that they have quite a lot in common, at least in some sense and I think that finding such a book or a database can really help me in further work upon myself.
You're very welcome! I don't know offhand of a publication that really helps understand ideas from later Buddhist schools. Of course, there are many Buddhist publications of all kinds but most of the best info is scholarly material and it can be tough to find. Usually I include material in the notes to my videos that might be helpful.
I understand that karma is an extremely difficult and complicated topic. However, in the video you mentioned the notion of performing 'good' and 'bad' action, together with their consequences could be considered as a way, albeit a simple one, of understanding karma. The question I have is who, or what, decides what is good or bad? What are the Universal criteria which can be applied to actions, which enable their moral value to be decided? I can't think of any action ever performed by any human which could be regarded as being absolutely 'good' or 'bad'. We can make action relatively good or bad, but is a relative moral judgement sufficient to judge a person?
What actions lead to harm and suffering? What actions lead to benefit and happiness? While there are lots of in-between cases that we may say aren't clear, there are also lots of cases that are in no doubt. In Buddhism there is no "judge". It's the quality of our intentions that makes the difference: tending towards anger, harm, and suffering, or tending towards kindness, benefit, and happiness. Again, many of our intentions are in between, with elements of both.
@@DougsDharma Thank you for replying Doug - I really do appreciate yur comments because this is something that has caused me problems for years. If I may can I just push this a little deeper? If we go to an extreme, Hitler and the Third Reich. Assume that Hitler was sincere in his belief that he wanted to create the best conditions for those whom he considered to be superior, ie the Aryan race. He also sincerely believed that there people who were preventing the Aryans from obtaining their rightful state of existence. Hence, with the absolute moral conviction that millions of more people would benefit from his actions and with high noble conviction he enacted a policy which would bring about the highest ideal. He knew that millions would suffer but, with some justifciation from a prevelant scientific principle, Eugenics, those people were inferior and although they would suffer, his actions were for the greater good - far more benefit would be gained by far more than would be lost by some. He was sincere in his beleif and sincere that his intention was based on valid moral principles. So, if he acting with the best of intentions was he therefore generating good karma? (A second line of argument could be that the suffering of those he murdered as simply being the results of their own karma - but I'll leave that for now.) I present this line of argument simply because, to me, there is so much subjectivity and complexity when using words such good/bad, suffering and happiness, that I really don't see how the idea of karma can work. I do thank you for any response you give and will take on board your answer - if any. If it helps I won't pursue any discussion beyond your reply and I sincerely hope that I have offended anyone who may read this. My questions are sincere and are driven by a desire to learn and understand. Thank you. 🙏
Your videos are invaluable, Doug. I have a question. Is it reasonable or even possible to think, generally, of Buddhist philosophy as some sort of combination of metaphysical Idealism (as it is often portrayed) and physicalist nominalism? The reason I ask is because the idea of karma is a strong hindrance to my practice. I’ve been told from within my tradition (Vajrayana) that one’s karma only affects the individual who causes it. Now, given that bad things happen to good people (and vice versa) it’s been a challenge for me to accept what seem to me to be ad hoc explanations that appeal to those individuals’ past actions (near or distant) as causing negative or positive consequences. Maybe if karma is simply a mental disposition towards the conditions one finds herself in then I can work with it. But if we accept that there is a mind -independent physico-material world with objects that are interdependent and interact, including bodies with minds like ourselves, it seems untenable to think our actions don’t have positive or negative effects on every sentient being around us. Any thoughts or sources you can recommend that address these concerns?
Well I've done videos on many of these topics that might be useful, such as early Buddhist metaphysics (there are many metaphysical claims in Buddhism, I am most interested in the early picture), as well as a number on karma. Here is my playlist on karma: ruclips.net/p/PL0akoU_OszRgwcF_eKqxg8ok0w_dz2sj_ . If that doesn't clear up your questions let me know!
Thank you. The first video in that series of seven cleared it up for me instantly. These questions have dogged me for three years now and I couldn’t get clear explanations. One thing I’ve noticed is that when I go to the Pali canon and learn what Shakyamuni is said to have expounded on (like your pointing out that karma meant intention to him, not action) then matters unclear to me are then clarified. Perhaps I need to also work with older traditions.
the Buddhist model is brilliant. yet i never see it applied to "pathological " states e.g. PTSD, dissociation, panic, suicidal ideation, mania, adhd etc... The Buddhist model seems to account for "normal" functions but not so much variants. Of course I'm sure there is much am not aware of. My impression is that damaged egos need to be supported and stabilzed before their dissolution. is Enlightenment (whatever that is) available to all? .
Buddhism is the 2nd oldest religion in India after Jainism King Ashoka had constructed around 84000 Buddhists monasteries in India along with Pakistan Afghanistan Bhutan Nepal Cambodia Myanmar Sri Lanka Many beautiful monasteries have been converted into Temples😭 Maximum Indians were Buddhist Namo Budhhay 🙏🏻
Seven underlying (unconscious) mental tendencies, obsessions or Anusuyas are sensual desire (lust/greed), aversion, views, doubt, conceit (comparing mind), desire to be reborn, and ignorance create repeated pain/suffering. Are there also physical and speech impulses & tendencies...
I assume there might be, but if so they would derive from the mental ones. That is, our physical and speech impulses would be to act out on the mental ones.
What relationship do you think the Buddhist Unconscious have to the Psychoanalytic conceptions of the Unconscious say as to Freud, Yung and Lacans conceptions about it. (Not a psychoanalist but also Hegel as well) And the difference between the Unconscious and Subconscious.
Could, in some sense, tatagathagarba be considered a latent mental property? I know this concept is tough to consider as it seems like a permanent state of being. Seeing it in this way, yet, may be an easier way to view it.
Sir please help i have just starting reading i can easily read non fiction books but it is very hard for me to read fiction books i have started one buddha books but i have only readed 68 pages and i bored from it what can i do sir
Hmmm ... hard to say Infinity Gaming. Books may not be the right avenue for you. In that case, consider going to dharma talks if there are any good ones near you, or check out videos like mine. Some people just don't like reading. Or it may be the particular book you were reading that wasn't right for you. In that case you may want to look around at other authors. Amazon lets you preview books before buying them, so that's one way to read a few pages at the beginning and see if you enjoy the style. 🙂
Unconscious. That is just in Dharmachakkappavattana sutta. Whole gods come in that sutta are just unconscious realities in Nirvana. As such formlees Jhana is already contained in the 4th Jhana, conscious and unconscious are also pure Nirvana. So Nondual Doug, Such sameness.
Could we say that early Buddhism is Theravada or early Buddhism contains Theravada (as monastic system) and contains more than that (as a dialectic system)?
Really meditation has changed me i am doing it for just 2 months but it is not easy i do 1 hour daily but after 15 minutes it is very hard to do meditation so what i should do
The easy answer to your question is just "keep practicing". It's like exercise, the more you do it the better you get at it. It may help if you can find a local meditation teacher to help you, maybe once a week or once a month you can go and meditate in a group. If that's not possible, then do what you can as far as time goes. And be aware that it's absolutely normal for thoughts to arise. If you put too much effort or forcing into meditation it can become difficult. Just use it as a time for calm awareness of all that arises, good or bad. 🙂
I totally agree with Doug's comment. Just keep practicing. In my opinion there is no "bad" way to meditate. Just keep doing what you are doing and be kind to yourself and don't think you have to be "perfect" at it. Maybe you should try just meditating for 15 to 30 minutes a day and work your way up. I know when I first started I did one hour at a time and it was too much for me and I ended up getting discouraged. A wise friend told me to just do 20 minutes at a time and I did and that was much better. (I now do 30 minutes every day.)
@@DougsDharma Sir I'm a new to buddhism and just wanna' practice Buddha's teachings without labelling myself as a Buddhist. SO FAR IN MY LIFE I'VE NEVER DONE MEDITATION AND I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT SUCH KIND OF PHILOSOPHY. I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN 2015 WHERE I HAPPENED TO LOST MY RIGHT LEG'S KNEE- MOVEMENET. NOW I WALK, SIT AND SLEEP WITH MY RIGHT LEG BEING STRAIGHT ALL THE TIME. SO MY QUESTION IS THAT THAT HOW SHOULD I DO MEDITATION MEANING ( IN WHAT POSITION AND HOW?)
Ah, this is very easy. The answer is that it doesn't matter. All you need to do is find a position in which you can be relatively comfortable without moving for the period of meditation you would like (say, 15 to 45 minutes). You can sit on cushions on the floor with your leg out, or in a chair, or lie down in a bed, or even stand up. So long as you can be still enough to focus on the breath you will be fine. I have an earlier video on an introduction to meditation that might interest you (there are also a lot of other such videos on RUclips): ruclips.net/video/dhjCrWI_Yq4/видео.html
So, are the 7 tendencies the innate components of each mind? So, we may say, that the mind is basically unconscious and destructive? And all we have to do, is to recognise any of the 7 tendencies to avert them? But, then, what about Non-Self? Who recognises? who is conscious? Self or Non-Self?
Well strictly speaking there is nothing stable and permanent that recognizes. There is simply recognition, a passing state that changes the stream of ongoing states that follow.
I am unclar on what is meant by doubt. Suspiciousness towards the unfamiliar? Lack of faith in the teachings? I suppose you mean initial scoffing towards ideas that upon reflection prove sound? Maybe disrespectfulness that has not yet merited that disrespect?
I'm not sure what the context is here Lucy but "doubt" is considered one of the five hindrances to meditation. I think it usually is the kind of thing that manifests as uncertainty in the teachings, or in one's practice. Lack of confidence. But it may also have a wider connotation depending on the context.
@@DougsDharma it happened to me few years back when my pet parrot managed to fly to the ledge of the walkway and jumped down from 4th storey where I stay when my friends were here that wanted me to let her out. Then we went down to search for her but to no avail. Unable to find her, we tried printing picture of her and put reward to the person who return her. The next day someone from our enthusiast hobby group message me saying her university post a picture of a found parrot on Facebook and already spoken to her and passed me her contact. This girl father took over the conversation as he was the one found my parrot and told me she was found at the grass patch almost got bitten by cats,. He ran to her without any thoughts whether will be bitten by my parrot to save her but bad news is, he had already donated the bird to the bird park of Singapore. When we went over to meet him, I myself brought along another 2 parrots with me for no motives. He was kinda reluctant to retrieve back from the bird park initially as I was then told by him, he is a veteren Buddhist and found that keeping a bird insjde a cage is not giving freedom to the bird. I showed him some videos of our gathering activities and also how bounded we are, like she will walk to me if I call her name, and also she is a probably wouldn't survive or live healthily if she feels stress or upset cos parrots are known to self destruction by feather plucking their whole body to the worst scenario bleed and die. Also the bird park will quarantine the bird and may not live by putting to sleep if found not suitable to be kept with the others of the same breed as we had friend working there before. After hearing and seeing videos of what I said is true at abt 2 plus am early in the morning middle of the night, he wanted to drive to the bird park which we all tried to stop him from the tiredness as he was also not a young man abt 60 plus and moreover the bird park is closed at this timing, we failed to stop him. He just drive his car there. Then after his return, knowingly before he went, we knew that bird park won't simply alllow anyone to adopt birds from them evem he was the one brought the bird there. But this kind uncle, a veteran Buddhist, a a retired businessman assured me no matter what it takes him, he will get the bird back for me but I was kind of skeptical about the hopes of my parrot return but super thankful and feel bad for what he done and going to do for me and my parrot. The next day he messaged me with the picture of him and my parrot outside the gate of the bird park saying he managed to retrieve her out and fixed a timing to meet up. When we met, not only I felt he had done so much, nor sure how he was able to get the bird outx he also spent money to buy a temporary cage to keep my parrot. He rejected any amount of money I wanted to pass him on just one request, make sure she won't fly away from me in future which is kind of opposite of what he initially thought of birds supposed to fly around freely as and when they want. I promised him and really thank him. What I feel about this whole thing, yes he was right on how he felt that we humans shouldn't keep a bird that supposed to be flying around in a cage but not everything we can control in the wild and also she isn't born in the wild and I was the one handfred her since she was a baby. She definitely won't survive if I open the cage let her fly away even she really wants to fly away, not able to find food, not able to know the danger of whatever may be to her. But after some time, I was thinking to myself, are we doing a sin from buying these animals when they were babies even they are breeders who breed them. There is a saying, no buying, no selling. This is what I feel contrevesial. Maybe if we never buy but go for adoption like a dog from a pound where their owners deserted them, or like the uncle who found my parrot with slight injury almost got bitten up by cats and keep her after.. Then this is much better than buying babies from breeders which their mothers got to be sex slave, separation from their own blood since birth. Not everyone eg. Parrots owners will commit for their life as they may live as long as 50 years of age depending on breed and health of cos. So are we selfish without thinking of all these beforehand what happened from their separation from their mother and how long we able to be committed to them. LOL maybe I am thinking too much... Hope u won't find me talkative. Have a good day ahead Dough😊. Thank u for the time redding my grandfather story too😊
Ah I see Keith. No, we should not keep parrots, cockatoos, or other similar birds as pets. They are wild animals, very long lived and unsuited to domestication. Most are taken illegally, directly from the wild. If we want a pet we should look to domesticated animals like dogs, cats, etc.
@@DougsDharma I think I have to add on why I feel so negative about it. My this female parrot died!!! At that point of time not long after, my wife was pregnant and few of my parrots had to go for the sake of both my wife and unborn baby's health as parrots will have powder on their body although not lethal but what to do when it's my wife wish? One of my friend who also went to search for my parrot when she was lost, asked me whether he is able to have her. I had no second thoughts on it as he loves and take care of his pets much much better than me just on one request, no need to pay me any money but to let me or my mum see her whenever we want and of cos he is free to do so as we live just a block apart. One year or so later, he came to me with guilt telling me that Ecko(my parrot's name) had died also his other parrots(only one alive). I asked him why? I wasn't angry but unhappy why he now then tell me about it.. I never tell him though I was unhappy. He told me he left all the birds in his newly renovated house room. That room got painted just one or two days ago with odourless paint. He assumed that it is not fatal to them but he was wrong. I didn't blame him at all as he got no knowledge but somehow I blame myself if I will to keep her with me, she is still alive! Same goes with my Golden Retriever many years back, 2008. Ome day when I was back from work, he wasn't normal at all as I ordered Mcdonald nugget to eat, he simply got no interest on it. As golden retriever are well known for their greedy appetite for any food. This is not normal at all. I brought him down for a walk without leash. Normally he will run around and then come back to me but that day, he just stick by my side walking glued to me wherever I walked to. He looked super normally healthy physically but behavior wasn't. This is the guilty part!!!!, On that night I had a date with a girl. I showered longer than normally what I took. Styling my hair bla bla bla, u know what a young man will do for a date... When I opened the door, he was sitting in front all the time! When I walked to my room, he followed closely, I told him bé a good boy and I will bring u to the vet if u really don't feel well tomorrow..... The realistic, there won't be any tomrowl When I was outside, my mum called me around 2.30am telling me she just reach home and Max(my goodie) is dead. Telling me that when she reached home, she saw Max walking out of my room, howl 3 times and then gone. I was super lost😭!. I drove home but stayed in my car for 2 hours or so not able to bring myself to see him. After that I went up and saw him lying down there motionless which was super not normal. Cos whenever any of us return home, Max will definitely had something in his mouth eg. Slippers, rags, books whatever he could find and pick up. But he didn't do so and forever unable to do so... I took off my shirt cover his face with my shirt as got my smell on it. I was totally shut down by agony. I didn't know what to do, I kept thinking why I went out and blamed on myself even I never brought him to vet but at least his last moment he able to be with me. Next day I got to find out that he died of eating dark chocolate! Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. The darker it is, the more lethal it is. I asked my maid whom she denied she fed him but I never blame her at all cos she had no knowledge at all that it is poisonous to dogs. She loved him like her own brother before. She kept crying. Me too but in my heart in front of everyone. That was the biggest blow and longest pain of lost I ever had in my entire life even compared to losing someone, human, in the family. I lost my ex gf before this happened and that pain was totally gone like never existed. I got no mood to work at all, in fact everything for years! Until I able to bring myself to accept a new pet 8 years back whom that parrot is still with me, the one and only left, African Grey. Handfeed him since he is a baby. Now will call me papa papa whenever he sees me, walked to anywhere I go in the house. Then not long ago, 1 year plus ago, my wife bought 2 dogs a male a female. Got bonder to them. After so many years the pain is still there but somehow I accepted it as death, although I may feel its my fault for not doing this and that. We are unable to stop when it's time up as long we had good times and being good to them by conscious. Not that everything is predictable or can we change back time to not going out to stay with him, he or she still has to go, what left and leave forever is the memories that we had. I hope u are still awake Doug😊 Good night here in Singapore. Stay safe and stay healthy buddy.
@@DougsDharma sorry I just read your reply. Yes u are right, but mine was bred by breeders, still it act like a consolation to me to commit a sin keeping them. Now that I left with one, I got no choice to turn back time but take care of him as long as I live and I asked my daughter to love and take care of him if one day I leave earlier than him.
Well otybc05 some thinking is mental formation (saṅkhāra), but also some thinking is perception (saññā). It could also be that some thinking is feeling (vedanā), or even consciousness (viññāṇa), depending on how we 'think' of them. 🙂
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This is an interesting topic. The parallels with Stoicism and CBT are a bit more obvious, though Buddhism does not believe in a self in the same sense. Depth psychology, with the whole id/ego/super ego seems a bit harder to reconcile with Buddhism. There is a distinction made between the “cognitive unconscious” and the Freudian version, with the cognitive unconscious being more akin to “background processes” or something of the like. It doesn’t get into all the repression, complexes, drives, etc. This “Buddhist unconscious” seems similar to an evolutionary psychology view of instincts, with humans not being a “blank slate,” etc. Maybe even a Jungian collective unconscious to some extent. The parallels are fascinating, with Buddhism arguably being one of the world’s oldest forms of “therapy.” I know some connections have been drawn with Heidegger and phenomenology, but that’s a bit more of a philosophical issue-the boundaries between philosophy, religion, and science become less obvious upon closer inspection.
Yes it's quite complicated to make these kinds of cross-cultural comparisons! 🙂
It is also important to realize that the beautiful sunset shows the refelctive beauty of our minds
🙏😊
My hypothesis is this. Karma is one's intention which creates a neural pathway. As one repeat the same intention, the neural pathway is strengthened which becomes the underlying tendency. Meeting with the same situation, the super neural pathway will take over the respond automatically. In order to uproot these tendencies, one has to rewire the brain to create new pathways and abandon the undesirable ones from the past.
Yes I think that makes a lot of sense!
Wishes on the occasion of Guru Poornima 🙏 you are helping the wheel of Dharma to keep rotating. #DhammaChakkaPabbattanDay #GuruPoornima #Gratitude
Thanks Desi Cows!
Greetings.
Sorry, I have a question about the "Escapism" tendency. How can we reconcile this notion of not escaping negative feelings and thoughts, with the practice of removing negative thoughts and trying to substitute a negative thought with a positive one.
So, should we indulge in negative feelings and thoughts and let them rise, or should we actively try to substitute them? (As laypersons, not monks or skilled Buddhists)
Thank you :)
This is a hard question to answer conclusively, it depends on our practice. But I'd suggest that we try to face negative feelings skillfully, that is without aversion. We see them for what they are, after which the feelings may well dissipate on their own. If they don't, and if they are becoming obsessive, then we can consider ways to substitute for them when we feel it necessary.
@@DougsDharma I was wondering about it because I vividly remember your video on removing negative thoughts. It was quite helpful to me when I first came upon it. Specially since my default setting is also pessimistic and I need to actively try to negate my negative thoughts and substitute them. Otherwise, if left alone, they would ruin my day!
ruclips.net/video/FHu6VG5r7vA/видео.html
This one was amazing as well:
ruclips.net/video/9CRAC8hQ7V0/видео.html
Thank you for the response and for all that you do :)
Thank you my excellent Teacher, you helped me a lot. Hugs. Evangelina Cortes.
I'm glad to hear you're finding the teachings helpful Evangelina.
This might not be particularly related to this video but would you say the notion of Alaya-vijnana is similar to the idea of collective consciousness by Jung?
I'm not very familiar with Jung's psychology, but so far as I understand it I'd say they are very different. The ālaya vijñāna is something that pertains to one person in particular: it stores up their karmic past. It's not a kind of collective.
@@DougsDharma jung speaks of a collective as well as personal unconscious. Personal unconscious contains the shadow, which is similar to a complex of the seed tendencies you describe. 'uprooting' in jungian terms might be 'individuation through integration of these seeds into conscious'. This deserves a more in-depth study. Generally jungian analytical psychology is concerned with the psyche, not the mind. Different level of analysis. Buddhism seeks to get beyond the proliferating mind, whereas jung tries to engage with it in order to relieve trauma.
How should we deal with pain (non-physical) without aversion? Without sensual desire can we be grateful? Would it be wrong to look at a pleasant sunset and simply think "I'm grateful for this beautiful sunset"? And when we are trying to rid ourselves of these tendencies how can we make sure we don't become emotionless and numb or in other words turn towards ignorance?
Those are huge questions Diba, and they touch on all aspects of Buddhist practice. Sit with them yourself and see what happens.
There is also the related idea of 'Asava'..mental defilements via craving for sensual pleasures, renewed existence, and ignorance. These asavas continues the karmic flow of confused samsaric existence. Wondering if latent anusayas lead to asavas...
Thanks for that Susmita. The āsavas and anusayas overlap. There are traditionally four āsavas, sensuality, views, becoming, and ignorance. Those are basically identical to four of the seven anusayas, the other three being aversion, doubt, and conceit. These are very, very similar lists.
Thank you for your videos. They are very informative 👍. Although I am a practicing Buddhist I still find the secular view very illuminating.
You're very welcome Curious! Yes there are many different approaches to practice, all are interesting in one way or another. 🙂
Thank you so much for this explanation! I find this topic particularly interesting, especially these ideas from the later buddhist schools. Do you maybe know some kind of publication or something that can help learn about the many buddhist schools and allow for further study? I feel like I'm torn at the moment between the jungian ideas and the buddhist ones, although i see that they have quite a lot in common, at least in some sense and I think that finding such a book or a database can really help me in further work upon myself.
You're very welcome! I don't know offhand of a publication that really helps understand ideas from later Buddhist schools. Of course, there are many Buddhist publications of all kinds but most of the best info is scholarly material and it can be tough to find. Usually I include material in the notes to my videos that might be helpful.
@@DougsDharma Thank you!!
I understand that karma is an extremely difficult and complicated topic. However, in the video you mentioned the notion of performing 'good' and 'bad' action, together with their consequences could be considered as a way, albeit a simple one, of understanding karma.
The question I have is who, or what, decides what is good or bad?
What are the Universal criteria which can be applied to actions, which enable their moral value to be decided?
I can't think of any action ever performed by any human which could be regarded as being absolutely 'good' or 'bad'. We can make action relatively good or bad, but is a relative moral judgement sufficient to judge a person?
What actions lead to harm and suffering? What actions lead to benefit and happiness? While there are lots of in-between cases that we may say aren't clear, there are also lots of cases that are in no doubt. In Buddhism there is no "judge". It's the quality of our intentions that makes the difference: tending towards anger, harm, and suffering, or tending towards kindness, benefit, and happiness. Again, many of our intentions are in between, with elements of both.
@@DougsDharma Thank you for replying Doug - I really do appreciate yur comments because this is something that has caused me problems for years. If I may can I just push this a little deeper?
If we go to an extreme, Hitler and the Third Reich. Assume that Hitler was sincere in his belief that he wanted to create the best conditions for those whom he considered to be superior, ie the Aryan race. He also sincerely believed that there people who were preventing the Aryans from obtaining their rightful state of existence. Hence, with the absolute moral conviction that millions of more people would benefit from his actions and with high noble conviction he enacted a policy which would bring about the highest ideal.
He knew that millions would suffer but, with some justifciation from a prevelant scientific principle, Eugenics, those people were inferior and although they would suffer, his actions were for the greater good - far more benefit would be gained by far more than would be lost by some.
He was sincere in his beleif and sincere that his intention was based on valid moral principles.
So, if he acting with the best of intentions was he therefore generating good karma?
(A second line of argument could be that the suffering of those he murdered as simply being the results of their own karma - but I'll leave that for now.)
I present this line of argument simply because, to me, there is so much subjectivity and complexity when using words such good/bad, suffering and happiness, that I really don't see how the idea of karma can work.
I do thank you for any response you give and will take on board your answer - if any. If it helps I won't pursue any discussion beyond your reply and I sincerely hope that I have offended anyone who may read this. My questions are sincere and are driven by a desire to learn and understand.
Thank you. 🙏
@@SolveEtCoagula93 Hitler's intentions were inextricably linked with a hatred of many, there is no way to interpret them as pure.
Your videos are invaluable, Doug. I have a question. Is it reasonable or even possible to think, generally, of Buddhist philosophy as some sort of combination of metaphysical Idealism (as it is often portrayed) and physicalist nominalism? The reason I ask is because the idea of karma is a strong hindrance to my practice. I’ve been told from within my tradition (Vajrayana) that one’s karma only affects the individual who causes it. Now, given that bad things happen to good people (and vice versa) it’s been a challenge for me to accept what seem to me to be ad hoc explanations that appeal to those individuals’ past actions (near or distant) as causing negative or positive consequences. Maybe if karma is simply a mental disposition towards the conditions one finds herself in then I can work with it. But if we accept that there is a mind -independent physico-material world with objects that are interdependent and interact, including bodies with minds like ourselves, it seems untenable to think our actions don’t have positive or negative effects on every sentient being around us. Any thoughts or sources you can recommend that address these concerns?
Well I've done videos on many of these topics that might be useful, such as early Buddhist metaphysics (there are many metaphysical claims in Buddhism, I am most interested in the early picture), as well as a number on karma. Here is my playlist on karma: ruclips.net/p/PL0akoU_OszRgwcF_eKqxg8ok0w_dz2sj_ . If that doesn't clear up your questions let me know!
Thank you. The first video in that series of seven cleared it up for me instantly. These questions have dogged me for three years now and I couldn’t get clear explanations. One thing I’ve noticed is that when I go to the Pali canon and learn what Shakyamuni is said to have expounded on (like your pointing out that karma meant intention to him, not action) then matters unclear to me are then clarified. Perhaps I need to also work with older traditions.
the Buddhist model is brilliant. yet i never see it applied to "pathological " states e.g. PTSD, dissociation, panic, suicidal ideation, mania, adhd etc... The Buddhist model seems to account for "normal" functions but not so much variants. Of course I'm sure there is much am not aware of. My impression is that damaged egos need to be supported and stabilzed before their dissolution. is Enlightenment (whatever that is) available to all? .
I did a video on that general topic quite awhile back, you can see it here: ruclips.net/video/ui8IJ5bJLPI/видео.html
Buddhism is the 2nd oldest religion in India after Jainism
King Ashoka had constructed around 84000 Buddhists monasteries in India along with Pakistan Afghanistan Bhutan Nepal Cambodia Myanmar Sri Lanka
Many beautiful monasteries have been converted into Temples😭
Maximum Indians were Buddhist
Namo Budhhay 🙏🏻
Wonderful.
Many thanks!
Seven underlying (unconscious) mental tendencies, obsessions or Anusuyas are sensual desire (lust/greed), aversion, views, doubt, conceit (comparing mind), desire to be reborn, and ignorance create repeated pain/suffering. Are there also physical and speech impulses & tendencies...
I assume there might be, but if so they would derive from the mental ones. That is, our physical and speech impulses would be to act out on the mental ones.
What relationship do you think the Buddhist Unconscious have to the Psychoanalytic conceptions of the Unconscious say as to Freud, Yung and Lacans conceptions about it.
(Not a psychoanalist but also Hegel as well)
And the difference between the Unconscious and Subconscious.
Could, in some sense, tatagathagarba be considered a latent mental property? I know this concept is tough to consider as it seems like a permanent state of being. Seeing it in this way, yet, may be an easier way to view it.
I'm not really sure about that Curious, maybe. At any rate the Tathāgatagarbha is not a concept that is found in early Buddhism.
Sir please help i have just starting reading i can easily read non fiction books but it is very hard for me to read fiction books i have started one buddha books but i have only readed 68 pages and i bored from it what can i do sir
Hmmm ... hard to say Infinity Gaming. Books may not be the right avenue for you. In that case, consider going to dharma talks if there are any good ones near you, or check out videos like mine. Some people just don't like reading. Or it may be the particular book you were reading that wasn't right for you. In that case you may want to look around at other authors. Amazon lets you preview books before buying them, so that's one way to read a few pages at the beginning and see if you enjoy the style. 🙂
Unconscious.
That is just in Dharmachakkappavattana sutta.
Whole gods come in that sutta are just unconscious realities in Nirvana.
As such formlees Jhana is already contained in the 4th Jhana,
conscious and unconscious are also pure Nirvana.
So Nondual Doug, Such sameness.
Could we say that early Buddhism is Theravada or early Buddhism contains Theravada (as monastic system) and contains more than that (as a dialectic system)?
I did an earlier video on the differences between early Buddhism and Theravāda: ruclips.net/video/rQ832y7n1bc/видео.html
@@DougsDharma thank you so much Doug my early buddhism master...
i´m thinking bout becoming a patreon :D
Really meditation has changed me i am doing it for just 2 months but it is not easy i do 1 hour daily but after 15 minutes it is very hard to do meditation so what i should do
The easy answer to your question is just "keep practicing". It's like exercise, the more you do it the better you get at it. It may help if you can find a local meditation teacher to help you, maybe once a week or once a month you can go and meditate in a group. If that's not possible, then do what you can as far as time goes. And be aware that it's absolutely normal for thoughts to arise. If you put too much effort or forcing into meditation it can become difficult. Just use it as a time for calm awareness of all that arises, good or bad. 🙂
@@DougsDharma ok sir
I totally agree with Doug's comment. Just keep practicing. In my opinion there is no "bad" way to meditate. Just keep doing what you are doing and be kind to yourself and don't think you have to be "perfect" at it. Maybe you should try just meditating for 15 to 30 minutes a day and work your way up. I know when I first started I did one hour at a time and it was too much for me and I ended up getting discouraged. A wise friend told me to just do 20 minutes at a time and I did and that was much better. (I now do 30 minutes every day.)
@@DougsDharma Sir I'm a new to buddhism and just wanna' practice Buddha's teachings without labelling myself as a Buddhist. SO FAR IN MY LIFE I'VE NEVER DONE MEDITATION AND I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT SUCH KIND OF PHILOSOPHY.
I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN 2015 WHERE I HAPPENED TO LOST MY RIGHT LEG'S KNEE- MOVEMENET. NOW I WALK, SIT AND SLEEP WITH MY RIGHT LEG BEING STRAIGHT ALL THE TIME. SO MY QUESTION IS THAT THAT HOW SHOULD I DO MEDITATION MEANING ( IN WHAT POSITION AND HOW?)
Ah, this is very easy. The answer is that it doesn't matter. All you need to do is find a position in which you can be relatively comfortable without moving for the period of meditation you would like (say, 15 to 45 minutes). You can sit on cushions on the floor with your leg out, or in a chair, or lie down in a bed, or even stand up. So long as you can be still enough to focus on the breath you will be fine. I have an earlier video on an introduction to meditation that might interest you (there are also a lot of other such videos on RUclips): ruclips.net/video/dhjCrWI_Yq4/видео.html
So, are the 7 tendencies the innate components of each mind? So, we may say, that the mind is basically unconscious and destructive? And all we have to do, is to recognise any of the 7 tendencies to avert them? But, then, what about Non-Self? Who recognises? who is conscious? Self or Non-Self?
Well strictly speaking there is nothing stable and permanent that recognizes. There is simply recognition, a passing state that changes the stream of ongoing states that follow.
Hello sir i love your channel
Thanks so much! 🙏
I am unclar on what is meant by doubt. Suspiciousness towards the unfamiliar? Lack of faith in the teachings? I suppose you mean initial scoffing towards ideas that upon reflection prove sound? Maybe disrespectfulness that has not yet merited that disrespect?
I'm not sure what the context is here Lucy but "doubt" is considered one of the five hindrances to meditation. I think it usually is the kind of thing that manifests as uncertainty in the teachings, or in one's practice. Lack of confidence. But it may also have a wider connotation depending on the context.
Wow, speaks to me a whole lot more than all the psychodynamic analysis from Freud & co. bs haha
🙏😊
The zen teacher was experiencing aversion though!
😄 That could be! I think though he's supposed to be providing teaching to his student, and if so perhaps it comes from kindness rather than aversion.
There is nothing to understand that doesn't produce ignorance
❤❤❤❤
Thanks Shwetabh Gangwar! 🙏
Doug, and I got a controversial topic. Is it good to keep pets?
I don’t see why not, so long as they are treated with kindness and affection.
@@DougsDharma it happened to me few years back when my pet parrot managed to fly to the ledge of the walkway and jumped down from 4th storey where I stay when my friends were here that wanted me to let her out.
Then we went down to search for her but to no avail.
Unable to find her, we tried printing picture of her and put reward to the person who return her. The next day someone from our enthusiast hobby group message me saying her university post a picture of a found parrot on Facebook and already spoken to her and passed me her contact. This girl father took over the conversation as he was the one found my parrot and told me she was found at the grass patch almost got bitten by cats,. He ran to her without any thoughts whether will be bitten by my parrot to save her but bad news is, he had already donated the bird to the bird park of Singapore. When we went over to meet him, I myself brought along another 2 parrots with me for no motives. He was kinda reluctant to retrieve back from the bird park initially as I was then told by him, he is a veteren Buddhist and found that keeping a bird insjde a cage is not giving freedom to the bird. I showed him some videos of our gathering activities and also how bounded we are, like she will walk to me if I call her name, and also she is a probably wouldn't survive or live healthily if she feels stress or upset cos parrots are known to self destruction by feather plucking their whole body to the worst scenario bleed and die. Also the bird park will quarantine the bird and may not live by putting to sleep if found not suitable to be kept with the others of the same breed as we had friend working there before. After hearing and seeing videos of what I said is true at abt 2 plus am early in the morning middle of the night, he wanted to drive to the bird park which we all tried to stop him from the tiredness as he was also not a young man abt 60 plus and moreover the bird park is closed at this timing, we failed to stop him. He just drive his car there.
Then after his return, knowingly before he went, we knew that bird park won't simply alllow anyone to adopt birds from them evem he was the one brought the bird there.
But this kind uncle, a veteran Buddhist, a a retired businessman assured me no matter what it takes him, he will get the bird back for me but I was kind of skeptical about the hopes of my parrot return but super thankful and feel bad for what he done and going to do for me and my parrot.
The next day he messaged me with the picture of him and my parrot outside the gate of the bird park saying he managed to retrieve her out and fixed a timing to meet up.
When we met, not only I felt he had done so much, nor sure how he was able to get the bird outx he also spent money to buy a temporary cage to keep my parrot. He rejected any amount of money I wanted to pass him on just one request, make sure she won't fly away from me in future which is kind of opposite of what he initially thought of birds supposed to fly around freely as and when they want. I promised him and really thank him.
What I feel about this whole thing, yes he was right on how he felt that we humans shouldn't keep a bird that supposed to be flying around in a cage but not everything we can control in the wild and also she isn't born in the wild and I was the one handfred her since she was a baby. She definitely won't survive if I open the cage let her fly away even she really wants to fly away, not able to find food, not able to know the danger of whatever may be to her.
But after some time, I was thinking to myself, are we doing a sin from buying these animals when they were babies even they are breeders who breed them. There is a saying, no buying, no selling.
This is what I feel contrevesial. Maybe if we never buy but go for adoption like a dog from a pound where their owners deserted them, or like the uncle who found my parrot with slight injury almost got bitten up by cats and keep her after.. Then this is much better than buying babies from breeders which their mothers got to be sex slave, separation from their own blood since birth.
Not everyone eg. Parrots owners will commit for their life as they may live as long as 50 years of age depending on breed and health of cos. So are we selfish without thinking of all these beforehand what happened from their separation from their mother and how long we able to be committed to them.
LOL maybe I am thinking too much... Hope u won't find me talkative. Have a good day ahead Dough😊. Thank u for the time redding my grandfather story too😊
Ah I see Keith. No, we should not keep parrots, cockatoos, or other similar birds as pets. They are wild animals, very long lived and unsuited to domestication. Most are taken illegally, directly from the wild. If we want a pet we should look to domesticated animals like dogs, cats, etc.
@@DougsDharma I think I have to add on why I feel so negative about it. My this female parrot died!!!
At that point of time not long after, my wife was pregnant and few of my parrots had to go for the sake of both my wife and unborn baby's health as parrots will have powder on their body although not lethal but what to do when it's my wife wish?
One of my friend who also went to search for my parrot when she was lost, asked me whether he is able to have her. I had no second thoughts on it as he loves and take care of his pets much much better than me just on one request, no need to pay me any money but to let me or my mum see her whenever we want and of cos he is free to do so as we live just a block apart. One year or so later, he came to me with guilt telling me that Ecko(my parrot's name) had died also his other parrots(only one alive). I asked him why? I wasn't angry but unhappy why he now then tell me about it.. I never tell him though I was unhappy. He told me he left all the birds in his newly renovated house room. That room got painted just one or two days ago with odourless paint. He assumed that it is not fatal to them but he was wrong. I didn't blame him at all as he got no knowledge but somehow I blame myself if I will to keep her with me, she is still alive!
Same goes with my Golden Retriever many years back, 2008.
Ome day when I was back from work, he wasn't normal at all as I ordered Mcdonald nugget to eat, he simply got no interest on it. As golden retriever are well known for their greedy appetite for any food. This is not normal at all. I brought him down for a walk without leash. Normally he will run around and then come back to me but that day, he just stick by my side walking glued to me wherever I walked to.
He looked super normally healthy physically but behavior wasn't. This is the guilty part!!!!, On that night I had a date with a girl. I showered longer than normally what I took. Styling my hair bla bla bla, u know what a young man will do for a date... When I opened the door, he was sitting in front all the time! When I walked to my room, he followed closely, I told him bé a good boy and I will bring u to the vet if u really don't feel well tomorrow.....
The realistic, there won't be any tomrowl When I was outside, my mum called me around 2.30am telling me she just reach home and Max(my goodie) is dead. Telling me that when she reached home, she saw Max walking out of my room, howl 3 times and then gone. I was super lost😭!.
I drove home but stayed in my car for 2 hours or so not able to bring myself to see him.
After that I went up and saw him lying down there motionless which was super not normal. Cos whenever any of us return home, Max will definitely had something in his mouth eg. Slippers, rags, books whatever he could find and pick up. But he didn't do so and forever unable to do so... I took off my shirt cover his face with my shirt as got my smell on it. I was totally shut down by agony. I didn't know what to do, I kept thinking why I went out and blamed on myself even I never brought him to vet but at least his last moment he able to be with me.
Next day I got to find out that he died of eating dark chocolate! Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. The darker it is, the more lethal it is. I asked my maid whom she denied she fed him but I never blame her at all cos she had no knowledge at all that it is poisonous to dogs. She loved him like her own brother before. She kept crying. Me too but in my heart in front of everyone. That was the biggest blow and longest pain of lost I ever had in my entire life even compared to losing someone, human, in the family.
I lost my ex gf before this happened and that pain was totally gone like never existed. I got no mood to work at all, in fact everything for years! Until I able to bring myself to accept a new pet 8 years back whom that parrot is still with me, the one and only left, African Grey. Handfeed him since he is a baby. Now will call me papa papa whenever he sees me, walked to anywhere I go in the house. Then not long ago, 1 year plus ago, my wife bought 2 dogs a male a female. Got bonder to them.
After so many years the pain is still there but somehow I accepted it as death, although I may feel its my fault for not doing this and that. We are unable to stop when it's time up as long we had good times and being good to them by conscious. Not that everything is predictable or can we change back time to not going out to stay with him, he or she still has to go, what left and leave forever is the memories that we had.
I hope u are still awake Doug😊
Good night here in Singapore. Stay safe and stay healthy buddy.
@@DougsDharma sorry I just read your reply. Yes u are right, but mine was bred by breeders, still it act like a consolation to me to commit a sin keeping them. Now that I left with one, I got no choice to turn back time but take care of him as long as I live and I asked my daughter to love and take care of him if one day I leave earlier than him.
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Sir, is thinking is mental formation
Well otybc05 some thinking is mental formation (saṅkhāra), but also some thinking is perception (saññā). It could also be that some thinking is feeling (vedanā), or even consciousness (viññāṇa), depending on how we 'think' of them. 🙂
I thought Freud discovered the unconscious?
Well according to Wiki there were a number of thinkers before Freud who discussed the unconscious. Maybe in Buddhism too? 🙂
Let It Go in the context of western psychology, yes.
My goodness,,. Neutral Sensation and Ignorance..!!
Avijja = unconscious
Well avijja means ignorance or not knowing. It’s a bit different from the unconscious mind.
@@DougsDharma that's based on translations from a 100 years ago. Avijja is the opposite of Vijja. Vijja means conscious, avijja means unconscious.