2021-09-23-Karma/Dharma (4 of 5) Ouch, Ah, Let Go, Know

Insight Meditation Center13min

Gil Fronsdal00:02

Continuing on this theme of the karmic stream and the dharmic stream, the karmic stream, the karmic momentum of our lives and how karma is shaped now action shapes are ongoing experience. I keep wanting to refer you back to how you can know this for yourself directly. So it's not a metaphysical idea or abstract idea about imaginary futures or pasts that you can actually watch it work in your mind and your body here. Now, if we pay careful attention. And it's one of the primary principles of that dolphin comes along with this. Karma teachings, teachings about action, actions that have ongoing repercussions in our lives, actions which conditioned us or influenced us, ongoing lean away sometimes that we don't understand why we're so compelled to act and be certain ways. The way that our actions conditioned us influenced us or has placed traces within us it imprints things within us, is based on a very simple principle, that in order to make this very simple, I'll do it in two steps. The first step is, it's based on the notion that we can know what brings with it, and Ouch, and what brings with it and ah, and I use those little expressions so that we don't get narrowed down by the words that might express that. So for example, we have the idea of good karma and bad karma. And as soon as we say it that way, which is a common expression. it narrows it, it's confusing, it can be confusing, it can be implied morality, all kinds of things are kind of come along with that. But maybe it's very simple just to recognize experientially, that does, some things we do as we do them, just part of it is Ouch, and some things we do has an R. And so that's the first principle The second one is that those things which are are propelled by or or conditioned by or come along with it, ouch. They tend to produce more ouches. Those things which are compelled by or pushed along by an Ah, they are they produce more of the same. This is not the same thing as comfort and discomfort, but something deeper sense of the Buddhists like to call suffering or happiness. But that principle, the key thing is here is that what propels it, what is the motivating force, what's the, the atmosphere with the condition, which we something is done, if we say something, do something, or even think something. And what's propelling it is some feeling inside some motivation side some something inside, which, in and of itself, just feels like if we're really careful and pay attention to it, we feel Oh, that hurts. That's Ouch. And, or we can feel that's what it's all. That's good. That feels right. And so karma is, when things are acted on from that kind of compulsion or propulsion, then they tend to produce more and you can watch that in your mind with your thoughts. If there are thoughts that are being propelled by our our anger and our hostility, your attachment or greed, that if that's kind of the propulsion of it, then it's a thought of greed, a thought of anger tends to produce more of the same not necessarily more anger or more greed, but it's kind of the very movement of anger and greed is another. Ouch. So if what propels it is an Ouch, then the thing itself isn't Ouch. And it creates cutting more propulsions more influence more conditionality for further thinking that way.

Gil Fronsdal05:00

So, if for example, there is greed for something, because there is a feeling of, of feeling somehow very critical of oneself, and we want some someone wants relief? Well, the movement for relief through through greed is being propelled by an Ouch. That criticism for oneself. The greed itself is an Ouch. And that whole movement then brings along more criticism of self like, now I'm greedy, and I'm bad or creates more conditions to be more greedy or think that's the answer. Or, if there is a little bit relief from the greed, because it's fulfilled, we get what we want, then that reinforces that this is the way out to get more relief. And so we end up in a cycle. And classically, they say that the what creates the momentum of karma, the karmic repercussions is the intention of for what we do. But I think that it's not just intention, it's, it's what propels it. What, it's more than that, getting tension seems kind of narrow, and almost philosophical or, or like an agenda or a very clear idea. It's more like the mood behind it, are they? That's there. So in mindfulness practice, one of the things we do with our thoughts, for example, when there's a lot of intense thoughts, is there we're caught in them, is to notice them, the emotionality, the mood, that conditions that out of which the thoughts are being coming. And we're getting more and more, as we develop mindfulness, we start seeing that underlying the surface expressions of our thoughts, the thoughts we can see, or the actions we can see, there's layers and layers of, of conditioning of, of attachments of clinging, have motivations, that are really the real issue, the real thing that that shapes and influences karmic stream. Now some of this karmic stream can be positive, it can have on it. And, but it still involves a kind of propulsion, a kind of movement that is keeps us active, it kind of promotes a kind of agitation, even though it can do a lot of good for ourselves in the world. When there's a propulsion, a compulsion to do these things, there's this, it might feel pleasant, but there's a kind of agitation there. It is not ultimately, the best for us. And so there's a whole other line we can take, which is a dharmic. stream. And the positive that our current IDE karmic stream supports the dharmic stream excretes the conditions that leads us to being a good place to enter this dharmic stream, the dharmic stream is, is found through two primary ways that we enter into it. One is to let go. And the other is to know. So to let go and to know, and these are the kind of the core practices of the Buddho can be put in these two cat two categories. Some of them are more focused on deep letting go and relaxation. And some of them focus more on knowing the ones that have to do with letting go are the ones that tend to produce the most happiness. The ones that have to do with knowing produces the most clarity. And but this, this happiness, and this clarity, is not something we're willing, attending, it's not something that we're creating. It's not coming from a constructed action that what we're doing. It's not part of the karmic stream. It's almost like we're getting out of the way. We're not interfering, we're not pushing, we're not, there's no compulsion to act and to do. And, and so letting go is love to do about letting out getting out of the way and allowing something to move through us. Not a compulsion, but an inspiration. We're not pushing something, but something is is is flowing rather than pushing. And then we're not

Gil Fronsdal09:52

caught up in our agendas and reactivities and what we want to have and looking forward trying to understand the way forward To fix things, were just knowing in a very simple way. And that's, that produces clarity. And clarity also has space for things. And so the dharmic stream involves a cut of a whole paradigm shift to change, about how we live our lives. Or what motivates our lives or where the center of our lives is, is not alive, that's based on the, on the wanting that characterizes somehow one way or the other, the karmic stream, including wanting what's good wanting to ah. And it might seem like why not want what's good and healthy? Sure, it's fine to do it. And it can be a lot of very beneficial, but it's only half the half the picture, it's only half the story of what's possible for us. And most people only live in the karmic world. And that's what they're navigating and negotiating and always moving around. And it's a little bit like rearranging the deck chairs and that Titanic, the, the Dharma stream is wrong roles, a whole different paradigm. And it's like learning to how to float to swim. So we don't have to move all the deck chairs around as the ship goes down. And, and this and how we float, how we swim, is we learn how to let go of reactivity let go of clinging and wanting and this compulsion of the karmic stream. And we learn a kind of very clear and simple knowing that brings clarity, a clarity, it is not agitated by by the wanting mind. And, and in that letting go and clarity and getting out of the way. Something supports us something begins moving through us, something gets awakened, that there is wisdom, clarity and letting go makes available a lot of wisdom and clarity about what's happening here with ourselves and the world around us. It gives a room in the heart for love and care and, and compassion and ways very different feeling for it than any kind of compassion that's maybe genuine enough, but has wanting as part of it or has self and self concern as part of it. clarity and letting go is radically selfless. And because of that, it's not exhausting, it's not tiring, in the way that the karmic stream is when some of it much of is motivated by me myself in mind. So you might, you know, see today as you go about the day, what's going on with your thought stream. And is there an ouch or an Aw, and how you think and if you notice an Ouch, look more deeply and see if there's a deeper mood or place that those thoughts are coming out of and see if that also has an ouch probably it will. And if there's an AA in those thoughts, streams, then look below that and see if there's some deeper mood or way of being that also feels like comes from an Aw, stay close to the all and see if that's staying close to it. support you to let go relax and to know clearly what's here. So thank you and I hope this exercise today is nice for you to do

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