Who comes first?
Not only are we not more important than anybody else, we’re certainly not more important than everybody else, which is what
Stepping into others’ shoes
Big fat ME
But when a delusion such as attachment, anger, jealousy or miserliness is arising, there’s a big fat sense of ME. Why do we cling tightly to our possessions, for example, or our time? Why do we not share ourselves with others, and instead hold ourselves back? Because we’re trying to defend this isolated castle of me against the hordes of other. On the other hand, when we’re feeling really open and generous, that sense of me is greatly reduced.
Referring to cherishing others on the one hand, and the self-cherishing that thinks our happiness matters most on the other, Shantideva says:
All the happiness there is in the world
Arises from wishing others to be happy,
And all the suffering there is in this world
Arises from wishing ourself to be happy.
Destruction
According to Buddhism, our negativity all comes from our negative minds. This negativity gives rise to suffering, both in the short term, and, from a karmic point of view, in the long term. So these negative actions are all coming from our delusions, these delusions are all coming from our self-cherishing, and our self-cherishing is coming from our self-grasping ignorance.
As my teacher Geshe Kelsang says in Transform Your Life:
All negative actions are motivated by delusions, which in turn arise from self-cherishing. First we develop the thought, “I am important,” and because of this we feel that the fulfillment our wishes is of paramount importance. Then we desire for ourself that which appears attractive and develop attachment, we feel aversion for that which appears unattractive and develop anger, and we feel indifference toward that which appears neutral and develop ignorance. From these three delusions, all other delusions arise. Self-grasping and self-cherishing are the roots of the tree of suffering, delusions such as anger and attachment are its trunk, negative actions are its branches, and the miseries and pains of samsara are its bitter fruit.
So, who does come first?
The fact is that we’re not the most important person. We’ll never get anyone to agree with us that we are, except possibly our mother (sometimes). We have this strong sense of self-importance, but everybody is exactly the same in that they’re seeking happiness and trying to avoid suffering. Everyone is equal in that respect, and their happiness and their suffering are just as significant as ours. When our mind is in a balanced non-deluded state, we understand this.
Everybody is me or I. We pay lip service to equality – it is even in the American constitution!
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…
It would be wonderful if we could really feel that everybody was equal. It would instantly solve so many problems arising from self-cherishing and other delusions.
The Mahayana Buddhist path involves reducing our delusions, especially self-cherishing and self-grasping, and increasing all our positive minds that are the opponents to those delusions, especially compassion and wisdom.
Conclusion
As I said at the beginning of this short series of articles, Buddha’s synopsis of the human condition is very encouraging because we are not evil, much less doomed. It is possible for all of us to overcome all our suffering if we simply overcome our ignorance. When we finally cut the root of delusions and suffering through realizing selflessness, delusions and suffering cannot survive. For a full understanding of this, check out the Ultimate Truth chapter in Modern Buddhism, which you can download entirely for free!!
Your turn. Where do you think all pain comes from?! Please share your experiences in the comments and or on the Facebook page, and also give this article to others if it’s useful.
Previous articles in this series:
What is the root of all evil according to Buddha?
Must we all suffer?
Why can’t I be happy?
5 Comments
Don’t think I will ever understand how pur love supposedly makes us happy when the people we love are suffering.
Está claro que el origen de nuestro sufrimiento según el Budismo, y como explica Gueshe-la, es nuestra estimación propia que defiende con uñas y dientes a un Yo que decimos somos nosotros, pero que en realidad no está en ningún sitio. Parece absurdo hipotecar nuestras vidas en defender lo indefendible, en llamar amor a lo que es egoísmo. ¿Cómo no voy a estar triste o infeliz, si sólo quiero ser feliz conmigo mismo? Es un error promovido por la ignorancia. El Lamrim no enseña paso a paso cómo ir desembarazándose poco a poco de esa estimación propia, para ponernos en el lugar del otro, para desarrollar finalmente compasión universal, y para entender gracias a la comprensión de la vacuidad, que ese Yo, esa ignorancia del aferramiento propio, no es más que un teatro montado a nuestra imagen y semejanza, que morirá con esta vida, pero que si no lo solucionamos, seguirá repitiéndose una y otra vez en esta rueda de la vida llamada Samsara.
Gracias, Carlos. My Spanish is only so-so but I do like the poetry of your comments and i am very glad to have some Spanish language contributors on this blog.
That’s great. The examples of newspapers is a little complicated because bad news is deliberately peddled by the handful of corporations that own the mainstream media ( fortunately this is now under threat thanks to the Internet). Warmongering, fearmongering, and appealing to lowest common denominators is their stock in trade. Policy for these media are directed over the long term by Foundations and Think Tanks, who all created and sponsored by financiers and banking/ruling elite. Fact. Interestingly, many are now cottoning on to this, and setting up their own internet radio shows etc….change is happening…….
Many miraculous things happen everyday, and these are not reported on……..but with a little wisdom we can bring these into our awareness, rejoice, and create a happier for ourselves…oh and others too…..did I forget that?
Hmmm, while i don’t believe everything i read in the papers, there are some columnists in the NYT whom I admire for their straight shooting. I’m also pleased that the Internet has blown open the field for other egalitarian reporting, but bottom line is that the (relative) truth depends on individual perceptions, so good to take everything with a wee pinch of salt.