Explaining the diseases of wealth and luxury to support the company’s work of alleviating suffering and bringing happiness
“The Satipatthana Sutta of the Wonderful Dharma,” Volume 4: “Monks should know that foolish and deluded sentient beings cling to happiness amidst the sufferings of the world, mistaking the impure for the pure. They take refuge in evil ways, mistakenly clinging to the highest and most evil places, loving and practicing them. Unable to understand impermanence and other such things, they mistakenly consider evil dharma to be the highest. They diligently practice these practices, loving and enjoying them, but they find no virtue or benefit, and are unable to escape the cycle of rebirth, suffering and perpetual pain. The wise observe and avoid attachment, understanding the falsehood, revealing right and wrong, and awakening to the depths of delusion, so that their minds are not disturbed.” (CBETA 2025.R2, T17, no. 722, p. 429c2-8)
First, let us explain the meaning of this Buddhist passage in detail.
This Buddhist passage is from the Satipatthana Sutta of the Wonderful Dharma, Volume 4. Let us carefully interpret its profound meaning. Core Theme: The Path of Practice from Delusion to Awakening
The core of this passage is to admonish practitioners (monks) to recognize the illusory nature of the world and to warn of the plight of those who are deluded and cling to ignorance. It also points the way for the wise in their observation and practice, emphasizing that only by realizing the truth and breaking through delusion can one be liberated from samsara and achieve a state of undistracted mind.
Sectional Analysis of the Sutra
Part One: Exposing the Perverted Attachments of Ignorant Beings
“Monks, know that ignorant and deluded beings cling to happiness amidst the sufferings of the world, mistaking the impure for the pure, taking refuge in perverse paths, and clinging to the highest and most evil places, lovingly cultivating them.”
“Monks, know this”: This statement is the Buddha’s compassionate exhortation to practitioners, reminding them to clearly recognize the state of ignorance.
“Ignorant and deluded beings”: refers to those who are blinded by ignorance (the delusion that prevents them from seeing the truth).
“Clinging to happiness amidst the sufferings of the world”: This is the most fundamental delusion. Everything in the world is inherently suffering, yet sentient beings, driven by greed and attachment, mistake fleeting, conditional, and illusory happiness for eternal bliss. Why do they do this? It’s simply the product of habit. For example, the pursuit of fame, wealth, affection, food, and material comforts may appear to bring happiness, but they are inherently impermanent and flawed, ultimately only leading to greater suffering.
“Calling the impure pure” refers to the coveting of impure things (such as our bodies and worldly objects) as pure and beautiful. From a Buddhist perspective, the body is composed of various impure elements, and the world is filled with various defilements, yet sentient beings remain addicted and unable to extricate themselves.
“Take refuge in the wrong path, clinging to the highest and most evil places, and lovingly cultivating them” is a further warning. When sentient beings are consumed by delusion, confusion, and attachment, they stray from the right path and instead seek erroneous, flawed, and even perverse practices, such as eating, drinking, and having fun, or deceiving and cheating. They regard these erroneous practices as the best and most ultimate path, devoting themselves to them with effort, practicing them with great devotion and joy, only to find themselves mired in deeper distress.
Part Two: Explaining the Consequences of Inverted Attachment
“Failing to understand impermanence and other truths, they mistakenly regard these dharmas as supreme. They practice them with unwavering devotion, believing them to be devoid of meaning and benefit, and are thus unable to escape samsara and perpetual suffering.”
“Failing to understand impermanence and other truths”: This is the root cause of all inverted attachment. Sentient beings are unable to truly and deeply comprehend the impermanence of all phenomena and the anatta of all dharmas. They fail to see that all things are subject to change and uncertainty, lacking any permanent, unchanging entity.
“Mistaking them for deviant dharmas”: This further emphasizes that, due to ignorance of the truth of impermanence and other truths, sentient beings mistakenly calculate and apprehend these deviant dharmas, believing that methods tinged with “wrong views” are supreme.
“They practice them with unwavering devotion, believing them to be devoid of meaning and benefit”: They eagerly, resolutely, and diligently practice these erroneous methods. However, the result of all these efforts yields no real, ultimate benefit, nothing good at all. This is because their direction was wrong from the outset.
“Unavoidable rebirth, suffering perpetually”: This is the ultimate outcome of practicing evil dharma. These efforts not only fail to liberate them, but instead cause them to continue circulating in the cycle of birth and death, suffering nothing but misfortune, forever surrounded by feelings of “pain and hardship.”
Part Three: Guidance for the Wise
“The wise observe without attachment, realizing falsehood, revealing right and wrong, and discerning from delusion, thus freeing their minds from confusion.”
“The wise observe without attachment”: This passage shifts the focus from “foolish and deluded beings” to “the wise.” The Buddha teaches practitioners that as wise individuals, they must observe all things in the world with the correct mindfulness of the Dharma, and not be confused or attached to anything or anyone.
“Realizing falsehood, revealing right and wrong”: “Realizing falsehood” is a core step in practice. The wise must truly and thoroughly understand the falsehood and unreality of all things in the world. When a person understands that all phenomena are empty and illusory, they can “manifest right and wrong,” that is, they can clearly distinguish right from wrong, which are true and correct views and which are false and deviant views; which are the paths to happiness and which are the paths to suffering.
“Awakening and reflection” is a vivid metaphor. Beings in a state of “drunkenness and confusion” are like being drunk, their minds blurred and unable to see the truth. “Awakening and reflection” means that practitioners must awaken from this drunken state, reflect on themselves, and thus free themselves from delusion.
“Calming the mind to remain calm” is the ultimate goal of spiritual practice. When a person thoroughly understands the world’s illusory nature, is able to distinguish right from wrong, and clears themselves from delusion, their mind will reach a state unaffected by external circumstances and unperturbed by afflictions. This is the state of “concentration,” the essential path to ultimate happiness. Summary
This passage contrasts “foolish and bewildered beings” with “wise individuals” to warn practitioners: true practice is not a blind pursuit of so-called “good,” but rather a profound insight into the world’s true nature of suffering, impermanence, and impurity, grounded in wisdom. Only by truly breaking free from delusional attachment to illusory things and distinguishing right from wrong can we avoid futile effort, escape the suffering of samsara, and ultimately attain a state of liberation and peace, where the mind is free from defilement and pure.
Below, I will combine Buddhist principles with modern science to explain “diseases of affluence,” aiming to provide our company, “Important Choice,” with a unique perspective to help them better achieve their mission of “relieving suffering and bringing happiness, benefiting all beings.”
Explaining “Diseases of affluence” from a Scientific Perspective
We can translate the principles of this Buddhist passage into the following three scientific perspectives to deeply analyze the nature and causes of “diseases of affluence.” 1. “Clinging to Happiness in the Midst of Suffering”: Neuroscience and the Dopamine Circuit
The phrase “clinging to happiness in the midst of worldly suffering” in the sutra can be interpreted as a neuroscientific interpretation of “reward circuit dysregulation.”
In the human brain, dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for transmitting signals of “reward” and “pleasure.” When we consume foods high in sugar or fat, or pursue material comforts or social recognition, our brains release large amounts of dopamine, making us feel happy. However, this happiness is short-lived and addictive.
The “suffering” experienced by patients with diseases of affluence: Their brain reward circuits are overstimulated, causing dopamine receptors to become insensitive, requiring higher doses to achieve the same level of happiness. This is like the “clinging to happiness in the midst of suffering” described in the sutra—while they constantly pursue material things and pleasure, they feel empty and anxious within, and must constantly seek external stimulation to maintain a sense of pleasure. This is a form of “suffering” both physically and psychologically. Application for “Critical Choices” companies: Companies can leverage this insight to help clients understand that true happiness doesn’t come from endless food and material pursuits, but rather from deeper fulfillment, such as interpersonal connections, altruistic behavior, and self-growth. These activities can activate healthier reward circuits in the brain, providing a more lasting and stable sense of happiness and well-being, fundamentally addressing suffering.
2. “Considering the Purification of Impurities”: Ecosystem and Body-Mind Balance
The “Considering the Purification of Impurities” mentioned in the sutra can be explained from the perspective of ecosystem balance and the interconnectedness of mind and body.
Our body is a sophisticated ecosystem, composed of trillions of cells, microorganisms, and organs, all working together to maintain a delicate balance. The “impurities” brought about by modern affluent lifestyles—high-calorie diets, lack of exercise, environmental pollution, and mental stress—are like injecting toxic substances into this ecosystem.
The “impurities” of those suffering from diseases of affluence: They view these physically harmful lifestyles as “good” (“considering the purification of impurities”), believing that lavish eating and prolonged sitting are enjoyable. However, from a scientific perspective, this can lead to an imbalance in the body’s ecosystem, triggering chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease, all of which are the physiological foundations of “diseases of affluence.”
Application for “Vital Choices”: Companies can promote an “ecologically conscious” lifestyle, helping clients understand that their bodies are ecosystems that require careful care. They can provide scientific health management solutions, such as personalized nutrition plans, effective exercise guidance, and stress management techniques, to help them eliminate “impurities” at the source, restore physical and mental balance, and ultimately achieve true health.
3. “Inevitable Reincarnation”: Behavioral Patterns and Neuroplasticity
The phrase “Inevitable Reincarnation, constant suffering” in the scriptures can be understood as the solidification of unhealthy behavioral patterns.
Neuroplasticity in neuroscience refers to the brain’s ability to change its structure and function through learning and experience. When we repeat a behavior, the brain’s neural circuits are strengthened, forming a habit. For patients with diseases of affluence, long-term indulgence in unhealthy lifestyles can make the neural circuits underlying these habits exceptionally strong. Patients with diseases of affluence are trapped in a vicious cycle: unhealthy lifestyles lead to physical and psychological suffering, which in turn drives them to seek more food, substances, and stimulation to numb themselves, further exacerbating their unhealthy lifestyles. This cycle, like the Buddhist teaching that “samsara = a vicious cycle,” is difficult to escape and the suffering is constant.
Application of “Critical Choices” companies: The company’s core mission should be to “break samsara (vicious cycles) and rebuild the circuits.” This involves more than just providing information; it involves designing a systematic, scientifically based behavioral change program. Through small, incremental behavioral guidance, clients are helped to gradually establish new, healthy habits and, leveraging the principles of neuroplasticity, strengthen these new neural circuits. This is like fundamentally “changing” clients’ behavioral operating systems, allowing them to escape the unhealthy and painful “samsara: a vicious cycle” and move towards a healthier and more fulfilling future.
Conclusion: From “Relieving Suffering” to “Providing Happiness”
“Choices of Importance” could position its business as:
“Relieving Suffering”: Leveraging knowledge from neuroscience and ecology to help clients identify and eliminate unhealthy lifestyles that cause physical and mental suffering.
“Providing Happiness”: Guiding clients to develop more sustainable, health-conscious habits that align with human science, helping them find a deeper and more lasting sense of well-being and well-being from within.
This business model not only provides professional health services but also touches clients on a spiritual level, allowing them to truly understand the meaning of health and thus achieve the lofty goal of “relieving suffering, providing happiness, and benefiting all beings.”
