The Delusional Series
Compiled according to the teachings of the Master
Author: Fafu
The Delusional Series: Part 6 – Afflictions 9
(lower)
Every action we take reveals our true nature, moment by moment. Only those free from pride can possess a gentle and yielding spirit. Those with pride are rigid and inflexible, like a frozen statue that stands unyielding in the wind or someone who starves rather than bends. This stubborn pride is difficult to soften, and the more rigid one becomes, the harder it is to reach them, even for a Buddha.
Consider a group of people studying together. If everyone demands respect and obedience, what will happen? If everyone is stubborn and resistant, how will progress be made?
It is essential to understand the importance of humility. Without pride, one can naturally align with the support and assistance of others. The more proud one is, the less likely others will approach them. While rigidity is challenging, pride is like a spiky ball, a hedgehog armed with steel. It pricks and wounds others with its sharp edges.
The problem is that you don’t know when or what kind of afflictions you have. In essence, every individual is a manifestation of affliction. You might deny having any, but the very act of denial is itself an affliction of pride. If someone were to suggest that you have afflictions, you might doubt it, creating an affliction of doubt. If someone were to affirm your afflictions, you might become angry, creating an affliction of anger. If you were to think, “I am so good, yet my children do not acknowledge me,” this would be an affliction of greed. If you then pondered why others would treat you this way, it would be an affliction of delusion. Thus, you are perpetually entangled in a web of afflictions.
Before awakening, one might believe they are free from afflictions. In reality, they are simply ignorant, unaware of their own afflictions. It is only through wisdom that one can recognize their afflictions. Those who are unaware of their afflictions are in a state of delusion. In essence, most people are living in a state of delusion, constantly harming themselves with their afflictions, yet remain oblivious to it.
You have not yet fully realized the importance of forbearance. Forbearance is the root of enlightenment. The more you understand it, the more enlightened you become, and vice versa. Therefore, the root of enlightenment is understanding. The key lies in clearly understanding oneself.
Delusions are the aggregate of all afflictions, the command center, and the weaver of our experiences. Thus, we must focus our attention on delusions. For instance, why does someone crave a particular food? Because it tastes good. How do they know it tastes good? Because they have experienced that sensation before. This is why sensations are so crucial. Delusions arise from sensations. If you have never experienced a sensation, you cannot form a delusion about it. Once you have experienced a sensation, you can then form delusions about wanting to repeat that experience. This creates a compelling urge to seek out that sensation.
At that moment, the delusion is filled with confidence. “I must eat this,” “I must drink that,” “I must have fun.” By examining delusions, we can see that they are constantly drawing upon our past experiences. Once we fixate on a particular experience, it becomes a focal point. “I want to eat this,” “I want to do that,” “I want to wear this.” This creates a powerful urge to act, a determination to achieve our desires.
If we cannot examine delusions in such detail, we can still make progress by simply avoiding negative outcomes. However, such an approach lacks depth. The more we delve into the nature of delusions, the deeper our understanding becomes.
Every act of greed inevitably undermines one’s positive actions. Similarly, anger and pride will invariably destroy all good deeds. Every second, our demeanor, expressions, speech, and actions reflect our level of pride, a far more insidious affliction.