The
blessed Buddha once said:
One should dwell reflecting on all phenomena as mental states in the
light of these Four Noble Truths.
How does one do so?
Here, one sees, understands, and knows this as it verily is:
This and
such is suffering!
This craving is the cause & origin of all
suffering!
This absence of craving is the ceasing of
all suffering!
This Noble 8-fold Way is the
method to eradicate all suffering!
And what,
monks, is the 2nd Noble
Truth on the Cause of Suffering?
It is that craving, which gives rise to
rebirth, drenched with lust and greed, finding fresh attraction
first here, then there: that is to say sensual
craving, craving for becoming into
existence, & craving for non-becoming into
existence.
And where
does this craving arise and manifest
itself?
Wherever in the world there is anything attractive and pleasant, it is
right there and right then, on the very spot, that this
craving arises and manifests itself...
And what
is there in this world, that is attractive and pleasant?
The eye, in this world, is attractive and pleasant, the ear, the nose,
the tongue, the body, the mind is attractive and pleasant, and
there this craving arises and puts down
it's roots. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental states
are attractive and amusing, and there this craving
emerges & establishes itself. Eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness,
nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness,
mental-consciousness in this world is attractive & alluring, and
there this craving come up and implants
itself. Eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact,
body-contact, mental-contact in this world is attractive and tempting,
and there this craving begins and reveals
itself. Any feeling born of eye-contact, ear-contact,
nose-contact, tongue- contact, body-contact, mind-contact in the
world is appealing & fascinating, and right there this
craving occurs and installs itself. The
perception and experience of any sights, sounds, smells, tastes,
tangibles, & thoughts is quite interesting and captivating, and there
this craving arises & imbibes itself.
Intention, wishing, wanting and hoping for certain sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, touches, thoughts, ideas and mental states is
enthralling & intriguing, and there this craving
arises and substantiates itself. The craving
itself, the drive, push & rush for various sights, sounds, smells,
tastes, tangibles, & many mental-objects in this world is
attractive and seductive, and there this craving
also arises & consolidates itself. Thinking of any sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, tangibles, and mental-objects in this world is
attractive & tantalizing, thus this craving
arises & manifests itself. Prolonged pondering on certain sights,
sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles and the manifold diversity of mental
objects in this world is attractive and enticing, and there this
craving also arises and manifests,
establishes and enhances itself...
And that, bhikkhus, is called the 2nd
Noble
Truth on the Cause of Suffering...
Source (edited extract):
The Long Speeches of the Buddha. Digha Nikaya.
Book II [306-314]
Thread: The Foundations of
Awareness.
Mahāsatipatthāna
Sutta
22.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=251033
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/index.html