Haste Makes One Sick

                  

                              Haste Makes One Sick

Haste is a common characteristic inherent in most people when dealing with day to day affairs. People tend to accomplish most affairs with undue haste whether these particular affairs need or do not need urgent attention for completion.  It is evident most of the time that people are not in a composed, relaxed mental frame to accomplish most of these tasks with patience. Even their day to day physical activities such as talking, eating, walking are also done with undue haste. Some think that this undue haste is an inborn characteristic of human beings.

   

If we can go in to the root causes of the undue haste, an important lesson could be learnt for the benefit of our lives. A story from the Buddha’s time on haste would shed light on our present day busy, hectic lifestyles.  

According to this story, Bikkhuni Uttara, aged 120 years, was on her alms rounds one day when she noticed the Buddha, who was also on the alms rounds with the other monks, coming towards her direction. Bikkhuni Uttara, out of respect for the Buddha, stepped aside hurriedly to make way for the Buddha. While stepping aside hurriedly, she stepped on her robe by accident and fell on the ground. The Buddha who saw this incident came to her and treated her with the assistance of others and expounded a discourse, emphasising the importance of acting without undue haste in life. At the end of this discourse, Bhikkuni Uttara attained the fruit of stream entry (sotapanna).

A part of a stanza from this discourse which reads as” parijinna midam rupam - roga niddam pabamguram…” is important for our discussion here. The stanza indicates that “this body is a constantly changing, foul mass which is similar to a disease - causing nest”. “Rupa” refers to a  change or transformation from one state to another. This change results from a state of heat. Also, the change depends on the degree of heat. Heat is the main factor responsible for the change or transformation of all phenomena. In this particular stanza, “rupa” refers to a change or transformation taking place in the mind and the body resulting from a state of heat. Depending on the degree of heat, changes or transformations of the mind would take different forms. Going back to the main story, we could observe how bhikkhuni Uttara’s mind got agitated at the sight of the Buddha who was reaching towards her direction. Buddha’s sight transformed her mind so much with heat, that she was completely disoriented and fell on the ground by stepping on her own robe. In other words, she experienced an overwhelming change or transformation (rupa) in her mind.

According to the teachings of the Buddha, the primary cause for mental inflammation is the expectation of a “personal gain” at all times. Every time one expects to gain something, one mind tends to become inflamed with desire. This expectation is always based on finding happiness in life. The expectation for happiness prompts human beings to act in haste. The haste, in turn, causes adverse mental and bodily changes, transformations. It has been ,even, medically proved that distortions in blood caused by inflamed mental states to create certain illnesses. The Buddha, analysing the same scenario, identified the tendency to become sick as “ roga niddam…”. Niddam means a bird’s nest. At first, a bird’s nest is a desirable place to live. The nest gradually becomes a filthy, contagious place during the successive periods of laying of eggs, incubation, hatching and birth of nestlings. Similarly, whenever an individual’s mind becomes inflamed unnecessarily, this individual creates a breeding ground for germs to cause mental and bodily illnesses similar to a bird’s nest. According to the Buddha’s teachings, the main reason for developing a contagious body, similar to a nest, is the mental agitation, inflammation caused by the desire for personal gains. Mind always inclines towards personal gains. The higher the desire for personal gains the higher the intensity of heat in the mind. Heated, inflamed mind motivates one to act in haste. A man kills another man for personal gain. Even an animal kills another animal to achieve this end.  Humans, specially, are caught in this vicious cycle and they experience suffering and uneasiness as a result. This is a complex dilemma for which humans have been looking for a practical answer. A Buddha is born into this world for the purpose of presenting a solution to this complex situation. Only a Buddha could dispel our fears and show the path to deal with these situations with success.   

When a man kills or attempts to kill another man for some personal gain, the intensity of mental heat, agitation is thousand times greater than the intended personal gain. Once an individual realises this undying reality associated with this absurd act of killing would refrain from it altogether. This understanding would enable one to experience lesser degree of mental heat, agitation. He would totally refrain from killing any living being once he comprehends the virtue and benefit of maintaining the mind devoid of intense heat, resulting from desires for personal gains. Same approach is applicable to an individual, who steals for personal gain; who engage in sexual misconduct for personal gain; who tells lies for personal gain; who consumes intoxicant drinks and substances for personal gain. If an individual realises the intense harmful impact on the mind resulting from these offences, rather than the temporary personal gain, he would definitely refrain from these harmful practices. Such an approach would save the mind from getting heated, inflamed and would ultimately lead one to a peaceful mental state. This would lead one to a virtuous life. A life associated with virtue is far happier than a life associated with five primary offences. (Harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication)

In accordance with this analysis, we find that each precept advocating an act of “letting go”. The ultimate meaning of “letting go” is referred to as “dana” (giving, generosity). So, based on this analysis, we can determine that the only way for happiness, peace of mind is the practice of “dana”. Therefore, it is evident that the gain one experiences through a process of inflaming, agitating the mind is not a realistic happiness. Agitating or inflaming the mind is a source for mental and physical illnesses. Those who are unaware of this life secret are compelled to lead lives filled mental and physical illnesses. Intellectuals known as “Buddhists” follow this secret at all times and lead happy, peaceful lives devoid of mental and physical illnesses.

                                                         Based on the writings by Kotte Devananda Thero

      

Haste is a common characteristic inherent in most people when dealing with day to day affairs. People tend to accomplish most affairs with undue haste whether these particular affairs need or do not need urgent attention for completion.  It is evident most of the time that people are not in a composed, relaxed mental frame to accomplish most of these tasks with patience. Even their day to day physical activities such as talking, eating, walking are also done with undue haste. Some think that this undue haste is an inborn characteristic of human beings.

   

If we can go in to the root causes of the undue haste, an important lesson could be learnt for the benefit of our lives. A story from the Buddha’s time on haste would shed light on our present day busy, hectic lifestyles.  

According to this story, Bikkhuni Uttara, aged 120 years, was on her alms rounds one day when she noticed the Buddha, who was also on the alms rounds with the other monks, coming towards her direction. Bikkhuni Uttara, out of respect for the Buddha, stepped aside hurriedly to make way for the Buddha. While stepping aside hurriedly, she stepped on her robe by accident and fell on the ground. The Buddha who saw this incident came to her and treated her with the assistance of others and expounded a discourse, emphasising the importance of acting without undue haste in life. At the end of this discourse, Bhikkuni Uttara attained the fruit of stream entry (sotapanna).

A part of a stanza from this discourse which reads as” parijinna midam rupam - roga niddam pabamguram…” is important for our discussion here. The stanza indicates that “this body is a constantly changing, foul mass which is similar to a disease - causing nest”. “Rupa” refers to a  change or transformation from one state to another. This change results from a state of heat. Also, the change depends on the degree of heat. Heat is the main factor responsible for the change or transformation of all phenomena. In this particular stanza, “rupa” refers to a change or transformation taking place in the mind and the body resulting from a state of heat. Depending on the degree of heat, changes or transformations of the mind would take different forms. Going back to the main story, we could observe how bhikkhuni Uttara’s mind got agitated at the sight of the Buddha who was reaching towards her direction. Buddha’s sight transformed her mind so much with heat, that she was completely disoriented and fell on the ground by stepping on her own robe. In other words, she experienced an overwhelming change or transformation (rupa) in her mind.

According to the teachings of the Buddha, the primary cause for mental inflammation is the expectation of a “personal gain” at all times. Every time one expects to gain something, one mind tends to become inflamed with desire. This expectation is always based on finding happiness in life. The expectation for happiness prompts human beings to act in haste. The haste, in turn, causes adverse mental and bodily changes, transformations. It has been ,even, medically proved that distortions in blood caused by inflamed mental states to create certain illnesses. The Buddha, analysing the same scenario, identified the tendency to become sick as “ roga niddam…”. Niddam means a bird’s nest. At first, a bird’s nest is a desirable place to live. The nest gradually becomes a filthy, contagious place during the successive periods of laying of eggs, incubation, hatching and birth of nestlings. Similarly, whenever an individual’s mind becomes inflamed unnecessarily, this individual creates a breeding ground for germs to cause mental and bodily illnesses similar to a bird’s nest. According to the Buddha’s teachings, the main reason for developing a contagious body, similar to a nest, is the mental agitation, inflammation caused by the desire for personal gains. Mind always inclines towards personal gains. The higher the desire for personal gains the higher the intensity of heat in the mind. Heated, inflamed mind motivates one to act in haste. A man kills another man for personal gain. Even an animal kills another animal to achieve this end.  Humans, specially, are caught in this vicious cycle and they experience suffering and uneasiness as a result. This is a complex dilemma for which humans have been looking for a practical answer. A Buddha is born into this world for the purpose of presenting a solution to this complex situation. Only a Buddha could dispel our fears and show the path to deal with these situations with success.   

When a man kills or attempts to kill another man for some personal gain, the intensity of mental heat, agitation is thousand times greater than the intended personal gain. Once an individual realises this undying reality associated with this absurd act of killing would refrain from it altogether. This understanding would enable one to experience lesser degree of mental heat, agitation. He would totally refrain from killing any living being once he comprehends the virtue and benefit of maintaining the mind devoid of intense heat, resulting from desires for personal gains. Same approach is applicable to an individual, who steals for personal gain; who engage in sexual misconduct for personal gain; who tells lies for personal gain; who consumes intoxicant drinks and substances for personal gain. If an individual realises the intense harmful impact on the mind resulting from these offences, rather than the temporary personal gain, he would definitely refrain from these harmful practices. Such an approach would save the mind from getting heated, inflamed and would ultimately lead one to a peaceful mental state. This would lead one to a virtuous life. A life associated with virtue is far happier than a life associated with five primary offences. (Harming living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication)

In accordance with this analysis, we find that each precept advocating an act of “letting go”. The ultimate meaning of “letting go” is referred to as “dana” (giving, generosity). So, based on this analysis, we can determine that the only way for happiness, peace of mind is the practice of “dana”. Therefore, it is evident that the gain one experiences through a process of inflaming, agitating the mind is not a realistic happiness. Agitating or inflaming the mind is a source for mental and physical illnesses. Those who are unaware of this life secret are compelled to lead lives filled mental and physical illnesses. Intellectuals known as “Buddhists” follow this secret at all times and lead happy, peaceful lives devoid of mental and physical illnesses.

                                                         Based on the writings by Kotte Devananda Thero