Agony and Ecstasy
A comparative study of the five hindrances, together with the five states of concentration or mental absorption.
A comparative study of the five hindrances, together with the five states of concentration or mental absorption.
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spondence courses, even if they promise to teach transcendental<br />
meditation. Wisdom is insight which comes with love <strong>and</strong> deep<br />
compassion. And compassion can come only through direct <strong>and</strong><br />
full underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the fact <strong>and</strong> the contents of suffering. That<br />
is not just the physical pain in the body of others, which can be<br />
better attended to by nurses <strong>and</strong> doctors. It is the pain of conflict<br />
in ourselves which we pass on to others because of the chaos in our<br />
thinking, acting <strong>and</strong> living. As long as I am in chaos, I cannot underst<strong>and</strong><br />
my relationship with others. Then I merely try to remedy<br />
my chaos, <strong>and</strong> in this self-concentration I become more aloof, withdrawn<br />
<strong>and</strong> isolated, without even looking at my relationship with<br />
others, how I exploit others in my opposition, for my own purpose,<br />
for my own security.<br />
It is my conflict which causes the chaos in my action <strong>and</strong> that<br />
causes more conflict in others. Seeing that, my compassion for others<br />
will make me see the cause of that conflict in myself. In this underst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
of what is the ‘I’, there is the beginning of wisdom which<br />
comes with love <strong>and</strong> deep compassion. In this true relationship of<br />
love there is no exploitation, there is no thought of opposition, because<br />
there is no thought of ‘self’. When there is love, there is no<br />
self; <strong>and</strong> when there is no ‘self’ there is no conflict. But this cannot<br />
be taught. Insight is just seeing; but, seeing in fullness with comprehension,<br />
with directness, without exclusion or selection, without<br />
distortion of prejudice, without hope or fear; then there is no chaos<br />
in thinking. And that is wisdom.<br />
In wisdom there is no striving, there is no beyond. The beyond<br />
indicates something out of reach, surpassing the present, <strong>and</strong> therefore,<br />
of the future <strong>and</strong> the unknown. As such it becomes a positive<br />
ideal for attainment, for striving, for escaping to the other shore<br />
from whatever there is on this side. But it is always an ideal, never<br />
to be reached, for on attainment it would cease to be. It shows the<br />
chaotic state of a mind, striving for its own annihilation in fear <strong>and</strong><br />
ignorance of what it is. And yet, this transcendental image offers
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