DP Tool Club 15/CD_ASCQ_15_070894.iso/vrac/allofus.zip/SOLITUDE.TXT

Text File | 1994-05-21 | 12KB | 209 lines

                                VIII

                           IDEAL SOLITUDE


  In the //Sutta Nipata// we find a discourse by the Buddha entitled
"The Rhinoceros Horn" in which he compares the one horn of the
rhinoceros with the sage's solitude. The Buddha praises being alone
and the refrain to every stanza of the sutta is: "One should wander
solitary as a rhinoceros horn." (//K.R. Norman transl. P.T.S.//)

  There are two kinds of solitude, that of the mind (//citta- viveka//)
and that of the body (//kaya-viveka//). Everyone is familiar with
solitude of the body. We go away and sit by ourselves in a room or cave
or tell the people we are living with, that we want to be left alone.
People usually like that sort of solitude for short periods. If this
aloneness is maintained, it is often due to people not being able to get
along with others or being afraid of them because there isn't enough
love in their own hearts. Often there may be a feeling of loneliness,
which is detrimental to solitude. Loneliness is a negative state of mind
in which one feels bereft of companionship.

  When one lives in a family or community, it is sometimes difficult to
find physical solitude, it's not even very practical. But physical
solitude is not the only kind of aloneness there is. Mental solitude is
an important factor for practice. Unless one is able to arouse mental
solitude in oneself, one will not be able to be introspective, to find
out what changes in oneself are necessary.

  Mental solitude means first and foremost not to be dependent on others
for approval, for companionable talk, for a relationship. It doesn't
mean that one becomes unfriendly towards others, just that one is
mentally independent. If another person is kind to us, well and good. If
that isn't the case, that's fine too, and makes no difference.

  The horn of a rhinoceros is straight and solid and so strong that we
can't bend it. Can our minds be like that? Mental solitude cuts out idle
chatter, which is detrimental to spiritual growth. Talking about nothing
at all, just letting off steam. When we let the steam go from a pot, we
can't cook the food. Our practice can be likened to putting the heat on
oneself. If we let off steam again and again, that inner process is
stopped. It's much better to let the steam accumulate and find out what
is cooking. That is the most important work we can do.

  Everybody should have occasion each day to be on her own physically
for some time, so that we can really feel alone, totally by ourselves.
Sometimes we may think: "People are talking about me." That doesn't
matter, we are the owners of our own kamma. If somebody talks about us,
it's their kamma. If we get upset, that's our kamma. Getting interested
in what is being said is enough to show that we are dependent on
people's approval. Who's approving of whom? Maybe the five //khandha//
(body, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness) are
approving. Or possibly the hair of the head, the hair of the body,
nails, teeth and skin? Which "self" is approving, the good one, the bad
one, the mediocre one, or maybe the non-self?

  Unless one can find a feeling of solidity in oneself, from the centre,
where there is no movement, one is always going to feel insecure. Nobody
can be liked by everyone, not even the Buddha. Because we have
defilements, we are always on the lookout for everybody else's
pollutions. None of that matters, it's all totally unimportant. The only
thing that is significant is to be mindful; totally attentive to each
step on the way, to what one is doing, feeling, thinking. It's so easy
to forget this. There's always somebody with whom to talk or another cup
of tea to be had. That's how the world lives and the inhabitants are
mostly unhappy. But the Buddha's path leads out of the world to
independent happiness.

  Letting off steam, idle chatter and looking for companionship are
the wrong things to do. Trying to find out what people are thinking
about one, is immaterial and irrelevant and has nothing to do with
the spiritual path. Solitude in the mind means that one can be
alone in the midst of the crowd. Even in a large and agitated crowd
of people, one would still be able to operate from one's own
centre, giving out love and compassion, and not being influenced by
what is happening around one.

  That can be called ideal solitude and means one has removed oneself
from the future and past, which is necessary in order to stand straight
and alone. If one is attached to the future, then there is worry, and if
one is hankering for the past, there is either desire or rejection. That
is the constant chatter of the mind, not conducive to mental solitude.

  Solitude can only be fully experienced when there is inner peace.
Otherwise loneliness pushes one to try and remedy a feeling of emptiness
and loss. "Where is everybody? What can I do without some companionship?
I must discuss my problems." Mindfulness is able to take care of all
that because it has to arise in the present moment and has nothing to do
with future and past. It keeps one totally occupied and saves one from
making mistakes, which are natural to human beings. But the greater the
mindfulness, the fewer mistakes. Errors on the mundane level also have
repercussions on the supermundane path, because they are due to a lack
of mindfulness, which will not allow us to get past our self-inflicted
//dukkha//. We will try again and again to find someone who is to blame
or someone who can distract us.

  Ideal solitude arises when a person can be alone or with others and
remain of one piece, not getting caught in someone else's difficulties.
We may respond in an appropriate manner, but we are not affected. We all
have our own inner life and we only get to know it well when the mind
stops chattering and we can attend to our inner feelings. Once we have
seen what is happening inside of us, we will want to change it. Only the
fully Enlightened One (//Arahant//) has an inner life which needs no
changing. Our inner stress and lack of peace push us outward to find
someone who will remove a moment of //dukkha//, but only we, ourselves,
can do it.

  Solitude may be physical, but that's not its main function. The
solitary mind is one which can have profound and original thoughts. A
dependent mind thinks in cliches, the way everybody else does, because
it wants approval. Such a mind understands on a surface level, just like
the world does, and cannot grasp the profundity and depth of the
Buddha's teaching. The solitary mind is at ease because it is
unaffected.

  It's interesting that a mind at ease, which can stand on its own, also
can memorize. Because such a mind is not filled with the desire to
remove //dukkha//, it can remember without much trouble. This is one of
its side benefits. The main value of a solitary mind is its
imperturbability. It can't be shaken and will stand without support,
just as a strong tree doesn't need a prop. Because it's powerful in its
own right. If the mind doesn't have enough vigour to stand on its own,
it won't have the strength and determination to fulfil the Dhamma.

  Our practice includes being on our own some time each day to
introspect and contemplate. Reading, talking and listening are all
communication with others, which are necessary at times. But it is
essential to have time for self-inquiry: "What is happening within me?
What am I feeling? Is it wholesome or not? Am I perfectly contented on
my own? How much self-concern is there? Is the Dhamma my guide or am I
bewildered?" If there's a fog in one's mind, all we need is a
searchlight to penetrate it. The searchlight is concentration.

  Health, wealth and youth do not mean no //dukkha//. They are a
cover-up. Ill-health, poverty and old age make it easier to realize the
unsatisfactoriness of our existence. When we are alone, that is the time
to get to know ourselves. We can investigate the meaning of the Dhamma
we've heard and whether we can actualize it in our own lives. We can use
those aspects of the Dhamma which are most meaningful for us.

  The solitary mind is a strong mind, because it knows how to stand
still. That doesn't mean not associating with people at all, that would
lack loving-kindness (//metta//). A solitary mind is able to be alone
and introspect and also be loving towards others. Living in a Dhamma
community is an ideal place to practice this.

  Meditation is the means for concentration, which is the tool to break
through the fog enveloping everyone who is not an //Arahant//. At times,
in communal living, there is togetherness and lovingness and service.
These should be the results of //metta// not of trying to get away from
//dukkha//. Next time we start a conversation, let's first investigate:
"Why am I having this discussion? Is it necessary, or am I bored and
want to get away from my problems."

  Clear comprehension is the mental factor which joins with mindfulness
to give purpose and direction. We examine whether our speech and actions
are having the right purpose, whether we are using skilful means and
whether the initial purpose has been accomplished. If we have no
clear-cut direction, idle chatter results. Even in meditation the mind
does it, which is due to lack of training. When we practice clear
comprehension, we need to stop a moment and examine the whole situation
before plunging in. This may become one of our skillful habits, not
often found in the world.

  An important aspect of the Buddha's teaching is the combination of
clear comprehension with mindfulness. The Buddha often recommends them
as the way out of all sorrow, and we need to practice them in our small
every-day efforts. These may consist of learning something new, a Dhamma
sentence remembered, one line of chanting memorized, one new insight
about oneself, one aspect of reality realized. Such a mind gains
strength and self-confidence.

  Renunciation is the greatest help in gaining self-confidence. One
knows one can get along without practically everything, for instance
food, for quite some time. Once the Buddha went to a village where
nobody had any faith in him. He received no alms-food at all, nobody in
the village paid any attention to him. He went to the outskirts and sat
down on a bit of straw and meditated. Another ascetic came by who had
seen that the Buddha had not received any food and commiserated with
him: "You must be feeling very badly not having anything to eat. I'm
very sorry. You don't even have a nice place to sleep, just straw." The
Buddha replied: "Feeders on joy we are. Inner joy can feed us for many
days."

  One can get along without many things when they are voluntarily given
up. If someone takes our belongings, we resist, which is //dukkha//. But
when we practice self-denial, we gain strength and enable the mind to
stand on its own. Self-confidence arises and creates a really strong
back-bone. Renunciation of companionship shows us whether we are
self-sufficient.

  The Buddha did not advocate exaggerated and harmful ascetic practices.
but we could give up -- for instance -- afternoon conversations and
contemplate instead. Afterwards the mind feels contented with its own
efforts. The more effort one can make, the more satisfaction arises.

  We need a solitary mind in meditation, so we need to practice it some
time during each day. The secluded mind has two attributes; one is
mindfulness, full attention and clear comprehension and the other is
introspection and contemplation. Both of them bring the mind to
unification. Only in togetherness lies strength; unification brings
power.

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