Be Here Now Ivan 15 12 16 24

Video

Transcript

Dhammarato: So Ivan, as I was about to say, humans are normally in a problem solving mode partly due to the instinct, most specifically the self preservation instinct. And the language of the self preservation instinct is fear. And humans don’t like fear. They don’t like to be afraid. Now in one time in our evolution, way back when, fear was a self preservation item. In other words, if the hair on the back of your neck stands up, if you become afraid, become alert, look around. But over time, over many centuries, we have done a lot of stuff that has made it safe. We have housing, we have clothing, we have medication, we have communities, we have towns, cities, often the cities, and especially in the Middle East, Middle Ages had walls, etc for protection. So you could then go so far as to say, as kind of a joke, why was the Great Wall of China bull? And the answer to that was, is that it wasn’t built all at one time, it was built over a course of centuries. And that generally the wall was built where it was dangerous and that the more wall they built, the more the enemy would come around and so they’d have to build more wall. Right? Well, that’s what we have done kind of as a civilization. We built up so much wall and yet we are still in the habit of being afraid and out there building more wall. So that’s our habit. And that you could also say that if the message is correct, if it’s a correct message, then it would be wholesome. All right, but if the message is incorrect, then it’s not wholesome. Why? Because we are hearing a message over there on the attack, we’d better get prepared, we better defend ourselves and the, and the best defense is an offense. So let’s go attack them. Why? Because they might attack us first. In that regard, all war is started by preemptive strikes. You could also go as far as to say that that’s the golden rule of humanity, not Jesus. Golden rule. The golden rule of humanity is do unto others that which you expect them to do unto you, except you do it first. Okay. And often our fear is a false positive.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: But in fact, in modern society it’s a false positive almost all the time. For instance, the child hasn’t done his homework yet, and as soon as he thinks of it, he has fear. But that fear is not enough for him to go do his homework. And so five minutes later he’ll think about the homework, fear will come up and he still doesn’t do his homework.

Ivan: Okay.

Dhammarato: And so now he’s got the habit of having fear about homework and yet he doesn’t do it.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: Mm. And so he is bound then to not do his homework because that’s his habit. And is always bound then by being fearful about what might happen because he’s not doing his duty. And that. That’s the natural state that we’re in. Okay. And so the first thing to do then, since we’ve talked about fear a bit, is as soon as you can recognize fear, quickly figure out whether it’s real or not, is the reason that you’re afraid is because the mafia is banging on your door. If not, then it’s probably a false positive. Yeah, that’s dukkha. That’s dissatisfaction. In other words, our instincts at one time was life preserving, but now in modern times, our instincts give us a pretty miserable life.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: Go ahead.

Ivan: No, I was saying Bhikkhu Buddha dasa. He said the dharma is about something, about going above the instinct or something like that. But yeah, just the instinct creates a lot of suffering.

Dhammarato: Okay, so back to your original question then. And that is that if we can see dukkha as dukkha, that’s all we need to do. That’s the research. That’s the only research that we need to do. The next step is not more research. The next step is stepping out of the way, making a change, getting rid of it. In other words, instead of when you feel afraid, instead of investigating all way back when I was in the first, I didn’t do my homework, I felt afraid. And doing that kind of archeology, the better thing to do is say, hey, right now there’s nothing to be afraid of. What a relief it is. The fear is unfounded.

Ivan: Just want to quickly bring in the word self preservation you mentioned, because, you know, the irony is because of the self. Right. Because ordinary people has a lot of clinging to self. So I guess my questions about fully understanding dukkha could be something about fully understanding the illusion of self. Well, it’s not. So.

Dhammarato: Okay, but all right, now you just made the same mistake that I was cautioned you against. That is you’re trying to evaluate dukkha instead of making the change that needs to be made immediately.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: Now, we could say, in fact, that all dissatisfaction comes from being selfish.

Ivan: Yes.

Dhammarato: Or this selfishness arises when we’re dissatisfied. We can see that connection, but the best time to see it is after you make the change. But most people are going to evaluate it while they’re still in the dukkha. While they’re still in the fear. Yeah.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: Okay. And this is where the change is need to be made. You make the change first and then you reevaluate. You look, you see, you change and then you look again and see and maybe make another change. But look and look and look and look and look is not the teaching of the Buddha is taking a look at seeing what’s there and making a change to it. See that? That’s unwholesome. And instead of trying to figure out why, the best thing to do is to go ahead and make the change jump out of the way.

Ivan: Yeah, I think that was kind of something I was getting to. Is after getting out of the Dukkha, that is where it can be wise to contemplate. That was what I was alluding to.

Dhammarato: Well, actually, Achahn Semedo talks about a word in the sense of reflection, wise reflection. Now, that’s not the same thing as reflection of just reminiscing in the past. The wise reflection would be, wow, I don’t have to do that anymore. Wow, look how things have changed. Okay, so the wise reflection always has the quality of here now built into it.

Ivan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that makes so much sense because the here now is what makes the whole difference. Because sometimes people start analyzing things and the here, they are missing the here now in the equation. Yeah, yeah.

Dhammarato: Stuck in the past, living in the past. Remember reminiscing about how it used to be instead of always keep coming back to the present moment and reflecting. Times have changed. Things are not the way that they were. Wow, I’m glad it is like it is now rather than way back when. You see, you can actually hear that in the phrase that they have make America great again. They always talk about it in the sense of a golden age. They’re always in the sense of it’s. It’s not as good now as it used to be. Yeah, well, guess what? Now is always better than back then. Yes, back then we were in Duka, and now we have an opportunity to not be in Duka. But when we go back and reminisce about how. How great it was, that’s delusional. And it discounts now that now is not good enough.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: And so the right way of reflecting is to reflect, oh, wow, I’m glad I don’t have to do that anymore. That right now is good enough. There was no golden age.

Ivan: So I feel like asking about Sotapan because it kind of ties back to why I asked this question in the first place. My understanding of the one who entered the stream is someone who has seen through the Ignorance, which is the greed, ill will and delusion, the understanding.

Dhammarato: Actually let’s correct that. Remember that I’ve talked about it in the sense of knowledge and deliverance.

Ivan: Yes.

Dhammarato: A two step process. Okay. The soda pond is the knowledge part that in fact better 4 and 5 are greed and ill will and that most people, let us say, are not equipped to deal with greed and ill will without the proper knowledge. Now let us not use the word sotapan in the sense of a noun, he is a sotapan. But rather think of it as the point of entering the stream. Let it become a verb. Are you sotaponing right now? If you’re so depending right now, then that means that you’re dealing with the knowledge in order to eliminate the greed and the ill will.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: Now that’s not the same as the way most people think about it. They think of sodapon as a. As a noun with various steps and stages. And you could go so far as to say that it actually. The most important quality for the sotapan I would say would be enthusiasm, eagerness. If you were eager to see your greed and your ill will. If you’re eager to see, to look based upon your knowledge, then that’s the soda pot that most people, they don’t like to look at their old wrongdoing, they feel guilty, they feel ashamed, etc like that rather than wow, I see that and hot dog, I’m not going to do that now.

Ivan: Yeah, I.

Dhammarato: Eagerness and enthusiasm and the culmination of that would be delight in the sense of wow, I don’t do that anymore. Wow. I am free from that.

Ivan: Yes.

Dhammarato: Well, I can handle this.

Ivan: It’s.

Dhammarato: It ain’t gonna rain no more, no more. I can handle it.

Ivan: Sorry, I just realized my question is a bit. It’s. It’s kind of jumping to cell phone and I kind of want to go back to other palace at the and I think because I still have this. I feel like it’s a misunderstanding with the word contemplation in Anapanasati.

Dhammarato: I don’t think I found the word contemplation anywhere that in fact you could go so far as to say that originally the Catholic form of meditation back in the middle ages and up into modern times, that’s a contemplation meditation. And it’s basically sitting there trying to figure and figure and figure out the solution to a problem we don’t contemplate. We step out of the way. We’re only looking at something long enough to see that it’s duka and get out of the way. We’re not going to contemplate it now. There are practices like the Mahasi method. That’s what they do say note and they note and they note and they note and they note and they don’t make a change here. We’re going to make a note and say, oh, yeah, I see that. Let’s get out of it right now. The big difference here, the point that we need to make sure that you understand is right, noble effort.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: To take the effort right here, right now, to get out of that. So in the. When we’re dealing in the past and maybe guilt will come up because of some wrongdoing, we say, wow, I’m over that now. And that’s the change. The change from being stuck in our guilt, stuck in our shyness, stuck in our fear, because I don’t do that now. And so whenever we reflect upon the past, we always immediately bring it back to the present moment. Well, I’m free from that. I’m really glad I don’t have to do that anymore. And that’s what the soda pond is good at. He’s good at enthusiastically getting out of it.

Ivan: Yeah, no, yeah, the enthusiasm makes a lot of sense. Actually, to be honest, the reason for this question was, you know, I. Sometimes I listen to. Well, Michael kind of. He kind of gave some sharing just now on Discord, and he was talking about the. The sense of self. And when I listened to it, right. Immediately I was having some. Some restless or craving inside when I was listening. And then at some point when he was talking about it, suddenly I. I seen through the illusion of taking things as ownership, taking things as mine. And, and I was just thinking, because the reason I had. Suddenly I have a sensation of craving. Isn’t that because Polya was contemplating while I was listening? So I don’t know. I was. That’s the reason.

Dhammarato: Let’s use that example of what happened that you mindlessly struck a key which ended the call, but we started it back up again, and then you felt guilty. That’s the self. The self is that which feels guilty.

Ivan: Yes. Yeah.

Dhammarato: Now remember, the Buddha does not teach there is no self.

Ivan: Yes.

Dhammarato: But what he teaches then is, is that personality view is. Is that the personality changes and you can make a change to that. So the Ivan that pushed the button was one Ivan. The Ivan that felt guilty a minute later, after the call started, was a different Ivan. And now we can take the right noble weapon. Is that the Ivan that’s there now doesn’t care there’s not much of an Ivan left now. There was a really great big Ivan with the guilt.

Ivan: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Dhammarato: But now there’s not much Ivan left because it didn’t matter. Not important unless you’re on a call with somebody who’s going to call you stupid. But they’re in fact they’re fussing at themselves more than you. But me, I don’t care. It’s a good, a good opportunity to. To educate yourself about self. You don’t have to feel guilty. Wow. Aren’t you glad you don’t have to feel guilty right now?

Ivan: Yeah. Yeah. Really good. So are you implying that while I was listening to Michael, there was a different personality suddenly? A personality where the craving was.

Dhammarato: That, right? The craving, that self, the one who is doing the craving is the self. That’s the birth of the self. Liking something is ordinary, but liking and then wanting and then having to have it, that’s actually the process of developing the full blown self. And it’s the self that experiences the dukkha. So this stuff happens pretty fast. And it happens as people understand petitu samapada. For the beginner, they think that it’s a distinct series of steps, but in fact it’s not distinct. The lines are blurred down at the nanosecond level or even the 10th of a second level. So that the wanting, the craving, et cetera. Like the craving of I wish I hadn’t ended the call. And the guilt that comes, that’s the self that arises. Or listening to Michael talk about self and saying, what is he talking about? I don’t understand. It’s the self that gets confused. And instead of saying, I’m confused, you can say, right now I don’t have any self. Right now, I’m okay.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: One of the best ways of looking at it is, is that the self is always taking on and associated with a woeful state. And when you’re joyful, there is no self. The thought that I’m having now is that the reason that angels can fly is because they take themselves so lightly. So take yourself lightly. There’s not much self there. You can fly, but when you have a lot of self, you have a lot of grounding, a lot of gravity, a lot of guilt, a lot of those kind of feelings. And it’s always your choice, are you going to be heavy? Are you going to be light? But the self is not solid, it’s not fixed. Your choice. Let’s lighten up.

Ivan: I have a deeper understanding on, you know, this Anata. I It’s, it’s. It’s very quickly. It’s like I keep. I was able to remember when I was in some middle of dissatisfaction or whatever. I can. I really see that. And sometimes I was like, is it because I understand it deeper, because I contemplate or is it the practice? I really don’t know. Like, I. Maybe even asking this question is also stupid.

Dhammarato: Hey, I don’t need to know the answer to that. I’m good. I’m okay.

Ivan: Yeah, okay.

Dhammarato: You don’t have to figure everything out. Trying to figure something out makes you heavy. Makes it important when you say, hey, it doesn’t matter. I’m good without having an answer to that question. In fact, I’m lighter without the answer. That answer is heavy. And look how much work it took to get that answer. And we don’t even need it. We can be good without.

Ivan: It can be good before. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. I. But yeah, I think. I think that kind of solved my question. But the Michael one was a spontaneous one. I. I just realized the. The real question that I was trying to get to was to pull. It simply is lately the practice here. I kind of got scared. It kind of goes back to fear, I guess. I mean, I just realized how deep down I have this conceit. I guess because I watched one of the old video where you were talking to this one person called Joy. I’m not sure if you remember that. Joy Joel. I don’t know how to pronounce his name. He was talking about how in meditative meditation, the thought of like sex and this sort of thing arises. I’ll try to keep it short. Basically I was scared that how this instinct of like, you know, seeking me was so ingrained in me. I don’t know, like even. Even I have. Even though I already have a girlfriend. Sorry, I don’t even know how to phrase this question. It’s just.

Dhammarato: Okay. Ingrained is another way of saying habit. But habits don’t own you.

Ivan: Yeah, yeah.

Dhammarato: Okay. Even though we may be habit bound, we could still change those habits. That’s the whole point about personality view that in fact it may help to understand that the poly word anata and atta. Atta is not translated correctly as the word self. It’s more actually accurately translated as soul. Okay, okay. Now we think of the soul in the sense of the core. That which doesn’t change something that’s so strong and so solid that the only thing that can affect it is a God. The Buddha says that that doesn’t exist. And that you can change personality view then is changing the personality from a fixed soul that can’t change into something that’s fluid, dynamic. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. That we’re always in a constant state of flux. So in that regard, the word atta and anatta go very closely with the word that the Buddha uses. Anita. Yeah, okay. That the soul can’t change much. But the Buddha teaches a nation that means that any and everything can change. If you can understand that, then you don’t have to get too wrapped up in all this Buddhist literature in English that keeps talking about a no self.

Ivan: Yeah, yeah.

Dhammarato: Because the Buddha wasn’t talking about a no self. He was talking about no fixed self. Nothing solid. Everything is fluid. Everything is moving around. So, and you could think of then is, Is that if you have a soul, that would be like in wood, the wood has a grain to it. Right. However, we don’t have a grain. We don’t have a steel spike going up our spine that fixes us. Everything is fluid.

Ivan: Yeah, even the bone is flexible.

Dhammarato: Yeah, even the bones are flexible. That’s what we’re practicing. We’re flexible to be flexible. We’re practicing change. We’re practicing stretching and ski daddling and moving out of the way and making a change. But anata means that you can’t change. You need a God, you need a Jesus. You need a plastic Jesus riding on the dashboard of your truck. Are you gonna wreck that truck? Oh, no, you don’t need a Jesus. What you need is to watch where you’re going.

Ivan: Yeah, like even noticing what my hand is doing.

Dhammarato: Watch what you’re doing. Watch what your hands are doing. Watch where the truck is going. And then you can have a chance of changing. So when that tree jumps out of the. The side of the road right into the middle of the road, you have a choice. You can go around that tree or you can stop. But many people will say, that trap. That tree jumped into the road and bit my car. Which is only saying I’m not watching what they were doing. And they want Jesus to fix up. They want some insurance company to fix them.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: And the right way to do it is to watch what you’re doing.

Ivan: Yeah, I, I was watching what I’m doing. That’s why I, I got scared. Like, I, I realized there’s this part of me that I didn’t do it. But you know what likes to argue with people, likes to prove that I’m right. I didn’t really give in. I didn’t really feel it, but I noticed it. It’s there, you know, and why don’t.

Dhammarato: You let them have the last word? Why don’t you let them win? Let them win the argument.

Ivan: Yeah, yeah.

Dhammarato: The strong one can let somebody else win the argument. It’s only a weak person who has to retort and keep arguing.

Ivan: Yeah, no, that’s true. But yeah, the, the, the point I was trying to make was I, I was like, why do I have this very strong combative tendency? It doesn’t make sense. Yeah.

Dhammarato: Trained at it from diapers.

Ivan: Yeah, yeah.

Dhammarato: You were already good at it. And you’ve just done nothing but train and train and train since then. So you’re quite good at it. But it’s not ingrained. It’s just a habit.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: It’s just a skill that you developed and now you can redevelop that skill so that you don’t have to argue with people. The skill would be as to recognizing that you’re in an argument so you can come out of it happily.

Ivan: Yeah. I remember you said you know something about if you don’t see becomes a habit. Something like that. And habit creates a destiny.

Dhammarato: Yes, exactly. Our thoughts create our mental speech, and our speech creates our actions, and our actions create our habits, and our habits create the destiny. So if you can begin to change your thoughts, your attitude, then you can change the way that you think discursively, and then you can change the way that you act. And that will change your habits and that will change your destiny. Destinies are not fixed. Only people who believe in a soul believe in a real destiny. And the, and the actual destiny is not fixed.

Ivan: Yeah. I.

Dhammarato: Let us say that you’re on the road to Calcutta and if you keep going down that road to Calcutta, you’ll get to Calcutta. However, Calcutta is not a destiny. It’s just something that you keep doing and keep going until you reach there. But you can make a turn to the left and make a turn to the right or take them, turn around or get out of your car or whatever, don’t put gas in it, etc, and then Calcutta is no longer your destiny.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: You’re only destined because you keep going and keep going and keep going and keep doing with the same habit over and over again.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: And so let’s make a change. If you start making a change over and over again in a small way, it will change those habits and that habit will change. Change the destiny.

Ivan: Yeah. I think, I think the challenge was always that what you. What the, the screaming whiny child inside. You know, like when I change it, it’s like, no. And then.

Dhammarato: Well, sometimes an argument is, isn’t it? It’s two little kids screaming and crying at each other instead of loving each other because neither one of them are willing to give in to the other one screaming and crying. No, I’m the better screamer and crier than you are.

Ivan: Yeah, I. I find that it’s better to just distract myself and not notice. Oh, I’m not sure yet, to be honest, but every time I try to. Actually, I don’t know, because it’s okay. Like, okay, man. Well, Michael, Michael, he said this one word. I keep thinking he said interrogating the cell. And then I was like, isn’t that to combative? But it doesn’t. I don’t know.

Dhammarato: You have to think of it in the sense of the language as the interrogation is about what’s happening right now, not the past. Right now, interrogate yourself based upon what you used to be. Because when you interrogate the past the way you used to be, there you are in the past. That’s who you are. But if you interrogate yourself in the sense of, wow, I’m glad I don’t do that anymore. Now you’re back in the present, so don’t interrogate from the perspective of the past. Interrogate from the present moment. Don’t go there. Just look at it with your idea. Wow, I’m glad I don’t do that anymore. Well, I’ve changed.

Ivan: Some of my favorite phrasing that I. That I learned from you that you always sometimes say, you know, been there, done that. The reason I bring that out was, well, I have this very weird. Luckily I can. I can confidently say right now is I’m glad I don’t deal with that anymore. Right now.

Dhammarato: Yeah, that’s the best way to look at it.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: People can say, been there, done that and still be in the past, still doing it. Or you can say, been there, done that in the present, like in the sense of, wow, that’s in the past and I don’t have to worry about it now. So been there, done that is always a present moment.

Ivan: I’m laughing right now because I have a feeling when I. What I’m about to say, and then you’re gonna say, it’s in the past. And then like.

Dhammarato: All right, so catch yourself. I don’t have to do it for you. You can do that. You can catch that.

Ivan: Well, I have to ask. I feel like I’m not the first student probably not the last to ask this, but it’s just that what if it. It comes back? Well, maybe I’m just not trying to find anything. I’m just trying to share because I have this very weird faces sometimes where my mind’s. You know, even though I would say I’m in a. I feel very fulfilled in this relationship with my girlfriend. But sometimes my mind goes to thinking about all the woman’s. I get to get laid in the past and then fantasizing stupid stuff. And I keep telling myself, be there, done that. And then it just doesn’t work. I keep banging my head against the wall, it just doesn’t work.

Dhammarato: But I don’t know what happened next time. Keep doing it. Keep saying, I’m not there. Now that’s in the past. Been there, done that. Now I’m not doing that.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: It’s also coming back to the present moment. See you do it. You say, I’ve been there, done that, and now you’re doing it. Now you’re there.

Ivan: Yeah. Yeah. It’s just. It’s a very old habit.

Dhammarato: Just a habit. And you can change that habit. Practice changing that habit. It’s not your core. It’s not ingrained. It’s just a habit. It’s not your grain. It’s not who you are. It’s just an old habit. You’re very good at it. You’re very well practiced at it, but you can change it.

Ivan: Is it fair to say, like, when my practice get better, I start to see how dirty a lot of things is underneath me? I know it sounds a bit judgmental when I say it, but.

Dhammarato: Well, when you say that’s unproductive, you say, never mind. I’m okay right now.

Ivan: Yeah. Completely with me.

Dhammarato: To start having wholesome thoughts. Everything’s okay.

Ivan: Yeah.

Dhammarato: Then we can have a mutual laugh. We don’t have to have a pity party and all your questions and everything. We can just be happy together?

Ivan: Yeah. Yeah.

Dhammarato: Notice how many questions you keep asking to where you already know that all of those questions are not going to make you feel better. But you can change all of those questions into actually, everything is okay.

Ivan: Yeah. Is the. The fear of. The fear that it comes back. It’s like, what if he comes back? And then it’s like, oh, whatever.

Dhammarato: Well, yeah. What if. What if when it comes back, you. Well, I see you.

Ivan: Yeah. Yeah.

Dhammarato: I’m going to be ready for you. Wow. If you come back, I’m going to get you before you’re 10ft from me.

Ivan: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I.

Dhammarato: Everything is Already. Okay. Keep remembering that. Keep remembering that everything is already okay. Everything is fine. You don’t have to figure out the dukkha. You can just drop it.

Ivan: I guess it’s just that I have, like, this desire to, like. We want to remove every cling I have. I know that’s.

Dhammarato: No, you’re not ever going to get rid of it. But what you can do is become skillful at catching it and throwing it out again. Don’t hope for a day when you don’t have any. Hope for a day when you’re really skilled at dealing with it.

Ivan: Hopeful hope that I can be more skilled at William. Yeah.

Dhammarato: Yeah, I can do that. So you practice right now. I can do that.

Ivan: You often say, I’m remitting first, Jhana. Like, keep coming back.

Dhammarato: Well, there you go, asking a bunch of questions again. Why can’t you say right now everything’s okay?

Ivan: All right?

Dhammarato: Now is okay. Let’s practice that rather than practice asking questions, hoping for answers. Just practice. I don’t need to know any answers. I’m already okay. I got all the answers I need. Not much, just enough. A little dab will do you.

Ivan: Yeah. I’m just picturing myself, you know, in a swimming pool, like, just like. I don’t know, like this.

Dhammarato: Yeah. Everything’s all right.

Ivan: And then just stop. And then just let myself float. Right. I just. Yeah. Sorry. Okay. I can do that.

Dhammarato: Okay, so let’s finish this call, and you remember that you’re already okay.

Ivan: All right. Okay. I’ll try. I will do that. Bye. Bye.

Dhammarato: All right.

Ivan: Thank you.

Dhammarato: See you later.

Ivan: See you later.

Summary of this Dhamma Talk

In this Dhamma talk, Dhammarato explores the nature of fear, dissatisfaction (Dukkha), and the human tendency to build “walls” of protection due to our self-preservation instincts. He explains how fear, which once served as a survival mechanism, has become a false positive in modern society, leading to unnecessary suffering. Dhammarato emphasizes the importance of recognizing fear and dissatisfaction, and instead of dwelling on them, making immediate changes to step out of these unwholesome states. He discusses the concept of “self” (Anatta) and how it is not fixed but fluid, encouraging listeners to let go of guilt, shame, and the need to control outcomes. The talk also touches on the idea of “Sotapanna” (stream-enterer) and the importance of enthusiasm and eagerness in overcoming greed and ill will. Dhammarato concludes by encouraging listeners to live in the present moment, reflect wisely, and practice change to break free from habitual patterns of dissatisfaction.

Outline of this Dhamma Talk

Introduction: Fear and Self-Preservation (0:08)

• Fear is rooted in the self-preservation instinct (Fe).
• In ancient times, fear was a survival mechanism.
• Modern society has built “walls” (e.g., housing, cities) for safety, yet fear persists.
• Fear often leads to unnecessary defensive or offensive actions.

The Great Wall of China Metaphor (1:40)

• The Great Wall was built over centuries where danger was present.
• As more walls were built, enemies found ways around them.
• Similarly, humans build metaphorical walls out of fear, but the habit of fear remains.
• The cycle of building walls and fearing danger continues.

Fear as a False Positive (3:43)

• Fear in modern society is often a false positive.
• Example: A child fears homework but doesn’t act on it.
• Fear becomes a habit, leading to inaction and dissatisfaction (Dukkha).
• Recognizing fear as a false positive is key to overcoming it.

The Golden Rule of Humanity (3:20)

• The golden rule of humanity: “Do unto others as you expect them to do unto you, but do it first.”
• This preemptive mindset often leads to conflict and war.
• Fear drives preemptive strikes, creating cycles of violence.
• The need to recognize and break this cycle.

Recognizing Dukkha (5:35)

• Dukkha (dissatisfaction) arises from fear and unwholesome habits.
• The first step is to recognize Dukkha as Dukkha.
• Instead of over-analyzing, make immediate changes to step out of dissatisfaction.
• Reflection should be wise and present-focused, not dwelling on the past.

The Illusion of Self (7:05)

• The self is not fixed but fluid (Anatta).
• Clinging to the self leads to dissatisfaction.
• The self arises in moments of craving, guilt, or confusion.
• Letting go of the self reduces suffering.

The Role of Enthusiasm in Overcoming Greed and Ill Will (13:14)

• Sotapanna (stream-enterer) is not a noun but a verb—entering the stream of knowledge.
• Enthusiasm and eagerness are key to overcoming greed and ill will.
• Most people avoid looking at their wrongdoings due to guilt or shame.
• The Sotapanna eagerly confronts and changes unwholesome habits.

The Importance of Present-Moment Reflection (17:02)

• Reflection should be wise and present-focused.
• Example: “I’m glad I don’t have to do that anymore.”
• Reflecting on the past should bring gratitude for the present.
• Living in the past or longing for a “golden age” is delusional.

The Habit of Craving and How to Change It (25:28)

• Craving and combative tendencies are habits, not inherent traits.
• Habits can be changed through practice and awareness.
• Example: Arguing is like two children screaming; letting go is strength.
• The key is to recognize the habit and choose to change it.

The Fluid Nature of Self and Destiny (27:24)

• Anatta (not-self) means there is no fixed soul or core.
• Personality is fluid and can change.
• Destiny is not fixed; habits create destiny.
• Changing thoughts and actions can change habits and destiny.

Dealing with Recurring Habits (38:04)

• Old habits, like craving or fantasizing, can resurface.
• The practice is to recognize the habit and return to the present.
• Example: Saying “been there, done that” to let go of past habits.
• The goal is not to eliminate habits but to become skilled at handling them.

Conclusion: Everything is Already Okay (42:00)

• The key is to recognize that everything is already okay.
• Instead of seeking answers, practice being present.
• Let go of the need to figure everything out.
• The practice is to live in the moment and make changes as needed.

How to Practice

1. Recognize Fear as a False Positive: When fear arises, assess whether it is based on a real threat or a habitual response. If it’s not a real threat, let it go.

2. Step Out of Dissatisfaction (Dukkha): Instead of over-analyzing dissatisfaction, make immediate changes to step out of it. For example, if you feel anxious about a task, start working on it rather than dwelling on the fear.

3. Practice Present-Moment Reflection: Reflect on past experiences with gratitude for the present. For example, instead of longing for the past, say, “I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that anymore.”

4. Let Go of the Illusion of Self: Recognize that the self is not fixed. When feelings of guilt or shame arise, remind yourself that these are temporary and not who you truly are.

5. Cultivate Enthusiasm for Change: Approach unwholesome habits with eagerness to change. For example, if you notice greed or ill will, confront it with enthusiasm rather than avoidance.

6. Break the Cycle of Preemptive Strikes: In conflicts, avoid the mindset of “strike first.” Instead, practice patience and understanding to break the cycle of fear-driven actions.

7. Change Habits Through Awareness: Recognize recurring habits, such as craving or arguing, and consciously choose to change them. For example, when you feel the urge to argue, step back and let the other person “win.”

8. Reflect Wisely on the Past: Use past experiences as lessons rather than sources of guilt or regret. Reflect on how far you’ve come and be grateful for the present.

9. Practice Flexibility in Personality: Understand that personality is fluid. When you feel stuck in a particular mindset, remind yourself that you can change and adapt.

10. Live in the Present Moment: Focus on the here and now rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. This reduces dissatisfaction and increases peace of mind.

Metaphors, Analogies, and Stories

The Great Wall of China Metaphor (1:40)

• Metaphor: The Great Wall was built over centuries to protect against danger, but as more walls were built, enemies found ways around them.
• Meaning: Humans build metaphorical walls out of fear, but these walls often don’t address the root cause of fear. The habit of building walls (defenses) persists, even when the danger is no longer present.

The Child and Homework Metaphor (3:55)

• Metaphor: A child fears homework but doesn’t act on it, leading to a cycle of fear and inaction.
• Meaning: Fear often paralyzes us, preventing us from taking action. Recognizing fear as a false positive allows us to break the cycle and take productive steps.

The Golden Rule of Humanity (3:20)

• Metaphor: The golden rule of humanity is “Do unto others as you expect them to do unto you, but do it first.”
• Meaning: This preemptive mindset often leads to conflict. Fear drives us to act defensively or offensively, creating cycles of violence and mistrust.

The Tree Jumps in the Road Metaphor (30:59)

• Metaphor: A tree jumps into the road, and instead of avoiding it, people blame the tree and expect others (like Jesus) to fix the problem.
• Meaning: This metaphor highlights the tendency to blame external factors for our problems rather than taking responsibility for our actions. The key is to watch where we’re going and make conscious choices.

The Fluid Nature of Self (27:24)

• Metaphor: The self is like water—fluid and constantly changing, not like wood with a fixed grain.
• Meaning: There is no fixed “soul” or core self. Personality is dynamic and can be changed through practice and awareness.

The Habit of Arguing (32:01)

• Metaphor: Arguing is like two children screaming at each other, each trying to prove they’re right.
• Meaning: Arguments often stem from ego and the need to “win.” Letting go of the need to be right is a sign of strength and leads to more harmonious interactions.

The Swimming Pool Metaphor (44:07)

• Metaphor: Imagine yourself in a swimming pool, floating and letting go of all worries.
• Meaning: This metaphor encourages letting go of control and trusting that everything is already okay. It’s a reminder to relax and be present in the moment.

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There is nothing like direct transmission of the teachings in a one-to-one or one-to-group (Sangha) format from a skilled teacher. We encourage you to participate in our weekly Sanghas.