Language shapes our perception of reality and keeps us within a limited framework. By constantly using the word "I", we reinforce the illusion of a separate self. Some Buddhist or Hindu monks avoid using "I", saying "your monastery" instead of "my monastery" to emphasize that everything belongs to everyone. This practice challenges the notion of ownership and self-identity.
Feelings, like thoughts, are patterns of conditioning. They are not who we truly are but rather responses shaped by our past experiences. Our goal in the academy is to liberate ourselves both consciously and unconsciously. Conscious liberation involves understanding our thought patterns, while unconscious liberation involves recognizing the processes we aren't fully aware of, like our heartbeat or breath. These processes are automatic and reflect a deeper level of existence that we want to be in touch with.
Suffering arises when we identify with our feelings and thoughts, thinking they belong to us. We crave good feelings and avoid bad ones, which keeps us trapped in a cycle of desire and aversion. To free ourselves, we must detach from these feelings and thoughts, recognizing them as temporary and conditioned.
Our sense of "I" is made up of five aggregates: the physical body and four mental states—cognition, recognition, sensation, and reaction. The body is ever-changing and not a permanent self. Similarly, our mental states are impermanent and influenced by our conditioning.
Cognition is the direct experience, the neutral opening of a window to the world. Recognition is the meaning we assign to these experiences. Sensation is the emotional response, and reaction is the action we take based on these feelings. None of these are the true self; they are just processes.
By observing these processes and recognizing their impermanence, we can begin to detach from the false sense of a permanent self. Changing habitual patterns, like waking up at a different time or using the opposite hand, helps us understand the depth of our conditioning when we are aware of the craving and aversion patterns.
Ultimately, wisdom comes from moving beyond intellectual understanding to experiential realization. By living the truth of impermanence and non-self, we can reduce suffering and elevate our awareness, leading to greater freedom and interconnectedness.
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