Sunday 27 January 2013

The Burden of Momentary Experience

At any one moment of sense experience, let the mind carry the burden of only that moment. Be clearly aware of the burden the mind is carrying in that one moment.
Use all the energy in the mind to shoulder only that one moment of burden, to experience clearly and completely its heaviness. Then as the burden begins to feel heavier and heavier by the moment, and the mind no longer can bear it, then put it down, let it go. Be free from the burden. Feel the lightness when the burden is put down.
"A burden indeed are the five aggregates,
A carrier of burden is the person;
Taking up the burden is suffering in the world,
Discarding the burden is bliss.

Having discarded the heavy burden,
Without taking up another burden;
Having pulled out craving with its root,
Freed from wanting, one is completely cooled."
~ Saṃyutta-Nikāya, Khandhasaṃyutta, Sutta 22