An excerpt from Water Drop on Lotus Leaf
“A Worldly Being (WB) keeps on replacing B with C, C with D, D with X, and X with B, etc. in order to satisfy his/her senses. A WB keeps comparing B with C, C with D, D with X, and X with B, etc.”
“This method of replacing objects leads to breaking precepts, disciplinary rules and values but never leads to satisfaction, contentment, peace and happiness.
The first chapter of the book sets the context for exploration into the profound realm of human experience reflecting the universal journey towards self discovery. The book delves into the complexities of the human inner landscape and the silent battle that wages on inside. Using the metaphor of a water drop, the book carefully unravels the unconscious pursuit of desires and the void within the society.
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| Within the subtle simplicity of a single water drop, the book delves into the intricate complexities that define our inner landscapes. |
The first chapter points to a central concept:
Here, the enemy is self-centered craving...
The focus on the struggle individuals face in dealing with loneliness and the unconscious pursuit of desires aligns with profound themes often found in literature inspired by early Buddhist teachings. The idea of the "Noble Struggle" and the inner enemy being desires and unsatisfactoriness resonates with core Buddhist principles and the concept of a catalytic experience that redirects attention inward for self-illumination adds depth to the narrative.
The Inner Struggle
As the book articulates, this enemy is the relentless pursuit of personal satisfaction, materially and immaterially. It is an unseen force that is strong enough to propel individuals into all kinds of actions and reactions.
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| Self-centered cravings: Mundane struggles are often rooted in the pursuit of sensory satisfaction |
Struggle, intrinsic to human existence, takes diverse forms—mundane or supra-mundane, religious or spiritual. Mundane struggles, rooted in sense gratification, vary in objectives. Even when the struggle is due to religious pursuits, the ultimate aim remains sense satisfaction. The book discusses the futility of satisfying senses with objects that lead to increased unsatisfactoriness, pain, conflicts, and disharmony. The pursuit of such ignoble objects, even when masked in noble intentions, results in a descent, breaking values along the way. Until desire, the root cause, is eradicated, contentment remains elusive, and unsatisfactoriness persists.
A catalytic experience is necessary to induce the transformative mechanisms that first diverts the attention inwards and reflect our darkest corners within. The book discusses the overwhelming emotions within that arises because of the introspection. The fear of confronting the true self and the shame that arises from acknowledging the existence of one's own self centered cravings.
For that, a catalyst is needed.
Independence through Dependence
The catalyst is the one that guides the individual to confront their deepest cravings and operates without undermining the individual's freedom of inquiry. Instead, the catalyst frees, foster independence and empowers becoming a pivotal force that directs the attention within.
The paradoxical nature of the catalyst - it encourages freedom of expression, provides space for individuals to verify their own experiences making the journey towards self discovery a collaborative effort instead of a dictated path.
The water drop analogy becomes a mirror that reflects the complexities of the human existence and our innermost desires. Often unconscious and persistent, these desires propels an endless search for gratification and fulfilment.
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| Individuals engage in ceaseless quest for mundane gratification driven by an innate pursuit of pleasure and fulfillment |
When the search is directed outward, it is the ignoble search.
When the search is directed inward, it is the noble search.
Reference
- Analayo, A. (2023) Water Drop on Lotus Leaf. Paramita Publications (Available on Amazon Kindle)
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