Introduction & the Bhavachakra
David Oromith · 91 minutes · recorded April 2, 2024
The opening session of a module on the three poisons, with a settling meditation on the breath and refuge before David introduces the bhavachakra, the wheel of life, as a map for the weeks ahead. He explains the three animals at its centre, ignorance, attachment and aversion, and how they drive karma and rebirth through the six realms and twelve links. No separate practice follows. Discussion ranges from craving versus healthy desire to letting go of possessions and fear of the future.
There are many other images of the bhavachakra available online in different artistic styles. “In the Buddhist analysis of dukkha, a Sanskrit term that refers to the entire spectrum of pain and suffering, its fundamental roots are identified as karma and klesha. The first of these terms is literally translated as “action,” but it refers specifically to those kinds of actions of the body, speech, and mind that are aroused by kleshas, which are viewed as the fundamental causes of all dukkha. So, in the Buddhist view, the roots of all our discontent are kleshas. A widely accepted definition for “klesha” in Buddhist psychology is “mental processes that have the effect of disturbing the equilibrium of the mind.” In so doing, they obscure and distort our views of ourselves, others, and the world at large. Thus, kleshas are so-called because they harm or afflict the natural peace of the mind, causing all manner of psychological imbalances and distress in ways that lead to harmful, or unethical, behavior.” - B. Alan Wallace (Severing the Roots of Our Discontent – The Buddhist Way in Lion’s Roar) “To find the inner peace and emotional balance that we all seek, we must look inward to the fundamental causes of mental distress and sever them from the root.” - B. Alan Wallace (Severing the Roots of Our Discontent – The Buddhist Way in Lion’s Roar)
Anger and aversion Anxiety and fear Attachment and craving Dependent origination Impermanence Karma Rebirth and continuity The four noble truths