Chapter 7 - Touching Our Suffering

Question 1

How could we use the Twelve Turnings of the Wheel?

Answer 1

• to help understand 4NT experientially, not just intellectually

Question 2

Twelve Turnings of the Wheel

Answer 2

1st NT: recognise - encourage - realise
2nd NT: recognise - encourage - realise
3rd NT: recognise - encourage - realise
4th NT: recognise - encourage - realise

Question 3

recognition / 1st Turning

“this is suffering”

6

Answer 3

• we may sense something’s wrong, not sure what
• we try to escape, we can’t
• we try to deny suffering, it persists
• step 1: recognise we are suffering
• step 2: determine if basis is physical, physiological, psychological
• step 3: identify it further

“when I think like this, speak like that, listen like this, or act like that, my suffering increases”

Question 4

encouragement / 2nd Turning

“suffering should be understood”

5

Answer 4

• our suffering (depression, fear, illness, difficult relationship) needs to be understood
• once pain is identified, we look deeply to understand its causes
• meditation needed
• we see causes of suffering as knowable and make every effort to get to the bottom of it
• at this stage our practice can still be “set back”

Question 5

realisation / 3rd Turning

“suffering is understood”

4

Answer 5

• we realise efforts begun during 2nd turning / encouragement
• we find a name for our suffering and know characteristics
• studying, reflecting, practising 1st Noble Truth, we realise we have stopped running away from our pain
• happiness comes without setbacks

Question 6

recognition / 4th Turning

* “there is an ignoble way that has led to suffering”

4

Answer 6

• I am continuing to create suffering
• when something comes to be, we need to look deeply into its nature
• consider 4 nutriments: edible food, sense impressions, intention, consciousness
• how have we lived the last few years / months that have contributed to our suffering?

Question 7

encouragement / 5th Turning

“that ignoble way should be understood”

5

Answer 7

• we see clearly that real happiness is possible if we can stop ingesting the nutriments that cause us to suffer
• we encourage ourselves to end our suffering
• only by a strong intention not to do things in the same way can we keep the wheel in motion
• mindfulness = energy that can help us stop
• mindfulness of ingestion

Question 8

realisation / 6th Turning

“that ignoble way is understood”

5

Answer 8

• we not only vow, but actually stop ingesting nutriments that create our suffering
• can be translated as “when hungry, I eat; when tired, I sleep”
• lightness and freedom at this stage, acting in accord with 5MT and non-harming
• we only have to be ourselves
• form not important
  NB: genuine insight and freedom needed first!

Question 9

Four Nutriments

Answer 9

1. Edible Food
2. Sense Impressions
3. Volition (intention, will)
4. Consciousness

Question 10

Edible Food / 1st nutriment

6

Answer 10

• food/drink can cause mental/physical suffering
• must distinguish healthful from harmful
• must practise Rt View when we shop, cook, eat
• story: parents eating their baby’s flesh
• smoking/drinking = eating our own lungs/liver/heart
• need to look deeply at how we grow our food, allowing Earth to continue to be a source of life

Question 11

Sense Impressions / 2nd nutriment

5

Answer 11

• 6 sense organs in constant contact with sense objects, these contacts become food for our consciousness
  ex: billboards, magazines, conversations - if these make us anxious, worn out, then we know these contain toxins
• mindfulness = a protector
• story of cow with skin disease bitten by insects
• invasions of all kinds every day: images, sounds, smells, touch, ideas - feeding craving, violence, fear and despair so we need mindfulness at each of our sense doors to protect us
• 5MT useful, especially 5th

Question 12

Volition (intention, will) / 3rd nutriment

5

Answer 12

• ground of all our actions
• desire in us to obtain whatever it is we want
• works even when we sleep
• can push us to reach life goals
• could also be desire to inflict harm, ex: revenge

Question 13

Consciousness / 4th nutriment

3

Answer 13

• seedbed of past actions, society and ancestors
• daily thoughts, words, actions flow into the sea of our consciousness and create our body, mind and world
• nourished by 4 Immeasurable Minds

Question 14

Six Practices to Face Suffering

Answer 14

1. walking
2. breathing
3. sitting
4. eating
5. deep looking
6. deep listening

Question 15

Five Potential Obstacles to Happiness

Answer 15

1. position
2. revenge
3. wealth
4. fame
5. possessions

Question 16

Is suffering “us”?

2

Answer 16

• yes
• we need to treat it with kindness and non-violence

Question 17

What could Confucius do at 30, 40, 50 and 60?

Answer 17

30- stand on his own feet
40- have no more doubts
50- know the mandate of earth and sky
60- do what he wanted without going against the path
(Action of non-action)
(Realisation-3rd turning of 2nd NT)

Question 18

We tend to blame others for our unhappiness until we practise which of the Four Noble Truths?

Answer 18

2nd Noble Truth

Question 19

Why do we have to be very careful about what nutriments we ingest?

2

Answer 19

• our consciousness is eating all the time, day and night
• what it consumes becomes the substance of our life

Question 20

What do we release to become a free person?

Answer 20

• our cows!

Question 21

In the story of two strong men dragging a third into a fire pit, he is unable to resist. Which of the Four Nutriments does the Buddha wish to illustrate by this?

4

Answer 21

• Volition (3rd nutriment)
• the two strong men are our own volition
• we don’t want to suffer, but our deep-seated habit energies drag us into the fire of suffering
• we need to look deeply, able to see the intention of the nutriments we consume

Question 22

In the well-known story of the Buddha and his monks’ picnic, they are interrupted by a farmer fretting over his missing cows and ruined sesame crop. Which of the Four Nutriments does the Buddha wish to illustrate by this?

2

Answer 22

• Volition (3rd nutriment)
• “Dear friends, do you know you are the happiest people on Earth? You have no cows or sesame plants to lose”

Question 23

In the story of the cow with a terrible skin disease, she has nearly no skin left and is assailed by sucking insects whether she goes near a wall or tree, even in the river to bathe. Which of the Four Nutriments does the Buddha wish to illustrate by this?

2

Answer 23

• Sense Impressions (2nd nutriment)
• “this is our situation also”

Question 24

What image did the Buddha give to say it is less painful than to suffer and not know we are suffering?

Answer 24

• burden endured by a mule carrying an unimaginably heavy load

Question 25

What is the significance of the last of the ten ox-herding pictures: “Entering the Market with Open Hands”? ## Footnote 5

Answer 25

* we become free to come and go as we please * action of Non-action * suffering no longer arises * a stage inimitable * a stage to be reached by oneself

Question 26

In the story of the couple crossing the desert, they eat their baby’s flesh piece by piece in order to survive, and cry with each morsel. Which of the Four Nutriments does the Buddha wish to illustrate by this? ## Footnote 3

Answer 26

* Edible Foods (1st nutriment) * how we betray our ancestors by consuming unhealthy food, drink - could also include drugs such as tobacco * “Yet many people eat the flesh of their parents, their children and their grandchildren and do not know it”

Question 27

In the story of the murderer sentenced to death by stabbing, after 300 knives he is still alive, 300 more of the sharpest in the kingdom and still alive, 300 times more… still! Which of the Four Nutriments does the Buddha wish to illustrate by this? ## Footnote 3

Answer 27

* this is usually how we treat our consciousness (4th nutriment) * every time we ingest toxins into our consciousness, it is like stabbing ourselves with 300 sharp knives * we suffer and our suffering spills out to those around us

Question 28

Why might we suffer because of a strong energy pushing us towards happiness? ## Footnote 2

Answer 28

* because we mistake what we think will make us happy * position, revenge, wealth, fame, possessions are often obstacles to happiness

Question 29

What do the wounds in our heart become?

Answer 29

* the object of our meditation

Question 30

What else does our practice require other than mindfulness, concentration and wisdom?

Answer 30

* the mindfulness, concentration and wisdom of friends on the path (including Sangha) and of one’s teacher

Question 31

Is it OK to use pencil and paper during sitting meditation? ## Footnote 4

Answer 31

* yes * if you see clearly a symptom of suffering, write it down! * then ask: What kind of nutriments have I been ingesting that have fed this suffering? * use mindfulness all day long to stay with suffering, like a mother and her baby

Question 32

What happens when we look deeply into the nature of something that has come to be?

Answer 32

* we will discover the kinds of nutriments that have helped it come to be and that continue to feed it | Four Nutriments