Fifth Gear in a Toyota Yaris; Dhr. Seven, Sheldon S., Ashley Wells (eds.) based on Ven. Thanissaro (trans.), the Pema Sutta: "The Affection Discourse" (AN 4.200, PTS: A ii 213), Wisdom Quarterly
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| You love me? - I'd beat up anybody for you. - Aww, that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said! |
When things fall apart, what then? It may happen that, without Electronic Stability Control, the car flips. You roll it in an accident. Driving a machine built before 2012? It could happen. Things happen, even if this unlikely event never takes place because you drive more carefully. Other things will happen, and then what? We better keep Pema Chodron's book nearby to read and be ready.
The Affection Sutra
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| When things fall apart? They'll never fall apart, Babe! This is forever. - Sure it is, Dear. |
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"Meditators, four things are born. What are the four?- affection born of affection
- aversion born of affection
- affection born of aversion
- aversion born of aversion
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| Heart of Affection/Aversion |
1. "How is affection born of affection? An individual is pleasing, appealing, and charming to [another] individual. Others treat that individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is pleasing, appealing, and charming to me. And others treat this individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming.' This gives rise to affection. This is how affection is born of affection.
3. "How is affection born of aversion? An individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming to (another) individual. Others treat that individual as displeasing, unappealing, and not charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming. And others treat this individual as displeasing, unappealing, and not charming.' This gives rise to affection [for them]. This is how affection is born of aversion.
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| It was a mistake. He was badmouthing you, so I punched him in the mouth. I love you so much! |
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4. "How is aversion born of aversion? An individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming to (another) individual. Yet others treat that individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming, and the other one thinks, 'This individual is displeasing, unappealing, and not charming. Yet others treat this individual as pleasing, appealing, and charming.' This gives rise to aversion [toward them]. This is how aversion is born of aversion.
"Meditators, these are the four things that are born.
Meditation (jhana)
"Now, when a meditator, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental factors, enters and abides in the first meditative absorption (jhana or zen or dhyana) — with rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by applied and sustained attention — then any affection one has that is born of affection does not come up.
[Moreover] "any aversion that is born of affection... any affection that is born of aversion... any aversion that is born of aversion does not come up.
"When a meditator... enters and abides in the second absorption... enters and abides in the third absorption... enters and abides in the fourth absorption, then any affection that is born of affection does not come up. Any aversion born of affection... any affection born of aversion... any aversion born of aversion does not come up.
"When a meditator, bringing about the end of the mental defilements [and thus becoming one of the noble ones], enters and abides in the defilement-free liberation by insight, liberation by wisdom, having known and verified them for oneself here and now, then any affection born of affection is abandoned, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump [that never again regrows when cut down], deprived of the conditions of development, no longer destined for future rebirths.
[Moreover] "any aversion born of affection... any affection born of aversion... any aversion born of aversion is abandoned, its root destroyed, made [barren] like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, no longer destined for future rebirths.
Good results
"This is said to be a meditator who does not pull in, does not push away, does not smolder, does not flare up, and does not burn.
"How does a meditator pull in [crave, grasp, and cling]? A meditator assumes
- form to be self, or assumes self possesses form, or form is in self, or self is in form. One assumes
- feeling to be self, or assumes self possesses feeling, or feeling is in self, or self is in feeling. One assumes
- perception to be self, or assumes self possesses perception, or perception is in self, or self is in perception. One assumes
- mental formations [fabrications] to be self, or assumes self possesses formations, or formations are in self, or self is in formations. One assumes
- consciousness to be self, or assumes self possesses consciousness, or consciousness is in self, or self is in consciousness. [These are the Five Aggregates clung to as self.] This is how a meditator pulls in.
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| The way of peace and happiness to enlightenment |
"How does a meditator not pull in? [This happens when] a meditator does not assume form to be self, or assume that self possesses form, or form is in self, or self is in form.
"One does not assume feeling to be self... does not assume perception to be self... does not assume formations to be self... does not assume consciousness to be self, or assume self possesses consciousness, or consciousness is in self, or self is in consciousness. This is how a meditator does not pull in.
"How does a meditator push away [express aversion]? A meditator returns insult for insult, returns anger for anger, quarrels with one who is quarreling. This is how a meditator pushes away.
"How does a meditator not push away? A meditator refrains from returning insult with insult, refrains from returning anger with anger, refrains from quarrelling with one who quarrels. This is how a meditator does not push away.
"How does a meditator smolder? [Holding the deluded wrong view that] there being 'I am,' there comes to be 'I am here,' there comes to be 'I am like this'... 'I am otherwise'... 'I am bad'... 'I am good'... 'I might be'... 'I might be here'... 'I might be like this'... 'I might be otherwise'... 'May I be'... 'May I be here'... 'May I be like this'... 'May I be otherwise'... 'I will be'... 'I will be here'... 'I will be like this'... 'I will be otherwise.'
"How does a meditator not smolder? [Holding the insightful right view that] there not being 'I am,' there does not come to be 'I am here,' there does not come to be 'I am like this'... 'I am otherwise'... 'I am bad'... 'I am good'... 'I might be'... 'I might be here'... 'I might be like this'... 'I might be otherwise'... 'May I be'... 'May I be here'... 'May I be like this'... 'May I be otherwise'... 'I will be'... 'I will be here'... 'I will be like this'... 'I will be otherwise.'
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| Give me a KISS and watch me flare up. |
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| KISS schmiss! I prefer staying cool. |
"How does a meditator burn? A meditator's conceit of 'I am' is not abandoned, its roots not destroyed, not made [barren] like a palmyra stump, not deprived of the conditions of development, is destined for future rebirth. This is how a meditator burns.
"How does a meditator not burn? A meditator's conceit of 'I am' is abandoned, its root destroyed, made [barren] like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, is not destined for future rebirth. This is how a meditator does not burn."
- See also "Tanha: Craving" (AN 4.199)
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