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Twelve (12)
Scientific Psychological Axioms
Buddhist
Psychology
©
2010 Doug Remington - All
rights reserved.
Just
as
the ancient Greek
axioms of Geometry apply
to all geometric
forms, the following ancient psychological axioms
apply to all emotional pain.
This is not meant to be some kind of blind, dogmatic
statement. Rather,
it’s a challenge for all to actually experiment in
the laboratory of your own life. Thus, the truth can
and should be verified by
your personal experience.
We are all different, but we all share two common traits that cause all emotional pain. That is, we are all selfish and self-centered to some degree or another. It's upon this scientific fact that these twelve (12) Buddhist Axioms are formulated. Axiom 2 : Rajas is a non-virtuous, reactive state of mind involving greed (attachment) and anger -- (2) two of the (3) three poisons of the mind. There’s instinctual desire for all the passions: that is, money, property, prestige, sex, etc. When these passions are achieved, worldly happiness is the temporary, instinctual result. But, if obstructed, some sort of misery is the result. Axiom 3: Tomas is a non-virtuous, reactive state of mind that instinctually craves being loved, needed, and protected. If this love and protection are achieved, worldly happiness is the instinctual, temporary result. But, if obstructed, some sort of misery is the result. This state of mind involves the (3rd) Third poison of the mind, ignorance in the form of fear, depression and guilt. Axiom 4: Sattva is a non-reactive (pro-active), virtuous state of mind. It involves sublime happiness. It lies in the middle of the two opposite extremes: Rajas and Tomas. This state of mind seeks personal growth and lasting values. If thwarted, there is no reaction into a state of misery. Axiom 5: There are numerous names for painful emotions, but all of these fit neatly into only (5) five main categories. These are Greed, Anger, Fear, Depression and Guilt. Research most words for emotional pain in a dictionary—rest assured that they will be a synonym for either greed, anger, fear, depression or guilt. Some words will require more analysis than others, but they all basically mean the same as either greed, anger, fear, depression or guilt. This makes human psychology very simple. Axiom 6: GREED is caused by selfishness. The common manifestation of “Self” is selfishness. If we don’t get what we selfishly and instinctually crave and demand, we go berserk! Other names for greed are envy, acquisitiveness, avarice, avariciousness, avidity, covetousness, cupidity, greediness, rapaciousness, and rapacity. Greed is easily and conventionally cured by renunciation. There are other ways of curing greed too, but renunciation is the best. Greed only happens in Rajas. Axiom 7: ANGER is caused by selfishness. The common manifestation of “Self” is selfishness. If we don’t get what we selfishly and instinctually crave and demand, we go berserk! Other names for anger are resentment, revenge, jealousy, reprisal, annoyance, irritation, retribution, frustration, exasperation, rage, wrath, fury, bitterness, hatred, dislike, antipathy, offense, umbrage, and many more. Anger only happens in Rajas. Anger is easily and conventionally cured by reversing the currents of the mind by a process of wishing love. There are many other methods for curing anger, too, but wishing love is the most powerful. This process will be fully explained in the section dealing with the actual practice. Some emotions are a combination of two or more emotions. Jealousy, for example, is a combination of greed and anger. It might be cured both ways: that is, by wishing love or through renunciation. It is placed with anger because jealousy is usually best cured by wishing love. Naturally, there are other ways of curing jealousy, too. Axiom 8: FEAR is caused by self-centeredness. When the 900-pound tiger is charging, our self-sufficiency and self-reliance fail, causing fear. Constantly thinking about ourselves, we rely on “Self” for the impossible—instead of relying on God, other people, the police, etc. Other names for self-centeredness that mean the same thing as fear are: dread, worry, horror, fright, anxiety, panic, alarm, anxiety, trepidation, apprehension, uneasiness, turmoil, jumpiness, wariness, and many more. Fear only happens in Tomas. Fear is easily and conventionally cured by replacing it with faith. There are other methods, too. The most powerful method is being grateful in advance for averting the object of our fear. This, too, will be fully explained in the section of practice. Heroism also cures fear and will be discussed fully. Axiom 9: DEPRESSION is caused by self-centeredness too. The common manifestations of “Self” are self-centeredness in the form of self-pity, low self-esteem, self-condemnation, self-loathing, self-deprecation, and many more. Constantly thinking about our selves, we compare our selves to others, and constantly judge our self inferior! Depression only happens in Tomas. Other forms of self-centeredness that mean the same thing as depression are: grief, loneliness, despair, sadness, guilt, gloominess, misery, melancholy, hopelessness, dejection, slump, hollow, embarrassment, humiliation, degradation, mortification, shame, disgrace, chagrin, and many more. The most common form of depression is self-pity, which is easily and conventionally cured by gratitude. This is done by forcing the mind to be grateful for what little one has—rather than being ungrateful for all one does not have—which is natural, normal and instinctual. I was full of self-pity (depression) because I had no shoes. Then I met a lady with no legs. Another form of depression is guilt (self-condemnation). If we’re guilty, it’s because we are guilty. Many disagree with us. That’s okay too. If we can accept it, guilt is easily cured by repentance. That is, we have to give up the things for which we are guilty and resolve not to do them again. Guilt is a highly controversial subject. Many don‘t believe that guilt even exists. And this is okay, too. In this case we can learn to forgive ourselves and move on. We will, therefore, stay out of the guilt controversy. It won’t be mentioned it again. Self-loathing in most people becomes depression. But, in some cases, it remains as blatant anger. Thus, it would be best cured by wishing love toward one's-self—that is, reversing the currents of our mind from hatred to love. Therefore, all emotions must be analyzed carefully to determine their true nature and/or combination of natures. Regardless, all painful emotions will fit nicely into Aristotle’s two (2) main categories. They will either increase our energy or they will decrease our energy. And consequently, as Aristotle informed us 2,500 years ago, all painful emotions can be immediately ended with the practice of some sort of virtue. And when this comes about, there’s a balance of energy in the Middle Path, Sattva. Such is Aristotle’s simple message. Axiom 10: Greed and anger (Rajas state) are always accompanied by excess energy. Fear and depression (Tomas state) are always accompanied by a lack of energy—the mind of the couch potato. The excess energy and deficiency are in direct proportion to the intensity of the emotional pain. For example, the more angry and greedy we become, the more excess energy we have. In extreme manic states, we don’t sleep for days—or even weeks. The more depressed or fearful we become, the more we transform into a couch potato. In an extreme state of depression, we don’t move at all. This is the state of the catatonic schizophrenic. The practice of virtue in Rajas and Tomas will actually produce additional emotional pain. But as soon as the currents of the mind are reversed to a balanced flow of energy and our consciousness goes into Sattva, all emotional pain is gone. And the emotional pain will stay gone as long as the mind is held in the Middle Path. Axiom 11: Only four things cause worldly happiness. These are (1): A Successful, Luxurious, and Easy Life; (2): Praise, (3): Fame, and (4): Contact with Physical Pleasures. Only four things cause worldly unhappiness. These are (1): Failure, Poverty, Hard Life, etc. (2): Blame, (3): Infamy (bad reputation) and (4): Contact with Physical Pain. Together, these will be referred to as the Eight Worldly Concerns. Axiom 12 : Instinctually, the extreme of selfishness and the extreme of self-centeredness are more aptly called “Self-Grasping Ignorance,” because (for the most part) we don’t have direct control over selfishness and self-centeredness. We’re angry when we don’t want to be angry. We’re depressed when we don’t want to be depressed. We’re fearful when we don’t want to be fearful. And we’re greedy when we don’t want to be attached. This self-grasping ignorance can be dramatically weakened and even destroyed by repeatedly forcing the instinctual, reacting mind to practice virtue, Consequently, it’s forced into Sattva, Aristotle’s Middle Path. The practice of virtue kills selfishness and self-centeredness. Chapters Fifteen (15) will discuss other ways of killing it. All emotional disorders are simply involuntary, instinctual, blind, self-grasping ignorance! |
Three (3) Separate States of Consciousness Within the Normal Waking State Intense Practice of Virtue Immediately Produces the Middle State Aristotle Called them: Excess Mean Deficiency Sanskrit Name Synonyms Rajas Sattva Tomas Examples: Emotional Pain Absence of Emotional Pain Emotional Pain Abnormal Authentic State of Consciousness Abnormal Satiation Happiness The Sublime Satiation Happiness Opposite Extreme Real Happiness Opposite Extreme Selfishness No Selfishness / No Self-Centeredness Self-centeredness Reckless Bungee Jumping Heroism Cowardice Greed and Anger Humility Fear and Depression Emotional Pain! Peace / Joy / Bliss Emotional Pain! Injuring Others! Non-Injury Injury to Self! Passion (addiction) Self-Control Grief / Loss of All Appetites Excess Energy Balanced Energy Deficient Energy Manic Activity / No Sleep Even-Mindedness Catatonic - No Movement Instinctive Reactions Intelligent Response Instinctive Reactions Reactive Mind Non-Reactive Mind Reactive Mind Thieves and Robbers Honesty / Righteousness Chears/Con-Artist Secular Psychology Spiritual Practice Secular Psychology Non-Virtue / Misery Virtue Non-Virtue / Misery Seeks Worldly Appetites Seeks Authentic Happiness Seeks Worldly Security Seeks Worldly Passions Seeks Enlightenment Seeks Love and Protection Seeks Sense Pleasures Seeks Truth Seeks Friends and Relatives Sexual Love - Romance Brotherly Love Love of Family & Friends Self-Cherishing Compassion / Cherishes Others Self-Love Seeks to be served Serves Others Seeks to be Served Simple,
Immediate Antidotes for all Emotional Pain:
Emotional Pain is
Sublimated
Intense Practice of
Virtue!
Into
the
Mean Or Middle Path
Emotional
Pain Antidote:
Emotional
PainBy Using The Following Antidotes Pain Ends Immediately! ------ Repentance Guilt ------ Gratitude Depression ------ Faith & Heroic Stance Fear Anger Love ----- Greed & Attachment Renunciation ----- Emotional Pain Renunciation Emotional Pain The practices for sublimating the antidotes are explained in my book. Please Push the Back Button Or Home |