<Seon Meditation Guide 7>

We create our own suffering 

We must learn to work with the feelings and emotions we experience on our own. No matter how advanced brain science becomes, our suffering will simply disappear. Even if we are highly talented, exceptionally wise, extremely powerful, or the richest person in the world, our suffering will not vanish by itself.

Where there is pleasure, there is also suffering. Where paradise is found, hell inevitably follows. When happiness arises, so does unhappiness, in equal measure. This is because that is. We must clearly understand this truth and cultivate the strength to endure it. When one ceases, the other also ceases to be. The true practice of the Middle Way is to realize this truth. When suffering ceases, so do birth and death.

To achieve this, we must observe our emotional state and exercise self-control. Methods such as ‘Shall Pass Meditation’ or ‘Letting Go Meditation’ are useful for this purpose. It is crucial to be aware of our emotional state at any given moment.

The Seon patriarchs of old dedicated themselves to the practice of chanting, reading sutras, and sitting meditation to cultivate the mindfulness of emotion. However, modern people find such methods difficult and rarely practice them. Therefore, I recommend setting aside just five minutes a day to create a moment to calm our mind.

It is highly recommended that we attend to our emotions as often as possible, aiming to achieve a state of calmness. This can be as simple as going for a quiet walk or just sitting still and observing our breathing. Please try out different methods to settle a restless mind and balance emotional fluctuations. The Seon Meditation Academy also offers several practical approaches.

We do not even need to set aside special time for it. We can do it anytime, anywhere—whether we are talking to friends, studying, working, or walking down the street. After all, we can all figure out whether we are feeling good or bad right now.

The Buddha taught us to purify the three karmas, and it is not at all difficult. Karma arises from actions performed with the body, words spoken, and thoughts generated. Practicing Buddhism means examining these three types of karmas and purifying them. One excellent method for achieving this is the Seon meditation.

If we constantly believe that we must achieve what we desire, we cannot escape suffering. This belief consumes an immense amount of emotional energy, regardless of whether we achieve our goals or not. We become intoxicated by outward appearances, clinging to them and losing ourselves in them. This is why we must learn to master our minds. Even those who have practiced Buddhism for a long time sometimes struggle. However, this does not mean we should stop trying when things get tough. In fact, precisely because it is difficult, we must practice even harder. This is to avoid being trapped in the cycle of suffering and rebirth in the six realms.

Let's take a look at it through the lens of brain science. Imagine you fracture a toe, for example. It would be incredibly painful, wouldn’t it? You would probably think it is only natural to feel pain because your toe is injured. However, from a perspective of brain science, it is only the brain that feels pain. The toe itself has nothing to do with the pain. A broken toe is merely a phenomenon. It is the brain that generates the sensation of pain and the feeling of suffering; the toe itself has no part in it. 

Viewed this way, brain cells are like a warehouse of karma where all my experiences are stored. When something happens, whether I perceive it as enjoyable or painful is determined by my past experiences—my karma.

For example, if my experience of hurting my toe is stored as a positive memory, there is a high probability that I will feel good when the same thing happens later. Conversely, if the memory of hurting my toe is stored as something painful and difficult, then when a similar event occurs later, painful and difficult feelings will likely arise first. This will always be the case unless I consciously change my karmic imprint. Therefore, becoming aware of my karmic imprint and making an effort to change it means I can be free from the painful feelings.