| | Author: SimoneRühle Forum: Dharma Overground Discussion Forum
I read once in a commentary that a oncereturner has usually weak desire and aversion but when he does have them, they are very strong and violent. What would you say from your experience about this? I can't really solve this contradiction. Either one has reduced defilements forever and they don't come up heavily on some occasions or the work is not finished yet and that is why defilements pop up from time to time? Or the commentary is wrong...
My thread appeard on my profile page so I put it here There was one reply: from monkeymind HI Simone, Welcome! Nice to have you here. So, what's the context of this statement, in terms of the noble eightfold path, or in terms of sila, samadhi, panna? I like to look at such questions in this way, because it encourages me to take a practice-oriented approach. So for example in terms of sila / morality, to me, the statement seems to be a heads-up, even an encouragement: don't be complacent. Desire and aversion come and go, in various degrees of intensity; be prepared for the big ones. In terms of samadhi / concentration, there are instructive maps like the one about the planes of existence, and the defilements certainly seem to bump the meditator around these states, keep them out of some states, or within some states. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html In terms of panna / insight, this statement seems to be about attraction and repulsion, about preferences regarding how things should or should not be. Sometimes these are noticed strongly, sometimes not. It's all a bit on the theoretical side for me, however. I tend to identify this kind of worrying about the "one true interpretation" with the "fetter" of sceptical doubt. I strongly assume that it will all resolve when I get there. All these fetters, hindrances and defilements are countered not by obsessing about them, but by diligent, mindful practice, after all. Cheers, Florian |