After seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching,

discriminatory thoughts arise,

habits solidify, control lessens,

and suffering increases.

Through our senses, we perceive our world. Feelings arise, ideas form. Opinions become set. Liking this, I want more; disliking that, I want it to go away. Such impressions accumulate in our store consciousness. We form habitual ways of responding to our assumptions rather than the facts and act emotionally rather than with understanding.

Reacting from habits, we do not stop to formulate the wisest course of action. We respond automatically, unaware the control we had over our thoughts and behavior is waning. The more we fail to exercise control and the more careless we become, the more mistakes we make. Since we act negligently and harm others, our ensuing sufferings will worsen.

What can we do?

Observe clearly, but do not attach, do not discriminate.

Act compassionately from understanding, not uncontrollably from emotions.  

Just as time is needed for a perfume bottle’s fragrance to fade away,

it takes time for the scent of our habits

to wane.

Even after we wash and dry an empty perfume bottle, the fragrance will linger. Although the perfume is long since gone, its scent, or “habit energy,” remains and will need time to dissipate.

In a similar manner, our bad habits also need time to be dispelled. Even after we curtail an action, its habit energy, like the scent of perfume, remains. Lured by the habit energy’s lingering presence, we find it difficult to break the energy’s hold and cease the action.

The bottle held the perfume for just a few years and yet considerable time is required before the last traces of odor disappear. The few years the perfume has existed are nothing compared to the countless lifetimes we have committed misdeeds.

We will need a long time of diligently not acting from that habit energy for the habit to finally be extinguished. 

To no longer be attached is to be free of

self-centered thoughts and expectations. 

Non-attachment falls between two extremes. On the one hand lies detachment, the absence of being emotionally involved. Others often perceive a detached person as aloof, not caring. Clearly, not our goal.

On the other hand lies attachment, being emotionally entangled with a focus on a person, object, or idea. Not our goal either!

We seek non-attachment, which falls in the dedicated, hard-working middle ground. While not emotionally entangled, we still care. Very much so. And so we do our best in everything we undertake. But we do not get caught up in egoistic thoughts. Facing a task, we can ask, “What is the best way to do this” rather than state, “I want to do it this way.” Having thus reined in our ego, we stop expecting a desired outcome. Then when things do not go our way, as invariably happens, we will not fall prey to obstinacy and regrets.

Finally, no longer attached or entangled, we will be free.

Buddhism is like an immense mountain

with 84,000 paths leading to the peak.

Choose—and remain on—that path. 

To attain the summit of a mountain in the most effective manner, climbers choose one route. Depending on their abilities, some might prefer a more cautious approach, others a more challenging one. Having chosen the route, they don’t deviate. They do not keep sampling different ones, or they would end up touring the mountain instead of climbing it, thus wasting time and energy.

Our practice is the same. With the summit of enlightenment as our goal, we choose the path that best suits our conditions and abilities. Like the climbers, we too need to stick to our chosen route. Taking our eyes off our goal, we can become enthralled by another path. “It looks easier!” “It looks more challenging!” “I’ll try it!”

Enamored of sampling different options, we will end up circling the mountain having lost sight of our goal to reach enlightenment.

Strive to detect thoughts the instant

they arise, before speaking or acting.

Our thoughts occur with incredible speed and subtlety, and in staggering numbers.

As we begin to watch them, it seems they amble through one after another. We then peer more closely. No, wait a minute; our thoughts are more like thousands of first-graders in a school auditorium all shouting “Me! Me!”

Just as their dazed teacher calls on the loudest student, we go with the most noticeable thought. Without thinking, we act on it and sow a karmic result. At the same time, our other thoughts are also planting future results. Incredibly slight, but results nonetheless.

Our thoughts, imperceptible or unmissable, are vibrations and as such will have consequences, imperceptible or unmissable. Just as that teacher could calm her students by having them focus, momentarily at least, on their favorite ice cream, we too can gain control over our actions and results by focusing on “Amituofo.”

Hopefully, all the time.