Sensual Desire as the Cause of Mental Illness

Ashin Nyanika ID: 5201201089

Subject: Psychology in Tipitaka Lecturer:

B.A (Buddhism), 1st Semester, 4th Year, Academic Year 2012 Faculty of Buddhism Mahchulalongkorn University, Wagnoi

Desire as the Cause of Suffering Found in Majjhima Nikya f

Contents Preface Introduction Definition of Kmacchanda Sensual desire as the cause of suffering How to overcome sensual desire Conclusion Bibliography

Page

1 1 2 4
5 6

Benefits of Meditation

Monks, there are these two diseases. What two? Disease of body and disease of mind. Monk, there are to be seen beings who can admit freedom form suffering from bodily disease for one year, two years, for three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years; who can admit freedom from bodily disease for even a hundred years. But, monks, those beings are hard to find in the world how can admit freedom from mental disease even for one moment, save only those in whom the savas(cankers) are destroyed. [Anguttara Nikaya, Vol-11, Pali Text Society, London, 1973 Brain development Good memory Mental health Removes stress and strain Clam of body and mind Relax of body and mind Produces positive qualities
Page-146]

According to Mahsatipatthna Sutta, the practicing of results or benefits are as following: Purification from all kinds of defilements. Overcoming sorrow and worry. Overcoming lamentation. Cessation of all kinds of mental suffering. Attainment of enlightenment.

the most important thing in Buddhism and through on mental development which can lead to the way of ending all sufferings. by practicing meditation the mind become peaceful, calm concentrated, with tranquility mind the meditator can see things as they really are or true nature without name.

ii

understand nature of reality. So mind fully developed based on meditation, we will find peace and real happiness or Nibhana which is the goal of Buddhism.

This article first appeared in The Nevada Observer, March 1, 2008. by Bob Bennett Buddhism has played a part in many of the recent advances Western science has made about the brain. Much of this is due to the Mind and Life Institute which opened a series of dialogues between Western brain researchers of various disciplines and Buddhist monks including the Dalai Lama. I suspect that Buddhism will also make subtle changes in the way it views mental health issues as a result of these dialogs. One of the findings to come out of these dialogues is that meditation (and pursuing creative endeavors) increases the size and activity level of the left pre-frontal cortex. Those with a more active left pre-frontal cortex have been found to be happier, more peaceful and calmer. In contrast, those with a more active right pre-frontal cortex have been found to be more depressed and prone to spontaneous anti-social behavior. Thats the politically correct way of saying becoming angry and violent. Buddhism looks at mental illness differently than Western psychologists. In the U.S., the DSM-IV sets out specific behaviors and the existence of certain types of delusions as being necessary to receive a mental health diagnosis. In Buddhism, anyone in the grip of strong emotions; anger, lust, greed, jealously, etc., is showing signs of having mental health problems. In addition, it is believed that there are two types of people who will be prone to develop a mental health problem; those who take on too much responsibility, and consequently spend an enormous amount of time thinking; and those who take on too little responsibility, and spend little time developing their mental abilities. It is also believed that individuals have one of five vibrational aspects. It is not that one vibrational aspect is better than any other, but that individual contentment occurs when individuals pursue activities that are

iii

in harmony with that aspect. Not being in harmony with your vibrational aspect results in creating a dissonant resonance frequency which manifests itself in depression and self destructive behaviors. The further out of harmony an individual goes, the greater the tendency for destructive behaviors. Recent findings, such as the shrinkage of the hippocampus during the onset of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the changes in the brain when Schizophrenia is left untreated for long times, may result in minor perspective changes in the Buddhist view of mental health problems.

Introduction
The teaching on suffering is one of main central subjects in Buddhism. At the same time, various explanations and reasons are founded in Pli Conon for suffering and the cause of suffering. Even though many explanations are described concerning with the cause of suffering, in this short paper, I will emphasize on sensual desire as the main cause for suffering in terms of my topic on Sensual Desire (Kmacchanda) as the Cause of Suffering Found in Majjhima Nikya. For this assignment paper I will mainly refer to Majjhima Nikya text and some other sources from original Pli Conon. The paper aims to explore that why sensual desire is relevant to the cause of suffering and how it lead or create the cause of unhappiness and suffering.

Definition of Kmacchanda
Here I would like to show a few definitions for Pali term Kmacchanda. Generally Kmacchanda can be defined as sensual desire or sensual pleasure. Pali Text Societys Pali-English Dictionary gives the list of synonyms for kmacchanda: (1) chanda, impulse; (2) rga, excitement; (3) nand, enjoyment; (4) tah, thirst; (5) sineha, love; (6) pips, thirst; (7) pariha, consuming passion; (8) gedha, greed; (9) mucch, swoon, or confused state of mind; (10) ajjhosna, hanging on, or attachment etc. Also it mentions that Kmacchanda is synonymous with Kma. According to Ven.Nyanatilokas Buddhist Dictionary, Kmacchanda is sensuous desire or sense-desire which is directed to all five sense-objects in the subjective sensuality. Ven. Narada Thera wrote that

Kmacchanda means sensual desires or attachment to pleasurable sense-objects such as form, sound, odour, taste, and contact. This is regarded as one of the fetters, 1 too, that bind one to Samsra.
According to this explanation, we can understand that sensual desire is the most obstacle to spiritual enlargement. It arise though our sense organ.

Sensual desire is interpreted in two ways. Sometimes it is understood in a narrow sense as lust for the five strands of sensual pleasure, i.e. agreeable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches; sometimes a broader interpretation is given, by which the term becomes inclusive of craving in all

Narada, The Buddha and His Teachings, Buddhist Missionary Society, Kuala Lumpur, 1988, P.539

its modes, whether for sense pleasure, wealth, power, 2 position, fame, or anything else it can settle upon. nanda, There are these five cords of sensual pleasure. What are the five? Forms cognizable by the eyes that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. Sounds cognizable by the earOdours cognizable by the noseFlavours cognizable by tongueTangible cognizable by the body that are wished for, desired, agreeable, and likeable, connected with sensual desire and provocative of lust. These are five cords of sensual pleasure. Now the pleasure and joy that arise dependent on these five cords 3 of sensual pleasure are called sensual pleasure.
According to above talk, we can see that how sensual desire can arise us based on our sense organ.

Sensual desire as the cause of suffering This thought of sensual desire has arisen in me. This leads to my own affliction, to others affliction, and to the affliction of both; it obstructs wisdom, causes difficulties, 4 and leads away from Nibbana.
This above passage clear points out sensual desire as the cause of suffering and harmful to spiritual processes and also it leads to wrong direction which is away from liberation.

Again, with sensual pleasures as the cause, sensual pleasures as the source, sensual pleasure as the basis, the cause being simply sensual pleasures, kings quarrel with kings, nobles with nobles, Brahmins with Brahmins, householders with householders; mother quarrel with son, son with mother, father with son, son with father; brother quarrels with brother, brother with sister, sister with 5 brother, friend with friend.
This shows that how social problems arise in social relationships based on sensual desire. The Buddha described very details on various social disadvantages caused by
2 3

Bodhi, Bhikkhu, The Noble Eightfold Path, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, 2004, P.63 MN 122.14 4 MN 19.3 5 MN 13.11-12

sensual desire, such as crimes: stealing, robberies, kidnapping, quarrels, fights, wars and violence occur on all social levels and relationships on based of sense-desire. As result, people get great suffering.

Now this a danger in the case of sensual pleasure, a mass of suffering visible here and now, having sensual pleasures as its cause, sensual pleasures as its source, sensual pleasures as its basis, the cause being simply sensual 6 pleasure.
From this message, it should be understood that sensual desire is the main root of suffering and it is regarded as dangerous thing.

Kmato jyati soko: From lust arises grief, kmato jyati bhaya: from lust arises fear, kmato vippamuttassa: For one who is free from lust, natthi soko kuto bhaya: There 7 is no grief, much less fear.
This verse shows that what are disadvantages and advantages of kma in short. It is true when we have something which is much liked also creates our fear somehow like fear to lose that thing. In addition, we can that that the more we have strong sensual desire, the more we will have unwanted mental effect.

Monk, peril is a name for sensual desire, pain is a name for sensual desire, disease is a name for sensual desire, tumour fetter morass is a name for sensual desire. And why, monks, is peril a name for sensual desire? Inflamed by sensual passions and in bondage to lustful desire, one is free neither of the perils of this world nor of the perils of the next world. Inflamed by sensual passions and in bondage to lustful desire, one is free neither of the pain, the disease, the tumour, the fetter 8 and the morass of this world nor of the next world.
In this passage, the Buddha showed that how powerful effect of sensual desire is by giving smile example. At the same time, it means that as long as we have this defilement sensual desire, we cannot escape from mental pain and disease this world and next world. The Buddha clearly taught us to see the disadvantage of lustful desire.

6 7

MN 13.8 Dh 215 8 AN VI 23

How to overcome sensual desire Again, Sriputta, a bhikkhu should consider thus: Are the five hindrances abandoned in me? If, by reviewing, he knows thus: The five hindrances are not abandoned in me, then he should make an effort to abandon those five hindrances. But if, by reviewing, he knows thus: The five hindrances are abandoned in me, then he can abide happy 9 and glad, training day and night in wholesome states. Again, Sriputta, a bhikkhu should consider this: Are the five cords of sensual pleasure abandoned in me? If, by reviewing, he knows thus: The five cords of sensual pleasure are not abandoned in me, then he should make an effort to abandon those five cords of sensual 10 pleasure.
Here, it is seen from above passages that how self-observation or awareness is to be cultivated dealing with any hindrances. We can see that mindfulness is the very important tool to prevent or overcome hindrances.

The sieve is a symbol for the five hindrances, namely, the hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, and the hindrance of doubt. Throw out the sieve: abandon the five hindrances. Delve with the knife 11 (knife=noble wisdom), thou wise one.
From above the passage, we can see that to overcome the hindrances the Buddha gave simile knife as noble wisdom to use as tool dealing with five hindrances.

Rhula, develop meditation on foulness; for when you develop meditation on foulness, any lust will be 12 abandoned.
The Buddha gave Rhula meditation method focus on foulness (Asubha) regarding our body as natural concern and sensual objects in observing of impurity of sensual objects so that it will be very helpful to reduce or cover lust, passion as well as sensual desire.

MN 151.9 MN 151.10 11 MN 23.4 12 MN 62.22

10

And how does a bhikkhu abide contemplating mindobjects as mind-objects in terms of five hindrances? Here there being sensual desire in him, a bhikkhu understands: There is sensual desire in me; or there being sensual desire in him, he understands: There is sensual desire in me; and he also understands how there comes to be the arising of unarisen sensual desire, and how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen sensual desire, and how there comes to be the future no-arising of abandoned sensual 13 desire.
It describes that how awareness or mindfulness should be cultivated as a preliminary practice, which then leads to insight into how the hindrance of sensual desire has arisen, how to remove it, and how to prevent its future .It should be understood that mindfulness meditation practice through insight is the most essential and important practice for spiritual progress.

Conclusion
It is found that sensual desire is the first of five hindrances. In various places it has been showed as the cause of suffering in of level social problem as well as harmful and obstructs to spiritual growth. Also it causes both mental and physical pain, suffering and arising further consequences impact on in individual and the whole society. To deal with sensual desire, numerous suggestion or techniques are given such as mindfulness, self-observation on impurity of sensual objects and foulness meditation and so on. It should be noted that sensual desire as one of very powerful defilements can be totally removed after getting higher spiritual development. However, the Buddha showed us the way how to deal with it according to our practice and level of realisation and understanding.

13

MN 10.36

Bibliography 1. Analayo, Bhkkhu, From Craving to Liberation, Selangor Buddhist Meditation Society, Selangor, 2009 2. Bodhi, Bhikkhu, The Noble Eightfold Path, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, 2004 3. Dhammananda, K. Sri (Trans), The Dhammmapada, The Penang Buddhist Association, Penang, 2005 4. Harvey, Peter, An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2004 5. Nanamoli, Bhikkhu & Bodhi, Bhikkhu( Trans), Majjhima NikayaThe Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Boston, Wisdom Publications, 2005 6. Nyanaponika Thera, The Vision of Dhamma, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, 1994 7. Narada, The Buddha and His Teachings, Buddhist Missionary Society, Kuala Lumpur, 1988 8. Rahula, Walpola, What the Buddha Taught, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan, 2009