Illusory Pleasures and Endless Suffering

When the mental faculty mistakenly takes the five aggregates as the self, regarding sustenance, it compels consciousness and visual consciousness to become selective about the appearance, flavor, and nutrition of food. It drives the tongue consciousness and mental consciousness to crave delicious tastes and nutrients, perceiving taste-objects as truly real, taste sensations as truly real, and the spleen and stomach as truly real—thus leading to attachment to food and drink.

In truth, delicious flavors arise and cease instantaneously, changing and impermanent. Taste sensations arise and cease instantaneously, changing and impermanent. After the taste sensation vanishes, nothing is attained; even while it exists, nothing is attained. After the delicious flavor enters the esophagus, nothing is attained; even while it exists, nothing is attained. After digestion, nothing is attained from the nutrients; even while nutrients exist, nothing is attained. After the physical body perishes, nothing is attained; even while the physical body exists, nothing is attained.

Yet, because the seven consciousnesses cling to food and drink, they remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth within the six realms of the desire realm, suffering incessantly. They greedily grasp at momentary sensations, only to sink for millions of years in the ocean of birth, death, and suffering. What is the ratio of suffering to pleasure in this?

The same applies when the eye sees forms, the ear hears sounds, the nose smells scents, the body feels contact, and the mind cognizes mental objects. Fleeting, impermanent, and illusory pleasures are exchanged for endless misery. Why endure such hardship?

Continuously observe the "self" within your own mind. Examine whether all activities of the five aggregates revolve around this so-called "self," whether your own nature of awareness and sensation is mistaken for a truly real "self," and whether the various activities of the physical body are mistaken for a truly real "self." Thereafter, clinging to these so-called "selves" occurs unconsciously, leading to unceasing suffering in birth and death and endless rebirth.

Regularly maintain the mind in a state of concentration. Observe and reflect on your own speech, actions, and conduct to identify the cherished "self" within the heart. Contemplate it, examine it, subdue it, dissolve it, and finally release it and sever it. Only then can you be free from its bondage, attain liberation, and gain true freedom.