consideration will be the inner search for the true causal basis of
the physical body, the painful feelings, the citta, and the mental
phenomena arising in conjunction with it;^6 for, this is precisely
where the full intensity of dukkha will converge at that moment.
Since his ability to confront the pain and endure its effects is no
longer a concern, his confidence is unshakable. His primary con-
cern is whether mindfulness and wisdom will successfully realize
the entire truth of these phenomena in time.
Once a monk has investigated a Truth of Dhamma, like
the Truth of Dukkha, until its true nature is fully understood, the
next time he wishes to repeat that accomplishment, he does not
allow the difficulties of the investigation to block his way and
needlessly weaken his resolve. He simply considers what he pre-
viously did to enable him to see the truth so clearly, then repro-
duces that same effort in the present moment. In that way, a clear
realization of the truth always lies within the powers of his mind-
fulness, his wisdom, his conviction, and his persistent effort. The
truth is: pain, body, and citta all exist separately, each one being
true within its own sphere. They in no way conflict or interfere
with one another. By the power of this realization, samudaya –
the cause of dukkha – is conquered, and all apprehension about
the pain, the condition of the illness, or the prospect of dying is
vanquished with it. Such fears are really emotional concerns that
demoralize the spirit and lead to a debilitating sense of frustration.
Once this decisive breakthrough is achieved, the illness is likely to
subside as a result. But even if the symptoms don’t entirely abate,
they will not intensify to the point where the citta is overwhelmed
by an onslaught of painful feelings, thus producing a twofold ill-
ness: one of an ailing body, the other of an ailing mind.
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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