Awakin Readings

Stop Shooting Arrows

Thanissaro Bhikku
  1 min read ·   22 reflections
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 तीर चलाना बंद करो
- थानिसरो भिक्कू (11 मार्च, 2013)
 
महात्मा बुद्ध दर्द की तुलना तीर से घायल होने से करते हैं। शारीरिक दर्द एक तीर से घायल होने जैसा है, लेकिन फिर हम उसके ऊपर से अपने को एक और तीर का निशाना बना लेते हैं, उस दर्द के बारे में सोचकर जो हालत हम अपने मन की कर लेते हैं, वह बिलकुल अनावश्यक है। जब आपके पास यह शरीर है, तो कोई ने कोई दर्द भी ज़रूर होगा। यहाँ तक कि महात्मा बुद्ध को निर्वाण मिलने के बाद भी शारीरिक दुखों का सामना करना पड़ा, लेकिन फर्क यह है कि उन्हें इस बात का ज्ञान था कि अपने आप की दूसरे, तीसरे, चौथे और पांचवें तीरों का निशाना बनाना ज़रूरी नहीं है। और होता यह है कि वह ज्यादा दुःख देते हैं। उन्हीं से असल में परेशानियाँ खड़ी  होती हैं।
 
लेकिन आप बस यूँ ही मार्च करते नहीं पहुँच जाएँगे और अपने आप से कहेंगे, "हाँ तो आप, बाहर निकल जाओ! रुक जाओ! तीर चलाना बंद करो!" आपको यह जानना होगा कि शारीरिक और मानसिक दर्द के बीच की सीमा रेखा कहाँ है। यह आप प्राणायाम के साथ प्रयोग करके, अपने दर्द पर लगाए जा रहे अलग-अलग लेबलों के साथ प्रयोग करके, अपने आप से दर्द के बारे में प्रश्न करके - और कभी-कभी अजीब प्रश्न ही दर्द के बारे में बनाये हमारे अजीब नज़रिओं को खोज निकालते हैं। उदाहरण के लिए, आप यह पूछ सकते हैं, "इस दर्द का क्या आकार  है?" यह काफी अजीब सवाल मालूम होता है, लेकिन जब आप इस सवाल की तह तक पहुँचते हैं तो पाते हैं कि आपकी कल्पना ने ही इस दर्द को आकार दिया है। अगर आप उसे कोई आकार न दें तो क्या होता है? वह दर्द इधर-उधर कैसे जाता है? क्या वह खुद ही इधर-उधर जा रहा है या वह इधर-उधर इसलिए जा रहा है क्योंकि आप उस पर इतना ध्यान दे रहे हैं? ये सब चीज़ें आप केवल प्रयोग से ही जान सकते हैं। प्रयोग से ही चीज़ें खुद ही विभाजित होने लगती हैं। दूसरे शब्दों में, अगर आपने पहले से ही ऐसी राय बना रखी है कि, "विभाजन रेखा यहाँ होनी चाहिए या वहां," तो मालूम चलता है कि ऐसा कुछ भी नहीं है। आप अपनी अज्ञानता को उस दर्द पर थोप रहे हैं, जो कि ज़ाहिर है उस दर्द को और भी ख़राब बना रही है। 
 
तो आप को प्रयोग करना सीखना होगा। आपकी सांस लेने की गति में होते बदलाव का दर्द पर क्या असर है? दर्द के बारे में आपके नज़रिए में होता बदलाव आपके दर्द को कैसे बदलता है? आपका अपने मन और शरीर के सम्बन्ध के बारे में बदलता नजरिया: क्या मन शरीर में बसा है? क्या शरीर मन में बसा है? शरीर में मन कहाँ स्थित है? ये सब सवाल काफी अजीब लगेंगे, लेकिन आप यह महसूस करने लगेंगे कि एक अव्यक्त स्तर पर मन इसी तरह सोचता है। और हमारी बहुत सी आम मान्यताएं कि हमारी जागरूकता का केंद्र कहाँ है, उस केंद्र के सम्बन्ध में हमारा दर्द कहाँ स्थित है, और वह उस केंद पर क्या असर डालता है: ये सब बातें इस बात पर खास असर डालती हैं कि हम उस दर्द को कैसे अनुभव करते हैं और कैसे हम बिना वजह इस दर्द से खुद को पीड़ित करते हैं। इसलिए आपको इन सब चीज़ों के साथ प्रयोग और उनका परीक्षण करना होगा। 
 
 
 
 
Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to shooting the unnecessary second, third, fourth and fifth arrows at yourself? Can you share insights from a personal experience where you attempted to examine your pain? What are your thoughts on the "strange questions" that the author asks in the last paragraph?

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22 Past Reflections
MA
MaryAnn
Mar 19, 2013
 Such a blessing, this wisdom, and my message to the now.  I have had deep chest congestion for 3 months now.  Its gift is that it has made me stop and listen to my body,  and led me to a place of enlightenment.  yet I have been frustrated that the coughing continues and leave me feeling light-headed and tired.  Your reading changed my perception of this process.  The coughing is a release of old unusable debris and the light headedness,  a momentary adjustment to a slightly higher vibration.  I can be at peace with this process.
SO
someone Apr 27, 2013

I hope you are doing better or are able to accept your congestion with wisdom. My sincere prayers for your well being and wise being. Peace to you. Amen.

JP
Jagdish P Dave Apr 27, 2013

 May your prayer and compassion bring bliss in our lives. Thanks for the gift you offered to us.Namaste.

Jagdish P Dave

KA
Kathy
Mar 14, 2013
It is true that  pain can be visualised and materialised, eg. tight knots and lightning bolts.  When awareness is brought to focus on these, a shift occurs . Consistent awareness practice  leads to resolution and peace.  Much learning occurs in-between.
BA
Barbara
Mar 13, 2013
 I have always found that by concentrating on a headache, going in to where it is,then  it no longer exists.
MI
Miquela
Mar 12, 2013
 The body itself is a microcosm of the macrocosm that we chose to live in and that is created by our own reflections of our inner workings. Pain is an indicator that something is wrong and a way for not only our body but our higher self to alert us to a problem or lesson. Pain is a great teacher. It gives us the opportunity to grow and enhance our experience.
JR
Jim Reeves
Mar 12, 2013
 Anyone have a metaphor for hip pain?  such as shouldering too much responsibiiity or carrying too heavy a load.
TA
Tamilyn
Mar 12, 2013
 beautiful explanation ..i often envision lil beings marching out to explore the pain whenever in my body or mind it lies and start will them to start the healing soon as pain strikes then i do my part to heal externally as well as call on universe to do its part , i find this "visioning" useful especially when i am in a situation where i cant necessarily use other methods of pain control ..Reiki healers ,until you learn to master pain yourself.... are the directors of these healing armies within us,imho .. :)
SM
smile
Mar 12, 2013
It is to see, what it is, "AS IT IS", and not what I make of it. Pain or joy both are multiplied as and when I want them too, whether I am aware or not.  If it a physical pain observe and treat, don't sit on it or distract yourself. If pain in mental ( someone said something bad to you or you lost something, etc.) face it and acknowledge it. Distraction to something brighter side just hides it; sometimes skin deep other times bone deep. It showers back at you, now being more or less than before. Just when life bring on that right moment for it to surface. Hence increasing the pile of the burden. Watching breathing as he describes, helps to acknowledge and face so I don't stack it up for future and I don't multiply. I wouldn't say this unless I am going through some and know it has helped me. I have my detours from path all the time. Thanks for helping me. It is like a string that does not let me go too far : ) wish best for all. Smiles... View full comment
JP
Jagdish P Dave
Mar 12, 2013
 I have been experiencing  chronic pain in my shoulders. It affects my sleep and makes me tired. I know the cause of pain and suffering -taking care of my life partner for two years and her passing away six months ago. I tried to take care of my pain and suffering during these tough years lovingly shouldering responsibility of taking care of my beloved. The demand was more than I could handle. After she passed away I became more cognizant of my ongoing pain. Shouldering  necessary and heavy responsibility has caused  pain in my shoulders. I become mindful of my pain, my breathing , my thoughts and accompanying feelings and let them come and go. I do it for a short time during the day and spend more time before I go to sleep and after I wake up. This holistic way of mindfully working on my self has been helpful in reducing my emotional suffering slowly and gradually and also reducing my physical pain. My sleep is getting more restful and I am able to feel m... View full comment
SO
someone Apr 27, 2013

Sir, hope your pain is less now or you are able to manage the feeling of it.  Wish you wisdom and peace.
Are you feeling alone or sad for losing your partner, that could be one reason of your pain. Please, think, meditate and try to let go of such stored emotions. Amen.

JF
Jim Foley
Mar 12, 2013
 There's actually a brain basis for the Buddha's wisdom; the emotional part of the pain experience, the negative label, is a completely separate process. There are parallels with purely emotional pain too; my work with clients who are depressed, for example, sometimes has to start with ending their depression about the depression (self-shaming comments about not coping better). With anxiety problems, it is so often the extra arrow of anxiety about the anxiety that leads to the real suffering, the obssessing, compulsions, avoidance; I teach people the image of letting the anxiety rise and fall like a wave passing you on the beach rather than fighting the waves or running from each one.
LU
Luv4all Apr 27, 2013

Hi Jim,

I do see some anxiety stored within myself for few deep fears of failure, loneliness, sickness etc. Sometimes, during my meditation i meet with anxiety and fear and see the discomfort in my breathing, mind and body. Any suggestion to help eradicate these.

Thanks.

ME
me Apr 27, 2013

 My heart goes out to you Jim!  My husband and son went fishing yesterday . . . spent the entire day out on the Wolf River.  (My husband caught one, his friend Paul, caught 2 and my son didn't even have a bite!)  I was home struggling with a 24 hour flu bug!  In this weakened state, I felt yesterday what you feel today.  I hear you!
Best remedies for this . . . get moving . . . find people . . . walk . . . "shock yourself" with sights and sounds outside yourself.  Get your mind off of what is bothering you!  
I love you!
 

VI
vida
Mar 12, 2013
 by being present there is no pain what ever it is ,it is awareness
MA
Manish
Mar 11, 2013
 I guess the idea here is to stay away from mental anguish due to physical pain and so the following comment maybe besides the point and purely about physical body but for whatever its worth.....

Based on my experience with the back pain, I wish I had cared about the small physical pains I was going through and not ignored them because after about 6 months of ignoring the pain, the situation became so bad that I went through years of chronic pain (and related anguish) due to inaction early on. Again, I understand that this is not the point here :) and the focus here is on controlling the anguish due to pain but just wanted to throw out a practical aspect of why its important to understand the root cause of any pain even if its small. If you don't, things could get worse if the root cause worsens. 
SO
someone Apr 27, 2013

My prayers or relief from your pain and wisdom to be able to bear with it. Hope you are trying alternate healing methods and home remedies as well. These are quite helpful sometimes.

AM
Amy
Mar 11, 2013
 In taking my 'brood of boys' to school this morn, I listened to a number of people respond to the question . . . 'What's Your Bright Side'?  (on a local radio station) People having more reasons to wake up on their "cloudy-side" shared stories of hope, happiness, attitudes of gratitude . . . LIFE!  What a fabulous way to wake up in the morning! Today, I have a choice!  I can live "beneath" . . .  "in" . . . or "on top" of my pain?  Most often, I fluctuate in and thru the three . . . but my "end of day score" needs to be "on top".    I am NOT a very competitive person . . . but in this, I want to win.  Why?  Because, Jesus did. Focus on your BRIGHT, LIGHT, SUNNY - SIDE!  Arrows most likely to be shot in the dark! It is our responsibility, as Christians, to take arrows out of the hands of our siblings!  We are family.  Love never far aw... View full comment
EL
Edit Lak
Mar 10, 2013
Yes the shooting arrow, and then more arrows, and then the war of many more life-time arrows. Cupid shot one arrow for love, but we shoot the rest of those arrows for self punishment and self feeling and we begin to feel that pain and  punishment is the way to move forward in life and in society, it’s how to cope and how to hide and ‘mask’ our uniqueness of growing. How messed up can we get, the more we disconnect the more we hurt self, and that hurt is to make us feel better.. Wrong wrong, wrong, but it happens every day, and,  it happens with people lighting a cigarette, having many drinks, binging, purging, cutting, scabbing, hating, ego-mania, gambling, gaming and bullying. The one I see most often is some youth looking down to the ground and not looking up and around, looking down because self worth cannot lift its head, that neck arrow must hurt. In the computer age, the age of so easy, where everything is done instantly where we are actually are given... View full comment
DD
david doane
Mar 10, 2013
 I agree that it's the metaphorical second, third, fourth, and fifth arrows that I shoot at myself that create unnecessary pain.  Pain is part of life -- examined or unexamined, there will be pain.  We'll never eliminate pain -- there is no such thing as painless living  Suffering, on the other hand, is how we bear the pain, deal with it, relate to it.  Pain and suffering are different and related phenomena. The challenge is to suffer or carry our pain in a way that is efficient and economical.  The pain will still be there -- it's just more bearable if we bear it wisely and don't make it worse by our way of bearing it.  I'm not recalling a specific experience, but this awareness helps me to more efficiently suffer any pain.  How we experience our pain is important because it is part of how we suffer our pain, and it can help us to suffer it in that way that doesn't create additional and unnecessary pain. 
CP
Conrad P. Pritscher
Mar 8, 2013
 Pain, at times, exists.  Suffering exists when we are attached to "no pain."  Accepting some pain can remove suffering caused by the second, and third etc. arrows which are often self-inflicted.  I have seen people get rid of headaches, for instance, by giving the headache pain a shape, then a color, then moving them around their head, and then finally, attaching balloons or some other imaginary device to move them above the head at which time the pain ceases. sSlf hypnosis is another powerful tool to help  rid one of pain.Thanks for another excellent article. Warm and kind regards to everyone
TH
Thierry
Mar 8, 2013
 It seems to me that what the author is talking about is how undisciplined thought can make worse any physical pain condition. He is not denying the reality of physical pain. Anybody with, say, arthritis will confirm that arthritic pain moves from the knees to the ankles, from the dorsal vertebras to the lumbar region without much pulling or pushing from the part of the sufferer. Physical pain can have a shape that ows nothing to imagination. It can be in the shape of a stomach pain, a pain circumscribed to the area of the stomach and digestive track. Nothing imaginary or mental  here: the pain is factually referred to the part of the body that suffers. And then the mental, secondary, reactions to pain under the form of remembrance, anticipation, worry or depression. Where to draw the line? At one end physical pain can be created by the psyche as with psychosomatic ailments. At the other end, pain unrelated with psyche as with genetic or degenerative diseases. I fee... View full comment
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