Lecturer: Master Zheng-Yan
Subject: The Eight Inverted Views (Part 2) (八倒二)
We have discussed the Inverted Views of ordinary people and of Hinayana practitioners. Ordinary people do not always use reason, so confusion is inevitable. Hinayana practitioners cling to practicing for themselves alone, so it is hard for them to broaden their vision. They easily adhere to extremes, which also causes inverted views. The Eight Inverted Views are attributed to ordinary people and Hinayana practitioners.
The Four Inverted Views of ordinary people: clinging to impermanence as permanence, not-joy as joy, no-self as “self”, impurity as purity.
The Four inverted Views of Hinayana practitioners: clinging to permanence as impermanence, joy as not-joy, the Greater Self as no-self, purity as impurity.
Ordinary people cling to existence, and falsely see impermanence as permanence. Is there permanence in this world? If there is, then why do we speak of yesterday and today, last year and this year? If every day is the same, how is there a past, present and future? What we call the future keeps changing, so nothing is permanent. Right now it is dawn, in a while day will break, and it will be morning. Then comes afternoon. Time is separated into before, now and after; this is impermanence.
But as time keeps passing, sentient beings adapt to changes. It happens everywhere in nature, and even in our bodies, in our metabolism. Young children keep growing because of their metabolism. Teenagers are the same. Their bodies naturally change; gradually they become middle-aged, then elderly. What is permanent for humans? Yet ordinary people want things to be permanent so they act and plan accordingly. This easily leads to confusion. The world is clearly full of suffering, but ordinary people expect joy.
Where is there joy in this world? Since change is constant, nothing is ours forever. So there isn’t much joy. But ordinary people still seek joy amid suffering. If we think about it, who isn’t trying to seek joy amid suffering? Clearly the “self” does not truly exist, but we still cling to it. When am I really me? What am I? People tend to cling to “me” and “mine” so conflicts with others arise. When there is “self,” there is “other.” If he refers to himself as “I,” and you refer to yourself as “I,” which one is really “I?”
Ordinary people cling to the self, creating many issues and conflicts. We cling to the impure as pure. If we have a cold, we have to wear a mask, because our bodies are full of germs. If we have the flu, germs run rampant . When we cough, we release many germs from our mouths, which can easily infect others. Let us think, where can we find purity in our bodies? Seeing impurity as pure is what ordinary people do.
Ordinary people cling to the notion of existence. In delusion, they see impermanence as permanence. They strive to find joy amid worldly suffering. Due to attachment to self, they take issue and create conflict with others. They see impurity as pure, so they are easily confused.
Hinayana practitioners cling to Emptiness. “There’s absolutely nothing.” But they are attached to Emptiness, so they easily deviate. They see permanence as impermanence. But ordinary people and Hinayana practitioners do not truly understand Emptiness. There is Wondrous Existence in Emptiness. They do not know there is eternity in impermanence. They “cling to joy as not-joy.” Dharma-joy is constant, but they cannot realize it. So they see what is joyful as not joyful. They “see the Greater Self as no-self.” There is clearly a self, but they cannot realize the Greater Self, so they cling to the lesser, ignorant self. This is also an inverted view. They “see the pure as impure.” Pure wondrous Dharma exists, but they consider everything impure. So those are the Eight Inverted Views.
Hinayana practitioners are attached to Emptiness. They see permanence as impermanence and cannot realize the permanence of Dharma-joy. They do not understand the Greater Self, so they cling to the lesser self. They deem pure Dharma impure, and easily deviate.
We know about the Hinayana practice. Pratyekabuddhas, Sravakas, etc., are all Hinayana practitioners. Now let is analyze ordinary people. They “cling to impermanence as permanence.” We all know that everything in the world is conditioned. All conditioned things are impermanent, empty and illusory. Nothing lasts forever, but ordinary people cling to permanence, saying “this is mine.” What is a “conditioned thing?” It is something created by conditions. If we think something is too short, we want to make it longer. What can be made longer or shorter is impermanent.
What can be made bigger or smaller, is also impermanent. Whatever we create can be changed. What is created under impermanent conditions is impermanent.
This applies to everything in this world. When we clear weeds, they will grow again. When we plant flowers and trees, we anticipate reaping what we have sown. The fruit will fall on the ground and new plants will grow under the right causes and conditions. But if the conditions are absent, they will not. So the cycle does not always repeat itself. Therefore, everything is impermanent. Everything in the natural world keeps changing.
In 2005, many mountains and rivers in the world drastically changed. Some mountains flattened into canyons, and rivers rose above their banks. The destruction of nature is evident in the great shift of mountains and rivers. Think about it , what is permanent in nature? Or in People? Societies? The world? Nothing is permanent.
“I” may be a baby, “I” may be an adolescent or a senior. Our bodies constantly change because of the Aggregate of Action. It is very subtle, constantly moving and changing, like the universe. The Sun, the Moon and the Earth keep orbiting, where is the permanence in that? So everything is impermanent and illusory.
However, ordinary people cannot comprehend these principles, so conflicts arise, causing afflictions that are unspeakably painful. When ordinary people see impermanence as permanence, they are confused. The inverted view of permanence causes affliction.
Then there is the second type of inverted view, “clinging to not-joy as joy.” Consider what is not joyful. Where is true happiness in this world? Much joy in the world comes from the Five Desires. People say hearts of desire blaze like fire. Thought of desire are like a sea.
There is a saying, “1000-foot swells rise in the river of love 10,000 waves surge in the sea of suffering ”
Desire is boundless, especially with people’s Five Desires. Desire for form, sound, smell taste and touch. In our daily lives, these five factors give rise to our inverted views. The world is illusory and impermanent. Clinging to illusory and impermanent things becomes suffering. This is seeing what is not joyful as joyful. The joy from the Five Desires is the cause of much suffering.
“Clinging to no- self as ‘self’” Everyone, where is the self? We use this term to refer to ourselves. But it is just a term, and the meaning is always different. You say “I,” I also say “I.” So are you the self, am I the self, or is he the self? He also says “I.” Is he the self or am I the self? Actually, “self” is just a word. But we believe in a permanent self. We see no-self as “self” or the body as the self. The body is a temporary composite of Four Elements. We refer to our bodies as ourselves, but they are really aggregates of the Four Elements. However, no one understands this, even some Buddhist practitioners.
I have spoken about the aggregate of Four Elements. But if I ask you, what are the Four Elements? “I know, earth, water, fire and wind.” But this is just knowing the terms, without really comprehending their meaning. Because we do not make an effort to comprehend, we often see no-self as “self.” We do not think about this temporary composite of the Four Elements, how there is no permanent self. Ordinary people do not have true selves. Each of the Four Elements has its own name, so we have to try to understand them. There is no permanent self in life. There self unobtainable. At any given moment, we are changing and transforming, there is no moment when the permanent self exists.
The fourth is “Clinging to impurity as purity.” We think of our bodies and others’ bodies are pure. So men and women pursue each other. But what is there to pursue? Entertaining sexual desire is counting disaster. So often in this world, one develops a liking for someone, and pursues the person at all costs. That also brings pain. We do not understand that the other person is just as impure.
When Matanga pursued Ananda, he was almost seduced by her. Fortunately, Sariputra and Manjusri appeared just in time. They brought him back to the Buddha. The Buddha told Ananda to take a bath. After he washed himself, Matanga came and asked the Buddha for Ananda. “Buddha, aren’t you compassionate? I love your disciple Ananda please return him to me.” So the Buddha said, “You love Ananda, correct? Here is Ananda’s bath water in front of you. If you love him, then drink this water first.” Matanga said “Oh Buddha, this water is filthy, why do you want me to drink it?” The Buddha , “Don’t you love him? You detest his bathwater as too dirty, what about impurities from his Nine Orifices? What is there to love?” then Matanga become enlightened.
So ordinary people have limited capacity. We do not really understand anything. When we crave someone, we pursue them. This is how we could disaster. If our capacity was greater, we would understand, as Matanga did when Buddha pointed out her folly. “Don’t you love him? If so, drink the water from his bath.” With that, she became enlightened and left home for spiritual practice. Thus “see what is impure as pure.
Everyone, in our daily lives, we should investigate our body, investigate what is actually lovable about it investigate what is actually lovable about it. I hope we all live under the Buddha’s teachings. Since we are practicing, we should always be mindful.
(Source: Da Ai TV 靜思晨語 法譬如水)
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