Between the inspiration and the derivation of the image, the average person sees only the inspirational side. He calls it beautiful. No matter what it takes, it is not very well understood by the average person.
It is the disciples who have taken refuge in the teachings of the Buddha, understand the difference between the inspiration and the derivation of the image which the average person calls beautiful or pretty or handsome or charming or whatever linguistic term he uses to express his inspiration.
The one who does not have a true understanding of this image, desires it again and again.
Also, for their own, they suffer thinking about their lost hair or their hair going grey. They worry about their looks. No matter what happens, they get lost in inspiration and seek it again in the future. They are the ones who fall into the four hells and go on a long journey of samsara.
The one who develops the understanding realizes the image in seven steps. They are… recognizing the image, identifying the formation of the image, the deconstruction of the image, the understanding of the path through which the image disappears, the inspiration of the image, the derivation of the image and the extraction of the image.
If we do not have the opportunity to, at least, realize these conditions in this life before we die, we will be like wild animals. We will just eat, drink, make children and also envy and hate others and finally die.
In this way the person who understands of the image becomes frustrated with the understanding itself. In order to detoxify of the love for the image, the antidote is to practise the teaching. That teaching is ‘Arya Ashtangika Marga’ or the Noble Eightfold Path. This auspicious path helps us to enter into the philosophy. We call these practitioners ‘Supatipanna’. The Supatipanna means the one who cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path. They discipline their lives in virtue, concentration, and wisdom in order to eradicate desire, hatred, and ignorance.
If a person becomes aware of the state of the image, becomes disillusioned with the image, suppresses the attachment to the image, and leaves the image without joining the image, then that person is full of realization.
Dr. Damenda Porage
© Buddhist Brotherhood
