📿 Musings from Monks
“Musings from Monks” is an occasional series exploring insights from monks, mystics, and martyrs. These brief meditations are designed to be invitations to engage in contemplation. May these prompts and practices (in a small way) be a source of wisdom and insight to live a contemplative life.
The Buddha on the end of clinging
In this edition of “Musing from Monks,” we explore a dialogue between the Buddha and one of his disciples named Ananda.
Just so, Ananda, in one who contemplates the enjoyment of all things that make for clinging, craving arises; through craving, clinging is conditioned; through clinging, the process of becoming is conditioned; through the process of becoming, rebirth is conditioned; through rebirth are conditioned old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Thus arises the whole mass of suffering again in the future.
But in the person, Ananda, who dwells contemplating the sorrow of all things that make for clinging, craving ceases; when craving ceases, clinging ceases; when clinging ceases, the process of becoming ceases; when the process of becoming ceases, rebirth ceases; when rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Thus, the entire mass of suffering ceases. …
