It is said in the teachings that for some beings, dukkha feels like an eyelash on the palm of the hand, while for others it feels like an eyelash in the eye.
Those who belong to the second category feel the existential pain of separation very directly. In the very moment we become “I” — the one who experiences — experience turns into “other,” and a sense of incompleteness is born. That can be felt as dissatisfaction, but for some of us, it’s existential dread, a persistent, terrifying longing for completeness and meaning.
Much of what we do in samsara can be seen as an attempt either to distract ourselves from this unease, or to mend the rift by finding something or someone that temporarily appears to make us feel whole again, provide meaning and soothe the dread.
And when what seemed to work for a while is lost, the pain we feel is, ultimately, the pain of that original wound being exposed once more. Sitting with it is a very brave and honest thing to do.
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Dear Tsering Paldron,
Wonderful. This quotation is so meaningful, I also often use it, to the surprise of some listeners who usually think at first that I would have meant the opposite.
Kind regards from (Lama) Yesche,
your seat-neighbour at the Kagyu Monlam in Berlin last summer.
My wife and me will be coming to Porto from April 3-13 to attend the BIAL symposium “Behind and Beyond the Brain”.
Dear Lama Yesche, so nice to hear from you! I will be delighted to meet you and your wife when you come in April. I am coming to Bodhicharya Berlin on the week-end 6-8th March, maybe we will see each other then. Best wishes