Lama Shenpen and the Sense of Rightness

Jeffrey

The Sense of Rightness
Lama Shenpen Hookham
Summary: What is this sense of rightness that we rely upon while traversing the Path to Awakening? Is it a feeling, the same as any other conditioned feelings that come and go - or is it unconditioned and therefore something we can truly trust?

A student writes:

"I'm having problems understanding why certain feelings such as the feeling of 'rightness,’ are said to come from the heart or our 'chitta,' whereas other feelings are judged to be just passing emotions. Is the point of this that a sense of having an open and free heart doesn't arise out of conceptual thought?"

Lama Shenpen:

Your question is an important one because, on the surface, just to have a sense of rightness could simply be a conditioned response of some kind, in which case, it's nothing more than a passing feeling. But below the surface, when one really links into the sense of rightness rather than one's opinions and grasping at this or that as 'right,' the feeling of rightness isn't anything to do with opinions and grasping. In fact, the opinions and grasping, the holding and the thinking don't feel 'right' really. And somehow in the middle of all that there is a part of us that kind of knows what would feel 'right,' even if actually it isn't feeling it now.

When we grasp and hold or try to hold, it's because we feel there is something wrong with letting go. Paradoxically and confusingly, something feels 'right' about holding on. The reason it feels right is that our sense of rightness tells us the feeling of contentment and happiness that is there momentarily is 'right.' We then make the mistake of thinking that the way to prolong this is to hold on. However, when we look more closely, we notice that the holding on itself feels wrong. But we were right that we should not let the sense of 'rightness' slip away from us.

However we don’t have to worry. The sense of rightness is always with us. Our mistake is to think that it is maintained by holding on. It is this mistake that makes us try to hold on to experience somehow. That is what sets us off back into samsara ... seeking for what feels 'right' among things we can hold onto and yet as soon as we hold on, it feels wrong again. It feels hopeless.

So using exactly the same feeling of what would feel 'right,' we turn towards the impermanence and ungraspability of our experience and let it be like that. Instead of grasping and trying to hold on, we let it be as it is, let it go where it goes. What you might feel at that point is a very poignant sense of 'rightness,' a kind of sadness and rightness that come together, a very exposed nowhereness that is both awkward and a relief at the same time.

You are right that it is non-conceptual. You could never have worked this out intellectually. It is just a response that bubbles up by itself and tells you this is the way forward, this is the way to go. You kind of recognise it intuitively by a simple sense of rightness, simplicity, elegance, truthfulness and even in a strange sense, beauty and even wonder. It's definitely, I think, a heart response ... wouldn't you say?

lobster

I would say it is similar to the trust you have for your teacher. You know they have your interests at heart. You know their advice is good and applicable. You know what is useful and what is wishful or delusional.

Cinorjer

Meditation on rightness:

So you know what is right and what is wrong?

A suicide bomber is convinced he is doing the right thing for the right reason. So what is it in your Dharma practice that makes your sense of rightness different from his?

sova

@Jeffrey this really touched my heart. Thank you

To lose the self is not to become separated
it is, truly, to lose separation!

help many beings
and keep the fire of your bodhichitta stoked
assurance in the method
of the Ones Bliss Replete

Bodhi mind, how dazzling!
Like silver snowflakes
in an endless sky

Jeffrey

@Cinorjer said:
Meditation on rightness:

So you know what is right and what is wrong?

A suicide bomber is convinced he is doing the right thing for the right reason. So what is it in your Dharma practice that makes your sense of rightness different from his?

I don't think rightness is used as 'right and wrong'. I think it refers to the minds ability to feel it when we are on a good track. Mindfulness is often defined as seeing the difference between wholesome and unwholesom. She is saying we try to grasp and end up suffering.

You are right that it is non-conceptual. You could never have worked this out intellectually. It is just a response that bubbles up by itself and tells you this is the way forward, this is the way to go. You kind of recognise it intuitively by a simple sense of rightness, simplicity, elegance, truthfulness and even in a strange sense, beauty and even wonder. It's definitely, I think, a heart response ... wouldn't you say?