Emotions and Instincts

Tristram30

I think it's fair to say that emotions and Instincts are deeply connected with our ability to suffer but I was just wondering if Buddhism in any of the texts talks about what is believed to happen to emotions and instincts upon enlightenment? I appreciate that desire is an emotion and dies a death upon enlightenment but what about others, particularly the emotions and instincts which keep us from danger? How does an enlightened person avoid becoming vulnerable?

Thanks

taiyaki

It's attachment to emotions and instincts which cause suffering. Emotions alone do not cause suffering. Acting upon instincts do not cause suffering. Hope that clears that up.

From what I've heard...enlightened beings do have emotions. Enlightened beings do get angry, sad, happy, etc. There just isn't any attachment. So imagine being really angry, but in the next moment not being angry. Kind of like a thunderstorm.
Imagine feeling your emotions completely and then letting them go. Imagine loving everyone but also being totally detached.

When it comes to instincts. I've heard that enlightened beings just do things without causes. Normally we do things based on some prior conditioning. I buy a pair of shoes to look good in them. or buying them makes me feel good. for an enlightened being they would buy shoes just to buy shoes. the action justifies itself. the action is the meaning. there is only effect without a cause. action without a purpose.

from all the stories i've read in zen...it seems enlightened beings are very spontaneous. and i think what i wrote above makes this clear. imagine doing things just to do it.

it seem enlightened beings also have the freedom to choose. they can choose to do something or not to do something. so they can avoid harm or choose not to avoid harm. up to them.

it's not that desire dies with enlightenment. attachment to desires and the grasping to ego is finished. so the buddha pledges to save all beings from suffering. that is a huge desire. but there is no condition for it.

everyone is already enlightened. everyone needs to wake up. did the buddha gain enlightenment or did he wake up to it?

I vow to save innumerable sentient beings.
I vow to eliminate endless afflictions/delusions.
I vow to learn innumerable doctrines.
I vow to accomplish the unsurpassed Buddha Way.

Cloud

Oh I thought you said emoticons. Nevermind. *cough*

DhammaDhatu

All emotions & instincts end with enlightenment because the mind is guided by pure wisdom or perfect knowledge.

Instincts are a kind of "wisdom" but are incomplete. They are just biological programming rather than insight knowledge.

For example, when we were a child, our instincts sensed crossing a road or street was dangerous. However, we did not know how to cross the road so we needed our parents to help us. But now, as an adult, we know how to cross a road because our instincts pushed us to gain true knowledge about crossing a road.

Enlightenment is the same. Our instincts push us to find true knowledge & peace but once true knowledge & peace is found, the instincts become obselete.

In Buddhism, the closest thing there is to instincts are the anusaya (tendencies), of which the Buddha listed seven. [Note: Read the footnote of the link. The translation 'obsessions' is not really accurate]

See link: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.011.than.html

All the best



Also, the beginning of this essay may be helpful:

http://das-buddhistische-haus.de/pages/images/stories/dokumente-englisch/Ajahn-Buddhadasa/Ajahn_Buddhadasa--Anatta_and_Rebirth.pdf

hermitwin

'Enlightened beings view the lives normal people like we would view the antics of
little children'

Epicurus

'Enlightened beings view the lives normal people like we would view the antics of
little children'

You mean with a little envy?

Kundo

'Enlightened beings view the lives normal people like we would view the antics of
little children'

You mean with a little envy?

:bowdown:

Tristram30

@ Taiyaki - I hear what you're saying but I struggle with the idea that enlightened people somehow escape cause and effect. Surely enlightenment is a cause which has a consequent effect?

I think once you become aware of the power that emotions and instincts have over you, and when you are able to see past your emotions and instincts, you inevitably become more vulnerable in world. I now recognise that my fear of death is an illusion, just a basic survival mechanism of the ego - I still look both ways before I cross a road but with regard to other circumstances, I am less conscious of my well being than I used to be (although possibly I was over-conscious previously) - is this a good thing? How far will it go?

yiming

If you look both ways before you cross a road then you are not ready to jump off a cliff with both hands free.

Deformed

'Enlightened beings view the lives normal people like we would view the antics of
little children'

You mean with a little envy?

Exactly