Anattā Reflection: Inner & Outer Disintigration

During my visit to Wat Pah Nanachat in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, I picked up the book 'Dhammapada Reflections Volume 3' by Ajahn Munido. This book is short but profound. I keep it on my desk so I can see it while I work and leave it open to a particular page for a week or so, allowing the wisdom to seep into my daily routine. Today, the following passage resonated deeply with the Buddhist doctrine of anattā, or "no-self":

We sometimes need reminding that the cause of suffering, our own and that of the world, are complex. Often, it is not what is happening in the outer world that leads to our struggles, but how we view things. Assuming the validity of views and opinions just because they are commonly held is not wise, convenient, perhaps, but that is not a good reason to invest in them. It is simplistic to collude with collective thinking without looking into the consequences. Having preferences is natural, but clinging to them and finding identity by holding to them leads to prejudice and disintegration, inwardly and outwardly. - Ajahn Munido

This passage reminds us that our perceptions and attachments significantly influence our experiences of suffering. I understand the concept of 'disintegration' here as fragmentation or viewing the self through an objectified frame. When we perceive the self as fixed and separate, we extend this fragmented view to other beings, leading to a disconnected and prejudiced worldview. This is judgement.

To revisit anattā, one of the three characteristics of existance, I listened to Rob Burbea's insightful talk, "Contemplating The 3 Characteristics (Pt 2) - Anatta (Not-Self)" last night. As I continue to reflect on these teachings, I am reminded of the importance of cultivating right view by continually coming back to Buddhism's three characteristics of all existence - duḥkha, anicca and anattā and working these into daily mindful awareness to compound the conditions for an awakened heart-mind.