Know Hell, Know Heaven*

When we recognise hell,
we recognise heaven.

Part four

Since beginningless time, sentient beings have wandered in samsara, experiencing unbearable suffering. Samsara is the vicious cycle of existence, in which we are constantly going up and down, and is expressed by our emotions which are manifested in one or other of the six neurotic realms, or psychological states. This comes down to three factors: ignorance of our true nature, which gives rise to desires and aversions.

These are three maras: demons that cause trouble for us. Just feeling uncomfortable is mara activity. Even if we say “Well, my life is wonderful!” (the god realm), we then hope this will last and fear that it will not. It’s all down to mara activity of ignorance.

We live in a vicious cycle of existence – samsara – and it’s hell. Feeling depressed is hell isn’t it?

The depression comes from dissatisfaction: we then attempt to cover up the effect and the cause of this dissatisfaction in one of the realms. This activity creates karma, which is our mental reference library. It will take more than a pill to be liberated from samsara. Pills will merely make suffering even more unnoticed.

We are all in it together, acting as demons for one another by projecting the desires and aversions of the “I”. The “I” likes to get its way.

This demon activity is the MUD that surrounds the BUDDHA – us!
For those who are theistic: this demon activity is the MUD that surrounds God– us!

So, how do we get out of trouble? We merely recognise and acknowledge hell.

Hell is conventional, impermanent reality, and a useful tool in its varying degrees. That very recognition – that which recognises – is ultimate reality. Our essential nature. Heaven or nirvana.

You see, the two are inseparable. Once we are enlightened, we realise that hell never existed, but for now, it is our path to enlightenment.

In Tibetan Buddhism, we speak of “Ground, Path and Fruition”:
The ground is heaven, our essential nature.
The path is hell, and our essential nature is obscured.
The fruition is recognising that the path never existed and that heaven was present all the time.

When we recognise hell,
we recognise heaven.

It is all down to us. We need discipline, generosity, patience, perseverance, meditation and wisdom – and from these, compassion naturally arises. When we can love ourselves we can love others. Mud and all…LOVE THE MUD!

Hopefully, this blog gives some indication of wisdom, which is transcendent knowledge. The rest is up to us.

*Here, the terms “heaven” and “hell” are used in the sense that heaven is our ultimate nature and hell is our mistaken nature. This mistake encompasses all the six realms.