世間の楽味（味著）と黒歴史
Worldly indulgences (Pleasure) and Dark history/follies of youth
2024-06-21 21:00:00
What is commonly referred to as a "dark history" in society is basically the follies of youth. These are events that the person thought were good at the time, but later realizes were very embarrassing, thus calling them a dark history.
On the other hand, the dark history that a Buddhist practitioner comes to know involves deep regret over having done something that should not have been done as a human being, and a determination to never do it again. This is connected to the act of repentance (SANGE in Japanese).
People (sentient beings) seek the pleasures of the world (attachment to taste) in an attempt to be happy, but they can never achieve it in a satisfying way.
This is because all worldly pleasures (attachment to pleasure) ultimately lead to suffering. In this sense, the true nature of these pleasures is nothing but suffering itself.
Moreover, those who have experienced great suffering may try to use that suffering (worldly pleasure (attachment to pleasure)) to escape from their previous suffering, but this is like scratching an itch with dirty nails—an act of folly that leads to a vicious cycle of deeper suffering.
So, how can we eliminate this suffering?
One way is to not seek suffering from the beginning; in other words, to renounce desires.
Another way is to understand the harmful effects of worldly pleasures (attachment to pleasure), to arouse the mind of detachment, and to control one's fundamental ignorance, thus overcoming greed.
Roughly speaking, the former corresponds to liberation of the mind (citta-vimukti), while the latter corresponds to liberation through wisdom (prajna-vimukti).
And it is Buddhism that teaches these paths to liberation.
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