To Deal Effectively with Recurrent, Chronic Defilements

~ By Ajahn Jayasāro ~

Some defilements respond to Dhamma practice almost immediately. Before long we see an overall decline in the frequency of their occurrence, their intensity and their duration. Observing this is energizing: it boosts our faith in the Dhamma as a tool for genuine transformation of the mind. Other defilements are more resistant. Sometimes it can seem like we are trying to oppose an armoured car with a bow and arrows. Falling foul of these defilements again and again can be deeply dispiriting.

To deal effectively with recurrent, chronic defilements it is important to recognize that often the problem is that one part of us does not want to be free of them. The defilements answer some psychological needs within us. For this reason, we should not look at those defilements simply as enemies to be overcome, but rather as unwise answers to unacknowledged needs. Discovering these needs will give us the opportunity to find more wholesome ways to address them. When this work of investigation is combined with a regular meditation practice, steady progress can be made.

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"Food for the Heart", a series of Dhamma teachings handwritten weekly is posted on the Buddhadāsa Indapañño Archives page with Ajahn's kind permission.

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For other teachings by Ven. Ajahn Jayasāro, please visit the Panyaprateep Foundation website.