Because we can be so acutely aware of the turbulence and difficulties in our world, it is natural that we can want to both find refuge from them, and respond to them. It can seem that these are opposing responses to the political and social turmoil that is embedded in our society. Yet, from a particular perspective, or understanding, they are not. This understanding is none other than the understanding of Wise View. In particular, the aspect of wise view that pertains to the law of Karma. That actions of a particular nature (based on greed, hatred and delusion, or non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion) lawfully produce corresponding results.
These results manifest in this lifetime, and, according to Buddhist cosmology, affect future lifetimes as well. Beings with a particular mixture of greed, hatred and delusion, and non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion are born into the human realm. Beings with a greater percentage of unwholesome qualities are born in lower realms, and beings with a greater percentage of wholesome qualities are born in higher realms. Therefore, beings born into the human realm will always have a mixture of wholesome and unwholesome habit patterns of mind. As we can see, some humans have the wholesome Karma to come into contact with, and take to, a spiritual path that will strengthen their wholesome qualities and weaken their unwholesome ones. Others don’t, and the unwholesome qualities of heart and mind manifest in thought, speech and language that leads to suffering for themselves and others. The human realm will always be this way. If we look back in history, we can see that this is so.
Understanding this aspect of Wise View is important in beginning to cultivate a proper refuge from the suffering that can arise in relation to the challenging times we live in. With this view we can see that there actually isn’t anything out of place. Everything is happening lawfully, and could not be otherwise. To the degree that this view is occupying the mind, to the same degree there isn’t extra suffering in the form of resistance to an already difficult situation. That’s the refuge. We can’t stop the craziness in this world, but we can learn how to not add suffering to it.
It can be easy to read the above and feel that it’s just a cop-out. An easy way to disconnect from, and not address the suffering in our world. Yet, opening to the fact that what’s happening could not be otherwise brings us more closely into relationship with what’s happening, than if we were busy being reactive to it and thinking it shouldn’t be happening. We say “yes, this is happening”, rather than “this shouldn’t be happening”. This is the world we actually live in. Not the world that we hoped we lived in.
Not only does this view bring us closer to our world, but, through reducing reactivity, it becomes the proper platform from which skillful responses can spring. When we’re filled with reactivity, and incensed that things are the way they are, any action we take will be tainted with that aversion, and therefore be less likely to ease the suffering we are hoping to ease.
The Buddha said, “there is Dukkha”. It’s the starting point for the entire Noble Eightfold Path, and it’s the starting point for finding refuge from, and responding to, the suffering associated with the manifestations of greed, hatred and delusion in our world.