13 The Mind's Role in Suffering: Seeking Liberation from Labels 30-Apr-2003

Our judgments and labels, whether positive or negative, influence how we experience the world. For example, when we label something as "good" or "beautiful," it creates a positive appearance and elicits feelings of happiness. Conversely, when we label something as "bad" or "ugly," it creates a negative appearance and elicits feelings of unhappiness. People in different cultures may have different perceptions of beauty or value based on their cultural conditioning and the labels they apply.Our labeling and conceptualization of objects, people, and experiences affect our feelings and perceptions. Even our perceptions of important figures, such as political leaders, are influenced by our mind's labeling and conceptualization. Attachment can arise when we label someone or something as desirable, leading to a painful attachment that makes it difficult to separate from the object.The mind has the tendency to project a sense of inherent existence onto things, even though in reality, everything is empty and exists only as mere imputations by the mind. When we are attached to an object or person, we are attached to something that doesn't truly exist. The object of our attachment is built upon the wrong view of ignorance, which apprehends it as inherently existent and existing from its own side. In reality, the object is empty of inherent existence. Attachment deceives us by making us believe that the object is worth clinging to and possessing when, in fact, it is not.Anger arises when there is attachment because attachment leads to the idea of possession. When we feel that someone is taking away what we are attached to, anger and resentment arise. This is another form of deception because it is based on a false view of inherent existence.We should recognize the power of our own minds in shaping our experiences and the need to develop wisdom and discernment to see beyond the superficial appearances created by our own mental labels and conceptualizations. We need to meditate on these points to free ourselves from the cycle of suffering in samsara. This teaching was given at Institut Vajra Yogini, France as part of a Four Kadampa Deities Retreat from April 18 to May 11, 2003. You can see all the teachings from this retreat here: https://fpmt.org/media/streaming/teachings-of-lama-zopa-rinpoche/4-kadam-deities-2003/