There are three kinds of feelings: pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings. Feelings arise naturally. They are inherent to the functioning of the mind; they remain so long as the mind remains. But how we respond to feelings is conditioned by underlying tendencies, or anusaya, which can be abandoned.
In the Pahāna Sutta, the Buddha taught us a way to deal with feelings in accordance with Dhamma, so that we can reach liberation. Bhante further explained how these three kinds of feelings arise and how these latent tendencies develop. They distort our perceptions of reality, like coloured lenses. Without these underlying tendencies, one will see feelings rightly, as they are.
Bhante also shared some practical tips for applying this sutta in daily life, through understanding the relationship between feelings, emotions, and impulses. To be clearly aware that all feelings are conditioned, and seeing them as fleeting and transient, we will come to know that there is “no ‘feeler’ behind the feelings”!
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