Instincts...

[chownah]

What's the Buddha got to say about instincts? Could the mastering of instincts be equivalent to attaining nibhanna?...could this be why animals can't attain nibhanna (because they seemingly have no realization that instincts program alot of their behavior and so can not figure a way to eliminate that programming)?....could could could.....??????....I don't know...do you?
chownah

[Dan74]

Mastering the instincts is not nibbana, but it does help to have them under control! Lots of people master the instincts including the ascetics the Buddha studied with and left.

It seems especially hard in this day and age but I suspect this is due to our cultural conditioning.

[cooran]

Hello chownah, all,

You may find these teachings by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu to be of assistance.

In this article, he mentions the Prison of Instincts:
The Prison of Life - (from a lecture given to foreign meditators on 10 February 2531 (1988) at Suan Mokkhabalarama.)
http://www.buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/ebdha016.htm

Control Instinct ~ Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
http://www.knowbuddhism.info/2009/02/co ... tinct.html

with metta
Chris

[Goofaholix]

What's the Buddha got to say about instincts? Could the mastering of instincts be equivalent to attaining nibhanna?...could this be why animals can't attain nibhanna (because they seemingly have no realization that instincts program alot of their behavior and so can not figure a way to eliminate that programming)?....could could could.....??????....I don't know...do you?
chownah

I would say you'd want to be mastering Intention.

Whether that intention arises out of instinct or something else noticing intention is where you have the opportunity to change the outcome.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Chownah,

Are you familiar with the Pali term anusaya?

Metta,
Retro.

[jcsuperstar]

AN 7.11 PTS: A iv 9
Anusaya Sutta: Obsessions (1)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"Monks, there are these seven obsessions. [1] Which seven?

"(1) The obsession of sensual passion.

"(2) The obsession of resistance.

"(3) The obsession of views.

"(4) The obsession of uncertainty.

"(5) The obsession of conceit.

"(6) The obsession of passion for becoming.

"(7) The obsession of ignorance.

"These are the seven obsessions."

Note
1.This term — anusaya — is usually translated as "underlying tendency" or "latent tendency." These translations are based on the etymology of the term, which literally means, "to lie down with." However, in actual usage, the related verb (anuseti) means to be obsessed with something, for one's thoughts to return and "lie down with it" over and over again.
See also: AN 7.12

[chownah]

My first take on "anusaya" was that it is not the same thing as "instinct"....but after a bit of thought it seems to me that while it is not what is ordinarily thought of as instinct it can be viewed as being a cluster of instincts not usually recognized in western thought....I guess.
chownah