Letting Go-Monkey Trap


Monkey trap
Monkey trap

Image from Principles of the Gospel

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, an American professor, told a story: Indian farmers would catch monkeys by carving a hole in a coconut, stuffing it with a banana, and tying it to a tree. The monkeys would want to eat the banana. It would reach into the coconut and grab hold of the banana.

It is easy for a monkey to get its hand in, but it can’t pull it out once it is holding the banana. The only way out of the coconut trap is to release the banana. But the monkey doesn’t want to do that. He wanted the banana, so he did not want to let go. If he let go of the banana, the monkey could escape. But without letting go, the monkey eventually is caught by the hunter.

Like this monkey, we seem to grasp what we want, but in many cases, we become slaves to our desires, and when we cling to the hope for things to go our way, we fall into self-inflicted pain. Only when you are willing to let go and allow life to flow naturally can there be space, just like a monkey has to let go to have room to get out of a trap.

Holding on to something can be a source of pain. If we allow it to come and go, it’s easier to let go. When the mind is broader, there is room to create something new, just like breathing. When we take a breath, no matter how long we can hold it, we have to breathe it out. And when we breathe out, the new cycle comes, and we can breathe in again.

https://www.gvm.com.tw/article.html?id=43570

卡巴金博士說過一個真實的故事:印度人抓猴子是把椰子挖一個洞,把香蕉塞在椰子裡,然後把椰子綁在樹下。猴子想要吃香蕉,手會伸到椰子裡握住香蕉。

牠的手沒有握住香蕉時能伸進去,但握住香蕉後就拔不出來、被卡住。這時唯有把香蕉放掉,才能脫離這個椰子陷阱。但猴子不這麼做,牠想要那個香蕉,所以無法放手,只好一直卡在裡面,被香蕉綁在樹下。其實只要放手猴子就能逃走,但沒有,最後被獵人抓住。

我們就像這隻猴子一樣,看似抓住了想要的事物,但很多時候是變成欲望的奴隸,當我們執著於事情一定要這樣發展時,便掉入作繭自縛的痛苦。只有當願意放下,允許生命自然流動,才有空間,就像猴子得放手才有空間脫離陷阱。

一直緊抓住某個東西,可能會成為痛苦的根源。如果我們允許它可以來,也可以走,放下心更寬。當心更寬時,才有空間去創造新的東西,就像呼吸一樣,你看我們吸一口氣,不管能憋多久,終究要把它呼出來,但當我們呼出來,新的循環又來了,我們又可以再吸氣。

https://www.gvm.com.tw/article.html?id=43570
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