Depression From A Buddhist Perspective

In this talk, Khentrul Rinpoche helps us understand the root of depression. Often, in our society we treat the symptons of depression, not digging out the roots. We need to look deeper to understand why someone is really depressed.

Transcript

The philosophy for understanding what is depression and why people are depressed and how it overcomes.

So firstly,

Usually people think that depression is something conical disease,

Which means physically something wrong.

So that's why medicines are prescribed for physical unbalance.

So people take that tablet for depression and so do that.

As usual everybody knows.

But the reality is that depression is something to do with the mind.

The mind to become like that depressed because not physically something wrong.

It is first mentally many lack of good conditions,

Good qualities.

So therefore,

Slowly slowly produce the unhappiness and depression.

So this depression produces that physical disease.

So when you take in the physical medicine,

It seems like helps because you treat the symptom.

But the root is still there.

So what is reality is not really what we think the depression.

So why people depressed because people has the quality of important,

The most important two things.

That is wisdom and compassion.

People have lack of this.

Why?

Because usually people don't understand what wisdom means really is and what compassion really is.

For example,

Usually people think wisdom is something big knowledge and a big experienced person is wise and have wisdom.

This is a very small portion of wisdom you can gather from the experience or knowledge.

But the real wisdom is not that.

Real wisdom is a driver.

You can make every decision.

It's not necessarily huge knowledge or huge experienced person.

But the important decisions,

The important turn points of the life,

You not mistake.

So that is the wisdom.

And then compassion.

Also,

People misunderstand because usually people think compassion is you fear other people suffer.

So yourself also suffer by other people.

So then you act on that.

But that is starting point of compassion only.

So the real compassion is not that real compassion is not a weakness effect by other people suffering.

So yourself also sad is not that the real compassion.

The real compassion is a courageous nature,

A braveness to have the courage to solve other people's problem.

You know,

A problem of everybody not scared to face any problem and not discouraged by any overcome.

To overcome anything,

You not discourage it.

That is the real compassion.

But lack of this two,

Both of them is majority of the human have lack of this.

So that means a very little vision.

People have very little vision and very little courage.

At the same time,

People think they have very big.

OK,

So that's why usually the most depressed people is the most ambitious people.

You are ambitious is sometimes good,

But most of time is not good.

Why?

Because your wisdom and compassion is not enough.

You're ambitious to balance to balance your ambitions or to given a strength,

Your desire.

Not enough to support.

So that's why people depressed.

OK,

So not only that,

But also people depressed because people see very little vision.

So that's why your ideas is in the range of very little world.

So in the very little world,

You have very fixed ideas.

What is good?

What is bad?

What is right?

What is wrong?

What is better life?

What is success?

What is failure?

And also you have very fixed ideas.

What is good for you?

What is not?

And what is success and what is not success?

Everything.

So that's why it doesn't work because your vision is so small.

Your fixations is not matching the reality.

So that's why everything you do is not go along what way of you think and what way you think should go.

It's not go that way.

So that's why people depressed.

Either you think this consciously or unconsciously.

Either ways,

You have very big problem.

You accumulate this problem and bit by bit.

And then one day you depressed.

But when you noticed you depressed,

It's that time quite too late.

You already depressed long time bit by bit.

So that's why people depressed.

Then how it overcome?

How it overcome is not the fixed situation what you think is the best.

It's not necessarily that way.

More likely not that way.

Why?

Because you think what should be is already limited.

And you seen only very little portion of the aspects you think is right.

You think is success.

You think it should be.

You think this is the cause of the happiness and satisfactory.

It's not right.

Maybe not 100% wrong.

But maybe only 1% or 2% is right.

That's why it doesn't work.

So what to do is you have to change completely your attitude.

And you have to have more relaxation.

And you have more possibilities.

And you have to understand everywhere is opportunities.

Everywhere is possibilities.

You have to see this not only the possibility you used to think.

Because you used to think if you are recognized and you have praise and recognition.

But now you have to think the opposite.

Maybe there is huge opportunity the opposite of ignore or blame.

There is so much qualities,

Good things inside blame and ignore.

You have to understand that.

And another thing is usually you think you are success and win.

Then you think you will be happy.

But now you have to think the opposite.

You are failed to do certain things.

And you are failed to compare,

Compete some things.

And so this is you have to see opportunity.

You have to see opportunity of incredible,

Incredible,

Incredible,

Not necessarily happiness.

Incredible,

Incredible realization.

Which means leading to more last long happiness.

Not just temporary happiness.

Got from so called success and win.

The opposite.

So you have to think that.

And usually you should think if I am healthy and wealthy then I am happy.

Yes,

Maybe a few minutes or few days or a last longer few weeks.

But definitely not anymore.

So the opposite.

If your health is turned down significantly or your wealth is completely lost,

Bankrupt.

This is incredible treasure inside very incredible abilities.

Which means you never ever pursue in this and nobody pursue that.

And that means nobody cannot stop this.

But without your effort you got it.

You got it bankrupt.

You got it significantly your health failure.

Huge,

Huge,

Huge turning point of incredible enlightenment for you.

Not just happiness,

Enlightenment.

So you have to see this way.

But it is not something illusion you have to see.

This is the reality.

You know all usually people think all good,

Good,

Good,

Incredible.

Everybody want this.

This kind of happiness and well-being is a temporary.

One hundred percent sure guarantee is temporary.

But this incredible turn over once you could find ultimate happiness.

So you have to understand this is overcome.

So this is overcome.

You have to understand this and you have to realize this.

And then you do meditation on this.

So if I say very briefly steps,

The first step if you understand what is the real primary cause and condition happiness and what is secondary.

If you can realize that is like first step.

Then second step is even you have the right cause and condition that only condition no guarantee the result.

Usually people think all good things is we not saying they are 100 percent bad.

We say this is only secondary condition,

Which means you have only a little chance.

And then third step if you want to know is even these right conditions could have the opposite effect.

So that why you realize that and you become very flexible.

You're not fixed on anything.

And then the fourth point is if you can accept that,

Can you accept the opposite of the result,

Which means you working for status,

Repetition,

Recognition,

Wealth for her life.

You dedicate her life,

But the opposite result comes you accept.

If you can do that,

You really made huge steps,

Progress of steps.

So this is called step fourth.

So and then this is only realization level,

But then if you can experience,

You can experientially do it.

This except you can do it this except then is step five and then eventually you not just only accept,

But you see is significant and incredible opportunity.

When you see that the opposite of what you desire and what you dedicate,

If you can do that and then you have no problem in any situation.

There is no such thing depression.

Why?

Because you take steps and realized and experienced the primary real condition of the happiness,

Joy,

Bliss,

Enlightenment.

So that's why there is no room to depress.

But if you think this is a critical disease and taken some medicine,

Physical tablets only treat symptoms temporarily,

But no possible.

You achieve the real happiness.

You cannot completely overcome the depression.

But if you take this mentor philosophy process and follow your actions,

Meditation on this reflection,

And then you can do simple meditations on that.

All these things definitely you completely overcome.

So the mid the simple meditation.

I talk the next.

Reviews

Thanks for the insight 🪬🙏🌙

Great analysis of what causes depression and what to do about it. Thank you.

Eye opening. Very helpful to have a spiritual view of depression.

pure wisdom handed on a platter.

Excellent insight. Need to listen a few times to fully understand

Thank you 🙏🏻 😊

Thank you! I see suffering is a blessing of insight. If you can see past suffering to the truth you are free. True happiness is the truth. Worldly happiness is temporary and suffering is the easiest tool to see the truth. The truth is Nirvana. Nirvana is in the present moment. It is in everything. It is letting go of everything. Sadness, happiness, thoughts, perceptions, see past it all. Everthing is illusion. Yes we cause our own suffering by getting caught up in the illusion of life by grasping and holding on to it. Namaste

Lots of great advice here. Could review it many times and learn something new. I felt the part about expectations particularly interesting.