One of my favorite movie scenes features a Freudian analyst with a thick Viennese accent. He asks a man about his childhood, and the man replies that he had a normal one. The analyst then declares that this means the man must have wanted to kill his father and sleep with his mother.
This makes me wonder if Sigmund Freud was similar to Mara, the Buddhist symbol of doubt. I’ve met countless people whose happiness has been undermined by the belief that they must be repressing something, leading them to think that happiness is just an illusion. Many carry the notion that some dark, unknown force is buried within them, unseen because it’s repressed. The more hidden these fears are, the more people believe in their existence.
People often assume that this repressed negativity is more real and authentic than their own compassion and wisdom. We tend to think we are inherently bad and any goodness we show is superficial.
Whether or not this was Freud’s actual teaching, it’s certainly how many interpret it. This idea also ties into the Christian concept of original sin, which dates back to the second century. According to this belief, we inherit Adam’s sin of eating the forbidden fruit, making us sinful by nature. St. Augustine even thought that unbaptized infants would go to hell due to this inherited sin.
This belief that humans are naturally selfish and bad contrasts with Buddhist teachings. Buddhism suggests that we are inherently pure, but our minds are tainted by greed, hatred, and delusion. It’s not about finding a pure state that existed in the past; rather, it’s practical to understand that purity can be revealed through mindfulness.
Think of it like a jar of water mixed with dirt. If you shake the jar, all you see is muddy water. But if you let the jar sit undisturbed, the dirt settles and clear water remains. The mud wasn’t an inherent part of the water, and the clarity is revealed through stillness. Similarly, when we sit quietly, our minds begin to settle. Over time, the incessant thoughts lessen and we find that happiness, compassion, and wisdom naturally emerge.
From this perspective, our minds are inherently pure. For those of us who grew up with the idea of original sin, the concept of original purity can be incredibly freeing. It allows us to let go of the notion that we’re inherently bad and to see ourselves and others in a more positive light.
However, the muddy water analogy isn’t perfect. The process of mental purification isn’t just about letting go of negativity; it also involves actively cultivating positive qualities like joy, compassion, and wisdom. Just sitting mindfully will make your mind happier and kinder, but only to a point. We need to work on developing these qualities actively.
This is why we practice metta (lovingkindness), karuna (compassion), and mudita (joyful appreciation). These practices help us appreciate the good in people. The idea of original sin suggests that any goodness in us is superficial, but the concept of innate purity suggests that goodness is always present, waiting to be revealed.
Understanding our past conditioning is also crucial. This isn’t about being stuck in the past; it’s about recognizing how our past shapes us today. By addressing these patterns, we prevent them from causing ongoing suffering.
In short, living in the present means dealing with the past as it manifests now. For some, this might be a lifelong journey, while others may outgrow old patterns. If we don’t understand how our past influences the present, we’ll likely continue to cause suffering and misplace the blame on external factors.