A Note from Matty Weingast on The First Free Women

[Sabrina]

Dear @Viveka thank you for taking the time to answer my questions! I really appreciate it.

@Viveka

It is precisely because the focus has moved, from the process of Liberation and penetration of delusion, to the ‘suffering’, that the Dhamma quality has been removed.

I can see where you’re coming from with this point and why that would be troubling. I don’t know if it’s because I’m neither very well versed in the Suttas nor a proficient meditator, but I find it much easier to relate to Matty’s version than to the original poems. In order to understand those and the concepts they refer to, I’d either need a better grounding in the EBTs and/or a good explanation of the whole context and the specific practices alluded to in the poems. Whereas Matty’s poems make sense to me on an intuitive level.

@Viveka

ends with a vague statement perhaps referencing mindfulness? This isn’t challenging, it is just a vaguely empathetic expression for how tough it can be…

But it doesn’t tell you how to solve the problem

Bearing in mind that I’m not an expert, I understood the following quote from Matty’s poem in the comparison by Bhante @sujato

@sujato

Just sitting still, those circles have broken apart and been carried away by this simple wind blowing in and out. All your old thoughts like snow falling on warm ground. Just sit back and watch.

not as a vague statement but as a description of the Theri doing mindfulness of breathing meditation and observing her thoughts arise and cease and while doing that, she realizes how insubstantial (impermanent, non-self) her thoughts are and how her mental clinging to her old life is based on delusion and she wakes up from that delusion and that’s liberating for her. I found that to be inspiring and a good motivation to practice in that manner. Maybe that’s not the full practice to reach total liberation but I would imagine it certainly helps the practitioner move in that direction.

That is why I simply cannot bring myself (at this point in time and with the knowledge that I have) to see Matty’s poems as ADhamma.

However, I am aware that I am still very much subject to delusion so this is not me saying I am right and all you diligent long-term practitioners are wrong!

To say it with the example about the medicine that you mentioned - I see Matty’s poems not as the (somewhat) bitter, pure medicine of the original Therigatha, but neither do I see them as a placebo. Maybe a slightly lolly-flavored medicine which goes down more easily for those like me who are still in the early stages of their practice. Or just for people who have a different, more intuitive approach and/or are not as familiar with the whole cultural context of the ancient poems and might be deterred by unfamiliar terms etc.

with metta,
Sabrina