I’ve been wracked by muscle pains all day from my first Muay Thai lesson in months that I took yesterday. I don’t regret it in the slightest but it has been one heck of a day. I barely got through my stretching routines and even a mile long walk was painful. Naturally, my as untamed mind immediately hankers for sense pleasures to distract it from the painful bodily sensations. However, with the exception of indulging in my daily meal (one meal a day everyday except Friday), I have managed to keep myself from slipping off the razor’s edge. Still, there are five more hours of daylight left.
The verses above rang true and immediately reminded me of the Magandiya Sutta where the Lord Buddha discusses the ignorance and impairment of putthujanas like myself. Specifically:
“In the same way, Magandiya, sensual pleasures in the past were painful to the touch, very hot & scorching; sensual pleasures in the future will be painful to the touch, very hot & scorching; sensual pleasures at present are painful to the touch, very hot & scorching; but when beings are not free from passion for sensual pleasures — devoured by sensual craving, burning with sensual fever — their faculties are impaired, which is why, even though sensual pleasures are actually painful to the touch, they have the skewed perception of ‘pleasant.’
May I develop wisdom and clear vision of the way things are and until then may I rely on faith in the Dhamma to guide me there.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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