Do Not Add a Second Judgment to the Thought
Dwelling amid deluded thoughts, add no further judgment upon them; and upon that non-judging, do not weigh whether it is true or false.
Do I not merely feel an emotion, but then judge the emotion and suffer it twice over?
📝Reflection
This verse names exactly the mind's double suffering. Sorrow arises — that is the first arrow. But we do not stop there. "Why am I so weak," "How pathetic to grieve over this" — we judge the sorrow again — that is the second arrow. The first arrow cannot be avoided, but the second we shoot ourselves. The teacher says: do not lay another judgment upon a risen thought. If you are sad, you are simply sad; there is no need to evaluate the self who is sad. Further still, do not judge even that judgment-stopped state by asking "Am I doing this well?" Just leave it as it is. Feel the emotion, but seat no judge above it. This alone cuts suffering in half.
🌱Apply It Today
When an emotion rises today, stop at feeling it and do not evaluate "the self who feels this." The first arrow is unavoidable, but the second you can choose not to shoot.
This verse is read as universal humanistic wisdom, not religion — no faith is promoted, and the reflection is 100% original ONGO content.
