Wonderful and Marvelous Quality of The Tathāgata

That being so, Ānanda, remember this too as a wonderful and marvelous quality of The Tathāgata:

Here, Ānanda, for The Tathāgata feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear.

Remember this too, Ānanda, as a wonderful and marvelous quality of The Tathāgata.

(Reference: MN 124)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how he has full awareness of feelings, perceptions, and thoughts as they arise, are present, and then disappear.

It is very challenging for an unEnlightened mind to understand the experience of Enlightenment and understand how to attain this mental state. Through The Buddha describing his own qualities of mind, Students can then more readily learn, reflect, and practice to experience the same results. Gotama Buddha sharing that “The Tathāgata’s feelings are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; perceptions are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear; thoughts are known as they arise, as they are present, as they disappear” would help Students to understand they will need to cultivate these same qualities of mind to experience Enlightenment.

A Buddha would not have conceit, therefore, you can understand that he is not boasting about what he’s accomplished but instead, sharing the qualities of mind that exist so that his Student’s can cultivate those same wholesome qualities of mind.

Conceit (Arrogance, pride, judging, measuring or comparing as superior or inferior to others.)

To attain Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to develop this crisp awareness of mind to observe feelings, perceptions, and thoughts that rise, exist, and then fade away.

Through understanding what is wholesome and what is unwholesome, a Practitioner can then take active steps to both support and encourage the wholesome, and eliminate and abandon the unwholesome.

Learning and practicing these Teachings from The Buddha, a Practitioner comes to understand the wholesome and unwholesome qualities of mind to then be able to take the appropriate action as feelings, perceptions, and thoughts that are arising, present, and disappear.

The Practitioner can train the mind to be filled and overflowing with wholesomeness.

The Practitioner can train the mind to abandon and eliminate unwholesomeness.

This requires effort and energy to be applied through determination, dedication, and diligence. But, through applying constant effort and energy towards this goal, it becomes easier and effortless as the mind can then maintain consistent wholesomeness until eventually one gradually starts to experience more of the Enlightened mind where it is permanently wholesome having attained a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy.