After seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching,

discriminatory thoughts and emotions arise,

habits are set, control is lessened,

and suffering increases.

Through our five senses, we take in information about our environment. Ideas are formed and feelings arise. We then begin to discriminate—this I like and want more of, that I don’t and want to go away. Our feelings, impressions, and perceptions are recorded in our memory.

We form habitual ways of reacting to stimuli based on our opinions rather than facts, and from emotions rather than understanding and compassion.

Reacting automatically from habit and emotion, we do not stop to think what the wisest course of action might be. We simply react, unaware that we are losing control over our thoughts, speech, and actions.

The more we fail to exercise control, the more careless we are in what we do and the more mistakes we make. Since our actions were careless and harmed others, our consequences will bring us more suffering.