The Buddhist analogy of the Feeling as a "water bubble"

The Buddhist analogy of Feeling as a "water bubble" is meant to convey that feelings manifest as the result of various conditions coming together - sensory input, memories, habitual tendencies, and so on. Yet they have no fixed, essential core. They are simply fleeting, impersonal phenomena, empty of any underlying, enduring "self".

Just as the water bubble, despite its initial appearance of solidity, is in fact a hollow, fragile structure made up of nothing more than a thin film of water containing trapped air pockets, so too are feelings devoid of any intrinsic, permanent substance. They arise, persist for a brief moment, and then vanish, like the bursting of a bubble on the surface of water.



On one occasion, Buddha was dwelling in Ayojja, on the banks of the Ganges River. There, he addressed the community of bhikkus (monks), saying:

Suppose, bhikkhus, that in the autumn, when it is raining and big rain drops are falling, a water bubble arises and bursts on the surface of the water. A man with good sight would inspect it, ponder it, and carefully investigate it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a water bubble?

So too, bhikkhus, whatever kind of feeling or sensation arises within the human experience - whether it be a feeling from the past, an anticipation of the future, or a present moment perception; whether it manifests internally within the mind and body, or is triggered by external stimuli; whether the feeling is coarse and overwhelming or subtle and refined; whether it is judged to be inferior or superior in nature; whether the feeling is perceived as distant or near - a bhikkhu, endowed with clear insight, must thoroughly inspect each and every one of these phenomena.

With unwavering focus and keen discernment, the bhikkhu ponders these feelings, examining them from every angle. He investigates their arising, their duration, and their passing away with the utmost care and attention. And as he does so, the true nature of these feelings becomes abundantly clear - they reveal themselves to be inherently void, hollow, and devoid of any abiding substance.

For what true, lasting essence could possibly be found within the ephemeral experiences of feeling? They arise dependent on various conditions, persist for a fleeting moment, and then vanish, like waves upon the surface of the ocean. There is no permanent, essential "self" that can be grasped or clung to within these ever-changing, insubstantial phenomena.

This direct, experiential understanding of the fundamental emptiness of all feelings liberates the bhikkhu from the bondage of attachment and the suffering it engenders. Freed from the delusion of solidity and permanence, he abides in the timeless, spacious awareness that is the true nature of his being.

Here's how we can unpack this analogy in more detail:

The passage begins by inviting the bhikkhus, the Buddhist monastics, to consider a vivid sensory experience from the natural world. Imagine, the Buddha says, that it is the autumn season - a time of transition, when the steady rains of the monsoons have given way to intermittent showers.

As these autumn rains fall, the drops are large and heavy, splashing upon the surface of ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water. It is in this specific climatic context - the damp, rainy atmosphere of the waning months - that the simile takes place.

Amidst this rainy, autumnal scene, the Buddha instructs the bhikkhus to observe a water bubble that has formed on the watery surface. This water bubble, arising spontaneously due to the interplay of the falling rain and the water below, is the central focus of the analogy.

The Buddha then describes the careful, mindful way in which "a man with good sight" - that is, one who is imbued with clear, penetrating insight - would approach and examine this ephemeral water bubble. This man would not simply glance at the bubble in a cursory manner, but would instead deliberately inspect it, ponder it, and conduct a thorough, careful investigation of its nature.

And through this process of close, meditative observation, the true characteristics of the water bubble would become vividly apparent. Despite its initial appearance of solidity and substance, the bubble would reveal itself to be fundamentally void, hollow, and lacking in any true, enduring essence. There is simply no substantial, abiding "thing" to be found within the delicate, transient membrane of the water bubble.

The Buddha then draws a direct parallel between this understanding of the water bubble and the way a bhikkhu, a practitioner of Buddhist meditation, must approach the investigation of feelings and sensations. Just as the water bubble is devoid of any intrinsic, essential nature, so too are all the various feelings - whether past, present, future, internal, external, gross or subtle - that arise within the field of human experience.

When the bhikkhu, imbued with the same clarity of insight as the "man with good sight," examines these feelings and sensations, their insubstantial, void-like quality is unmistakably revealed. There is no permanent, unchanging "self" or essence to be grasped within the ever-changing flow of subjective experience.

This profound understanding of the fundamental emptiness of both external phenomena and internal mental states is the essence of the Buddha's core teachings on the nature of reality and the cause of human suffering. By directly realizing the lack of inherent existence in all things, the bhikkhu transcends the delusions of permanence and self, and abides in the boundless freedom of awakened awareness.

To put this into perspective, consider the following:

How Modern Science validates the " Feeling is like a water bubble"

From a Buddhist perspective, feelings (vedana) - the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral sensations that arise in the mind - are understood to be inherently impermanent, insubstantial, and devoid of any fixed, essential self-nature. This view aligns remarkably well with our contemporary scientific understanding of the brain and the nature of subjective experience.

Just as modern neuroscience has revealed the brain to be a dynamic, interconnected network of neurons constantly undergoing change, rather than a static, unchanging organ, the Buddhist teachings describe feelings as ephemeral phenomena that arise and pass away in a ceaseless flow.

Much like the way electrical and chemical signals propagate through the neural pathways of the brain, feelings manifest as the result of various physiological and psychological conditions coming together. They do not originate from any permanent, unchanging "self" or "soul", but are the products of this complex, ever-shifting matrix of causes and conditions.

From a scientific perspective, the experience of a feeling, such as joy or sorrow, can be understood as the subjective correlate of specific patterns of neural activity, neurotransmitter release, and physiological changes in the body. These neurobiological processes are fundamentally impermanent, constantly in flux, with no single, unified "self" that can be said to be the owner or controller of these transient mental states.

Just as a wave on the surface of the ocean arises due to the confluence of wind, water, and other environmental factors, and then subsides back into the larger whole, feelings arise dependent on various conditions and then dissolve, leaving no permanent trace. They are not substantial, enduring entities, but rather ephemeral, ever-changing phenomena - akin to the flickering images on a movie screen, or the evanescent patterns of light and shadow.

Moreover, contemporary research in fields like affective neuroscience and psychology has demonstrated the profound malleability and context-dependent nature of feelings. Our emotional experiences are shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including our beliefs, memories, social contexts, and even the ever-shifting biochemistry of the body. There is no unchanging "feelingness" that can be pinned down as the essential core of our subjective experience.

Just as the Buddha used the simile of the water bubble to illustrate the insubstantial, impermanent nature of feelings, modern science provides us with a deepened understanding of the biological and psychological mechanisms that underlie the arising and passing of these mental phenomena. By recognizing the profound insights that Buddhism and science share regarding the fluid, non-dual nature of consciousness and experience, we can cultivate a more nuanced, transdisciplinary appreciation for the true nature of our inner lives.