One student shared that after three months of learning about the wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral systems from the teacher, life has become much easier to manage, and asked why understanding this kind of system helps so much.

Knowing in order to be free

Everything we study is aimed at liberation, because once you're free, life moves forward easily. Without learning, without breaking free, life gets stuck — you go in circles, unable to move on. Moving forward takes knowledge that lets you see the way. Wherever life feels stuck, that's where you go to a teacher so you can keep going. New information opens up the vision to see the way forward.

The teacher recommended going back and listening to the guided-meditation talks again and again — because even when the topics look similar night to night, the details differ and new understanding keeps coming through. Listening repeatedly deepens your understanding of life and makes everything easier.

The goal defines the system

If things are getting easier, that means you're in the right system — the wholesome side steers you toward ease, convenience, comfort. That's the foundation of the wholesome. If things feel hard, you're in the wrong system.

Every system needs a goal first, because the goal is what defines the whole system. Once there's a goal, the system gets set up to align with it. A system is made of a chain of processes, each with its own objective — meeting one leads into the next, all the way to the final goal. Each process also has its own internal mechanism and the resources it needs to fit its objective. And no system can run on its own without energy — appliances need electricity, cars need fuel, our bodies need food. Life within the cycle of existence runs on merit and demerit: good rebirths are driven by merit, bad ones by demerit. It's all a matter of systems.

Rely on the wholesome nature, not on "being human"

The part of us we call "self" keeps shifting. Whenever the wholesome is present, we become the wholesome's "self"; whenever the unwholesome takes hold, we become its "self"; and the same with the neutral. So we can't really rely on our human side — only on the wholesome nature itself. That's why the teachings focus on what can actually be put into practice in a human body, so the wholesome side has something real to work with in guiding us — otherwise it's wasted time.

Understanding the system this way shows that none of it is truly "us" — it's simply the true three characteristics governing all beings. That's why every temple chants about wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral phenomena — to remind us that these three forces govern all beings through inner voices and feelings. The unwholesome steers us toward suffering and harm. The neutral, while harmless, still drains our time and resources for nothing. Only the wholesome truly benefits us and points us toward what's right and good. What's wrong — what the unwholesome steers us toward — should be given up; what's good should be done, because doing it brings genuine good.

Understanding the system makes life easier

Without understanding the system, solving problems gets harder, because you don't realize everything is being directed by these forces through inner voices and feelings. Returning to the wholesome system is simple: just bring yourself and your heart to sit before the Buddha image at home, and let the Triple Gem and Nibbana work on resolving things for you — like going to see a doctor. Even if you can't settle into meditation yet, just stay seated there rather than getting up and going elsewhere. Given time, things will gradually improve until the wish to meditate arises naturally. The more you practice, the more you'll find yourself freer, easier, more at ease, and progressively happier.