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practice in daily life
genkaku
Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
I wonder if it ever occurs to anyone as it occurs to me ...
Many people seem wonderfully assured that they are having a very difficult time bringing a Buddhist practice into their everyday lives. What an awesome task, they will tell you. Kinder, gentler, less angry, more compassionate, at peace, more clear-eyed, using right speech at every turn, less depressed, less confused ... the laundry list seems endless and bringing the effort into everyday affairs is ... enormous beyond belief... no way will I ever get those ducks lined up; I am far too deluded and weak; I will never be as serene as all those people I can point to and say with assurance, "S/he is so peaceful or serene or -- the big banger -- enlightened."
But does it ever wonder anyone as it wonders me ... how about turning the equation around? Little or large, elevated or sunk in delusion -- is there any way you could NOT bring Buddhist practice into everyday life? All this twisting at the end of some hangman's noose, sweating and straining ... when without even breaking a sweat there is nothing anyone could do that would NOT be part and parcel of a Buddhist practice. Pissed off? Yup -- there's Buddhism in daily life. Delighted? Yup that's intrinsic to practice as well. Loving, envious, altruistic, egocentric ... will someone please tell he how this could NOT be Buddhism in daily life?
Of course it's idealistically fun to imagine that there is so far to go, so much energy to expend, so many mountains to cross, so many habits to break, so much purity to accrue, ... but where the rubber hits the road, is Buddhism no better than idealistic fun? How could anyone bring a Buddhist practice into a daily life already imbued with Buddhist practice?
Just noodling.
Many people seem wonderfully assured that they are having a very difficult time bringing a Buddhist practice into their everyday lives. What an awesome task, they will tell you. Kinder, gentler, less angry, more compassionate, at peace, more clear-eyed, using right speech at every turn, less depressed, less confused ... the laundry list seems endless and bringing the effort into everyday affairs is ... enormous beyond belief... no way will I ever get those ducks lined up; I am far too deluded and weak; I will never be as serene as all those people I can point to and say with assurance, "S/he is so peaceful or serene or -- the big banger -- enlightened."
But does it ever wonder anyone as it wonders me ... how about turning the equation around? Little or large, elevated or sunk in delusion -- is there any way you could NOT bring Buddhist practice into everyday life? All this twisting at the end of some hangman's noose, sweating and straining ... when without even breaking a sweat there is nothing anyone could do that would NOT be part and parcel of a Buddhist practice. Pissed off? Yup -- there's Buddhism in daily life. Delighted? Yup that's intrinsic to practice as well. Loving, envious, altruistic, egocentric ... will someone please tell he how this could NOT be Buddhism in daily life?
Of course it's idealistically fun to imagine that there is so far to go, so much energy to expend, so many mountains to cross, so many habits to break, so much purity to accrue, ... but where the rubber hits the road, is Buddhism no better than idealistic fun? How could anyone bring a Buddhist practice into a daily life already imbued with Buddhist practice?
Just noodling.
6
Comments
Daily Life - IS practice.
Ultimately it is nutrition. Same with practice.
Put some goodness in your life. Why not . . .
@genkaku provided a great post. You want to be happy, real happy? Then you work towards it.
Every person here has the potential to practice chi qong, yoga or walking (moving meditation) I did Qi Kung early on. It is a discipline and it calms the anger, anxiety and is cool. Just start.
Without doubt people here are practicing. They are making progress. They know it. They experience it. For certain. No doubt. Guaranteed.
Buddhists don't require faith. They practice, they turn their lives around. We don't claim it. We do it.
One day we realise that we have done the most worthwhile thing we could ever do. Betterment. We are on the path . . .
:wave: