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Selfish Desire is Evil

JaySonJaySon Florida Veteran

https://www.foxnews.com/world/ten-children-in-tanzania-kidnapped-and-killed-for-their-body-parts-authorities-say.amp

Ten kids killed and harvested for their body parts because witch doctors believe it will bring them good fortune.

An extreme example of clinging to self-interest.

How many horrible acts have beings committed out of greed?

The antidote to clinging to self-cherishing/selfish desire/self-interest is cultivating loving kindness, compassion, and Bodhichitta.

Furthermore, self cherishing is based on a lie, on deception. There is no self or other ultimately.

Comments

  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran

    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Without the deluded belief that the body parts are magic both from the human beings collecting and selling them and from those who buy and use them, the selfish desire to make money or heal and protect oneself from harm wouldn't manifest itself in such horrific ways.

    DavidShoshin
  • ShoshinShoshin No one in particular Nowhere Special Veteran

    Selfish Desire is Evil

    ...and so is Fox News :)

    KundolobsterVastmind
  • KundoKundo Sydney, Australia Veteran

    @person said:
    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Religion is easy to blame because a lot has been done in the name of God. But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it. Don't forget Buddhism has it's share - look at the Rohingyas....

  • lobsterlobster Veteran
    edited January 2019

    @Shoshin

    I believe it is spelled 'Faux News'
    meanwhile ... https://www.positive.news

  • ColinAColinA Explorer

    @Kundo said:

    @person said:
    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Religion is easy to blame because a lot has been done in the name of God. But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it. Don't forget Buddhism has it's share - look at the Rohingyas....

    I think there is still a lot of goodness in the world. Sometimes the biggest problem isnt evil but everyday people can become apathetic. Take global warming. Lots of us will bury our heads in the sand until its too late. Inertia can be as destructive as evil.
    I disagree with your " increasingly people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it".
    I dont believe thats necessarily true and the use of that choice of words isnt helpful.
    Of course we can agree to disagree . Im not living in a false reality but I don't agree with you.
    I believe there is lots of hope. Pure evil or evil of course exists but there is far more goodness out there.

    lobster
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    edited January 2019

    @Kundo said:

    @person said:
    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Religion is easy to blame because a lot has been done in the name of God... Don't forget Buddhism has it's share - look at the Rohingyas....

    Yes, you're right. I was using religion as a shorthand for magical or ideological thinking where one becomes so convinced that one's belief system is correct that it allows for what is known as moral disengagement, basically giving people the ability through constructed beliefs to ignore basic moral standards.

    But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it.

    I think I would say that rather than people becoming increasingly evil. We as a society are becoming more moral such that less offensive things to someone of a generation or two ago seem now to us more grossly offensive. And we can continue to become more moral over time if we continue to question and try.

    lobster
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator

    @person said:... We as a society are becoming more moral such that less offensive things to someone of a generation or two ago seem now to us more grossly offensive.

    ...And things which were once upon the norm, or turned a blind eye to, are an abomination and an outrage, today. Pendulum swing like a pendulum do... but the swings get shorter....

    And we can continue to become more moral over time if we continue to question and try.

    I don't think we should continue to become more moral. Morality implies standards and evaluating them, and after evaluation of standards, judgement. No, the Qualities we need to cultivate, are the 4 sublime Qualities of Loving Kindness, Compassion Empathetic joy and Equanimity.
    We may not be able to influence major corporations, CEO's and their environmental, financial and influential clout, but we can do things within our own community to 'pass it on'.
    Think Global, Act Local.

    "Whoops, there goes another rubber tree plant!"

    personlobsterDavid
  • I don't think we should continue to become more moral. Morality implies standards and evaluating them, and after evaluation of standards, judgement. No, the Qualities we need to cultivate, are the 4 sublime Qualities of Loving Kindness, Compassion Empathetic joy and Equanimity.

    I knew we had plan! <3

    Imposed morality and ethics is often the basis of religious hypocrisy and strangely enough self criticism and failure. Leading to hurtful dukkha. When that happens with religious complicity, terrible consequences can ensue.
    Far more helpful to resonate/cultivate/focus on/reveal our Better Being of the four sublime qualities. Aka Buddha Nurture.

    I'll join.
    https://www.positive.news

    paulysoperson
  • JeroenJeroen Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter Netherlands Veteran

    @person said:

    @Kundo said:
    But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it.

    I think I would say that rather than people becoming increasingly evil.

    I would rather say that a lot of atrocities are committed by people who have become desensitised by being in some form of armed forces. But overall there are also some worrying trends, such as what US spokesperson John Bolton said when the International Criminal Court in The Hague was looking at prosecuting a group of American soldiers accused of torture in Afghanistan.

    Tribalism has a lot to answer for...

  • KundoKundo Sydney, Australia Veteran

    @ColinA said:

    @Kundo said:

    @person said:
    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Religion is easy to blame because a lot has been done in the name of God. But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it. Don't forget Buddhism has it's share - look at the Rohingyas....

    I think there is still a lot of goodness in the world. Sometimes the biggest problem isnt evil but everyday people can become apathetic. Take global warming. Lots of us will bury our heads in the sand until its too late. Inertia can be as destructive as evil.
    I disagree with your " increasingly people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it".
    I dont believe thats necessarily true and the use of that choice of words isnt helpful.

    I disagree with your disagreement.

    Of course we can agree to disagree . Im not living in a false reality but I don't agree with you.

    You don’t have to.

  • ColinAColinA Explorer
    edited February 2019

    @Kundo said:

    @ColinA said:

    @Kundo said:

    @person said:
    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Religion is easy to blame because a lot has been done in the name of God. But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it. Don't forget Buddhism has it's share - look at the Rohingyas....

    I think there is still a lot of goodness in the world. Sometimes the biggest problem isnt evil but everyday people can become apathetic. Take global warming. Lots of us will bury our heads in the sand until its too late. Inertia can be as destructive as evil.
    I disagree with your " increasingly people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it".
    I dont believe thats necessarily true and the use of that choice of words isnt helpful.

    I disagree with your disagreement.

    Of course we can agree to disagree . Im not living in a false reality but I don't agree with you.

    You don’t have to.

    So do you have special permission to use bad language on a buddhist forum or are you just the only one who does? I'm new to buddhism but not far off 70 years old. You seem to have taken my repectful disagreement quite poorly and bluntly.
    I'm sorry you see the world as increasingly being populated by "evil sacks of shit" who enjoy it. That mustn't make for happy living for you.

  • ShoshinShoshin No one in particular Nowhere Special Veteran

    Selfish Desire is Evil

    "Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya" (Nothing whatsoever should be clung to) I guess this is because of the relative nature of living in Samsara...its somewhat unsatisfactory nature....

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator

    @ColinA said:

    @Kundo said:

    @ColinA said:

    @Kundo said:

    @person said:
    I too wonder if the source of that kind of harmful behavior has more to do with ignorance than selfishness.

    ...but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

    Religion is easy to blame because a lot has been done in the name of God. But increasingly, people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it. Don't forget Buddhism has it's share - look at the Rohingyas....

    I think there is still a lot of goodness in the world. Sometimes the biggest problem isnt evil but everyday people can become apathetic. Take global warming. Lots of us will bury our heads in the sand until its too late. Inertia can be as destructive as evil.
    I disagree with your " increasingly people are evil sacks of shit cause they like it".
    I dont believe thats necessarily true and the use of that choice of words isnt helpful.

    I disagree with your disagreement.

    Of course we can agree to disagree . Im not living in a false reality but I don't agree with you.

    You don’t have to.

    So do you have special permission to use bad language on a buddhist forum or are you just the only one who does?

    As a Mod...

    ...I'd honestly prefer people didn't - Right Speech and all that - but we're laypeople, human after all, and sometimes people make an emphasis. I have to admit i've even done the same on the odd and very rare occasion...

    No-one has permission, as such. But every now and then, people vent, let off steam or just occasionally, lose it a little.
    By and large, we're all usually very well behaved here...

    lobsterColinA
  • KundoKundo Sydney, Australia Veteran

    @ColinA said:
    So do you have special permission to use bad language on a buddhist forum or are you just the only one who does? I'm new to buddhism but not far off 70 years old. You seem to have taken my repectful disagreement quite poorly and bluntly.
    I'm sorry you see the world as increasingly being populated by "evil sacks of shit" who enjoy it. That mustn't make for happy living for you.

    You seem to like to take offence to my posts Colin. Maybe you should examine why that is so. I just disagreed with you, that’s all and you’ve launched an attack. You don’t like my language? Fair enough but you have really overreacted. After all, it’s not like I swear in all of them. Relax.
    ????

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator

    @Kundo? C'mon honey. you know you're sometimes apt to have a short fuse. @ColinA is a new member. Try to be a little more welcoming and a little less... 'bristly'. Play nice.

    Ok? ;)

  • KundoKundo Sydney, Australia Veteran

    @federica said:
    @Kundo? C'mon honey. you know you're sometimes apt to have a short fuse. @ColinA is a new member. Try to be a little more welcoming and a little less... 'bristly'. Play nice.

    Ok? ;)

    Sure, but it goes both ways ????

    ColinA
  • By and large, we're all usually very well behaved here...

    I blame @federica ;)

    She does not let me swear (too much)
    I am not allowed to keep internet trolls (as pets)
    In fact I am so well house trained, I send myself to the naughty corner ...

    ... and now back to dharma decorum aka speech rite ... ??

    Kundo
  • @Kundo said:

    @ColinA said:
    So do you have special permission to use bad language on a buddhist forum or are you just the only one who does? I'm new to buddhism but not far off 70 years old. You seem to have taken my repectful disagreement quite poorly and bluntly.
    I'm sorry you see the world as increasingly being populated by "evil sacks of shit" who enjoy it. That mustn't make for happy living for you.

    You seem to like to take offence to my posts Colin. Maybe you should examine why that is so. I just disagreed with you, that’s all and you’ve launched an attack. You don’t like my language? Fair enough but you have really overreacted. After all, it’s not like I swear in all of them. Relax.
    ????

    I think this was the first post of yours that I've responded to and I certainly don't take "offence at your posts". I am not here long and I'm certainly not here to argue with anybody. By responding to your post I hadn't felt I had "launched an attack" on you at all. I am sorry if thats the way it came across to you. I thought I had chosen my reply carefully but I will be even more mindful of my responses going forward. Best wishes everybody and take care
    Colin.

    JeroenKundo
  • @Kundo said:

    @federica said:
    @Kundo? C'mon honey. you know you're sometimes apt to have a short fuse. @ColinA is a new member. Try to be a little more welcoming and a little less... 'bristly'. Play nice.

    Ok? ;)

    Sure, but it goes both ways ????

    It sure does @kundo. Its lovely to meet you. ??

    Kundo
  • The antidote to clinging to self-cherishing/selfish desire/self-interest is cultivating loving kindness, compassion, and Bodhichitta.

    Indeed.
    Someone has to do it!

    Om elette
    ... eh ... that is no egg mantra ... [lobster tries again]
    OM MANI PADME HUM m m m ...

    https://www.ommanipadmehum.com

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