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The Buddha taught Interdependent Co-arising. The principle is simple. All things depends on other things for them to come to existence, live, deteriorate, and pass away. Your breakfast... A trillion things had to be in place before it was available to you. The fridge you opened was mad by factory workers. The milk came from a diary farm, which involved cows, farmers, grass, truck drivers. The truck driver did come to you nakedly. He needed to be clothed. So a tailor was there. The tailor bought fabric from weavers, etc. This is why to think of oneself as a SEPARATE SELF is a joke (actually grave ignorance). The Buddha taught us to see others in ourselves. The Buddha himself couldn't have attained enlightenment without supports from people who gave him food. Bhikkhu means beggar. His full time job (and the monks) was partly begging. Begging for sustenance. So he could dedicate his time more to mediation. But then out of deep understanding and gratefulness for such sustenance, he shared his wisdom with the world he so critically relied on to exist.
@music- why make music, then? is music not for people to listen to? do you not care if they like your music? doesn't music make people happy? you already care about people, don't you? what are you trying to do, really, when you create music? you are trying to relieve suffering of yourselves and others, because music has the power to do this. you are already being a do-gooder, whether you are ready to admit it or not. do whatever you want to do but if you want to stop helping people, then stop making music. but will that help lead you to your cessation of suffering? i can't imagine it would, and i am super imaginative.
I don't think humans are by nature violent, but I certainly think they can be violent.
Since we have evolved from lower life forms, we have retained 'animal' characteristics like aggression, bullying etc. the 'intellect' seems to be rather recent and is therefore impotent in the face of millions of years of evolution. That's why it is so easy to hate or commit acts of violence than it is to love or heal people. The latter - reason, empathy, and so on - are recent stages in the evolutionary struggle, so it feels so unnatural compared to 'regular' emotions like aggression, envy, and the rest.
I don't think humans are by nature violent, but I certainly think they can be violent.
Since we have evolved from lower life forms, we have retained 'animal' characteristics like aggression, bullying etc. the 'intellect' seems to be rather recent and is therefore impotent in the face of millions of years of evolution. That's why it is so easy to hate or commit acts of violence than it is to love or heal people. The latter - reason, empathy, and so on - are recent stages in the evolutionary struggle, so it feels so unnatural compared to 'regular' emotions like aggression, envy, and the rest.
Two points:
First, I note you don't respond to the personal and motivation questions you are asked.
Second, stop and think about the world you see. In my life I've known many teachers, people who work in soup kitchens, etc. I've never met a murderer. As a principal, I knew some bullies...they made up maybe 5% of our student population. And when you talk about healing...do you?
I don't think humans are by nature violent, but I certainly think they can be violent.
Since we have evolved from lower life forms, we have retained 'animal' characteristics like aggression, bullying etc. the 'intellect' seems to be rather recent and is therefore impotent in the face of millions of years of evolution. That's why it is so easy to hate or commit acts of violence than it is to love or heal people. The latter - reason, empathy, and so on - are recent stages in the evolutionary struggle, so it feels so unnatural compared to 'regular' emotions like aggression, envy, and the rest.
Two points:
First, I note you don't respond to the personal and motivation questions you are asked.
Second, stop and think about the world you see. In my life I've known many teachers, people who work in soup kitchens, etc. I've never met a murderer. As a principal, I knew some bullies...they made up maybe 5% of our student population. And when you talk about healing...do you?
The good people you see are 'good' for the following reasons: be good and get favors, be good and please god/get to heaven, be good and earn a good name/get a pat on the back, be good for political or religious reasons, and so on. In short, the goodness of this world is always poisoned by ulterior motives. Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
I don't think humans are by nature violent, but I certainly think they can be violent.
Since we have evolved from lower life forms, we have retained 'animal' characteristics like aggression, bullying etc. the 'intellect' seems to be rather recent and is therefore impotent in the face of millions of years of evolution. That's why it is so easy to hate or commit acts of violence than it is to love or heal people. The latter - reason, empathy, and so on - are recent stages in the evolutionary struggle, so it feels so unnatural compared to 'regular' emotions like aggression, envy, and the rest.
Two points:
First, I note you don't respond to the personal and motivation questions you are asked.
Second, stop and think about the world you see. In my life I've known many teachers, people who work in soup kitchens, etc. I've never met a murderer. As a principal, I knew some bullies...they made up maybe 5% of our student population. And when you talk about healing...do you?
The good people you see are 'good' for the following reasons: be good and get favors, be good and please god/get to heaven, be good and earn a good name/get a pat on the back, be good for political or religious reasons, and so on. In short, the goodness of this world is always poisoned by ulterior motives. Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
There are those who do things with a pure motivation. Bodhicitta is a pure motivation but you are right many people simply perform good actions for a reward not simply because it is the right thing to do.
I don't think humans are by nature violent, but I certainly think they can be violent.
Since we have evolved from lower life forms, we have retained 'animal' characteristics like aggression, bullying etc. the 'intellect' seems to be rather recent and is therefore impotent in the face of millions of years of evolution. That's why it is so easy to hate or commit acts of violence than it is to love or heal people. The latter - reason, empathy, and so on - are recent stages in the evolutionary struggle, so it feels so unnatural compared to 'regular' emotions like aggression, envy, and the rest.
Two points:
First, I note you don't respond to the personal and motivation questions you are asked.
Second, stop and think about the world you see. In my life I've known many teachers, people who work in soup kitchens, etc. I've never met a murderer. As a principal, I knew some bullies...they made up maybe 5% of our student population. And when you talk about healing...do you?
The good people you see are 'good' for the following reasons: be good and get favors, be good and please god/get to heaven, be good and earn a good name/get a pat on the back, be good for political or religious reasons, and so on. In short, the goodness of this world is always poisoned by ulterior motives. Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
In what scripture, sutta or sutra did the Buddha say all people have ulterior motives when doing good? I don't recall ever reading that anywhere in any Buddhist scripture.
Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Paul says that because according to Paul and Christians, righteousness only comes from God and God alone. In the context of Buddhism, Paul's words here can rightly be discarded as Buddhism completely discards that idea.
Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
Paul who? Paul McCartney? Paul Simon? If you mean Saint Paul you're in the wrong forum. He wasn't a Buddhist. And I hate to be pedantic but the word evil isn't in that quote.
Its not true, @music. Its a shame that you view the world from such a negative viewpoint. You see what you do, because that is what you are looking to see. I help people because I love them, and because they truly need the help. I don't do it to get favors or good karma or whatever. I do it because its just the right thing to do. Do I feel good as a result? Sure, but I don't do it for the outcome. When I've helped my grandma with her medical issues, I didn't do it because I knew I'd feel good later, I did it because she needed help and I was able to help her. Not everyone has ulterior motives, some things just are what they look like. Sad that you can't see it though, or that you just plain choose to look for negative things in life.
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DavidA human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First NationsVeteran
I don't think humans are by nature violent, but I certainly think they can be violent.
Since we have evolved from lower life forms, we have retained 'animal' characteristics like aggression, bullying etc. the 'intellect' seems to be rather recent and is therefore impotent in the face of millions of years of evolution. That's why it is so easy to hate or commit acts of violence than it is to love or heal people. The latter - reason, empathy, and so on - are recent stages in the evolutionary struggle, so it feels so unnatural compared to 'regular' emotions like aggression, envy, and the rest.
Two points:
First, I note you don't respond to the personal and motivation questions you are asked.
Second, stop and think about the world you see. In my life I've known many teachers, people who work in soup kitchens, etc. I've never met a murderer. As a principal, I knew some bullies...they made up maybe 5% of our student population. And when you talk about healing...do you?
The good people you see are 'good' for the following reasons: be good and get favors, be good and please god/get to heaven, be good and earn a good name/get a pat on the back, be good for political or religious reasons, and so on. In short, the goodness of this world is always poisoned by ulterior motives.
It sounds like you are saying that to be truely good is to do nothing about our plight against ignorance. Like you are literally advocating evil, lol.
The fact is that from the time we are born we depend on others for our survival. Even speaking on an us versus them mentality, the group that nurtures each other will be stronger than those that don't care about each other.
Helping others improves the growth of the whole. Could you imagine how amazing this world(s) could be if every single one of us had our ability to learn nurtured?
Forget about the individualistic feelings of reward and see how working together and helping each other encourage growth and learning and you will see that compassion is not just some emotionally charged ideal but the only intelligent conclusion.
Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
No offence but I don't think Paul knew what he was talking about. Jesus warned of false prophets proclaiming great signs and wonders and then who shows up on the scene proclaiming great signs and wonders? Paul, lol.
Aside from the teachings of Jesus I have little use for the Bible.
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DavidA human residing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Ancestral territory of the Erie, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Mississauga and Neutral First NationsVeteran
Remember Paul's words: our righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
Paul who? Paul McCartney? Paul Simon? If you mean Saint Paul you're in the wrong forum. He wasn't a Buddhist. And I hate to be pedantic but the word evil isn't in that quote.
Dang, you beat me to the Beatles reference... I was going to say something like "But John said "all you need is love", lol.
Practise is moving care from selfishness to selflessness.
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zombiegirlbeating the drum of the lifelessin a dry wastelandVeteran
Hm. That moment when you realize that someone's perception of reality is so intrinsically different than your own, you wonder if it hasn't reached the realm of the psychological. I wonder if there is any point in trying to show you the alternative @music
Buddhists often speak of metta, which annoys me. They make it sound like Buddhism is some kind of 'do gooder' religion where everybody is charitable like Teresa. But isn't Buddhism about liberation and only liberation? Buddha made it clear that getting out of this cycle of birth and death is all that matters. He never advocated charity, humanism, or any of those things.
So why is it Buddhists force you to care about everyone? Wouldn't that dilute our energy, make us worldly? Wouldn't that time and energy be better spent in reading, meditating etc.? Worldly activities, however noble, aren't salvific. So-called noble activities are simply a form of reciprocal altruism, nothing sacred. So why waste time pretending to be good when liberation is more important?
Buddhists don't force anyone to do anything.
He did advocate compassion for others. The practice of compassion and charity helps cultivate the Buddhamind, it helps develop selflessness. It's key to reaching an Enlightened state. Fundamental.
Comments
Sekha - stuvongautama@yahoo.com
Human nature has both sides, violence and non-violence. It is our duty to control our dark nature, even when it's stimulated to manifest.
This sort of argument is actually useless. It leads to no progress on the Path.
Sekha - stuvongautama@yahoo.com
First, I note you don't respond to the personal and motivation questions you are asked.
Second, stop and think about the world you see. In my life I've known many teachers, people who work in soup kitchens, etc. I've never met a murderer. As a principal, I knew some bullies...they made up maybe 5% of our student population. And when you talk about healing...do you?
Buddha said the same thing, only he used the word 'ignorance' instead of evil.
There are those who do things with a pure motivation. Bodhicitta is a pure motivation but you are right many people simply perform good actions for a reward not simply because it is the right thing to do.
And I hate to be pedantic but the word evil isn't in that quote.
The fact is that from the time we are born we depend on others for our survival. Even speaking on an us versus them mentality, the group that nurtures each other will be stronger than those that don't care about each other.
Helping others improves the growth of the whole. Could you imagine how amazing this world(s) could be if every single one of us had our ability to learn nurtured?
Forget about the individualistic feelings of reward and see how working together and helping each other encourage growth and learning and you will see that compassion is not just some emotionally charged ideal but the only intelligent conclusion. No offence but I don't think Paul knew what he was talking about. Jesus warned of false prophets proclaiming great signs and wonders and then who shows up on the scene proclaiming great signs and wonders? Paul, lol.
Aside from the teachings of Jesus I have little use for the Bible.
He did advocate compassion for others. The practice of compassion and charity helps cultivate the Buddhamind, it helps develop selflessness. It's key to reaching an Enlightened state. Fundamental.