Acceptance vs Ambitions?

justbe

Any advice on how to accept the present moment while also needing to "survive" in a hyper-capitalist society? How is acceptance of the present moment reconciled with ambitions for the future? If we are to continue living the householder's (maintaining a career, wanting to effect social change,) life, are we to set down our ambitions? How do we think of what needs to be done in the future in the way of prudent planning and what not when we are supposed to stay "in the moment"?

BhikkhuJayasara

planning is done in the present moment . This is important for householders AND monks actually. I think the problem comes from when we grow too attached to our plans and fight to grasp them long after we should of let go.

I always use the example of great generals in history. Every great general makes plans and backup plans.. but they know that in the heat of battle everything they planned will go to chaos and they will need to command on the fly(ie in the present moment). This is called being adaptable..and humans are the most adaptable creatures on this planet, or else we would of never progressed this far.

also having realistic ambitions are important, and being content with what you have already. the answer ( as always) is mindfulness. When you are mindful in the present moment, you can make the best judgments in planning your future.

pegembara

A more relevant question would be: "What is the root of our discontent (non-acceptance)?

Granted, some things are neccessary but why is it that most people constantly feel a lack?

There is a Vietnamese proverb, "Tri tuc, tien tuc, dai tuc, ha thoi tuc." That means, settling for "good enough" is enough. If we wait until all our needs and wants are met, we may wait forever. "Tri tuc" means "good enough." "Good enough" means being content with the minimum amount necessary. Your shirt and pair of shoes can last another year. It's all right for three or four people to share a desk for studying, there's no need for each to have her own desk. Settling for "good enough" in terms of simple living will bring us contentment, satisfaction, and happiness immediately. As long as we think our lives are not good enough [materially], we will not have happiness. As soon as we realize our lives are good enough, happiness immediately appears. That is the practice of contentment.

In Vietnam there's a school of Buddhism called the Four Gratitudes. Just by practicing gratitude, we can find happiness. We must be grateful to our ancestors, our parents, our teachers, our friends, the Earth, the sky, the trees, the grass, the animals, the soil, the stones. Looking at the sunlight or at the forest, we feel gratitude. Looking at our breakfast, we feel grattitude. When we live in the spirit of gratitude, there will be much happiness in our life. The one who is grateful is the one who has much happiness while the one who is ungrateful will not be able to have happiness.

Two Treasures: Buddhist Teachings on Awakening & True Happiness


Thich Nhat Hanh

Deepankar

@jusbe Buddha gotama is a very good example. He renounced to search for the answer to the solution. Upon complete wisdom developed. He could have return to assume king to disperse all the wealth from his unsurpassed compassion or at least having the ability amd influence to ask his father to disperse alot of wealth and infrastructure development for social grace, but chose to teach instead. Teaching is the best option to effect social change as it achieves everlasting wellness because everyone had a super kind loving heart inherently powerful. May all be well and safe.

Zero

justbe said:

Any advice on how to accept the present moment while also needing to "survive" in a hyper-capitalist society? How is acceptance of the present moment reconciled with ambitions for the future? If we are to continue living the householder's (maintaining a career, wanting to effect social change,) life, are we to set down our ambitions? How do we think of what needs to be done in the future in the way of prudent planning and what not when we are supposed to stay "in the moment"?

Staying in the moment doesn't in my mind mean forgetting the past and ignoring the future - it is the natural consequence of understanding that the past is the past and the future is the future - this shouldn't prevent you from learning from your past and planning for your future.

justbe

Thank you all for your replies. You have given me much to meditate on. Happiness to you all.