Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

Something to contemplate about the essence of life

Comments

  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    AKA - what is the meaning of life :D
    sharonsaw
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited February 2013
    @ThailandTom, I disagree! I think AKA the POINT of life would be a better English rendering than "essence" or "meaning."

    To me, the purpose of life is to bring joy to others (and not suffering, by following after our own lusts). But if, as the monk says, you have to file that purpose down to a single POINT, that would be developing bodhicitta, or a mind striving to awaken to some kind of deep-connectedness with others.

    It might even follow, then, if one were not even to consider pursuit of bodhicitta or even equanimity sometime along the course of ones life, it would be a pointless life, really; for you cannot take anything with you and you can't predict what kind of scoundrels your heirs might be.

    I might not be a card-carrying member of the [Buddhist] emptiness club (whatever emptiness be), but I agree with the monk when he says that most of the commitments we take on are empty if they lack a sincere charity towards all beings.
    vinlyn
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    Nirvana said:

    @ThailandTom, I disagree! I think AKA the POINT of life would be a better English rendering than "essence" or "meaning."

    To me, the purpose of life is to bring joy to others (and not suffering, by following after our own lusts). But if, as the monk says, you have to file that purpose down to a single POINT, that would be developing bodhicitta, or a mind striving to awaken to some kind of deep-connectedness with others.

    I was never too quick with grammar and I managed to get a double B in English GCSE somehow :/ Then again I have had a seizure, but I understand what you mean. However, I think that if one frees themselves from ignorance and is liberated, compassionate will ultimately arise as it does along the path.
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    Nirvana said:

    @ThailandTom, I disagree! I think AKA the POINT of life would be a better English rendering than "essence" or "meaning."

    To me, the purpose of life is to bring joy to others (and not suffering, by following after our own lusts). But if, as the monk says, you have to file that purpose down to a single POINT, that would be developing bodhicitta, or a mind striving to awaken to some kind of deep-connectedness with others.

    I was never too quick with grammar and I managed to get a double B in English GCSE somehow :/ Then again I have had a seizure, but I understand what you mean. However, I think that if one frees themselves from ignorance and is liberated, compassionate will ultimately arise as it does along the path.
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited February 2013
    @ThailandTom, Just Pickin'. "I disagree" was not meant to sound harsh. How dreadful, harshly to address the subject of bodhicitta. I really ought to misspell it: Bodichita.

    There! Have I made any amends?
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    Nirvana said:

    @ThailandTom, Just Pickin'. "I disagree" was not meant to sound harsh. How dreadful, harshly to address the subject of bodhicitta. I really ought to misspell it: Bodichita.

    There! Have I made any amends?

    lol @Nirvana I swear today I have adopted some form of internet-autism, I am getting the wrong end of the stick or overeating in a few places on the net hehe. Sorry. I wasn't getting angry if that is what you thought, I understand where you are coming from.
Sign In or Register to comment.