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in this rat-infested apartment

genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
edited February 2014 in General Banter
One of my all-time favorite reminders is this: "If a man punches you in the stomach, you don't ask if he lives in a rat-infested apartment." This may not have the smooth and soothing feel of something called "Buddhism," but I nonetheless think it is a spot-on Buddhist reminder.

When life punches you in the stomach, "compassion" and "wisdom" and "Buddhism" and sneaky paradoxical chitchat are not the first thought into anyone's head. The first reaction is "ouch!" Second, perhaps, is "escape!" Only later does the rat-infested apartment of philosophy and religion come into play and spawn, perhaps, the notion that we can talk or explain our pains to death.

Until the next time a man (or life) punches you in the stomach....

Buddhist practice is pretty good where the desire arises to stop being a stupid punching bag.

Just noodling.
lobsterVastmindanatamancvalue

Comments

  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    This applies well to the differences between the ideal and the actual which are so often manifested on a Buddhist web sight where distances in time and space for the participants provide some built in equanimity.
    lobsteranataman
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