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Straight or wonky?
lobster
Veteran
As most of us know Buddhism, normality and attitude are a way of thinking, some methods lead to less suffering. Some unbalanced thinking leads to the funny farm or dharma factory for producing Sangha clones. However maybe all thinking is prone to bias?
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/06/04/david-mcraney-self-enchancement-bias/
Can we be independent of our inclinations to be led by our internal simian evolution? I and Mr Cushion in a joint affirmation, suggest finding our way to a degree of independent 'non arising' is possible. Such potentially enlightening being (as opposed to being led by monkey mind) comes through exploring the nature of our existing consciousness. Well that is my plan. Have I gone wrong again?
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Comments
Moved to General Banter.
"Advanced Ideas" is a sub-forum for the discussion of complex and debatable aspects of the Suttas and the Dhamma.
For the 100th time... :frowning:
I gone dun wrong agin. Sorry @federica . . .
and now back to the unwonky, memory enhanced . . .
Fascinating article, and fascinating link to http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/03/24/the-depths-rottenberg-depression/.
Suggests low mood is helpful to repeatedly making difficult decisions. And guess decisions as to right livelihood, right speech etc etc are pretty tough?
I'm one who's never believed what people tell me about my talents and find it hard to discern them myself, let alone inflate my abilities. Believing childhood admonitions as to how difficult I am is far easier. Hence, perhaps, low mood and the ability in my past to repeatedly make difficult decisions. That's what I did as a lawyer. That's what I now have to do regarding my daughter (whether to continue fighting for contact with repeated relapses or to put my health first, even though this is so affected by the stress of being unable to contact her) and how to expend my highly limited energy. Doing anything comes with a high price due to my ME (see
I've never seen myself as having a low mood. I have always been grateful for the privileged life I have led - knowing that life is not fair because I have been given so much: great parents, a good education, a wonderful environment in which to live etc etc. But it's difficult to compare with those who "self enhance" - I don't know what their mood is generally like.
Guess it takes all sorts - in life in general and in any sangha?
Good thing we have a practically perfect in every way moderator! Posting in the wrong category can only be an explanation as to why it is only "practically" perfect for you, @lobster - the exception that proves the rule?
Yes.
I also feel that an approach which counters the debilitating effects of drugs, medical condition, unrealistic self sense etc is part of the way.
It seems strange on the path to truth we have to start from a lie that facilitates rather than loops us in suffering/Dukkha.
From my own experience and the Buddhas, it was the intense path following and then the realisation it was getting nowhere that caused a reevaluation.
This may be counter intuitive. The straight and narrow might seem the quickest route to the top of the mountain, unless you fall off or starve yourself silly. We need realistic, recognizable benefits.
A perfect teacher or teaching that we do not implement is perfectly useless. So for example yoga may heal our body, soothe our mind and emotions very quickly and directly. We might even do it.
We kinda wanna change but . . . nah . . . too hard . . .
We have to set ourselves up for success. That be my master plan . . .
Sounds a good plan to me. But I'm not going to cling to it :#
I don't think Buddhism leads to the funny farm. Biological causes in the brain are the cause. The dharma actually helps coping with 'insanity'.
As far as 'dharma clones' I think that is just a reaction to fear of pressure to conform. Or maybe fear that you won't be allowed to think for yourself. Or maybe it's schadenfreude for those fools.
This ^^
Yes.
The world, our situation/circumstances/karma or our intention to be crazed by existence, comes more under our passing away toolkit (aka Mr Cushion).
I find speaking about myself, that clarity and sanity are an acquired taste. Most of us are drawn to misery, crazy mind loops, delusional fantasies and other diversions from our well being.
Cure?
[image of cushion withdrawn to keep the easily unseated sane]
To be sure (Imagine an Irish accent)!
you sound like you
must need
be cured!
by salt...
by smoke...
or pickling:
in vinegar or brine...
Else there's other ways of seeking
the other-worldly Devine
Meditation's an option,
there's also hallucinogenic vines!
your way's
yours
my way's
mine...
Straight I may appear
but wonky I be
sinusoidal motion
insinuates me
LOM
...\lol/...