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Aspirational Dharma
lobster
Crusty Veteran
For me there are many teachings I could cherry pick [cherries - yum], I tend to leave the more complex mind stretching for the brighter Bodhis . . .
I feel the interconnected or interdependent qualities of wisdom and compassion (symbolised by dorje and bell and yab-yum in Tantra) are important and primary aspirations.
My favourite Bodhi principle is the AI Maitreya, coming to a Buddha lacking society of the future. Something to look forward to in five hundred years or so. Nirvana is pretty cool too.
What qualities do you aspire to? [super dharmaists with no hindrances need not play]
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Feelin' that deep love of the earth, aroma of her dirt and freshness in every step. Always thought myself an outdoorsman, now that the weather's nice I'm looking forward to soaking up the sky.
Always singin' songs, makin' prayers. Never really called 'em prayers in my own version of reality, just kinda ... yeah, aspirations is a good word. Once I read that Will Smith told himself every morning when he was young that he'd be a super successful [whatever he was feelin'] and it really worked! So I like to keep stuff like that in mind and leave myself notes. Kinda piecemeal but so good.
a.i. maitreya? i'm intrigued. although according to calendar's i've seen people say we're in the 7th set of the ten 500 year cycles.. others have different counts...
do you know about asimov's three laws of robotics? it's basically digital mahayana haha. or maybe shravaka. i'm not sure if actively benefiting those around you is part of it, but definitely doing no harm (to humans) is a big one.
we can definitely create devices that can see patterns and repeat behaviors they learn. (comically makes me think, "are we really the best data-set for our robo-descendants?") it's not surprising that things are trending this way. what will be surprising, though, is if the artificial skeleton we make for "artificial intellect" actually becomes suitable for a proper "intellect" or sentience, let's say, to come hang out with us! would be cool, right?
anyway, apologies ... i'm feeling rather chatty...
you mentioned that simplicity is key and i think that's part of it. simple friction is good, i think. like really being able to have care and a chunk of your mind awareness on the happiness and well-faring (and suffer-cause extinguish-ment) of the people we live with on the earth is something i am aspiring toward. it helps to remind myself that everybody's life dances through causes and the conditions. in a more tap-in way: "life is a dancer and you are the dance"
eventually, things your mind inclines to become automagical and require less effort for sustained activity. i think that's why intention is so important -- cultivating the intention to benefit beings, having their conditions be conducive to enlightenment, and their having the proper causes ( their joy and their happiness, to say it simply), because intention will shine through all of what we do. you might be in a barrel of hot spring water looking up at the stars at night or you might be passing food out to people at a shelter. "act with a pure mind, and happiness follows her like a shadow does when walking on a bright day"
just today was reading about how our aspirations can be so multivariate and diverse for all the different kinds of beings. even in just the human family we have so many different propensities and inclinations of beings, many life-situations, etc, so it's good to keep in mind that what might be the best way for a particular person is not the only way, and that there can be many ways that lead to happiness for self and other. as long as the sentiment is genuine, or that the words can eventually help evoke the true feeling of the sentiment, that's most important.
Buddhas Sing and Dance (composed by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche)
http://www.ktgrinpoche.org/songs/buddhas-sing-and-dance
Yes I know of the three laws of robotics. It was mentioned in the fun Will Smith film I-Robot based on an Asimov story. The robot is quite messianic in the film. However new thinking means humans will not be supplanted but augmented and integrated . . .
The AI Metta Ray or Maitreya is a YinYana concept, not just that the next Buddha will be seated in a chair (a Westerner) but an enlightened AI/human hybrid will be the Next Buddha.
http://yinyana.tumblr.com/day/2013/10/08
What fun!
I can see resistance to life is not a good thing so an aspiration is swim with the current. One day go over that waterfall without any grief.
A boulder falls in your way, rather than try and move the boulder. Just walk around it.
Oh to live like this ...
Oh to live like this ...
or
Nah, blow it up and build a 6-lane highway.
Or do what this guy did.