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Surgery without anesthetic?

RichardHRichardH Veteran
edited March 2010 in Philosophy
Trungpa once described practicing The Buddha's Dharma as going through surgery without anesthetic. Any thoughts on this?

Comments

  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I once knew a pretty run-of-the mill Mormon who had a tooth removed without anesthetic, because such drugs are proscribed for Mormons.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2010
    I'm inclined to disagree.... I've had a tooth out without anaesthesia, and I must say, I prefer the Dharma any time....:eek:

    What do you think he meant...?
  • bizilagunbizilagun New
    edited January 2010
    Maybe the meaning is that through the practice of Dharma, you are healing your mind instead of putting it to sleep, that is what we use to do...

    Just a guess.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I think it means no insulation from pain, dissatisfaction, discomfort, fear etc. It is a not pain avoidance strategy. My partner (who is wiser and nicer) described this when she was going through cancer treatment last year. “I'm like a bug pinned to the wall. So I stop wiggling and just be the wall... house, the neighbourhood, the world.”
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited January 2010
    Richard Herman wrote: »
    Trungpa once described practicing The Buddha's Dharma as going through surgery without anesthetic. Any thoughts on this?
    Trungpa would often talk about sensitivity and openness. Often times we walk around with a metaphorical suit of armor that we use to protect the "self".
    Living authentically without it is scary and sometimes painful but ultimately leads to living a practicing in a more genuine and beneficial way.
  • FoibleFullFoibleFull Canada Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I agree with Shenpen.

    We spend all our lives trying to be happy and trying to avoid any emotional discomfort. We have a multitude of mechanisms to avoid having to look at inner pain ... distraction, self-medication, etc. But it takes real courage, strength and resolve to turn and face those internal demons without "anesthesia".

    It does get easier with practice, unlike (I suspect) facing surgery without anasthesia.
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    edited February 2010
    He often used another metaphor with the same intention, he said "life should be taken on the rocks with no ice or sodawater" . Straight, without flinching or excuses displacement or projection.
  • comicallyinsanecomicallyinsane Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Richard Herman wrote: »
    Trungpa once described practicing The Buddha's Dharma as going through surgery without anesthetic. Any thoughts on this?

    Screw that noise. Put me out. I had a disc fusion in my neck back in 2003. Just think if I was enduring the pain. I could jump up while the doctor was messing around my spinal chord. Then I wouldn't be feeling any pain ever again because I'd be paralyzed.
  • armandoarmando
    edited March 2010
    trungpa used scotch as anesthetic. it eventually killed him.
  • zendozendo
    edited March 2010
    comicallyinsane wrote: »
    Screw that noise. Put me out. I had a disc fusion in my neck back in 2003. Just think if I was enduring the pain. I could jump up while the doctor was messing around my spinal chord. Then I wouldn't be feeling any pain ever again because I'd be paralyzed.
    So to put this in the context of Trungpa's metaphor: are you saying you'd prefer to be "numbed" by delusion, rather than face reality? To remain "asleep in the Matrix," rather than awaken?

    That, indeed, is what most of humanity is doing--either by conscious choice or (more likely) in ignorance of another option. We are the fortunate few who have been "awakened" to the existence of another way.

    I once saw a video of a woman getting facial reconstructive surgery with no other anesthetic than a hypnotic trance, induced and maintained by her hypnotherapist, who was present throughout the procedure. To the amazement of everyone present, the woman made it through the entire procedure (which should have been agonizing), fully awake, but immune to the pain by the power of hypnosis.

    Perhaps we can draw a parallel and say that, by learning to take control of our own minds (through meditation), we can train ourselves, little by little, to endure the psychic equivalent of surgery without anesthesia; and in so doing "cure" ourselves of samsara, and make it through to the other side, fully liberated beings.
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