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As Buddhists, should we accept attachments by email?

MatSaltedMatSalted
edited March 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Thanks in advance!:)

Comments

  • skydancerskydancer Veteran
    edited March 2010
    Human beings have a mix of qualities. Attachment and aversion, hope and fear, love and compassion.
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    sky dancer wrote: »
    Attachment and aversion, hope and fear, love and compassion.

    I always get these mixed up. Its love and compassion that we want and the others we don't want, right? :p
  • LesCLesC Bermuda Veteran
    edited March 2010
    I've been trying to rid my life of clinging... but I'm still have a problem with that Cling Wrap... damn stuff just won't let go... any insight would be appreciated...
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    LesC wrote: »
    I've been trying to rid my life of clinging... but I'm still have a problem with that Cling Wrap... damn stuff just won't let go... any insight would be appreciated...

    But at least with clig wrap you the dukka is transparent...
  • skydancerskydancer Veteran
    edited March 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »
    I always get these mixed up. Its love and compassion that we want and the others we don't want, right? :p

    It's love and compassion, joy and equanimity that are the four immeasurable qualities that we potentially may develop. It's suffering that we don't want. Suffering comes from attachment and aversion, hope and fear.:D

    Nice teaching on the four immeasurable qualities for anyone who is interested:
    http://viewonbuddhism.org/immeasurables_love_compassion_equanimity_rejoicing.html
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    sky dancer wrote: »
    Suffering comes from attachment and aversion, hope and fear

    I agree with this for much of suffering, but I don't see that it is true of all suffering. When I turn on the news and see Darfur and I suffer just by seeing the suffering of others, that seems to come from compassion not attachment?

    Where does that suffering come from, suffering at the suffering of others?

    Salome.
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited March 2010
    When seeing the suffering of others, do we feel only compassion? Or do we feel a sense of anger, guilt, aversion, hatred maybe, along with our compassion? Do we associate their loss with loss we felt in our own lives?
    Looking deeply, I've noticed that what I think is compassion is actually a huge mix of many emotions. And sometimes, it isn't compassion at all.

    Nios.
  • Quiet_witnessQuiet_witness Veteran
    edited March 2010
    I thought your thread title meant documents that were attached to emails.
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    Nios wrote: »
    When seeing the suffering of others, do we feel only compassion? Or do we feel a sense of anger, guilt, aversion, hatred maybe, along with our compassion? Do we associate their loss with loss we felt in our own lives?
    Looking deeply, I've noticed that what I think is compassion is actually a huge mix of many emotions. And sometimes, it isn't compassion at all.

    Nios.

    But when you see the smoking remains of the baby elephant orphanage on the news, what is that dukka you experience?
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited March 2010
    Dukkha is dukkha Mat. I don't understand your question :confused:
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    Nios wrote: »
    Dukkha is dukkha Mat. I don't understand your question :confused:

    I can see clearly how the ignorance causes the three defilements and these cause more and more dukka in many distinct ways.

    I cannot see how the suffering of others causes dukka.

    Danke.
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited March 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »
    When I turn on the news and see Darfur and I suffer just by seeing the suffering of others, that seems to come from compassion not attachment?
    MatSalted wrote: »
    I cannot see how the suffering of others causes dukka.

    :confused:

    I still don't understand what you are asking.
    Are you asking do we suffer when we see the suffering of others?
    Answer: Most of us, yes
    Why?
    Only you can answer that. I gave my reason already. If you personally do not suffer when you see others suffering, then thats great for you. :)
    As I stated previously, I suffer because I do not feel only compassion. I also feel anger, dispear, fear etc. But all those emotions are masked by my own deluded mind thinking that I am feeling only compassion. I have begun to realise this due to deep meditation.
    Have I ever felt pure 100% compassion? I have now realised, no I haven't.
    Do I believe we suffer (dukkha) when we feel pure compassion? I don't know, but I'd like to think not.

    Hope that answers the question. :)
    Nios wrote: »
    Looking deeply, I've noticed that what I think is compassion is actually a huge mix of many emotions. And sometimes, it isn't compassion at all.
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited March 2010
    As a Buddhist, I had to stop buying furniture at Ikea, because they just give you the parts, and you have to attach them.

    Staplers are a great evil.
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited March 2010
    Ikea parody http://www.youtube.com/watch#!videos=UGg9MJ6jluQ&v=nsGc6-lNAHQ

    :)
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    Nios wrote: »
    Do I believe we suffer (dukkha) when we feel pure compassion?

    Maybe the Buddha means suffering we can change. Suffering that is contingent upon us.
    Nios wrote: »
    Hope that answers the question. :)

    The is no answer, only questions.

    Jah Bless.
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited March 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »
    The is no answer, only questions.

    Why Mat, you're becoming "zen" ;)
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited March 2010
    Nios wrote: »
    Why Mat, you're becoming "zen" ;)

    Zen is not what one becomes but what one doesn't become if instead they become something else.

    Ohm Shanti.

    :)
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited March 2010
    drevil.jpg

    RIIIGGGGHHHHTT! :wtf:
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited March 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »
    Zen is not what one becomes but what one doesn't become if instead they become something else.

    Ohm Shanti.

    :)


    :scratch:
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited March 2010
    Is there Buddhist spam? Buddhist malware? Buddhist Trojan horses?? Oh my!


    Mtns
  • RayfieldNeelRayfieldNeel
    edited March 2010
    Ew, Buddhist worms.
  • upekkaupekka Veteran
    edited March 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »

    I suffer just by seeing the suffering of others, that seems to come from compassion not attachment?
    no, that comes from ignorance (not knowing or not be able to mindful about impermenance nature of everything we experience)

    if it is possible to reduce the suffering of others without harming anyone (including ourselves) we can act

    otherwise just reminds the mind this too is passing away
  • AmrakAmrak
    edited March 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »
    I can see clearly how the ignorance causes the three defilements and these cause more and more dukka in many distinct ways.

    I cannot see how the suffering of others causes dukka.

    Danke.
    Empathy, perhaps. Vicarious dukkha. :(

    Illusory concept of 'self' projected upon another.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited March 2010
    I think the suffering from hearing of others suffer comes from not wanting that experience and wanting to close down. Rather than truly open your heart. If you open your heart you might feel pain. But pain is not the same thing as suffering. If you open your heart that would almost be bodhicitta or in other words it would stir in you the noble wish that you become enlightened so that you can help all the suffering beings in the world. Imagine if you actually could help the people in Dafur? Wouldn't that feel good?
  • BrotherBobBrotherBob
    edited March 2010
    I think you got it Jeffrey. When I see others subjected to harm, I feel pain - I do not need to suffer.
  • NamelessRiverNamelessRiver Veteran
    edited March 2010
    I think the suffering from hearing of others suffer comes from not wanting that experience and wanting to close down.

    Sometimes people looove to see others make mistakes or suffer. What is that about?
  • BrotherBobBrotherBob
    edited March 2010
    Conditioned to feeling pleasure in harmfulness? FOOLISHNESS!!!
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited March 2010
    NamelessRiver wrote: »
    Sometimes people looove to see others make mistakes or suffer. What is that about?
    For boys, it's usually about age 13.

    Joking aside, sometimes it's learned behavior. After other people do it to me a few times, I learn that that is the proper response to other people's suffering. (Proper in the sense of socially expected.)

    In other cases, it can be a response to extreme stress. Paramedics' humor can seem absolutely heartless if you don't realize that it helps keep them sane.
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