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Hopes and aspirations in life?

Now-Is-realityNow-Is-reality
edited April 2011 in Buddhism Basics
I was talking to a buddhist friend recently who said that if his car broke down, he wouldn't want to fix it because then it would show that he has a desire to go to work and get money. I think out of necessity people should do what they need to do to get by, but not hold onto the idea of things being permanent, like being happy in the moment, however what he was saying was borderline "Have no desire to live" and while I agree with having no desire to live forever, if something happens like say you get really sick, take it in strides as inevitable... yet no desire to do anything? Wouldn't everyone just sit around and do nothing? He also said that hopes and aspiration are detrimental... I think they can be if you rely on one thing, but not if you hope without depending or needing to fulfill it. I don't know, thoughts?

Comments

  • 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
    I am of the opinion that he has a distorted view of detachment.
  • ZaylZayl Veteran
    You still need to do these things. The sense of attachment/detachment in a Buddhist sense is so simple it is kinda hard to explain properly. And simple enough most people overthink it.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Its a harmful view of emptiness. That is why its part of the bodhisattva vow not to teach emptiness unless you can support that person with the conditions to understand the correct view.

    Maybe someone else than me can think of a teaching or a logic today. I got a huge headache and can't think. I took 2 advil. I had a desire not to have a headache!
  • SabreSabre Veteran
    I read this today and it made me laugh because it's true:

    “So. Go ahead and want. Want to gain release from suffering. Want to gain merit. Want to go to heaven. Want to go to nibbana. Go ahead and want as much as you like, because it's all part of the path. It's not the case that all wanting is craving (tanha). If we think that all wanting is craving, then if we don't let there be craving, it's as if we were dead. No wanting, no anything: Is that what it means not to have defilement or craving? Is that kind of person anything special? It's nothing special at all, because it's a dead person. They're all over the place. A person who isn't dead has to want this and that — just be careful that you don't go wanting in the wrong direction, that's all. If you want in the wrong direction, it's craving and defilement. If you want in the right direction, it's the path, so make sure you understand this.”

    - Venerable Acariya Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno
  • Now-Is-realityNow-Is-reality
    Ahh, yeah I agree with everyone who has posted. I founds his thoughts curious, I was trying to explain you can want and do things out of necessity as long as you don't attach to the endeavor. I said "Ever wonder why the buddha didn't just let himself die after reaching enlightenment? He must of wanted something, food, to spread the dharma etc, but he probably was wise enough not to attach." Good enough explanation? hahaha.
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    There are a lot of people who misinterpret the teachings. Don't let that phase you.
  • Malachy12Malachy12
    Maybe he's a bit depressed to begin with so he views detachment in this manner. When I was younger and kind of bummed I really misinterpreted a lot of teachings. I remember thinking that everything was meaningless so why even try. But this was a distorted viewpoint because I was still new to everything. I confused some aspects of Buddhism with nihilism. But, I remember I met a guy who was into theravada and we had some good discussions that cleared up my distorted viewpoints. When he's over-analyzing things and thinks he can escape desire, tease him a little and remind him striving for no desire is in itself...another desire.
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