The Middle Way
JaySon
Florida Veteran
"The way to liberation first taught by the Buddha was the Middle Path lying between the extremes of indulgence in desire and self-mortification. The mind must be open to all experience without losing its balance and falling into these extremes. This allows you to see things without reacting and grabbing or pushing away.
"When you understand this balance, then the path becomes clear. As you grow in understanding, when things come that are pleasant, you will realize that they won't last, that they're empty, that they offer you no security. Unpleasant things will also present no problem because you will see that they won't last either, that they're equally empty.
"Finally, as you travel further along the path, you will come to see that nothing in the world has any essential value. There's nothing to hold on to. Everything is like an old banana peel or a coconut husk--you have no use for it, no fascination with it. When you see that things in the world are like banana peels that have no great value for you, then you're free to walk in the world without being bothered or hurt in any way. This is the path that brings you to freedom."
-Ajahn Chah
Comments
I don't know how to ask this in a completely constructive way. How do we distinguish this view of freedom, which sounds correct and wise to me, and apathy where nothing matters?
Apathy (to me) = Indifference. Not caring either way, and shrugging your shoulders at either consequence or outcome.
Freedom is being able to detach, but still have an open and compassionate attitude for every angle and result.
I don't know, but I suspect the distinction lies somewhere in the motives and insights underlying our view of freedom. One is a relief; the other a burden to the mind.
I read this as I get my super bowl* snacks ready: grapes, mixed nuts, olives, potato chips, tortilla chips, beer, and taco hummus. I will try to not feel too deluded.
*yes some Americans like their super bowl. we are world champions of it seeing as we are the only ones who play it. that increases the odds greatly
Apathy and nihilism is hopeless and samsara entanglement and ignorant drowning.
Love matters. Love Frees us. You do not hold on to Spiritual Love. You give it freely.
Increase in Love - Dervish Dharma
Imigine where the centre of an infinite circle is?
Everywhere.
I sometimes get stuck here and all I can think of is perspective. To say nothing has intrinsic value -to me- does not take away from any value coming into existence through conditioning.
Because value or purpose is made rather than found doesn't decrease the value.
Also I find impermanence itself intrinsically meaningful in that it allows for experience good or bad. In fact when good and bad fall away I find a good without opposition so I often find myself the odd one out. I use the Suttas mostly and do not see a contradiction in Zen or Madhyamaka or the Sutras...
Some seem to find the illusion nothing more than a nuisance but I see it as a handy tool.
Maybe it's just the difference between the Arhat and the Bodhisattva mindset, I don't know.
Sounds good to me ...
Just like the World Series in baseball then... i’ll look at the recording in the morning.
Whereas the real world championship they call the “World Baseball Classic”, lol.
Me too.
The reason I say so is because it all works. That is, information is being shared and so things advance. Things like an increasing sense of awareness or the growth of a lotus in the mud.
Work itself is just information being shared and the only opposite to information being shared is no information being shared.
The latter is just a concept because we can plainly see information being shared.
The potential for growth through the sharing of information must have always been.