Buddhism, dream realms and the will to power
Jeroen
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlands Veteran
I wanted to talk to you about the idea that man has a “will to power”, a desire to rise to power and what it means for Buddhists and for those who contact the dream realms.
From my own experiences, the dream realms are not always nice places, and having a measure of power can protect you. Of course one can search for realms which are peaceful, but the abdication of power can be risky depending on where you are. Now a Buddhist monastic is used to letting a lot of things go, but perhaps not this?
In a way Buddhism is a search for becoming a Buddha and having a heavenly realm and a retinue is something some Buddhas do according to the tales. So do Buddhists rise to power? Of course monastics have a certain worldly influence in some countries as well, like Sri Lanka. How does that work, is the will to power something Buddhist monastics let go of, like I always believed?
Comments
For Buddhists, a desire to rise to power is a cause for suffering.
The Buddha asked his followers to awaken from such a dream, not just try give that dream a more comfortable sleeping arrangement.
Being less hobbled by dreams or desires, is the true power of a practice, whether one is monastic or lay.
To the degree that one allows selflessness to evolve..... heavens, hells, retinues or obscurity become just the next nanosecond of a possible practice on the path towards suffering's cessation.
In a way it is the Eight Worldly Winds continuing to blow.
I guess I kind of think of the will to power as more of a worldly thing and that some level of power in a worldly sense allows one a greater degree of control over one's life. An absence of power allows others the ability to control or even dominate you. The ability to practice at all requires some level of freedom from coercion. Power also allows people to do good in the world, you may have the purest, most heartfelt wish that others were in a better state, but without the ability to make it so that intention lacks worldly impact.
Like @how says though, the goal of the spiritual life and its kind of power lies in the ability to let go of that craving and not be controlled by its pull.
Will to Power is like still playing the chess game and not yet seeing that in the end, all the pieces will leave the chessboard. Whether that piece is the King, Queen or lowly pawn, they all end up in the same place.
We have talked MANY times on how the impediments become more subtle.
Divesting ourselves, monastic, lay or independent, of power to live the many lives in a day... Is this dependent on unsettling clinging to [insert Klingons of choice]?
In other words, monastics give up as much as possible. If good enough, guided well, by their brothers, sisters, nature further along, they will:
We might say they are Nothing but everything of Real Value
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_in_Buddhism