ED, What I meant was: Pain is a normal bodily function. If you alleviate it (like taking Valium) it masks the pain but does not really address the source of the pain. If all you want to do is make the pain go away then that's okay. If however you think the pain is an indicator of some problem then you should try to look for and address the problem. I think of it like pain is the messenger, and the message might be very important to me. If you 'kill the messenger' you won't know what the message was.
It would be like taking a pill to alleviate hunger or thirst. Useful sometimes? Maybe. Use with caution? Absolutely. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "ED" <seacrofter001@...> wrote: > > > > Bill! - > > You response is quite illuminating, but please say more about:"To just > alleviate pain without attending to its > source might prove to be problematic." > > --ED > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > ED, > > That may be so. I don't really know. And if they do it might be > psychosomatic, > not that that really matters. Pain is of course an indication that > somethings > wrong and needs attention. To just alleviate pain without attending to > its > source might be prove to be problematic. That's the case whether it be > zazen, > religious beliefs or Valium. > > Pain is real. Suffering (in the way the term is used in Buddhism) is not > real. > It's a 'mental model' (aka 'illusion') which is the result of > attachments which > are in turn dependent upon the creation of the dualistic concept of > 'self'. > > That's IMO anyway... > > ,,,BIll! > > > > > Bill! and Mike, > > > > Is it not the case that zazen or vipasana can also help alleviate > pain? > > > > --ED > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
