Greetings All, lovely saying this, I am a 'newbe' too. Love the rhetoric in the below two posts ergo I will toss in my one cent if that's ok..
>> There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in. < > > > but to me suffering is part of the life > experience. sad but true, I agree, sort of seems silly the combination of brilliance we seem to possess in so many ways as if we were put together by some mad genius who did so much then got tired and walked away or something.. the suffering and pain and sickness etc. of course we are able to see it as a good thing too as in need the clouds to have the rainbows, yet.. > From my studies in Buddhism, I've learned to be open to all > experiences in life; what does that mean to you? in nyc where I live that seems akin to sensory suicide, selective perception puts up needed walls on the doors of perception.. Otherwise I've read we'd instantly go insane with all senses really experience everything going on.. On a sidenote, Wired had a great article way back about a guy who lived completely in the present for a year because of psychological necessity (he had convinced himself he was to die shortly) and in the end that person felt life was sort of shallow without the fullness of reflection on his past, and the hope and temporal aliveness the sense of a future gave him.. he thought the NOW was greatly overated. hmm.. > the key is being centered, knowing yourself. If you understand your > own being, the winds of life can blow as hard as they want, you will > not be moved. sounds very stoic, ..once I looked at a book by a 1950's hypnotist who advised pricking onself with pins to gradually toughen our resolve in the face of pain, to change the agony of suffering to the pure sensation of pain.. In a way this reminds me of the saying, there's nothing like a good downward comparison.. having or developing the fortitude and hardiness to withstand the slings and arrows is intense detachment I guess, ergo the stability and centeredness attached to those powers is significant. > I see so many people that when something happens, they > have an immediate emotional reaction; however, if they viewed it > from a detached(read objective) perspective, they would understand > the situation as it truly is and thereby be able to control it. exactly. Yet is control the endgame of us irrational beings? The main focus of a prison is control as well.. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: but seriously, who is alex? >> > Isnt the point of practice is not to eliminate >> > suffering but know that no matter what suffering is >> > there , its a part of life ??Only when you accept >> > that fact do you achieve freedom by being detached >> > to whatever comes up in your mind that causes >> > suffering . are you saying.. we suffer (aixo era y no era/ it simultaneously is and is not so) and from this 'reality' we become free in our acceptance of 'it'.. that is, that the suffering is a direct result of nonacceptance of it? >> This harkens back to what Diana said several days ago-- she observed >> that suffering is there only if we >> take it seriously. isn't this a contradiction of terms, isn't suffering inherently taken seriously, otherwise it wouldn't be suffering would it? hmmm.. >> Which begs the question: if suffering is not taken seriously, does it >> then qualify to be taken as 'suffering'? a tree is the forest argument it seems.. > It is of crucial importance to come to terms with the fact that > suffering can indeed be eliminated. Is that the case with you? I think its a more or less thing.. I know of no nonsufferers, only people who clain so.. of which there is no shortage, but always, on closer examination, their woes spring forth.. Buddha is the ideal of this to me. >> Buddhahood is not some sort of a truce with the world. It is not a >> philosophical resignation to the sad but inevitable facts of life. >> Buddhahod is complete >> elimination of any possiblity of pain. hmmm this seems a very idealistic rendering of Buddhism to me, as if it is an opiate supreme.. how does such a Boddhahod work in your view here? can you describe what consciousness is like to such an enlightened one? >> > This is my impression but I find it hard >> > to remain detached ALL the time . What are other >> > thoughts on this ...Is it really attainable to >> > become detached and act as a witness to what is >> > going on around you ?I try but it doesnt always work Yes, I think not. If you are then you are some magical enlightned wizard. Like Buddha.. >> > for me --Allison me too Alison.. >> It is definitelly possible. If it weren't, what good >> would the practice be? I would say it is good because it encourages less suffering through less attachment, yet the ideal of total detachment is just that, an ideal. maaythforceBwithya!, dvnyc "Do be do be do be, doobee doobee doo" -K.Vonnegut ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/UwRTUD/UOnJAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! 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