Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Bodhiwalker]

Many lay practitioners today are often entrapped in trifles—parents, children, job, family; they worry about these things constantly and have never learned to let go. Similarly, robe-clad monks and nuns who should be concentrating on Dharma practice are busying themselves with building Dharma centers, erecting Buddha statues, and caring for disciples. They are concerned about these token good deeds all day long, leaving little or no time for inward reflection. This is not a proper trend and I worry about it. To be a genuine Dharma practitioner, one should give up external affairs and realize the mind’s essence. This is also the secret of success from many past great siddhas.
In the Life Story of Milarepa, there is such a passage: Once Jetsun Milarepa was about to leave for his hometown; his teacher Marpa, bidding goodbye reluctantly, imparted to his student the following golden advice as spiritual sustenance:
My heart son! Unless you renounce worldly affairs and never mix the supreme Dharma with mundane trivialities, your practice will be neglected or wasted.
My heart son, you should reflect deeply on the suffering of samsara, which is the so-called nature of samsara.
Even if I grow a hundred tongues with magic, and spend countless kalpas, I cannot completely describe all the sufferings. So don’t waste the marvelous Dharma that I have taught you.
Keeping these words firmly in his heart, Milarepa practiced accordingly and finally attained complete enlightenment.
Not only great Buddhist masters feel this way, but also worldly sages who recognize that running after fame and money is a waste of valuable time and ultimately gains nothing. In Tending the Root of Wisdom it says:
Striving hard you seize power and wealth; yet finally you must give it all up, all gains are but losses. To live to 100 years old is wonderful; yet rushing through it, a long life still meets its final end. What we call life is something that hinges on this breath and the next, that’s it.
Just learn to let go of attachment!
2nd of January, Year of RenWu February 14, 2002

[Lucylu]

Surely everyone is free to choose for themselves what they want to focus on in life or where they find joy, and it isn't fair to judge someone else's choices.

[Wolfwolfson]

Yes we will die and be forgotten always
remember that.

-- February 14th, 2016, 8:43 pm --

I wrote a perfectly coherent post but it wasn't approved seems to be some kind of pedantry going on here.I'm no longer interested.

-- February 14th, 2016, 10:40 pm --

Sorry earlier wrong website whoops!
Maybe we are God experiencing life because there's nothing else to do. Just
like an artist will paint a blank canvas.
We are the products of boredom,life is all we have there's nothing else to do.
Why?Nirvana may release us,the end of
suffering,sounds great.

[YIOSTHEOY]

Surely everyone is free to choose for themselves what they want to focus on in life or where they find joy, and it isn't fair to judge someone else's choices.

Everyone who is free is free to do that very thing indeed.

Everyone who is a slave of sorts is not quite that free however.