Samana Johann wrote: ↑May 12th, 2024, 10:02 amSushan wrote: ↑May 7th, 2024, 1:15 amThe other way around, good Sushan. Good and useful just get's lost if cherry-picked things out of it to try to batch a almost broken house. It's open to move into this solid home for everyone willing to, at any time, as long as still known.Samana Johann wrote: ↑April 28th, 2024, 7:53 pm There is no place of "egalitarian views" within right view, since there are higher and lower, parents, sacrifices... it's a base for gratitude to recognize more-sublime. And there are no modern values fitting to Brahma and Ariya values since the very old. Timeless, including the individual choice. Forced marriage and family founding is also only fond in Marx related societies, good Sushan.
My person had been a layperson before as well, good wife, good children, good job, wealth, success... and wouldn't have gained such if not "accidentally" living Brahama/Ariya ways in the middle of the stream downwardly.
So no reason why to think that good ways depend on whether the neighbors follow them as well, and can not be lived anymore this days. Nobody needs to found a family with a partner of wrong view and unvirtuose kind.
As the Buddha taught, there are four kinds of unifications: a death with Deva, a deva with a death, a death with a death, and a deva with a deva. (death= immoral, deva = moral, ethic, generosity) while only the last would be of good future, pleasing.
But the fact that marriage since some 100 years is merely a love and sense pleasure affair and lesser an institution like a life undertaking, makes the base of frustration. Why, because happiness of sensuality is a very fake and short living one, gets never satisfied.Samana Johann wrote: ↑April 28th, 2024, 10:32 pm Maybe a very important aspect, that parents are actually the first Gods, and to be seen as "person of goodness", while children have no such as right, are received guests.Your thoughtful inquiry brings forth a rich discussion about the intersection of Buddhist teachings, modern sociological theories, and how religious doctrines adapt over time.
Brahma Sutta wrote: “Bhikkhus, those families are with Brahma, where the mother and father are worshipped by their children. Those families are with the first teachers, where the mother and father are worshipped by their children. Those families are with a former god, where the mother and father are worshipped by their children. Those families are worthy of reverence where the mother and father are worshipped by their children.
“Bhikkhus, Brahma is a synonym for mother and father. The first teachers, is a synonym for mother and father. A former god is a synonym for mother and father. Worthy of reverence is also a synonym for mother and father. What is the reason? Bhikkhus, mother and father have done a lot for their children, feeding them and showing them the world when they were helpless.”
“Mother and father are said to be Brahma and an earlier god,
Children should revere them, for the compassion of the populace
The wise should revere and care for them, giving eatables, drinks
Clothes, beds, massaging, bathing and washing their feet
The wise enjoy attending on their mother and father
And later enjoy heavenly bliss.”
Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude
“Monks, I will teach you the level of a person of no integrity and the level of a person of integrity. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak.”
“As you say, lord,” the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, “Now what is the level of a person of no integrity? A person of no integrity is ungrateful & unthankful. This ingratitude, this lack of thankfulness, is advocated by rude people. It is entirely on the level of people of no integrity. A person of integrity is grateful & thankful. This gratitude, this thankfulness, is advocated by civil people. It is entirely on the level of people of integrity.”
{II,iv,2} “I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father.”
While emphasizing the importance of recognizing hierarchical roles within Buddhism, modern sociological theories advocate for egalitarian structures that emphasize the inherent equality of all individuals. From a Buddhist perspective, the concept of anatta (non-self) encourages us not to cling to rigid identities or roles. Modern interpretations of Buddhism could argue for a more fluid understanding of roles, adapting to changing societal contexts and promoting inclusivity and equality.
You've asserted the timelessness of Dharma, a core principle in Buddhism. However, the application of Dharma might need adaptation to stay relevant in contemporary contexts. While Abhidhamma, focusing on the fundamental nature of reality, may be timeless, the Sutta and Vinaya could be more context-dependent, addressing specific historical and cultural circumstances that might not universally apply today.
Modern sociological views often challenge traditional notions of family and marriage, highlighting the diversity of family structures and evolving relationships. While traditional Buddhist teachings emphasize familial obligations and duties, modern Buddhists may consider that attachment to rigid family roles can sometimes lead to suffering, advocating a balance between traditional values and individual autonomy.
Although Buddhism highly values filial piety, the principle of reverence must be balanced with individual rights and personal development. Modern perspectives suggest relationships based on mutual respect rather than duty alone. This view promotes open and equitable family dynamics, allowing parent and child roles to evolve through mutual understanding.
While your warnings on moral decay when traditional roles are not followed are respected, sociological theories suggest that societies evolve, transforming values and roles. Emphasizing adaptability and resilience, particularly in a globalized world, can lead to a richer, more diverse society that draws lessons from cultural narratives, including Buddhist teachings.
Encouragement to uphold traditional virtues is well-intentioned, but it's essential to assess which virtues are universal and which are culturally specific. The Buddhist concept of skillful means (upaya-kaushalya) suggests adapting teachings to the audience's needs, supporting a flexible application of Buddhist principles that considers the diversity and complexity of modern lives.
In summary, while Buddhism's core teachings offer profound insights into human behavior and ethics, their application must be thoughtfully considered in light of contemporary social dynamics and individual needs. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these points.
It's a matter of free choice of what or whom one likes to relay on. What one appreciates there one good. No way to control such.
What's sold as "skilful means" isn't something the Buddha taught, it's a means of materialists or Marxists. The roles, duties, right conduct is simple, practical and not given and open for modification. If else then duties and virtue are placed higher, not only would they become quick hypothetical, but also open for any criticism and misuse. Right is simple, but not reachable if just after means. Right and wrong, nothing for the sake of anything else.
Samana Johann wrote: ↑May 13th, 2024, 7:45 pm The way for good and long happiness here, and here after, isn't found in flat structures. No gods, no parents, non sublime... what's even the worth of any effort, if refuge aside of short lasting sensuality are abound? ...or when cherishing downwardly?Thank you for your valuable opinions, and I would like to break them into separate points and address them separately.
1. Cherry-picking traditional elements: The critique of selectively adopting traditional elements suggests that this approach weakens societal structures. However, it's important to recognize that societies are dynamic and must adapt to changing times. The blending of traditional and modern elements can strengthen societal resilience and relevance. For example, many Scandinavian countries have successfully integrated traditional family values with modern gender equality, leading to societies that score high in both happiness and social progress indexes.
2. Flexibility of "skilful means": The dismissal of "skilful means" as a modern or materialist distortion overlooks the fact that adaptability has been a cornerstone of successful long-term cultural survival and ethical relevance. The concept of "skilful means" in Buddhism itself suggests practical and compassionate adaptation to the audience's capacity to understand and integrate teachings. This principle can be applied to modernize practices without sacrificing their core ethical insights.
3. Immutability of roles and duties: Arguing that roles and duties should not be open to modification can ignore the evolving needs of individuals within a society. For instance, the rigid role of women solely as homemakers has evolved in many cultures to recognize their equal capabilities in professional spheres, which has benefited economies globally and enriched familial relationships by fostering mutual respect and partnership.
4. Necessity of hierarchical structures: The claim that flat structures diminish the worth of effort and lead to a lack of reverence is contradicted by numerous examples where more egalitarian societies have thrived. Research often shows that flatter organizational structures can lead to higher job satisfaction, greater creativity, and faster decision-making. Companies like Google and Valve have famously adopted less hierarchical structures with considerable success.
5. Moral and ethical absolutism: The assertion that moral and ethical guidelines are absolute and unchangeable does not accommodate the diverse contexts in which human beings exist. Ethical relativism suggests that what is considered "right" can vary based on cultural, social, and personal circumstances, which necessitates a more nuanced approach to ethics that can respond to real-world complexities.
6. Respect and reverence based on traditional roles: While respect and reverence are important, they should be earned and based on one's actions rather than their position in a traditional hierarchy. This promotes a merit-based approach where individuals are valued for their contributions rather than their titles or roles.
In conclusion, while traditional structures and roles have their place, the adaptation of these in response to changing societal values and scientific understandings can lead to a healthier, more equitable, and functional society.
– William James