Life in this world is like people living in a house that is on fire.
That fire is our passions and desires for worldly things, even if it is peace of mind. If for one minute we follow even one passion, then we are lost as our heart is aflame in desire.
If we cling to this world as reality and ignore cultivating the spiritual aspect of our lives, then truly are we worldly. In becoming fans of the world, we forget that the world is only a reflection of the society it reflects.
Thus life is like a house on fire.
People take this world as reality pursuing worldly projects and pleasures without realizing that the house is on fire and will soon burn down (due to the inevitability of death).
Bodhisattva - the Bodhisattva ideal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva#Bodhisattva_ideal
Showing posts with label worldliness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worldliness. Show all posts
20140625
20140128
Why I Turn Back to Reflect on God (satire)
My reason for reflecting on God was due to the early influence of a spiritual yearning sparked by a Mennonite youth fellowship group. I remember the reason for falling out with the Christians was due to the error a few young men have with self-will. This led me to make statements which led me astray. As well, there was influence from my parents to choose them over the youth group.
I am attracted to Christianity because that community is sometimes outside of the mainstream of society, due to group dynamics motivated by aversion to "worldliness".
Worldliness means knowing the ways of the world. In contrast, godliness is living a God-centered life. This is a life-long quest, yet few people know of it.
Of the people who know of it, only a few of them dare follow it, for it is a strait path i.e. each and everyone of them who enter heaven pass through a narrow door that represents the Christ.
Even though I am a human being, subject to error, my belief in God does not mean I am perfect or holy, only that my actions sometimes center around God and other times, around the world.
Thus this is a personal conviction which is based on a spiritual belief in God, tempered by my Buddhist upbringing. For the Buddhist concept of the Absolute closely resembles the Christian Heaven, which the closest the faithful gets to God that any person can imagine.
Although God has no physical form, my faith in a high power helps rationalize the Godhead thusly:
"I fear God out of respect for all sentient beings. Therefore I am fearless before the world."
Recently edited: January 28, 2014 0727H
Originally posted: January 12, 2011 0140H
I am attracted to Christianity because that community is sometimes outside of the mainstream of society, due to group dynamics motivated by aversion to "worldliness".
Worldliness means knowing the ways of the world. In contrast, godliness is living a God-centered life. This is a life-long quest, yet few people know of it.
Of the people who know of it, only a few of them dare follow it, for it is a strait path i.e. each and everyone of them who enter heaven pass through a narrow door that represents the Christ.
Even though I am a human being, subject to error, my belief in God does not mean I am perfect or holy, only that my actions sometimes center around God and other times, around the world.
Thus this is a personal conviction which is based on a spiritual belief in God, tempered by my Buddhist upbringing. For the Buddhist concept of the Absolute closely resembles the Christian Heaven, which the closest the faithful gets to God that any person can imagine.
Although God has no physical form, my faith in a high power helps rationalize the Godhead thusly:
"I fear God out of respect for all sentient beings. Therefore I am fearless before the world."
Recently edited: January 28, 2014 0727H
Originally posted: January 12, 2011 0140H
Anything is Possible (poem)
When you think it is going
to rain, it shall rain.
When you know it's all sunshine
and lollipops, shine! —
for the world is your oyster.
If I know of this,
then what shall become of it
but knowledge I use
to change my world everyday —
even when that change is small?
When you see the cup half-full,
never half-empty,
even a rainy day is great
despite the wetness —
for every day is golden!
How do I know this?
Because my experience
Taught me to see through
positive and negative
as though it was all neutral.
When you feel the moment has
produced the best of
possible worlds, remember:
there are exceptions
to each and every rule now.
With knowledge comes this:
the knower and the known are
entwined by close bonds
of knowing truth as it is —
anything is possible!
to rain, it shall rain.
When you know it's all sunshine
and lollipops, shine! —
for the world is your oyster.
If I know of this,
then what shall become of it
but knowledge I use
to change my world everyday —
even when that change is small?
When you see the cup half-full,
never half-empty,
even a rainy day is great
despite the wetness —
for every day is golden!
How do I know this?
Because my experience
Taught me to see through
positive and negative
as though it was all neutral.
When you feel the moment has
produced the best of
possible worlds, remember:
there are exceptions
to each and every rule now.
With knowledge comes this:
the knower and the known are
entwined by close bonds
of knowing truth as it is —
anything is possible!
20131224
Debunking The Metaphors of Permanence (satire)
Theists got it wrong about God being a metaphysical divine being that exists in reality.
God is a Germanic adjective that translates as "good". Therefore "god" means "all that is good," and does not represent a real divine being.
Instead, the divine being is a anthropomorphic metaphor made in the image of man. Thus the phrase "man is made in the image of God" is actually a declaration of humility designed to control the ego lest a person think himself a god due to a perverted egocentricity known as egomania.
Instead the line in Genesis which declare mankind to have been made into the image of God actually means that all human beings are born basically good. It does not refer to an actual divine being, contrary to the dogma of the monotheists.
Rather God is a metaphor for all that is good in humankind.
As for the soul, there is no soul that is permanent and immortal, for the only living soul is that of the body-mind.
Likewise, just as speculation about gods is moot, so too is speculation about the afterlife.
However, the cult of Amida Buddha is based on a metaphor about wisdom and compassion (endless life of compassion and endless light of wisdom).
In the context of Buddhism, "endless" actually implies a long moment in time that begins in the distant past and ends in the distant future.
Likewise for the terms "forever", "immortal", and "never": "Never" represents an ideal reality; "Immortal" represents an ideal state; and "forever" represents an "infinitely" long time. For these terms are but metaphors of permanence which represent abstract reality as opposed to physical reality.
In the abstract world, everything lasts forever and God exists. This world is a metaphysical one, and thus is not tangible in the physical world.
Even the adjective term "infinitely" is an abstract term that implies an ideal reality in which an object lasts forever. In reality, the term "infinite" is inaccurate because nothing in reality lasts forever. Indeed, "infinite" actually means an indeterminately long time which eventually ends.
Therefore, "life eternal" does not represent "immortal soul", for "pneuma" as the soul is not the same as "life".
Nor does "eternal" equivalent in meaning to "immortal". "Eternal" refers to a state of eternity, which still represents a very long time that eventually ends, and is vastly longer than human life itself.
"Life eternal" then does not mean human life is eternal when you place your trust in Jesus. Rather it subtly says "the Christian way of life values family;" and your progeny bring you "life eternal" e.g. you and your descendants as Christians bring you life eternal.
It's not about immortality; it's about human propagation. Immortality thus is a metaphor for such propagation.
For the metaphors of permanence which the monotheists use, be it "immortal soul" and "life eternal", actually are euphemisms for human propagation and thus guarantees "life eternal."
Only in the abstract world does God and the terms which represent an infinitely long time exist. They are actually reified (made to exist as a material thing) by the mind alone. Even when monotheists say "God exists", what they really mean is that their belief in God reifies the abstract thing called "God".
Monotheists deny this interpretation, and claim that in the beginning, God existed. Thus the abstract world is assumed to have pre-existed before the creation of the physical world. Only if the mind is made real by reified beliefs can it become a permanent object which is a separate object from God. In the physical sense, they do not exist as physical objects. Rather, the mind and God are both abstractions of what we call "the mind".
To a materialist, such abstractions do not exist outside of the mind. To a Buddhist, speculation about such abstractions are moot. The mind still exists even when my concept of it refers to an abstract term called "the mind" that is reified until the mind has a purported physical existence, even though it does not.
When a person is asleep or dead, the physical world does not exist. Yet there are some people who believe Dreamtime is the true reality. Yet the world of dreams is akin to the abstract world, because once awake, they both do not exist.
Thus it is possible that the beliefs of the monotheists puts their minds to sleep, and they awaken to the abstract world within where their God exists along with His heaven and hell that He created.
At the same time, what the previous sentence means is, the monotheists are asleep to the physical world and the worldliness that arises from living in this reality. They only know of God as depicted in the Bible. Yet monotheists live in their own Dreamtime and know not of the physical world.
No one can awaken a Christian to the reality of the physical world, because his beliefs isolate him from true reality. He only sees the reality of his own making, which is but a benign delusion that allows him to function in the real world without being tainted by worldliness.
Through his prayers and rituals, the Christian purifies his soul. I only object to the non-Christian concept of the immortal soul that a few foolish Christians accept as true though it is not Biblical. Instead, the conception of an immortal soul is blasphemous within context of the Bible.
On this point, both the primitive Christian and I do see eye to eye regarding the reification of an immortal soul as blasphemy. In Buddhist thought, such a soul violates the principle of no-soul, that all is impermanent in the physical world and nothing lasts forever. Christians who cling to such a concept will then argue that "life eternal" implies an immortal soul. This is a fallacy because a soul is only alive for a limited time, from birth to death.
As well, the adjective term "eternal" is not a synonym of "immortal". As I stated before, both terms refer to the cycle of human life and human propagation. Thus "eternal life" refers to the propagation of human life and "immortal soul" refers to human generations of one's ancestors and descendants.
Thus have I debunks the metaphors of permanence that delude the monotheists. For the truth is, nothing exists forever. Yet to a Buddhist, this frees him from permanence. The resulting freedom is the liberation of the consciousness from the detritus of the material world.
Throughout his liberation from such delusional metaphors of permanence, the Buddhist will come to realize that anything is possible, even a world of impermanence. For impermanence makes the material world possible. Indeed, the physical world is always in flux.
God is a Germanic adjective that translates as "good". Therefore "god" means "all that is good," and does not represent a real divine being.
Instead, the divine being is a anthropomorphic metaphor made in the image of man. Thus the phrase "man is made in the image of God" is actually a declaration of humility designed to control the ego lest a person think himself a god due to a perverted egocentricity known as egomania.
Instead the line in Genesis which declare mankind to have been made into the image of God actually means that all human beings are born basically good. It does not refer to an actual divine being, contrary to the dogma of the monotheists.
Rather God is a metaphor for all that is good in humankind.
As for the soul, there is no soul that is permanent and immortal, for the only living soul is that of the body-mind.
Likewise, just as speculation about gods is moot, so too is speculation about the afterlife.
However, the cult of Amida Buddha is based on a metaphor about wisdom and compassion (endless life of compassion and endless light of wisdom).
In the context of Buddhism, "endless" actually implies a long moment in time that begins in the distant past and ends in the distant future.
Likewise for the terms "forever", "immortal", and "never": "Never" represents an ideal reality; "Immortal" represents an ideal state; and "forever" represents an "infinitely" long time. For these terms are but metaphors of permanence which represent abstract reality as opposed to physical reality.
In the abstract world, everything lasts forever and God exists. This world is a metaphysical one, and thus is not tangible in the physical world.
Even the adjective term "infinitely" is an abstract term that implies an ideal reality in which an object lasts forever. In reality, the term "infinite" is inaccurate because nothing in reality lasts forever. Indeed, "infinite" actually means an indeterminately long time which eventually ends.
Therefore, "life eternal" does not represent "immortal soul", for "pneuma" as the soul is not the same as "life".
Nor does "eternal" equivalent in meaning to "immortal". "Eternal" refers to a state of eternity, which still represents a very long time that eventually ends, and is vastly longer than human life itself.
"Life eternal" then does not mean human life is eternal when you place your trust in Jesus. Rather it subtly says "the Christian way of life values family;" and your progeny bring you "life eternal" e.g. you and your descendants as Christians bring you life eternal.
It's not about immortality; it's about human propagation. Immortality thus is a metaphor for such propagation.
For the metaphors of permanence which the monotheists use, be it "immortal soul" and "life eternal", actually are euphemisms for human propagation and thus guarantees "life eternal."
Only in the abstract world does God and the terms which represent an infinitely long time exist. They are actually reified (made to exist as a material thing) by the mind alone. Even when monotheists say "God exists", what they really mean is that their belief in God reifies the abstract thing called "God".
Monotheists deny this interpretation, and claim that in the beginning, God existed. Thus the abstract world is assumed to have pre-existed before the creation of the physical world. Only if the mind is made real by reified beliefs can it become a permanent object which is a separate object from God. In the physical sense, they do not exist as physical objects. Rather, the mind and God are both abstractions of what we call "the mind".
To a materialist, such abstractions do not exist outside of the mind. To a Buddhist, speculation about such abstractions are moot. The mind still exists even when my concept of it refers to an abstract term called "the mind" that is reified until the mind has a purported physical existence, even though it does not.
When a person is asleep or dead, the physical world does not exist. Yet there are some people who believe Dreamtime is the true reality. Yet the world of dreams is akin to the abstract world, because once awake, they both do not exist.
Thus it is possible that the beliefs of the monotheists puts their minds to sleep, and they awaken to the abstract world within where their God exists along with His heaven and hell that He created.
At the same time, what the previous sentence means is, the monotheists are asleep to the physical world and the worldliness that arises from living in this reality. They only know of God as depicted in the Bible. Yet monotheists live in their own Dreamtime and know not of the physical world.
No one can awaken a Christian to the reality of the physical world, because his beliefs isolate him from true reality. He only sees the reality of his own making, which is but a benign delusion that allows him to function in the real world without being tainted by worldliness.
Through his prayers and rituals, the Christian purifies his soul. I only object to the non-Christian concept of the immortal soul that a few foolish Christians accept as true though it is not Biblical. Instead, the conception of an immortal soul is blasphemous within context of the Bible.
On this point, both the primitive Christian and I do see eye to eye regarding the reification of an immortal soul as blasphemy. In Buddhist thought, such a soul violates the principle of no-soul, that all is impermanent in the physical world and nothing lasts forever. Christians who cling to such a concept will then argue that "life eternal" implies an immortal soul. This is a fallacy because a soul is only alive for a limited time, from birth to death.
As well, the adjective term "eternal" is not a synonym of "immortal". As I stated before, both terms refer to the cycle of human life and human propagation. Thus "eternal life" refers to the propagation of human life and "immortal soul" refers to human generations of one's ancestors and descendants.
Thus have I debunks the metaphors of permanence that delude the monotheists. For the truth is, nothing exists forever. Yet to a Buddhist, this frees him from permanence. The resulting freedom is the liberation of the consciousness from the detritus of the material world.
Throughout his liberation from such delusional metaphors of permanence, the Buddhist will come to realize that anything is possible, even a world of impermanence. For impermanence makes the material world possible. Indeed, the physical world is always in flux.
20130406
The Finest Place to Practice (poem)
It is because of attachment
to the many distractions of worldliness
that, despite decades of meditation,
many devotees of the Middle Way fail
to develop even a single siddhi.
Therefore, do not become attached at all
to anything in this world,
lest you give up meditation in haste
and return to worldliness,
only to obtain rebirth in the Hells.
However, even if you develop
a siddhi, try not to show off,
lest your attachment delude you.
It is better to take up Vajrayana,
and devote yourself to a Tibetan guru.
Yet, it is said that the Nembutsu
will surely lead to Amida
and his Pure Land of Bliss. O!
The Name-that-calls is
all that the Pure Land practitioner needs!
For the Pure Land is
the finest place to practice and decide
if you wish to return
to help others by being of service
to other sentient beings in Samsara.
to the many distractions of worldliness
that, despite decades of meditation,
many devotees of the Middle Way fail
to develop even a single siddhi.
Therefore, do not become attached at all
to anything in this world,
lest you give up meditation in haste
and return to worldliness,
only to obtain rebirth in the Hells.
However, even if you develop
a siddhi, try not to show off,
lest your attachment delude you.
It is better to take up Vajrayana,
and devote yourself to a Tibetan guru.
Yet, it is said that the Nembutsu
will surely lead to Amida
and his Pure Land of Bliss. O!
The Name-that-calls is
all that the Pure Land practitioner needs!
For the Pure Land is
the finest place to practice and decide
if you wish to return
to help others by being of service
to other sentient beings in Samsara.
20130212
Ignorant Craving (poem)
Ignorant craving is like being blinded
By staring too long at the sun,
Except you're addicted to worldliness.
Enlightenment is like being able
To run naked in a field with everyone.
Now that you know the difference,
Why would you still want to stay blind?
By staring too long at the sun,
Except you're addicted to worldliness.
Enlightenment is like being able
To run naked in a field with everyone.
Now that you know the difference,
Why would you still want to stay blind?
20051222
Mind, Mentality and Consciousness
Just as a monkey roaming through the forest grabs hold of one branch, lets that go and grabs another, then lets go and grabs still another, so too that which is called "mind" and "mentality" and "consciousness" arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.
-Buddha, "The Connected Discourses of the Buddha"
Here's the quote in context of the source:
So here is the original translation by Master Thanissaro: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/sn-12-061-tb0.html
"Just as a monkey, swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another."
Commentary:
The purpose of this quote is to show that "mind", "mentality" or "intellect", and "consciousness" are just conventional objects.
They are temporary objects of thought, and do not exist outside of the context of worldliness.
Thus, the sutra from which this quote is taken describes the nature of consciousness and the mind.
-Buddha, "The Connected Discourses of the Buddha"
Here's the quote in context of the source:
So here is the original translation by Master Thanissaro: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/sn-12-061-tb0.html
"Just as a monkey, swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another."
Commentary:
The purpose of this quote is to show that "mind", "mentality" or "intellect", and "consciousness" are just conventional objects.
They are temporary objects of thought, and do not exist outside of the context of worldliness.
Thus, the sutra from which this quote is taken describes the nature of consciousness and the mind.
20051122
Look at this world all decked out
See it as a bubble,
See it as a mirage;
One who regards the world this way
the King of Death doesn't see.
Come, look at this world
all decked out
like a royal chariot,
where fools plunge in,
while those who know
don't cling.
-Dhammapada 13, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
See also http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/dhp/tb0/index.html#n170
In Chapter 13 of the Dhammapada, the message is clear:
The wise do not cling to the world -- they know much better than to be distracted by what it has to offer.
However, the underlying message is still to go out and participate in the world.
For the disciple may grow attached to thinking by being apart from it, one is unblemished by it. This is a subtle form of clinging to the world.
And the remedy for that is to cultivate happiness and joy.
See it as a mirage;
One who regards the world this way
the King of Death doesn't see.
Come, look at this world
all decked out
like a royal chariot,
where fools plunge in,
while those who know
don't cling.
-Dhammapada 13, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
See also http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/dhp/tb0/index.html#n170
In Chapter 13 of the Dhammapada, the message is clear:
The wise do not cling to the world -- they know much better than to be distracted by what it has to offer.
However, the underlying message is still to go out and participate in the world.
For the disciple may grow attached to thinking by being apart from it, one is unblemished by it. This is a subtle form of clinging to the world.
And the remedy for that is to cultivate happiness and joy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)