Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Assignment due Tuesday, 10/6
Read to page 78 in Teachings of the Buddha (including the Preface).~ Write two 150+ word essays on interesting lines or ideas you find. Post them in the blog comments. You may use lines classmates have already written on, but you may NOT repeat ideas that have already been posted. There will also be a short quiz.
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36 comments:
"we are what we think. all that we are arises with our thoughts.with our thoughts we make the world."
these lines emphasize the importance of "mind" and "consciousness". only consciousness is real. only the world we make with our thoughts is real.otherwise all the materials we see are illusion and will cause sufferings if we are obsessed with them.this is the reason why buddhism advocates nonattachment to all materials and focus only on your mind. monks in china live a very simple life and they usually stay away from the outer world.in some temples monks have rules and limits about going out of the temple into the outside world. some may have only twice per year and i think this may be effective to prevent their minds from being tempted by materials."zhuchi"is the title for the most respected monks of temples and they usually meditate at least 10 hours a day.they believe they understand buddhism better and they are supposed to continue the wisdom of the buddha.so they are the teachers of followers of buddhism.they think they are enlightened so people respect them.
this somewhat indicates that people believe in what they think they are.
On page 65: This teaching really caught my attention because it contrasts with some of the Hindu beliefs we studied previously. The teaching says that in order to become buddha you must not focus on others and their ways but focus on yourself and your own methods. "Subdue yourself and discover your master" I like it because it basically tells the follower to be self oriented in their practice whereas in most religions one should be focused on a God or greather being. To become buddha means that you must then be able to teach others the path. THe teaching refers to this with: "To straighten the crooked, you must first do a harder thing-straighten yourself" In addition to it's "me first" view, it says that we are in no position to teach our practice until we have first masted it.
I'd like to relate the teaching on page 28 to the last on I commented on. It seems to me that the teachings all go back to yourself and what you can do for yourself. The first three stanzas begin with live in joy, which in all religions is a magnanimous teaching. It means that we should be happy and view ourselves as fortunate because afterall we must have something that someone else in the world wants. But the last stanza says that the way to becomming buddha is the joy which also makes sense since the goal is becomming buddha. But the reason I've connected these two is because they both say that we will not and actually can not be happy with the world unless we are happy with ourselves and in turn can not achieve pure buddhism if we don't achieve self-happiness.
I thought that the passage on page 70 was very interesting. I liked it because it talks about the four establishments, which I had never really heard of before. I found out that the four establishments were to help you overcome your grief and sorrow, end your pain and anxiety, travel the right path, and realize nirvana. These are all very important for a monk to follow if he wants to achieve enlightenment. The four establishments are 1) a practitioner remains established in the observation of the body in the body, diligent and with clear understanding, mindful, having abandoned every craving in his life. 2) One remains established in the observation of the feelings in the feelings, diligent, with clear understanding, mindful having abandoned craving and every distaste for this life. 3) One remains established in the observation of the mind in the mind, diligent, with clear understanding, mindful, having abandoned every craving of this life. 4) One remains established in the observation of the objects of mind, diligent, with clear understanding, mindful, having abandoned every craving and every distaste for this life. After this he tells them to do basically what he has done and then after which they should receive enlightenment.
I really enjoyed the story of the life of Gotami on page 48. She was born into a very poor house and she then got married and had a child. She had a boy, but when the boy had gotten old he died. She was very upset and took the dead child to the doctor and asked for some medicine. The doctor laughed at her and then a wise man overheard what they were talking about and he believed that the Sage of the Ten Forces would know. He tells her to go and get mustard seeds from a house where no one has ever died in it. So that is what she does and she goes through many houses and could not find any. She eventually puts him into the burning ground and realizes that this is a law that is common to all mankind. She realizes that all things are impermanent. I really enjoyed this story and I thought that it was extremely sad but it had a very good point to it, especially to help everyone else understand it as well.
"we are what we think. All that we arise with our thoughts."
I love this line because i think it is so powerful and truthful. Because the mind is such a potent tool. Negative thoughts lead to negative emotions. Therefore if you think negative then you will be sad, upset, angry etc which will make you react negatively. For example, most times when I think I will fail a test I end up failing because I start to lose focus and forget things.But, if we use our minds positively, we influence others to do or say positive things. Like positive ideas influence other positive ideas from others, so basically our thoughts make up the world what it is and what we are. Fear and anger also constitute to crimes, so we see how negative energy is not healthy for us.
i would like to comment on page 53. the Buddha says, "all formations are transient; all formations are subject to suffering; all things are without a self." this passage sounds exactly like what one monk at the Nashville Buddhist Festival talked about. He said that you should not get caught up in what is happening to you at this moment, because it will only last for a moment's time, and then it will be over, and a new moment will begin. this makes sense to me. for example, it may be easy to be upset by a lost test or quiz grade, but then you can remember that it is just a meager moment in time, and that soon the test grade will not be as important and you will move on. this practice, as the monk further explains, will help anyone who is practicing meditation, because there will be many times when there may be distractions, like noises or thoughts or people, and if the meditator can just relax and realize that the moment will soon pass, there will never be any reason to get upset.
On page 4, the Buddha says “speak or act with impure mind/ and trouble will follow you/ as the wheel follows the ox that draws the car.” He goes on to say, “Speak or act with a pure mind/ and happiness will follow you/ as your shadow, unshakable.” I love this image that the Buddha puts in front of us. Here he reminds us that the way we act and the way we speak will determine our future and again reminds us of the karma idea. Here, he’s says if we act and talk nice, we will be happy, and if we act bad and talk bad, we will be in trouble and sorrow. Although this idea seems almost cartoon-ish and unrealistic, I love the idea behind it—be nice and good will follow you; be mean and bad will follow you. I wish that this was true in my life, but it’s a cool idea to think about in connection with reincarnation too.
"to straighten the crooked, you must first do a harder thing- Straighten yourself." pg 65.
this passage is relatable because i think that many people find themselves in places in their lives where they care so much for someone else that they help that person in any way that they can. but in the end they will just wear themselves down to pieces and stress themselves out. in the end, before you can help any one else in life, you must know 100% who you are and what you want. if you don't you'll just lead the people you are helping in the wrong direction. this passage explains that before you can help someone find enlightenment, you must first be enlightened. this makes sense because how could you lead someone to something that you yourself have not been able to find. only the people who know where the treasure is hidden can help others find it.
I enjoyed reading the section titled The Path of Mindfulness (p.70-77). In this section, the principle of ‘being present’ is discussed. ‘Being present’ was the theme for the Buddhist Festival in Nashville so I really connected to this section. At the festival, I participated in Zen meditation. The Teachings of the Buddha discusses Zen meditation: “One goes to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty room, sits down cross-legged in the lotus position, holds one’s body straight, and establishes mindfulness in front of oneself. ‘Breathing in, one is aware of breathing in. Breathing out, one is aware of breathing out’.” I think sitting in the lotus position for a long time is difficult and uncomfortable because it is a rigid position. During Zen meditation, I had a hard time continually concentrating on my breathing or body. I like the principle of “one also applies full awareness to what one is doing” because it is connected to every instance in life. I think the principle allows people to be more conscious. The book says “expect one of two fruits – either the highest understanding in this life or can attain the fruit of no-return”. This concept would be extremely difficult to except, especially the fruit of no-return.
I love the story told on page 35. In the story, the Buddha is asked by a man to answer all of his philosophical questions before he would practice Buddha’s “way.” Buddha’s response is a story of how if a man was shot by a poisonous bow and the doctor wanted to know everything about the man that shot him before he would remove it, the man would die before there questions were answered. The Buddha tells us that as a metaphor of how if we tried to have all of our philosophical questions answered before we started living the “truth or way” we would die before we figured it out. Here again, the Buddha is telling us that the path is the most important part, not the end result or the “answer.”
Page 28 was interesting to me: it is a passage from the Dhammapada and it says, "Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate. Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted. Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled. Look within. Be still. Free from fear and attachment, know the sweet joy of the way." I thought this was a great little passage because it explains how one should live among the people who are not getting close to happiness. That even though you are living among people who have hate, who are afflicted, and who are troubled: that these are just obstacles in your way and that you need to know how to find the right path around those people who bring down society and keep you from achieving that ultimate freedom. You need to free yourself from all things that keep you from being wise.
"In this world hate never dispelled hate. Only love dispell hate."
This statement is true and interesting. Because when I think of this concept, to me it is easy to forgive someone for saying some thing mean or stealing, but when it comes to long term damage how do I look at that person with happiness. How do we learn to forgive rapists, murderers,pedophiles etc. Well, I guess this is our big task on earth learning to mastering our feelings and being selfless. As I thought about it, it occurs to me that if we don't forgive we are selfish even in such a case as being hurt really badly. Why? As stupid as it may sound, we are attached and more concern about our emotions. So, we find it hard to forgive the person before satistfying our emotional state. Now, how in the world I conquer that! But it is possible to show such love, Ghandi is a prime example. He was hurt badly, and he retaliated positively which made his opponent confused. All this gave India their Independence, which means they earned a form of respect from their opponent that is much like love. So there we have it love wins once again!This line is very controversial and interesting thats why I like it. But the concept is proven to be feasible.
#1: "Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate. Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted. Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled. Look within. Be still. Free from fear and attachment, know the sweet joy of the way". When I first read this passage, I was a little disconcerted by the message I pulled from it. I was reading the passage to mean that the Buddha wished for his followers to not concern themselves with others in a selfish way. As I thought about the words more, though, I began to realize that the words more mean that to reach enlightenment, you must not concern yourself with the goings-on of the world, for that will distract you. The Buddha is telling his followers to focus their minds on the teachings even when everything else around them is trying to distract them from the teachings. This highlights an important theme in Buddhism-the almost existential state the follower must be in to reach nirvana. You must be so above the world and so focused on knowledge that the emotions and state of the world around you do not hinder you from living in the Buddhist way.
#2: "Master your senses, what you taste and smell, what you see, what you hear. In all things be a master of what you do and say and think. Be free. Are you quiet? Quieten your body. Quieten your mind. By your own efforts waken yourself, watch yourself, and live joyfully." I feel this passage eloquently discusses the principles of becoming a master of your emotions that is so important to Buddhism. These words not only speak in the literal way- telling the follower to master what his or her senses relay-but they also convey the sense of being totally aware of what one's body is going through in that moment. I think it is also interesting that immediately following the commands to be completely in control comes the words "Be free". In my own ways of thinking, control and freedom are completely different, but for the Buddhists, control is the path to freedom.
My second passage also coming from the Dhammapada on page 61 and 62, it says, "Master you senses, what you taste and smell, what you see, what you hear. In all things be a master of what you do and say and think. Be free. Are you quiet? Quieten your body. Quieten your mind. By you won efforts waken yourself, watch yourself, and live joyfully. Follow the truth of the way. Reflect upon it. Make it your own. Live it. It will always sustain you." This passage lets you know that you need to be in complete control of what your body does and how it acts. Notice everything that your body goes through manage everything. Also you want to have time where it is quiet so you can think of what is going on, you always need time to go back and think about what has been happening to you. Lastly you need to realize what the truth is, and you need to live by that truth. The truth, over time will always bring you happiness and joy.
“To be well spoken, highly trained, well educated, skilled in handicraft, and highly disciplined, this is a blessing supreme.” (p.13)
This quote reminds me of the Hindu concept of fulfilling duty. The principles assist in fulfilling duty and being completely aware. “To be well spoken” helps in every aspect of life, especially conveying exact thoughts or ideas. The quality of being “highly trained, well educated, skilled in handicraft” assists in work as a student or in a professional job. The value of discipline applies to every aspect in life – concerning religion, work, or education. I think the “blessing supreme” that the Buddha is referring to is enlightenment – the state of being completely present. All these qualities help in reaching the “blessing supreme”.
I found a passage on page 40 that brought up the Buddhist belief of change. The passage summarizes ones need to eliminate the excess and frivelous things in order to achieve nirvana. I was thinking about the statement and ideas we have talked about in class that buddhists belief nothing stays the same. They believe that no one thing ever stays the same. You can try as hard and as long as you want to achieve perfect stillness, but everything will eventually change. This passage brought the idea to me that buddhist must not believe that once you achieve nirvana, or an awakening, that you will change. If they do believe that, then i understand the idea that all worldly possessions and feelings should be cast out, but if they dont believe that you will not change after nirvana, then i dont see the significance of denying yourself of natural things. Though i understand the principals and how Buddhisim requires you to follow the rules that will lead you to nirvana, I dont see how the rules and the Buddhist belief that all things change intertwines.
I would like to comment on the philosophy on page 35. The story says that a man came to the Buddha to ask him to answer a question before he would join the practice. The Buddha proceeded to reply with a story that says a man who is about die doesnt ask the background of the man who shot him. Therefore, I could spend an entire lifetime explaining to you the Buddhist philosophies but you would die before i finish. I found this passage interesting becuase in relation to Jesus and the stories in the Bible, the satisfaction is not instant. Unlike the Bible, the stories are miracles and provide the reader with unimaginable thoughts about how a man achieved such feats like healing the blind. The Buddhists take a more realistic stance on spreading their beliefs. Should one ask about the practice, they simply state, you should not worry about how or why we practice, but join for yourself. Ive beat around the bush a litte bit on this passage but I just felt like this particular part of the text showed that buddhist take a more practical, realistic stance and dont try to influence masses with amazing stories.
I thought the story about children making sand castles by the river was very interesting. A group of children built sand castles and each defended his own castle visciously. When one boy knocks over another's sand castle, all the children beat him and stomp on him. Later, however, each child contentedly destroyed his own castle when it was time to go home. It seemed like a good representation of the mentality of humanity from a Buddhist perspective. The story showed the transient nature of human affection, while similarly making greed and selfishness look ridiculous. The part where everyone ganged up on one child because he knocked over another's sand castle reminded me of war; which made me wonder-- are Buddhists extreme pacifists like Gandhi, or do they believe in fighting when there is a cause? This story is an excellent parable for a beginning Buddhist because it sums up Buddhist beliefs about the impermanence of every aspect of one's life, as well as the necessity of accepting change.
"see your self in others.
then whom can you hurt?
what harm can you do?"(10)
i like these lines because they are easy and potent. buddhism teaches people to love and not harm any living things. thats why buddhists are usually vegeterians. monks or buddhism followers always say"amitabhah". "amitabhah"means the buddha who tolerates everything. this indicates that buddhists learn to forgive and love everyone.
trying to see yourself in others, this actually means others are the same as you,so it is at the same time a manifestation of equality. buddhism believes everyone is borned equal.
we have an old saying in ancient chinese which means treat others the way you want to be treated. this actually reflects buddhism, that you see yourself in others so you should treat others the way you want to be treated.
buddhism is the most popular religion in china but most of the chinese actually believe in an combination of several theories like the theories of confucious and daoism.
I enjoyed the passage on page 61, especially the part that states, "By your own efforts waken yourself, watch yourself, and live joyfully." I felt that these lines do a good job of clarifying the aim of meditation. Buddhists practice meditation in order to master their senses and calm their bodies and minds. They believe that enlightenment can only be achieved through hard work and finding the right path individually. Once enlightenment is achieved, one is "awake," and can "live joyfully." One form of meditation that many Buddhists follow is the practice of focusing solely on one aspect of the body or mind: from a sense as simple as sounds or a pain, to an emotion as complicated as sadness or elation. Since Buddhism does not focus on any deity, Buddhists are responsible for helping themselves instead of depending on a god to save them. The word "quieten" seemed appropriate as a synonym for enlightenment in contrast to the overheated chaos described in other parts of the book.
#1-“He who seeks happiness by hurting those who seek happiness will never find happiness” (TOB 10). This statement really stood out to me. I read it and immediately knew examples in my life where I could really use this. There are some people who for some reason or another really enjoy raining on someone’s parade. I know that sometimes I am so excited about something and I will tell someone my news and that person will act like my news is not a big deal at all. My happiness that I was seeking from that particular friend turned into complete sadness because that friend hurt me by blowing off something that was so important to me. Instead of feeling down about the fact that my friend hurt me, I realize that person will never find happiness. This statement is so relevant to my life and could potentially help me focus on other things instead of being upset over my other friends’ actions.
#2-“Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded” (TOB 5). Sometimes you may not think that the thoughts or words that you think or say could potentially harm you, especially if you say those words to a close friend, but that close friend may let the words that you once carelessly thought in your head let slip out in conversation. Those words that you once thought about someone are now harmful to you. Those words become ammunition in a great war between two people. You may have not even meant to say those words a loud, but once those words are out, there is no turning back. Those rash words end up becoming more harm than a worst enemy because instead of that one enemy hating you, a whole group of people hate you. This statement makes perfect sense to me; it is especially relevant in high school with gossiping. A couple of words spill out, and then you are left to clean up the mess you have made.
“See yourself in others then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?” p 10 I like this line because it is saying that hurting others just hurts yourself. I thought that this was Buddhism in a nutshell. I think that this extends beyond just seeing yourself in other people; I think it’s about seeing yourself in the entire world. Buddhists strive to become one with the earth and I think they way they achieve this is by treating the earth like they would want to be treated. Becoming a monk is a way for Buddhists to take time to ponder this idea and fully realize it. It’s a way for Buddhists to take time to recognize how they should treat the world and others.
“Free from desire, free from possessions, free from attachment and appetite, following the seven lights of awakening, and rejoicing greatly in his freedom, in this world the wise person becomes themselves a light, pure shining, free.” P 46 Buddhists, instead of doing things so that after they die they go to heaven, try to make the world they’re living in heaven. Possessions and desires are considered distractions from making one happy. They believe that they achieve happiness by not having too much or too little of something. Once one is able to look beyond the distractions of the material world and free themselves of selfish desires they are able to be content. Buddhists meditate to try to make themselves in the moment and realize all they have to be grateful for. Their form of heaven is the ability to get beyond one’s selfish needs and to be cognizant of the world surrounding them.
I really enjoyed the passage on page 60 and 61 where it talks about the path to freedom and enlightenment. These lines show me that there is way more than meditation to have such a considered enlightenment. It makes me aware that you have to free all your sins to see the truth and concentrate on what is important. In addition to that I also gained from these two pages that we ourselves are responsible for our luck and what might happen to us. Only through total freedom mentally and physically we can escape from pain and suffering according to the teachings of the Buddha. Looking back on all this is very interesting in my eyes because it shows a very straight forward and good way of life not only for those who call themselves Buddhists. These above mentioned aspects and ways to enlightenment should become our standards, because it would mostly give us a very good insight on the world from a different angle from which we probably never have seen the world before.
“In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.”
These lines on page 19 were immediately recognized as I read them. It talks about a very dramatic and often discussed topic of the last several years and also at the time of India’s wish to gain their independence. These lines concentrate the main essence of Gandhi’s non violence movement that moved people all around the world from many different religions and social states. The main statement is that you should always answer violence with non violence. Because violence never does any good you should never practice violence or aggression towards someone or something. It is never the right answer no matter how bad it might be. And this makes this statement in my opinion so interesting. “Hate never yet dispelled hate.” It has always been like that and it will always stay like that. But mainly it fascinates me that the idea of non violence is found in Buddhism and that Gandhi as a Hindu practiced it. And as we can see today through India’s independence it is a very effective and very peaceful method to solve problems.
"Look how he abusedme and beat me. How he threw me down and beat me. Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.
Look how he abusedme and beat me. How he threw me down and beat me.
Abandon, such thoughts and live in love."(19)
It is almost asking people to forget their enemies. To remember them will only cause bad results. To remember such things is asking yourself to suffer. Instead you should let the memories of these pains go so that you will not be polluted by them. Remember these things of the past does you no good as it is to late to do anythingg about them. Instead live in the moment so to enjoy life to free yourself from your own evil.
On page 17 I enjoyed the passage "but if you cannot find friend or master to go with you, travel on alone-- like a king who has given away his kingdom, like an elephant in the forest." This idea renenforces the message of becoming a buddha yourself. If you seek inner peace you will become a buddha. This passage is related to the quote: "if you see the buddha on the road kill him" because it is telling the reader to not look for others to be a buddha and only follow their teachings, but become a buddha oneself and seek your own answers to the questions of life.
"See yourself in others.
Then whom can you hurt?...
For your brother is like you,
He wants to be happy.
Never harm him
And when you leave this life
You too will find happiness."
These lines are particularly interesting because they communicate a common theme of nearly all religions. In Western culture, we call it the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you). However, there is seldom an explanation for why we are to treat everyone as we would like to be treated. The Buddha finally gives the explanation. He says that we are supposed to see a little bit of ourselves in others. This idea sounds strikingly like Hinduism, where everyone has a piece of God in him and, therefore, deserves respect. It is a wonderful idea, really; nearly all violence and hatred would be eliminated from the earth if everyone took this viewpoint. Oddly enough, these lines sound a lot like something that Gandhi would have said. This passage also lays the foundation for non-violence in Buddhism, although it does not seem like they carry their non-violent beliefs to extremes like Jains and some Hindus do.
"You are your only master. W@Ho else? Subdue yourself and dicsover your master."(65)
The idea behind this is to passage is to encourage you to believe that the awnsers to life live deep within yourself. Become independent from others thoughts and dependent on only your own. The idea is to believe in your own potential. Don't be part of the mob, but cleanse your thoughts and the truth should lie there within you. We all have the truth within us. We just have to look at ourselves with a pure mind in order for the truth within us to be visible. It is a bit like the idea of the soul in Hinuism. Throw of the cluter in your mind and a sort of god like figure is there.
On page 10 there were many messages of non-violence that I saw as important messages to the teachings of the Buddha. The message of: "See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?" shows that by loving your neighbor and seeing yourself in their shoes ends any feelings of hatred toward them. By loving your neighbor as much as your self you end any feelings of rage and anger. This is the same as the message in TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD of walking in someone elses shoes, and similar to the golden rule of many religions: "Love your neighbor", "Do unto others and you would have others do unto you" etc....
GREG: honestly we just posted the exact same passage/exact same message at almost the exact same time!! great minds think alike
"We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world."
These lines are a restatement of the idea that your thoughts become your actions, and your actions become who you are. Also, this passage hints to the fact that a person must change himself before he tries to change the world. In fact, Gandhi said something extremely similar to that. He said, simply: "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." In terms of Buddhism (and Hinduism), this passage is possibly an allusion to the the necessity of detachment from worldly desires and lusts. If a person spends all his time thinking about his money or his women or his cars, then, eventually, he will wander off the "Middle Path" and lead himself into a spiritual failure. The Buddha is not saying that a person should completely withdraw himself from life; rather, he is saying that to live properly, a person cannot constantly worry about things that, in comparison to the vastness of life, are not really important at all.
The passage on page 10, "He who seeks happiness by hurting those who seek happiness will never find happiness." I liked it, because it's saying by hurting others to find your own happiness is really hurting yourself. That is not true happiness. Fear is being alive, and fear is dying. Relating this to Buddhism, when the Buddha left his "perfect" life to seek happiness.
"all living beings, whether weak or strong, tall, stout, average or short,seen or unseen, near of distant, born or to be born, may they all be happy."(7)
This passage really means that no matter who you are, you should be happy. you should enjoy living life and have no times of sadness. live life to its greatest potential and have absolutely no regrets. this means you should feel no hatred to any other human being and should have all of those thoughts cleared out of your head so you can live happy. it is sort of what the man who came to chapel is about, the one with the purple bracelets, we should get rid of all complaints so we can live a cleaner, happier life. it is a task that is hard to do because those thoughts seem so natural, yet they hurt us without us even knowing they do. to live happy one must clear all bad thoughts away.
"but day and night the man who is awake shines in the radiance of the spirit." (78)
i believe this quote means that whoever is awake will be happy... i believe that when he says "awake," he means whoever has reached nirvana. nirvana is when the buddha found peace inside himself while bad things tempted him to wish badly. he was able to become awake and live happily eventhough bad things happened around him. it is also called his enlightenment. so, whoever becomes awake or reaches nirvana, has reached the ultimate destination of buddhism. if you reach nirvana you will be happy because nothing can bother you.
"Love yourself and be awake -
Today, tomorrow, always."
p 65
This relates to Nirvana, because loving yourself, in the way that's good, you'll find joy, peace, security, happiness, etc., in your everyday life. It's like trying to find love through Nirvana and the Buddha. You're trying to awaken yourself to purity. To love yourself is to be awake and free. Having confidence in yourself brings peace to your mind, body, and soul everyday.
"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world." (pg. 4)
This passage conveys the idea of perception. The world is beautiful depending on ones out look. we can create something beautiful or disgusting out of any situation. If we can master our minds than we hold the key to happiness. If we can view every situation whether good or bad as a learning tool with an optimistic outlook than we have the ability to create something beautiful out of dirt.
"Look how he abused me and beat me, How he threw me down and robbed me. Live with such thoughts and you live in hate. Look how he abused me and beat me, HOw he threw me down and robbed me. Abandon such thoughts and live in love." (Pg.19)
I really like how this concept gives the reader a different view of the situation. If one lives bitter with hate for another person than they are the ones suffering while the person who initially caused the pain lives happy forgetting about the scene they have created. If you let your mind leave behind hate than you can gain knowledge from the situation. If you let your mind fester in hate than you no longer have the ability to create something beautiful out of your pain. Happiness is not created out of hate. One must be free to embrace another rather than hold resentment and prejuidice from a past experience. The idea is to let go and enjoy the presense rather than sulk on the past.
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