BookRix

Thanks, GOP.

The Buddhist tradition does not start with Siddharth's renunciation. It does
not even start with Siddharth's attainment of ""dukha-nirodha"" or ""cessation
of dukha"" and of his becoming the Buddha. It start with his decision to teach
his insights and with his efforts to turn it into a discipline (""vinaya"")
for individuals interested in practicing it to attain ""kilesha-nirodha""
themselves.

While we are all free to draw our own conclusions, they often reflect our own
predilection. The central idea associated with Siddharth's story of
renunciation from the Buddhist tradition's perspective is not ""putting self
above social obligations."" It is about showing how a very wealthy individual
whose life is filled with pleasures almost all of us crave (and many kill for)
can still not be content and still be subject to some of the greatest
afflictions of life for which the remedy is not more indulgence. The way you
frame it might lead one to think that the central story of Christianity is to
""promote torture and death to oneself needlessly like its messiah seems to
have done knowing well beforehand how the Romans would tackle that behavior.""

Yes, it is correct that during his lifetime the Buddha's spent much of his
time on training ""monks"" (or ""bhikkus"" aka beggars) who had given
everything up (at least prima facie) in their quest for solace from dukha. To
flip it around is to miss the point !

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Video: https://moxox.com
Music: https://muxiv.com
AV: http://yofuk.com

Falmouth, MA

Truth still matters, no matter what ""group identify"" it comes from.

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Video: https://moxox.com
Music: https://muxiv.com
AV: http://yofuk.com

San Francisco, CA

Now, I have an unimaginable wish that Trump is a little more sane than Bolton
enough to stop Bolton's crazy war pushes. It is totally unimaginable a few
days ago to have this kind of wish for Trump, but now I am truly frightened. I
remember that Bolton was so arrogant, bully-ish, rigid, not willing to listen
to anyone, and rude as a UN ambassador.

Someone, please stop this and help us!!

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Video: https://moxox.com
Music: https://muxiv.com
AV: http://yofuk.com