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Perhaps. I think one could say that suffering is emotional pain. But your definition works for you.
Emotional pain is a metaphor. Pain relates to the body, nerve endings, sensation. Suffering is in the mind, it is a product of the mind, just as happiness is. The remedy for each are not the same.
First of all, this thread is a discussion, not a challenge.
But to answer your question without feeling the need to prove something...I don't think there is a firm answer to your question. Sometimes it may be obvious in things such as murder, but I'm not sure that 'right' is always the same in the context of a personal path.
Emotional pain is a metaphor. Pain relates to the body, nerve endings, sensation. Suffering is in the mind, it is a product of the mind, just as happiness is. The remedy for each are not the same.
First of all, this thread is a discussion, not a challenge.
But to answer your question without feeling the need to prove something...I don't think there is a firm answer to your question. Sometimes it may be obvious in things such as murder, but I'm not sure that 'right' is always the same in the context of a personal path.
A discussion involves asking for clarification, to understand the terms, which is not the same as challenge. If you feel challenged maybe it is an indication you have doubts that need to be cleared. In that case you are not asking for a discussion. I am not sure what you are asking for. Maybe you are just stating. In that case there is no room for discussion.
I am not asking for proof, there is no such thing in belief. What you are stating is a belief in the 8 fold right path as cure for suffering which exists. What is, then, “right” in the context of a personal path? If one is not sure, unable to grasp what it is, can one walk that path with doubts?
Quote:
Certainly the Eightfold Path (right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi) can help in that regard.[
The purpose of this thread is one thing only -- for religionists, including me (a Buddhist) to bring up some principle found in the teachings and to discuss their validity. The thread is NOT about proving anything in your scriptures as being true or false. It is only to discuss various principles. I'll get us started.
Principle:
1. Dukkha: Suffering exists: Life is suffering. Suffering is almost universal (although that doesn't mean that one suffers all the time). Suffering can be caused by loss, sickness, pain, failure, and the impermanence of pleasure.
2. Samudaya: There is a cause of suffering -- attachment to things one likes/loves, all of which will eventually change or end, thus causing craving for various pleasures or lack of suffering.
3. Nirodha: These attachments can be overcome, although some only with Nibbana.
4. Magga: There is a path to accomplish this -- the Eightfold Path.
This principle is about Buddhism. A principle you might post may be christian or Hindu, etc.
bold above
it is reasonable to discuss the validity of bold below.
how does one decide what is "right" in each of those categories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi
I think there is a great deal of suffering during life. Some of it health related. Relationship related. Success/failure related. And yes, it's often because we become attached to the status quo. And the suddenly the status quo isn't. Personally, I'm unconvinced re nibanna. Maybe there is such a thing. I know that I once asked a group of 4 Buddhist monks if they expected to reach nibanna in their current life and they all said not even close. But even if nibanna does not exist, it doesn't mean that we can't use some Buddhist principles -- and principles and teachings from other religions -- to lessen suffering. Eliminating it...not so sure...maybe some. Certainly the Eightfold Path (right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi) can help in that regard.
i found this quite interesting.
"The last step of the eightfold path is where Zen Buddhism begins and the rest of Buddhism stops."
i find that koans (their use, their purpose, what they accomplish, how they accomplish it) represent and implement a principle that is powerful and valid and an essential element in many paths. "Zen Buddhism is a mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It began in China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular in the West from the mid 20th century. The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought or language."
One source summarizes it as----
Goal of Buddhism may be seen as: to attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining nirvana.
Goal of Zen may be seen as: To gain enlightenment
i found this quite interesting.
"The last step of the eightfold path is where Zen Buddhism begins and the rest of Buddhism stops."
i find that koans (their use, their purpose, what they accomplish, how they accomplish it) represent and implement a principle that is powerful and valid and an essential element in many paths. "Zen Buddhism is a mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It began in China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular in the West from the mid 20th century. The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought or language."
One source summarizes it as----
Goal of Buddhism may be seen as: to attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining nirvana.
Goal of Zen may be seen as: To gain enlightenment
bold above
it is reasonable to discuss the validity of bold below.
how does one decide what is "right" in each of those categories?
That is the challenge, and I don't think there is 'an answer'.
Let me give you 2 scenarios.
If I said 'I completely turned my back on my sister'. The logical judgement would be against me. If I add in that she had been a hopeless (and I do mean hopeless) drug and alcohol addict for 20 years who, essentially abandoned her very ill mother...the picture begins to change. If I outlined certain acts and behaviors the picture would change even more.
Professionally, the hardest thing I ever did was to fire a person in a position of influence (gotta be vague here). This causes a crisis in that person's family life. That makes me sound very mean. If I fill out the picture a bit and mention that the person falsified evaluation reports that determined other people's salaries...the picture begins to change.
Things are not always right versus wrong. I see making decisions more as how things pile up a scales. Sometimes when you make a decision you have to select the best path when there are no good paths.
i found this quite interesting.
"The last step of the eightfold path is where Zen Buddhism begins and the rest of Buddhism stops."
i find that koans (their use, their purpose, what they accomplish, how they accomplish it) represent and implement a principle that is powerful and valid and an essential element in many paths. "Zen Buddhism is a mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It began in China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular in the West from the mid 20th century. The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought or language."
One source summarizes it as----
Goal of Buddhism may be seen as: to attain enlightenment and be released from the cycle of rebirth and death, thus attaining nirvana.
Goal of Zen may be seen as: To gain enlightenment
That is the challenge, and I don't think there is 'an answer'.
Let me give you 2 scenarios.
If I said 'I completely turned my back on my sister'. The logical judgement would be against me. If I add in that she had been a hopeless (and I do mean hopeless) drug and alcohol addict for 20 years who, essentially abandoned her very ill mother...the picture begins to change. If I outlined certain acts and behaviors the picture would change even more.
Professionally, the hardest thing I ever did was to fire a person in a position of influence (gotta be vague here). This causes a crisis in that person's family life. That makes me sound very mean. If I fill out the picture a bit and mention that the person falsified evaluation reports that determined other people's salaries...the picture begins to change.
Things are not always right versus wrong. I see making decisions more as how things pile up a scales. Sometimes when you make a decision you have to select the best path when there are no good paths.
For example, sometimes lying is a good thing.
How would following Buddha’s 8 fold path help you resolve this, for your own peace of mind, not for anyone else?
I can share how following Advaita principles help me.
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