What if we could provide ourselves with more peace when it came to personal possessions, and fewer desires and cravings, and less animosity from those around us when it came to possessions, or hearing from us a constant stream of endless self-centered 'I want this item' or 'I want this car' or 'I want this person' or 'I want this ..."
Why not want less? When you see the beautiful thing that you want, consider do you really want it? Or do you just like looking at it? Will it make you happier having it? Do you have the means to obtain it? Who would you make upset if you try to obtain it?
For example, if you look at another's clothes, and want their clothes or clothes like theirs, will it bring peace if you try to obtain their clothes, or tell them that you want their clothes? Or their car? Or their relations?
Perhaps it would bring more peace to just look at the thing, and consider, "That's a beautiful thing. Maybe I could get it or something like it, but then what would that bring me? Do I have the money for it? Would the owner get upset if I tried to obtain it?"
Instead of looking at something, and wanting it, and craving it, if wanting and craving create discomfort and unhappiness, perhaps a better solution would be to want it less.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Flowers of Buddhism
What is action, and what becomes of it? What do our actions gain us in every day living? What if we could by our actions create a more peaceful existence for ourselves and the people around us?
A lot of stores sell flowers that can be planted, and cut flowers, that people decorate their homes with. What if we could create a better life for ourselves with the products of our actions?
We could consider the product of our actions 'flowers' that decorate our lives.
One of the main tenants of Buddhism is easing one's own suffering and the suffering of other sentient creatures.
Not to complain about it, (smile) but when I look around and deal with people, a lot of people talk a lot about their suffering. They want people to be nicer to them, or they want more things, or they want people to stop doing something to them. Or they want more out of life. Or they suffer from disease or illness that prevents them from doing the things that they would like to do.
What if there were some way we could through our actions ease the suffering of ourselves and all sentient creatures?
(c) 2010 Andrew Christian Haas.
A lot of stores sell flowers that can be planted, and cut flowers, that people decorate their homes with. What if we could create a better life for ourselves with the products of our actions?
We could consider the product of our actions 'flowers' that decorate our lives.
One of the main tenants of Buddhism is easing one's own suffering and the suffering of other sentient creatures.
Not to complain about it, (smile) but when I look around and deal with people, a lot of people talk a lot about their suffering. They want people to be nicer to them, or they want more things, or they want people to stop doing something to them. Or they want more out of life. Or they suffer from disease or illness that prevents them from doing the things that they would like to do.
What if there were some way we could through our actions ease the suffering of ourselves and all sentient creatures?
(c) 2010 Andrew Christian Haas.
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