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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: The Disadvantages of Self-Cherishing
Chasing individual happiness through selfish means always leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. The Primordial Error When I first came into existence as pure, aware consciousness, there was just observation. In the first moment of self-awareness, consciousness observes itself and realizes, “I exist.” Buddhists call this the primordial error. In the next moment comes the feeling,…
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The Enlightened Debate: Can Self-Centered Motives Lead to True Awakening?
Hinayana Buddhists seek enlightenment for themselves, whereas Mahayana Buddhists seek enlightenment in order to benefit others. Which approach is superior? People pursue religious or spiritual paths for a variety of reasons, but two reasons tend to stand out. After the initial inspiration, people may embark on a spiritual path or accept baptism into a religion.…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Equalizing Self with Others
Embracing Universal Compassion: Beyond the Golden Rule to True Altruism. Love your neighbor as yourself. Gospel of Mark 12:31 The common interpretation of this passage is to treat others with the same compassion, kindness, and respect that one would want for oneself. Basically, it’s an instruction to follow the Golden Rule. It’s considered a central…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Remembering the Kindness of All Living Beings
We live in a world full of kindness, but for many, it takes conscious effort to recognize the kindness all around us. The Great Scope meditations of Lamrim, the majority in the sequence, serve to deepen feelings of compassion and extend those feelings to all living beings. The first of the meditations provided the groundwork…
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The Traumatic Stress of American Capitalism
We all pay a steep emotional price for the benefits we obtain from our capitalist system. A dog-eat-dog world Modern economic theory tells us that each person acting through their own selfish desire animates the “invisible hand” of the market. Apparently, this is considered a good thing. Economists would have us believe that nobody acts…
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Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Recognizing That all Living Beings Are Our Mothers
Meditation for developing affectionate love for all beings. Buddhism guides us to examine our natural behaviors and responses, assess the pain they cause, and use our insight to choose more wisely, lessening our suffering and that of others. The Buddha’s teachings highlight the importance of developing equanimity, encouraging us to see ourselves as valueless and…
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Is Belief in Rebirth or Reincarnation Essential to Buddhist Practice?
You don’t need to believe in magnetism to use a compass. Reincarnation is Useful Bullshit Do I actually believe, as ontological Body reality, that I have actually existed through endless lifetimes? No. I don’t. But I don’t need to. I don’t need to believe in magnetism to use a compass. Karma still works when I act…
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Political Partisanship: The Inherent Unhappiness of Identifying with a Political Party
No matter which side you choose, if you identify as a political partisan, you will always be unhappy, anxious, and dissatisfied. The American People are deeply divided, more so than at any time since the Civil War. There are many reasons for these divisions, none of which matter to political partisanship’s emotional effect on everyone…
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Reasons or Rationalizations: Wisdom Versus Delusion for Interpersonal Relationships
Are your behaviors and attitudes toward others based on wisdom or poor self-serving rationalizations? Conflicts are inevitable whenever people interact with others. How people approach and resolve these conflicts determines the quality and durability of their relationships. A completely selfish person will demand what they want and manipulate others to obtain it. They don’t feel…