Buddhist Belief — How’s Your Ego Doing?
“You are now in control of your life. You see, the ego is never in control. The ego is controlled by wishes for comfort and convenience on the part of the body, by demands of the mind, and by outbursts of the emotions. But the higher nature controls the body and the mind and the emotions. I can say to my body, “Lie down there on that cement floor and go to sleep,” and it obeys. I can say to my mind, “Shut out everything else and concentrate on this job before you,” and it’s obedient. I can say to my emotions, “Be still, even in the face of this terrible situation,” and they are still. It’s a different way of living. The philosopher Thoreau wrote: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps he hears a different drummer. And now you are following a different drummer–the higher nature instead of the lower.”~~~ Peace Pilgrim
The teachings in Buddhist Belief are considered to be the oldest continuing lessons in human history. It makes you wonder what all the millions of monks, nuns, and lay people have accomplished in these past 2,500 years or so, doesn’t it? Could this all be little more than a long-running experiment? Has anything been proved? Is there something in all of this worth paying close attention to — or is it nothing more than some kind of concept of how to live our lives?
Buddhist teachings state that certain practices and ways of living will, if done with genuine compassion and caring for others, make you wiser, kinder and more peaceful. While the results shown over these past many years are certainly verifiable and reproducible, they’re not truly quantifiable. Even though, I do think it’s rather clear how having a Buddhist practice and lifestyle in the lives of so many people has generated an above average number of wise and compassionate people.
What has been the primary focus of Buddhist belief?
Despite the multitude of teachings in the dharma, the basic teachings always come back to The Four Noble Truths. Buddhists believe in the First Noble Truth — as humans we will have suffering, dissatisfaction and anxiety in our lives. We further believe in the Second Noble Truth — that the cause of this dissatisfaction is giving in to the demands of our egotistical selves with all our desires, greed, craving and clinging to things. It is our attachment to these “things” which creates the conflict with the Buddhist belief that none of these “things” will last, not even ourselves. Nothing is permanent. When we’re not willing to let “things” go when it’s time, we suffer from dissatisfaction. Most of this is brought on by our ego-focused way of living.
Buddhists further believe in the Third Noble Truth — that this dissatisfaction will cease. If we can find some way to diminish our craving, greed, and clinging to our self-centered ways, our suffering will diminish, or even disappear. Finally, Buddhists go on to believe (Fourth Noble Truth) — that the answer is to follow a path, or style of living, which will lead to the diminishing of ego-centered living. Using wisdom, moral behavior, and compassion, our instances of suffering and anxiety will lessen greatly.
So, how close is all this 2,500-year-old stuff to where we are today?
I’m guessing we may not be so far off the mark. If you look closely at the multitude of apparently diverse ethics, moral, codes of conduct, and commandments we follow, there’s something similar that runs through all of them. Our ideas of right and wrong, with whatever variations you follow, all come down to the same basic premise — what is right and good comes from selflessness and love for others — what’s bad and wrong is the result of selfishness and putting ourselves before others.
Metta ….May all beings be well and happy. May all beings live in safety. May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings live with ease.
Namaste — Be in Peace.
Ron Rink
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Just click the links that are sort of Grey in color to take you to where you can learn more about each book and how you can purchase a copy for your own library.
Anam Thubten — No Self – No Problem
No Self – No Problem
shows how to realize the ultimate meaning of life in each moment by dissolving all notions of ego-identity. It asks that spiritual seekers wake up to their true nature, which is already enlightened. Based on Buddhist wisdom traditions, this easy-to-read book discusses in simple, but profound and inspiring language, how we can live a life full of love, satisfaction, and happiness. No Self – No Problem
Sharon Salzberg — The Kindness Handbook
“It takes boldness, even audacity, to step out of our habitual patterns and experiment with a quality like kindness–to work with it and see just how it might shift and open up our lives. This book is an invitation to do just that. — From The Kindness Handbook
Eckhart Tolle’s amazing best seller, A New Earth
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s wonderful book, My Stroke of Insight: Nirvana is just a breath away!
And this one by Sharon Salzberg and is entitled: A Heart as Wide as the World: Living with Mindfulness, Wisdom and Compassion“.
This is a new one for you by Pema Chodron entitled: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
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Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”~~~ Buddha
Shanti everyone, … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”~~~ Buddha
Have a peaceful day!! —
Ron Rink
P.S. If you;d like to read my memoir/novel, you can access it here:
http://www.wecould2.com
Tags: attachment, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Buddhist Belief, detachment, inner peace, karma, loving kindness, Meditation, metta, mindfulness, Nirvana, Peace