A Manual to Life - Enchiridion

[Modus.Ponens]

Hello.

I thought I should share this. I just got to know this small book, in audio format. It's less than an hour. The way I would describe it is that it is buddhism without the supernatural element, nor the meditation element.

Why is it important then? This is a manual to live a life in pursuit of happiness and discarding suffering. It focuses on training the mind to distinguish what is within one's control and what's not. It teaches will power not by force, but by wisdom. The author says that you should see clearly what you can control and what you can't, you should train in discarding any worry, anger, or greed for what is out of your control, but focus instead your energy exactly where you can do something about your life.

It may be somewhat abusive of me to say this, but this book seems like what the Buddha would have thaught if he wrote a manual exclusively to lay secular buddhists. It's worldly buddhism. But since it stood the test of time, nearly 2000 years, I think it's worth a listen. One hour goes by fast.

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaFe3nGhdGI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dhammanando]

Lovely comparison of a wife to an onion at 6:49.

[Kamran]

The part that sticks with me is when he says:

If you want something that's not in your control, then you want to be a slave, for your happiness is now under somebody else's control. Do you want to be a slave or free ?

I believe the author had been a slave.

[Modus.Ponens]

Hey Kamran

Why do you believe him to be a slave? I wouldn't go as far as saying he's enlightened, but it's the other extreme to say he's a slave.

[ryanM]

Algebraic!

[Dhammanando]

Why do you believe him to be a slave?

That's what he was: Epictetus was born into slavery. Among their household slaves, many upper-class Romans would own philosopher-slaves, whose job was to do their masters' thinking for them. That's what Epictetus was for many years until he was released some time after Nero's death.

The Christian father Origen tells a famous story of how early in Epictetus's life some sadistic master was amusing himself by squeezing his slave's leg in a vice.
"If you tighten it any more, you'll break my leg," said Epictetus.
The master gleefully tightened it further and there was suddenly a loud crack.
"There, I told you so!" said Epictetus.

(It's reported that Epictetus walked with a limp for the rest of his life and in portraits he's often represented leaning on a crutch).

[ryanM]

also, from the introducion of Epictetus' Discourses

Slave, poor as Irus, halting as I trod,
I, Epictetus, was the friend of God

Epictetus was a slave woman’s son, and for many years a slave himself.

further in the introduction exemplifies Ven.'s statement...

He was of feeble health, and lame, the latter probably because of the brutality of a master in his early years;[...]

[Modus.Ponens]

Oh, ok. It was a misunderstanding of mine. I thought Kamran was saying he was a slave in the metaphorical sense of being a slave to his mind and passions. But thank you for that story. The man was truly remarkable.