Buddhism's effect on the Will

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Thaibebop
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

Post by Thaibebop »

Cafael Dust wrote:Hi there Thaibebop

Buddhism makes me write more... it's important to use the philosophical teachings alongside the practical teachings. i.e. Use anatta in your meditation, when observing stress. Don't use it to kill the songbird in the cage. Don't extrapolate your own views from anatta, like saying 'I need to lose my ego, so I will self-eface in every situation', because you're just making another, Buddhist ego.

I recently wrote a poem on this very subject.

I remember sitting in the long grass, battling sandflies
and groaning, 'in this life everything wants to eat you'
and you said 'that's your trouble, you hate letting go.
If you won't let yourself be eaten, you'll never be happy'.

But I remembered a priestess who was swallowed by some petty god
crown to toes, and then she had to serve him in darkness,
creeping through his dry, veiny caverns with only memory for a rail.
So I crushed the sandflies, but I didn't hate you.
I like this poem, very well written. :namaste:
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Thaibebop
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

Post by Thaibebop »

Dan74 wrote:
Thaibebop wrote: I am sure that my wife doesn't want to read anything I write and my kids are indifferent as well. I see people sharing what they are good at on the internet and feel a desire to do the same. That would be the only place I find an audience. I possess no real talent for anything and still think about sharing and sometimes this brings about frustration. So, I feel that the only reason I want to do something like this is for the attention, and the internet already has plenty of narcissists. So, again, an ego problem.
I think you should not rush to dismiss this need to be recognized and appreciated. I doubt that many of us here are beyond that. I'm certainly not. It is important to me that my family appreciates me and my students and colleagues do too and when they don't I get upset.

When you say that you possess no real talent for anything, I think you are doing yourself a grave disservice. Talent needs to be nourished and developed and until you do that you cannot make a real judgment.

Perhaps you have to learn to respect, value and appreciate yourself rather than dissing yourself like you do?

I am sure once you do that you will find both your motivation and an ability you now deny you possess.

Good luck!!!
I see your point and I should have been more clear. I have no real talent when compared to others. So, I see talented people everywhere and doing a wide range of things. When I ask if I can do what they do, I realize no or not so well. When there are so many people doing one thing, say writing books or blogs, or doing video blogs, what is the point of adding yet another voice to the overwhelming sound of everyone talking at once? The best of these talented people will raise to the top. I must realistic and recognize I will not be one of them. Also, it seems to me that the world might be a bit more crueler than it used to be. The criticism that is throw around by the general public can get very nasty, as if they are simply trying to be hurtful. I have to ask myself, is whatever I share, knowing it won't win over many people, worth the painful criticism I will receive? I believe I have grown somewhat thinned skinned as I get older about certain things. I hope this makes better sense. I am not bashing myself, but trying to me realistic about what I can do and what I and others can get out of it.
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Thaibebop
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

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mikenz66 wrote:Hi Thaibebop,
Thaibebop wrote: I feel like you have a very good point and one that applies, but I am concerned, I think, more about the desire than the ego that could drive it. I want to be recognized in the same ways that I mentioned in the first post. This bothers me. Why am I not happy? Why seek such attention? Thus, I conclude an ego problem.
I think that it is good to ask these questions, but, as others have said, not so good to tie yourself in knots about it. As you say, to be successful in something (academia or anything else) you have to promote your good points. However, it is possible, at least to some extent, depending on one's career choice, to turn one's motivation into more of a service mode. If I do a good job of research, teaching, administration, outreach, etc, that's good for my students (who get jobs) and my colleagues (who keep their jobs).

:anjali:
Mike
I agree and if I am accepted into grad school next year I can claim to be preparing myself to render an educational service. Even as a grad student I can be a teaching assistant who might get to teach a class, so I could be of service right away. Right now, I languish.
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Thaibebop
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

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Goofaholix wrote:
Thaibebop wrote:I feel like you have a very good point and one that applies, but I am concerned, I think, more about the desire than the ego that could drive it. I want to be recognized in the same ways that I mentioned in the first post. This bothers me. Why am I not happy? Why seek such attention? Thus, I conclude an ego problem.
This is normal, but suppressing it is not the answer.

You are aware of the problem so you are already half way there.

Instead of trying to suppress it just do your best at whatever you want to achieve, just observe the thoughts and feelings that arise during that process and notice the greed, aversion, and delusion that arises and that whether you do something well or poorly, whether you are recognised or not, there is still a sense of unsatisfactoriness in there.

Gradually you'll realise that you can only find happiness from within, not from outward achievements, not from outward piety. This gives you freedom to achieve whatever you need to without punishing yourself because you think that's what good Buddhists are supposed to do nor expecting it to give you any kind of lasting happiness.
I gain a great deal of satisfaction from what I create, sometimes, I must admit to being a harsh critic of myself. However, when I now I have done well I am happy and there raises the desire to share. Why, I ask myself, do I need to share? What do I hope to gain? It is these questions which lead me to answers that are surrounded by ego, or a desire for money. My family and I struggle, so making money from something I do would be helpful, even if it is a small amount. This leads me to thinking I must therefore tailor what I do to become marketable, as I can help my family if more people like what I do and pay for it. This line of thought disgusts me. I don't have the arrogance to believe people would pay for something I create. This thought changes what and how I create something and changes me, and I simply don't like it. I am uncomfortable with it. So, I am at last left with the question of what is the point of making art if no one views it? What is the point of creating it just for my own satisfaction when I will only be tempted to share it and become frustrated over the emotions I have just described? Like with most viscous circles you either keep running or do nothing. That is where I am now, sitting in the middle of the circle of thought, stuck.
santa100
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

Post by santa100 »

The problem might be because you think too much. From what you described, the current situation is that your family needs you and your work to survive. Since this is currently your top priority, don't think too much, just focus on your work. There's nothing wrong with making and selling your own products through your own sweat and effort. Once there're food on the table for your loved ones, then you could start revisiting ego, desire, gain/loss, and all that deep stuff. By the way, do you know that taking care of parents, siblings, spouses, and loved ones IS the practice of compassion itself? Good luck..
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Goofaholix
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

Post by Goofaholix »

santa100 wrote:The problem might be because you think too much. From what you described, the current situation is that your family needs you and your work to survive. Since this is currently your top priority, don't think too much, just focus on your work. There's nothing wrong with making and selling your own products through your own sweat and effort. Once there're food on the table for your loved ones, then you could start revisiting ego, desire, gain/loss, and all that deep stuff. By the way, do you know that taking care of parents, siblings, spouses, and loved ones IS the practice of compassion itself? Good luck..
This is what it boils down to.

You aren't doing your family any favours by thinking too much about this. If they need you to provide for them then ultimately whatever you do to earn money is a selfless act on your part whereas indulging in thinking too much about it is a selfish act, just let go of the pretentions and instead of doing it for yourself do it for them.

Over time whatever course in life you take you can learn to use it to develop the mind.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
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Thaibebop
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

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Sorry ,it took me so long to post back. It seems again most here are right and in agreement. It seems I have been thinking about this all wrong. This is good news, I just need to start changing what I think when I try to create something.

Again, thank you all for commenting. I have no other perspective but mine, so this forum has proven time and again very helpful in getting me to think outside of myself.

:namaste:
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icyteru
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Re: Buddhism's effect on the Will

Post by icyteru »

"This is mine, I created it."
the answer is no. you're just learn it from here and there. there's too many factor that involved so that you can't say I created it.
in books definitely have bibliography and preface that say thanks to another people.
The most complete english tipitaka on the internet world. http://realtruthlife.blogspot.com .
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