josephcmabad wrote:buddhism seems to regard highly about being contented .. and i believe it is one of the greatest aspects buddhism has.. however questions from other people got me thinking, and it seems i need some help from more matured buddhists to answer some of it.. particular questions are:
1. how do we distinguish contentment from doing nothing worthwhile with our lives?
Would you be content to sit idly doing nothing, by while life happens around you? Contentment does not mean doing nothing worthwhile. Contentment means being as still as a rock inwardly, no matter how wildly, or serenely, the weather around you manifests outwardly.....
2. how about in the situation of parents wherein their income cannot feed their children, should they just be contented with what they have even if their children are starving?
You are confusing contentment with acceptance. If a parent has starving children, then a parent will do what they can to relieve that hunger.
we see the tragedy of the Japanese Tsunami unfolding daily, with more and ever more news of the tragedy and havoc this has unleashed.
Physically, so far removed, we can do nothing.
But shrugging our shoulders is not the right attitude.
Seeing things are as they are, because they are, as they are, is reality, into which we should hurl our wisdom and compassion with full force.
We should act in whatever way we can, to help our fellow human being, born into this realm of samsara. But gather inner serenity as we do.
3. what separates being lazy to being content, apart from the mindset of the individual? it seems that other people can only see one aspect from both.. not doing anything!
Being lazy ultimately leads to suffering. Being lazy is not being content. Being content is not being lazy. This is a smoke and mirrors question, because there is an assumption that the two are similar. They are as similar as chalk and cheese.
What other people perceive may be a deception, but if we ourselves are able to see that being indolent and inactive, does not equate with being content, and act upon that skilfully, then we are only answerable for ourselves.
really need help answering these questions.. thanks guys

That's my bit.
