How the world seems to an
enlightened person as per this Buddhism Outline
This Buddhism outline will cover some of its messages as to
the 4 Noble Truths, what is meant by Nirvana and how we can
(intellectually at any rate) see what a liberated person
sees.
According to Buddhism suffering
is completely avoided by the enlightened ones. Why?The
enlightened person does not see himself as a self separate from
the rest of existence. He sees himself as the whole works; the
entire Universe is contained within him. He sees himself in
terms of relationships and his interdependence with the
Universe is known to him.
In Hinduism too it is preached that the
Body–Mind–Intellect–Feeling bundle is not the Self and that the
ego is a convenient fiction that we take so seriously that we
are unable to look at the other side of the picture.
Concise Buddhism philosophy -
the most basic conceptsAny Buddhism outline would stress
on the fact of suffering. This fact of suffering is emphasized
in the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. This suffering is in the
form of chronic frustration as to the unsatisfactory nature of
our lives and the Universe. Men and women, animal and even
angels – if you believe in them – are subject to suffering.
Suffering arises - according to
the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism - because ...This
suffering arises because of ignorance. It is ignorance of the
true nature of ourselves and our relationship with the
universe. We are caught up in the delusion that we have or are
a self, separate from the rest of existence.
However not just mystics but also the science of Quantum
Physics informs us that the Universe is one organic whole. Thus
the conclusions of Buddhism Outline are corroborated by Modern
Science. If this is true than our sense of a separate self is
certainly a delusion and a very harmful one at that.
For we are continually pre-occupied with the comfort and
survival of ourselves. We are filled with fears and anxiety
because we know that we cannot avoid death. We crave things
that we think we need to survive and live comfortably.
According to Buddhism religion or philosophy the sense of a
separate self is an illusion. The Hindus say it differently.
They say you are the Universe.
Seeing the view from the other side (that we are the
Universe) changes the way we look of life dramatically since we
do not take the delusion or the fiction of a separate self
seriously. We are not caught up in the struggle for its
survival and well being. We are free then to let go of craving
and also fear since we understand that they are not
necessary.
Life then loses its seriousness. We are in a position to
treat it as a game to be played. We do not need to renounce the
world. We continue to enjoy our dinners, our creature comforts,
the company of our friends and our family. But we can also let
go of them – there is no clinging or craving. Then according to
Buddhism suffering loses its sting. Thich Nhat Hanh calls
Buddhism a clever way to enjoy life and this is being taught in
this Buddhism Outline.
Alan Watts says that the problem of mankind is that we take
seriously that which the gods made for fun.
Living our lives without clinging, craving or attachment is
also stressed in Hinduism. In the Bhagavad Gita, the doctrine
of Nishkama Karma is preached. Here is desireless or
passionless action. It is action without attachment and without
a craving for a favorable or good result.
Practicing Buddhism religion or
philosophyHow then are we to gain this understanding (that
we are not a separate self; that the universe is are organic
whole; that we are the universe)
Well to gain a complete and experiential understanding of it
you will need to become enlightened. This is something that I
cannot help you with as I am not enlightened myself and am in
the same boat as you.
But I can help you gain an intellectual understanding. I
recommend the following way:
1) Meditate on the message of Thich Nhat Hanh’s book The
Heart of Understanding. Thich Nhat Hanh has explained the
concept of how all forms or beings in this universe are
interdependent on each other. No person or thing has an
independent self as we all depend on the Universe for our
existence and the Universe in turn depends upon us.
Read a few paragraphs or at most one chapter at a time and
ponder over its message. Do you agree with what has been
written? If so why, and if not why not? Also examine the
implications of the ideas contained in the book. What
difference will these ideas make in the way we look at
ourselves and the Universe and the way we live our lives.
The Heart Sutra that is commented upon by Thich Nhat Hanh in
The Heart of Understanding is one of the holiest sutra in
Buddhism. It is chanted out by Buddhists as a part of their
daily routine and no doubt pondered over and digested as well.
Thus it has to be mentioned in any Buddhism Outline.
Thich Nhat Hanh calls the Heart Sutra as Avalokita
Bodhisattva’s precious gift to us - the gift of
fearlessness.
This gift of fearlessness should be stressed in any Buddhism
Outline. This is the happy result of practicing Buddhism
philosophy in our day to day life. For an understanding of No
Self, of how and why it is said that there is no separate self
visit this page one Buddhism
religion
Experience oneness with the Universe while drinking tea.
Please visit this page on Buddha
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