skipair,
I conceptually understand the idea that labels and categories (including self, life, and death) are false, but useful. What I don't get is the practical application of this concept...how does this benefit me or the world, considering the fact the we work in a realm where pragmatism is a necessity? Non-attachment and its repercussions, maybe? It still seems necessary to ride the duality line, no?
It means being free of all the things that usually weigh people down. The practical applications of this include independence of mind, freedom from fear and anxiety, better-formulated goals, lack of unnecessary suffering, etc.
DQ: Although emotions are chemically-based, their generation is triggered by perception. For example, fear is generated by the perception of being threatened. If a person is so enlightened that he no longer believes in the illusion of his own self-existence, then all possibility of threat disappears, along with the possibility of experiencing fear. The same principle applies to the other emotions.
In other words, while the chemistry for the emotions is still there in an enlightened Buddha, the perceptual triggers have vanished.
S: Very interesting. Hypothetically speaking, if a grizzly bear were to charge an enlightened Buddha, they would not experience fear, or even get startled?!
He certainly wouldn't experience fear, but he might be momentarily startled. This is because that sort of instantaneous response to sudden events is hardwired into the nervous system and initially bypasses the decision-making processes of the brain.
It is similar to the way in which one's hand instantaneously pulls back after accidentally touching a hot stove. The signals don't have time to reach the brain for a response, as the situation requires instantaneous action. And so the command to instantly pull back the hand comes from the nervous system within the arm instead.
Would they even make an attempt to not be eaten given they "don't exist"?
He probably would as he still places value on his own existence, illusory though it is. Given that his entire being is now structured around the goal of promoting wisdom in the world, it would be natural for him to place value on his own continuing ability to promote wisdom.
In other words, given the context of his own values, it would be rational for him to want to stay alive as long as possible.
How does one operate without emotions?
Well, if it is Buddhas we are talking about, they naturally value wisdom and operate spontaneously with that value in mind.
It is important to keep in mind that a Buddha has spent many long years striving to become wise, during which he valued wisdom far above everything else. And so by the time he succeeds in reaching the state of permanent enlightenment, which is beyond all emotion and suffering, the habit of valuing wisdom is still intact. It remains as a kind of residue, if you like.
Given that he can't think of any reason to undo all the entrenched neural networks which underlie his valuing of wisdom, he continues to value wisdom as a matter of course. So this is what continues to motivate his behaviour and give him purpose, even though he is no longer emotional about it.
I love throwing the frisbee, it makes me feel great. I love exercise, it makes my body feel tingly, energetic and alive. Would these things count as attachments, and would a Buddha necessarily not partake in these physically and emotionally pleasurable things? Is it an illusion that exercise is healthy? Body and mind are one, no?
Given that a healthy body is usually more conducive for promoting wisdom than an unhealthy one, the choice to do exercise and remain healthy would be an easy one for a Buddha to make.
As for the pleasures involved in doing exercise, they are either physical or emotional. There is not much a Buddha can do about the physical pleasures involved in exercise, he will experience them as much as the next fellow. He will know that pleasing physical sensations are a sign of good health and so he will be happy to experience them on that basis. But of course, he wouldn't be attached to them. He wouldn't be motivated to exercise in order to experience these sensations. To him, the sensations will always remain an insignificant by-product of his desire to remain healthy.
The emotional pleasures involved in exercise are a different matter. Most people exercise out of emotional/egotistical reasons - e.g. vanity, a feeling of increasing superiority over others, a sense of security in feeling stronger and more invincible, pleasure in achievement and the acquirement of new skills, etc. None of this would ever occur to a Buddha.
The value of a good seducer is not his ability to seduce. He does not see his conquests as furthering his life's mission. It is true that very feminine women often have the best nurturing skills...but strong, independent men do not need nurturing - they want feminine women because it makes their dick hard. When a woman discovers pussy is a man's #1 goal, she knows exactly what to tool him on. All the money, all the ripped abs, and all the fashion, even all the personality in the world cannot save the man whose purpose is a woman. For her to truly feel sexual desire, she needs to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she is not his #1. This is why a true seducer is never a dancing monkey. He does not compromise who he is to please pretty girls - this disgusts girls and disgusts himself. He is always on the proactive end of interaction, never reactive...she is always trying to keep up with him - he keeps her sharp. But the only reason he can do this is because he ultimately DOES NOT GIVE A SHIT whether he lays her or not. His true interests lay elsewhere.
Now here is where there is variability as to whether there is a relation between seduction and enlightenment. Maybe his real interests are surfing, or business, or family, or...should I say it...enlightenment. My view is that a man can fuck, but never for a second forget the context in which he fucks. :)
You're still describing a lot of time and effort there. I can understand a person whose main interest is business or surfing being prepared to put in the effort, but I can't think of a reason why a person intent upon enlightenment would want to do it.
Maybe in the early stages of the spiritual path it would be useful to go down the seducer's path for a short time, as it can provide much insight into human psychology. But after a time, it would start to get repetitive, and so to keep on doing it over and over would indicate that an addiction has been formed.
It is a bit like experimenting with drugs. It can be useful to experiment with drugs for a time, for it can provide many interesting insights. But after a while it loses its value and it is time to move on.
There are also karmic consequences to consider. How does a person intent upon becoming wise and rational reconcile the negative consequences of his seductive behaviour - such as encouraging people to become more heavily addicted to sexual pleasure and even more trapped inside the animal mentality? Even if you are merely intending to experiment with seduction for a short time, such issues will have to be considered.
Time is against women in this regard but not with men. Appearance might get your foot in the door, but its effect is miniscule compared to the effectiveness of emotional patterns a seducer creates in a woman's brain.
You may be right, but still the ethical content of this behaviour remains highly questionable.
The best seducers I've been in contact with are usually around 50 years old. Experience is the major commanding principle for gaining seduction skills.
Perhaps you could give us a specific case study here. Can you give an example of one of these seducers - outlining how he lives, what his job is, how he dresses, how he spends his time, what kind of women he seduces, what kind of tricks he uses, what his values are, etc. That would help the discussion a lot, I think.
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