GENIUS FORUMS

Elizabeth,

you are reading too literally again or something.

Everything the buddha is advocating there is considered extreme, (the deactivation of the sex drive, regarding all sensuality as degrading)

At least where I come from.

That's my point.

I am completely fed up with this forum. It has been turned to shit by EI.

When "it" is banned or gets fed up, I may return.

prince wrote:I am completely fed up with this forum. It has been turned to shit by EI.

When "it" is banned or gets fed up, I may return.

I won't miss your personal attacks. Bye.

Cory Duchesne wrote:Elizabeth,

you are reading too literally again or something.

Everything the buddha is advocating there is considered extreme, (the deactivation of the sex drive, regarding all sensuality as degrading)

At least where I come from.

That's my point.

Interpret this:

the satisfaction of his natural wants will not defile him.

Elizabeth wrote,

interpret this:

the satisfaction of his natural wants will not defile him.

Buddha obviously has a different idea of natural wants, then what we see in mainstream culture,

interpret this:

And how can anyone be free by leading a wretched life, if he does not succeed in quenching the fires of lust?

so long as self continues to lust after worldly or heavenly pleasures. But he in whom self becomes extinct, is free from lust; he will desire neither worldly nor heavenly pleasures

sensuality of all kinds is enervating. The sensual man is a slave of his passions, and pleasure-seeking is degrading and vulgar.

In contrast to the way our culture is, the middle way that the buddha is describing here, is extreme.

how cant you see it?

Are you one of those people in defense of stupid holidays like Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and the like?

The whole culture is prioritized around sensuality and sex.

The culture is extreme, stupid and the axel that it revolves around is the mindless desire of woman.

Man is a slave to her obstinance.

to take it deeper, he is a slave to his own obstinance, his own femininity, which is brought to life and strenghtened by her.

There is a difference between becoming a slave to one's passions and satisfaction of the natural human wants.

By suffering, the emaciated devotee produces confusing and sickly thoughts in his mind.
Mortification is not conducive even to worldly knowledge; how much less to a triumph over the senses!

Buddha did not advocate suffering for wisdom, on the contrary he noted that suffering leads one away from wisdom.

he in whom self becomes extinct, is free from lust; he will desire neither worldly nor heavenly pleasures

This is the description of the reward, not the path to wisdom.

All mortification is vain so long as self remains, so long as self continues to lust after worldly or heavenly pleasures.

"All mortification is vain..." meaning that suffering for wisdom is a sign of vanity. Playing the martyr is an ego boost.

This is one extreme, and it is not the path to wisdom.

sensuality of all kinds is enervating. The sensual man is a slave of his passions,

Here, he defines what he means by sensuality - becoming a slave to one's passions.

This is the other extreme, and it is not the path to wisdom either.

But to satisfy the necessities of life is not evil. To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom and keep our mind strong and clear.

People are born with natural desires of emotional satisfaction. There have been studies showing physical results of mindset, making positive emotions are necessary for good health. The reward of not having the desire indicates the lack of pain one feels if one does not have the pleasures of natural emotional desires - it does not indicate that positive emotions are evil. To descend into madness by not meeting the needs of one's emotional health does not produce a strong mind.

If one still has a need and it is not met, perhaps he will turn to drugs or alcohol to crate a false state of not needing emotional food, or perhaps he will simply produce "confusing and sickly thoughts in his mind."

Yes Cory, it is different from mainstream culture - but there are extremes even outside the mainstream that are not the path to true wisdom.