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Veritas
Registered: 04/15/05
Posts: 11,089
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Re: Hue has the ashes of life? [Re: Ravus]
#4343625 - 06/27/05 03:12 PM (18 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Ravus said: Suffering is a learned trait? I doubt that. When certain conditions of our's are violated, we suffer. When we don't eat, we suffer as we starve. When a family member dies, we suffer as we mourn. When we lose a limb, we suffer as we adapt.
From an evolutionary perspective, suffering is key. Pain is simply a type of suffering, but like pain, all suffering helps to keep us alive.
Quote:
Merriam-Webster said: SUFFER: 1 a : to submit to or be forced to endure <suffer martyrdom> b : to feel keenly : labor under <suffer thirst> 2 : UNDERGO, EXPERIENCE 3 : to put up with especially as inevitable or unavoidable 4 : to allow especially by reason of indifference <the eagle suffers little birds to sing -- Shakespeare>
intransitive senses 1 : to endure death, pain, or distress 2 : to sustain loss or damage 3 : to be subject to disability or handicap
In the non-Buddhist definition of suffering, which simply means experiencing pain and loss, I agree with you that suffering is part of life. However, the choice to engage in neurotic suffering is still ours. The painful events in our lives do not demand that we rant and rail against the Universe--WHY ME?? Why not?
The virtue I see in releasing patterns of neurotic suffering is that I retain more energy for enjoying my life. When I am not involved in a battle against reality, I have the focus to notice beauty and become inspired, even in the midst of pain and loss.
I choose to live an inspired, pleasure-finding life because I do not know what comes next (if anything). I know that people I love will leave me, either through their choice or their death. I know that my body will have painful sensations. I know that my expectations will sometimes be disappointed. That is life.
Life is also joy and beauty and pleasure. Life is learning and growth and connection. Life is spiritual and sensual. Why shut myself to any of it by indulging in neurosis?
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
Loc: underbelly
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Re: Hue has the ashes of life? [Re: Ravus]
#4343671 - 06/27/05 03:20 PM (18 years, 9 months ago) |
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I've never actually seen anyone who held unconditional love for someone else; we say it as an expression, but if anything it seems to be wishful thinking. Violate someone enough times and their love for you will fade, as that is the limit of human nature. Nothing is unconditional. _______________________________________________________________________
I have seen people who hold unconditional love for someone else and in fact everyone and everything else. They love and are not attached to the object of that love. As I have said in other posts ,unconditional love is a state of acceptance of the essence of people. Not their actions, or weather they live or die, or weather they are dear to us or not.
I believe nothing matters in the sence that nothing lasts. That in no way stops me from loving life and other humans exactally as things really are or appear to be. Life is in the experience, and that matters even though nothing lasts. You can love the experience of life. You can choose also to see it as a tragedy.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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