In my previous post about the goal of Buddhism and in my video in the "Coming Home" series, I stated quite correctly that all of the Buddha dharma is finally about how to end our suffering. But I realized just the other day, that someone could read/hear that and think that the goal of Buddhism was to end all suffering, and that one's goal in walking the path should be to end your suffering. That is true, and yet not quite.
The goal of Buddhism, the goal of any spiritual practice, is not to end your suffering absolutely and completely, We are humans, we live in an often hostile world and environment, including that of our ego-mind; suffering is a part of life. Only a small number attain the state of a bodhisattva, become enlightened.
The goal instead of your spiritual practice should be that each passing day, each week, and each year it reduces the amount or occasions of suffering (not the events but how you react to them, how you experience them) and when you do suffer, it enables you to recognize it and recover your spiritual state of peace and happiness as quickly as possible..
To see your goal as ending your suffering, of becoming enlightened, is an example of your ego-mind setting you up for failure and lack of faith. If you have a strong, consistent spiritual practice and your goal is to end your suffering, but you nevertheless suffer with some regularity, it is the nature of the ego-mind to question your spiritual practice, it's validity. To ask the proverbial, "Where is my God?"
This is what your ego-mind wants. Its interests are the opposite of your spiritual practice. So having a realistic goal for your spiritual practice, as in all endeavors, is important.
As to how to achieve this goal, which although it is not absolute is still extremely challenging, watch my video series, "Coming Home," and read posts. But bottom line, it's about freeing yourself from the control of your ego-mind, reconnecting with your true self which is your heart, the child of the universe that is you, and knowing that you have everything you need within yourself to be at peace and happy.
This is why I do not feel embarrassed or a failure when I report that I have done something that has caused me or someone else suffering. It provides me the opportunity to grow and strengthen my practice, to reduce my future suffering.
The goal of Buddhism, the goal of any spiritual practice, is not to end your suffering absolutely and completely, We are humans, we live in an often hostile world and environment, including that of our ego-mind; suffering is a part of life. Only a small number attain the state of a bodhisattva, become enlightened.
The goal instead of your spiritual practice should be that each passing day, each week, and each year it reduces the amount or occasions of suffering (not the events but how you react to them, how you experience them) and when you do suffer, it enables you to recognize it and recover your spiritual state of peace and happiness as quickly as possible..
To see your goal as ending your suffering, of becoming enlightened, is an example of your ego-mind setting you up for failure and lack of faith. If you have a strong, consistent spiritual practice and your goal is to end your suffering, but you nevertheless suffer with some regularity, it is the nature of the ego-mind to question your spiritual practice, it's validity. To ask the proverbial, "Where is my God?"
This is what your ego-mind wants. Its interests are the opposite of your spiritual practice. So having a realistic goal for your spiritual practice, as in all endeavors, is important.
As to how to achieve this goal, which although it is not absolute is still extremely challenging, watch my video series, "Coming Home," and read posts. But bottom line, it's about freeing yourself from the control of your ego-mind, reconnecting with your true self which is your heart, the child of the universe that is you, and knowing that you have everything you need within yourself to be at peace and happy.
This is why I do not feel embarrassed or a failure when I report that I have done something that has caused me or someone else suffering. It provides me the opportunity to grow and strengthen my practice, to reduce my future suffering.
RSS Feed
