Originally Posted by motion (Post 10026383)

Where is the path?

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6 (Post 10026408)

That's easy and I've said it many times here. True happiness is actively trying to make the life of the person next to you a little better whether they are family, friends or strangers. Most instances are tiny, sometimes you are blessed with bigger ones. You have to look for opportunities but they are always there, you just have to look at life a little differently. Sacrifice your own needs so that others may benefit. I urge everyone to try it, it's a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6 (Post 10026408)

That's easy and I've said it many times here. True happiness is actively trying to make the life of the person next to you a little better whether they are family, friends or strangers. Most instances are tiny, sometimes you are blessed with bigger ones. You have to look for opportunities but they are always there, you just have to look at life a little differently. Sacrifice your own needs so that others may benefit. I urge everyone to try it, it's a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by ckelly78z (Post 10027731)

I guess I really don't care about next level enlightenment, and achieving Zen through meditation. I am NOT concerned with my hurtling towards my mortal end, while I am still on this earth, I am concerned about achieving peace, and contentment.

Originally Posted by peteremsley (Post 10027753)

no idea where this comes from, but my brother shared it with me on a ski lift. Stuck with me...

"Everyone has two lives, the second begins when you realize you only have one"

Originally Posted by ckelly78z (Post 10027740)

Much more worried about meeting small daily goals, than keeping my head in the clouds wondering why !

Originally Posted by Por_sha911 (Post 10027728)

All the stuff or fun things to do are great but in reality they are only distractions as we hurtle down the dead end path of mortality.

Originally Posted by sand_man (Post 10028001)

If you're unable to find the "path", the words "Gunga Galunga" will bring you total consciousness on your deathbed...that's something, at least.

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6 (Post 10026408)

That's easy and I've said it many times here. True happiness is actively trying to make the life of the person next to you a little better whether they are family, friends or strangers. Most instances are tiny, sometimes you are blessed with bigger ones. You have to look for opportunities but they are always there, you just have to look at life a little differently. Sacrifice your own needs so that others may benefit. I urge everyone to try it, it's a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by Jims5543 (Post 10026578)

You know any Buddhists? Serious question, every Buddhist I know seems to be centered, calm and at peace and exude that. Makes me want to explore it more. They seem to have found something I have not.

Originally Posted by peteremsley (Post 10027213)

travel
surf
really listen to other people
meditate
do things that make you uncomfortable
ride bikes
plant stuff and watch it grow
ride bikes
don't worry about "things"
ride bikes


ymmv

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile (Post 10026683)

Buddhism is less of a “religion” than a philosophy. There is no divinity, no mystical mumbo-jumbo, no hierarchy, no institution to be satisfied with tribute, none of that. It is simply a brilliant way of looking at suffering as stemming from craving and acknowledging that suffering can be ended if only one seeks to eliminate the underlying craving(s) that ultimately spawn it. I find something in studying the teachings of Buddhism that no other belief system has ever given me - a sense of truth - as in easy-to-understand, simple common sense truth without the need for obfuscated “teachings”, musty old books, fire-and-brimstone preachers or “faith” in completely intangible and impossible-to-prove principles. It’s so simple to understand and put into practice it’s almost laughable. The core beliefs (the four noble truths and the eightfold path) seem almost dumb in their simplicity.

A lot of it is about realizing and admitting ones own cravings - for material things but also things like prestige, position, power, recognition, acceptance by others, attention, etc. Only by lowering one’s expectations to nothing or nearly nothing can one really rid themselves of cravings and therefore, suffering. There’s simply no way around it. The moment you say “well, I still want X” there is craving and by extension, suffering. Where a particular person chooses to draw that line for themselves (i.e. how much suffering they’re willing to accept) is up to them. Not everyone is expected to become a Shaolin monk.

It is a fascinating belief system and way of thinking that I wish would take hold in a more mainstream way. There is simply nobody I can think of who wouldn’t benefit from giving serious consideration to what it teaches and the change in attitude / mindset it almost inevitably creates.

Originally Posted by red-beard (Post 10027520)

I always said GE used the Zen Buddhist managerial style:

We were asked impossible questions, then beaten with sticks if we couldn't answer properly...