DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post

**realnilkless** · 08-25-2012, 04:51 AM

I am now able to feel compassion toward the man himself, whose problems apparently led him to those actions; however, I can't get over my distaste of the 'harm', 'unskilfulness' & 'unknowing ignorance' of his actions. Must I?

thanks Lunadia

again, to answer your question, probably 'no'. it is probably not necessary to get over the sense of 'distaste'

as i see it, the 'distaste' towards those actions is a reflection of the painfulness (harm) such actions can bring. the feeling of 'distaste' is our innate wisdom or conscience that perceives the harmfulness & danger of such actions.

when Buddha taught about how the mind generates suffering & stress, he spoke of two aspects:

(1) how sense experience creates feelings (of pleasantness/comfort and unpleasantness/discomfort);

(2) how feelings create defilements (emotions) such as greed, lust, hatred, anger, confusion, fear, etc

it is the 2nd aspect, i.e., defilements, which are suffering & generate further suffering

the 1st aspect, i.e., feelings, is not in itself suffering

the 'distaste' you experience is a feeling. the 'contempt' & anger that may quickly follow is a defilement

we generally must look deeply within our mind to distinguish between the feeling of distaste and the defilement of contempt that may quickly follow

the Buddhist path is when the unpleasant feeling of 'distaste' occurs, to generate compassion as a response to the unpleasant feeling of 'distaste' (instead of allowing angry contempt to generate)

this is responding to painful things with patience, forbearance & understanding; this is responding to violence with non-violence & gentleness

however, doing this may not change our moral &/or social responsibilities, such as having to take some kind of corrective action against a worker we must supervise.

but it can help us live with less suffering and actually also do our job more skilfulfully because, as a supervisor, we may see many inappropriate behaviours but be expected to respond to them in a professional & understanding way

the scriptures explain:

The Tathagata (The Buddha) has two Dhamma discourses given in sequence. Which two?

'See evil (harmfulness) as evil (harmfulness).' This is the first Dhamma discourse.

'Having seen evil as evil, become disenchanted there, dispassionate there, released there.' This is the second Dhamma discourse.

These are the two Dhamma discourses that the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — has given in sequence.

Iti 2.12 You make things worse
when you flare up
at someone who's angry.
Whoever doesn't flare up
at someone who's angry
wins a battle
hard to win.

You live for the good of both
— your own, the other's —
when, knowing the other's provoked,
you mindfully grow calm.
When you work the cure of both
— your own, the other's —
those who think you a fool
know nothing of Dhamma.

SN 11.5 best wishes

element

***

08-25-2012, 04:51 AM	#6
realnilkless Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 687 Senior Member	I am now able to feel compassion toward the man himself, whose problems apparently led him to those actions; however, I can't get over my distaste of the 'harm', 'unskilfulness' & 'unknowing ignorance' of his actions. Must I? thanks Lunadia again, to answer your question, probably 'no'. it is probably not necessary to get over the sense of 'distaste' as i see it, the 'distaste' towards those actions is a reflection of the painfulness (harm) such actions can bring. the feeling of 'distaste' is our innate wisdom or conscience that perceives the harmfulness & danger of such actions. when Buddha taught about how the mind generates suffering & stress, he spoke of two aspects: (1) how sense experience creates feelings (of pleasantness/comfort and unpleasantness/discomfort); (2) how feelings create defilements (emotions) such as greed, lust, hatred, anger, confusion, fear, etc it is the 2nd aspect, i.e., defilements, which are suffering & generate further suffering the 1st aspect, i.e., feelings, is not in itself suffering the 'distaste' you experience is a feeling. the 'contempt' & anger that may quickly follow is a defilement we generally must look deeply within our mind to distinguish between the feeling of distaste and the defilement of contempt that may quickly follow the Buddhist path is when the unpleasant feeling of 'distaste' occurs, to generate compassion as a response to the unpleasant feeling of 'distaste' (instead of allowing angry contempt to generate) this is responding to painful things with patience, forbearance & understanding; this is responding to violence with non-violence & gentleness however, doing this may not change our moral &/or social responsibilities, such as having to take some kind of corrective action against a worker we must supervise. but it can help us live with less suffering and actually also do our job more skilfulfully because, as a supervisor, we may see many inappropriate behaviours but be expected to respond to them in a professional & understanding way the scriptures explain: The Tathagata (The Buddha) has two Dhamma discourses given in sequence. Which two? 'See evil (harmfulness) as evil (harmfulness).' This is the first Dhamma discourse. 'Having seen evil as evil, become disenchanted there, dispassionate there, released there.' This is the second Dhamma discourse. These are the two Dhamma discourses that the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — has given in sequence. Iti 2.12 You make things worse when you flare up at someone who's angry. Whoever doesn't flare up at someone who's angry wins a battle hard to win. You live for the good of both — your own, the other's — when, knowing the other's provoked, you mindfully grow calm. When you work the cure of both — your own, the other's — those who think you a fool know nothing of Dhamma. SN 11.5 best wishes element ***
	Quote