Observations

[diminution]

I am now two thirds of the way through Becoming Enlightened by the Dalai Lama.

In short, he has taken 2,600 years of documents, read most of them, meditated more than most people, is the Buddha incarnate and has condensed all of these teachings and experience into 250 pages.

My short interpretation is this:

The first step is making the choice

Comments

[artofange]

I'm not going to lie: I really sincerely hope that he is wrong on at least some things.

Thinking about murdering my coworkers is all that gets me through some days.

Of course I'm filled with happy thoughts and do loads of nice things for others (and am learning how to do them for myself, too), but those karmic vacuums? It helps me to envision them slipping in the bathtub and impaling themselves on the hot water tap.

[diminution]

There will always be problems. Unfortunately, the only solution proposed for this kind of dilemma is "seek to be free of the cycle of death and rebirth" which might be hard to apply at work. He says the misery you describe should be motivation to seek the path of personal improvement so that you can, eventually, be free of the cycle

[diminution]

I thought about it a bit and came up with the more practical real answer. When people bug you it shows an area that you need to work on. People act according to their nature and how others act is beyond your control. How you react is your choice.

Irritants come up in groups, like everyone checking out at the supermarket at the same time. Once you learn to deal with it and not let it bother you it will never bother you again.

I think that is the real middle ground and a bit less drastic than opting out of the natural cycles of things.

[artofange]

I just can't think that way-- it seems like the easy way out. If someone is being a douche to other people, they can't be allowed to continue, because very few people can actually be unaffected by the bullshit around them

[diminution]

First I would like to say that I am excited because it is rare to find a quality online conversation much less a conversation dedicated to real philosophical issues. It is even more rare to have one that is not likely to break down into "I am right and you are an idiot!" I am looking forward to seeing where this goes

[artofange]

Eep, I'm glad I thought to come back here and check and didn't miss out on this one

[diminution]

I guess I'll take these in order as best I can

[artofange]

I like all of this in theory, but it seems like this is the ultimate many-headed hydra-- every time you answer one of my questions, two more pop up in its place

[diminution]

I look forward to reading your account of your arboreal friends. Is there anyplace I can read a bit about them now? The references you made remind me of a good book by a great modern author. If there is the similarity I think, I'll suggest the title to you. It is a fast read, especially if you are used to detail-intensive academic work.

I wish you the best of luck modernizing your past emotions and methods.

I think you may find that there is not the disconnect you perceive now between calm and effectiveness. Time will tell.

[artofange]

I have hundreds of pages of notes, but nothing formal has been written up (unless you could my undergrad dissertation-- but I wouldn't). I'm trying to refrain from making any of it public because 1-- this community still exists and I don't necessarily want to reveal their inner workings while they are still using said inner workings and 2- I hope to one day write a grant so someone will give me enough money to take a year out of life and write this thing into a proper book. Meanwhile, a few fun fiction projects are coming out of the experience.

Is the book you are thinking of my Alasdair Macintosh, Rod Coronado or Kate Evans? Or is it fiction? Either way, let me know.

[diminution]

http://www.amazon.com/Year-Flood-Novel-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0385528779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266895962&sr=8-1

It has a group of people who survive a world-changing event because they are able to live in harmony with nature. They cultivate rooftop gardens and live free of what is left of the outside world. There are religious overtones to their group, it is Atwood's play on the idea of Dirt Worshipers. She does it respectfully and one of the themes to this book and others is doomsday warnings of the consequences of man's abuse of his own power.

It takes place simultaneously to another book she wrote called Oryx & Crake. That book is absolutely amazing but does not emphasize the same characters.