What is "Freedom" to you? Most American's agree it is the ability to choose what you want to do, without fear of punishment. Freedom is the right to speak our mind, to believe what we want to believe (and share it if we so choose), being able to refuse to do what others say, to make decisions on our own accord. We even built our government with that idea in mind: to be able to control it as the public sees fit. A government for what the people want. An extension of the average person's own wants. The first creaters of our constitution chose this, and now we are ruled under this. We, today, did not choose this system and thus many people have complaints. the "Freedom" of yesterday has become the jailer of today. People are barred down in life by stress concerning work, finances, and school. Things taken care of in other countries, but was chosen by our earlier people over a different degree of control.
Buddhist's often believe freedom is the lack of decisions. Freedom is obtained once you can act without outer influences. There is no decision, just what is done. They spend their entire lives on the path to attain this, to be closer to obtaining absolute freedom from our pains, our sufferings, and our choices.
That isn't to say that they do not feel pain; only that it isn't of any importance. A monk in Tibet, i dunno how many years ago, ran into a burning jail during the earlier time of China's occupation. His goal was to save his fellow monks, and he did free many. Not long following, he came out of the burning building with his arms charred and burned to such severity that he was nodding in and out of conciousness from the sheer pain his body was sending. Instead of crying or complaining however, the man was joyful. He was celebrating with the people of Tibet over their small victory in saving fellow citizens of Tibet from unjust rules. I have no doubt he was suffering levels of pain i can't fathom, but Buddhists are taught to imagine their current body as nothing but a corpse. It's a body that will perish, that is already parishing, and it holds no value. It's simply a corpse they wear during this life, while they attempt to attain "enlightenment".
We suffer when we feel anguish, anger, and depression. These are feelings brought about by something we want or wanted, that we didn't obtain in various different situations. Normally when i drive, i want to get to my destination quickly; i have something i'm traveling to obtain, even if it's simply to be at home. Today however, i didn't care where i went. I was only "going"...eventually i came out of my trance, to notice i was stopped behind a car and people were trying to change lanes to "move". I didn't care, and just sat there...re-entering my little "zone" while awaiting for my lane to move. I wasn't in a rush, nor did i car that everybody else was jumping ship and going to teh fast lane. I was content. I even smiled at the thought of everybody else struggling to obtain their "want". If we are late somewhere, we are late. If we are hungry, we are hungry. Neither force us to rush anything we do, that's a choice and leads us to "want" to hurry. We are succumbing to our emotions in the process. Is it wrong to do so? No, but it certainly is another form of captivity. Are we truly free if we are so controlled by a random emotion, a passing desire?
Our thoughts come and go, we'll often think about numerous things at the same time. We'll be aware of our dog playing with paper, the sunlight being outside, and words that we're thinking about typing all at the same time...as i am now. This isn't abnormal, in everything we do our mind is traveling; it isn't just a condition people with A.D.D. live with. Emotions are similar in that they come and go, they're fleeting. We can hold onto one emotion more than another, just like with our thoughts...but there'll be times we'll still go off track. Choosing what to do based on fleeting emotions, is that really ok? I think about killing people who bug me, and then consider, "Wait, no i really do like them...it's just right now they've frustrated me". It doesn't have to be that severe, but if our thoughts can waver like that, is it alright to allow our emotions, which can waver just as easily, be the fuel to our decision making?
Choices themselves are a pressure. We often will find ourselves weighting the consiquences together to decide which option is best for us. We'll reflect on our choices and think "That was foolish of me" or be embarassed by something we've done in the past. But in the end, that's already come and gone! Why allow that to be a pressure, when it has passed? It's alright to think and reflect, but once it becomes a pressure on our lives, haven't we taken it too far?
The Buddhist lives to eliminate the sufferings of the earth. Buddhist's desire to reach beyond the trappings of our body (pain, suffering), beyond the trappings of our emotions, and instead strive to see things simply, "As they are"; without the colorations that our body and emotions can blind us with. Along this path, they also share with others the wisdom they've come to know, in the hopes that they'll be able to guide another down the path they've found growth in.
Freedom is what we choose it to be. It's a want, but something that there'll always be more of to obtain. For some the ultimate freedom is the escape of life's pressures and forces...to simply "live", without weighting choices and making decisions. Others consider the ultimate freedom obtaining the most options to choose from. To be "Free" to do as we want. For everybody, freedom is something slightly different. Interesting to think about, no?
So what do you believe? What makes sense to you? and, What is your freedom?
Buddhist's often believe freedom is the lack of decisions. Freedom is obtained once you can act without outer influences. There is no decision, just what is done. They spend their entire lives on the path to attain this, to be closer to obtaining absolute freedom from our pains, our sufferings, and our choices.
That isn't to say that they do not feel pain; only that it isn't of any importance. A monk in Tibet, i dunno how many years ago, ran into a burning jail during the earlier time of China's occupation. His goal was to save his fellow monks, and he did free many. Not long following, he came out of the burning building with his arms charred and burned to such severity that he was nodding in and out of conciousness from the sheer pain his body was sending. Instead of crying or complaining however, the man was joyful. He was celebrating with the people of Tibet over their small victory in saving fellow citizens of Tibet from unjust rules. I have no doubt he was suffering levels of pain i can't fathom, but Buddhists are taught to imagine their current body as nothing but a corpse. It's a body that will perish, that is already parishing, and it holds no value. It's simply a corpse they wear during this life, while they attempt to attain "enlightenment".
We suffer when we feel anguish, anger, and depression. These are feelings brought about by something we want or wanted, that we didn't obtain in various different situations. Normally when i drive, i want to get to my destination quickly; i have something i'm traveling to obtain, even if it's simply to be at home. Today however, i didn't care where i went. I was only "going"...eventually i came out of my trance, to notice i was stopped behind a car and people were trying to change lanes to "move". I didn't care, and just sat there...re-entering my little "zone" while awaiting for my lane to move. I wasn't in a rush, nor did i car that everybody else was jumping ship and going to teh fast lane. I was content. I even smiled at the thought of everybody else struggling to obtain their "want". If we are late somewhere, we are late. If we are hungry, we are hungry. Neither force us to rush anything we do, that's a choice and leads us to "want" to hurry. We are succumbing to our emotions in the process. Is it wrong to do so? No, but it certainly is another form of captivity. Are we truly free if we are so controlled by a random emotion, a passing desire?
Our thoughts come and go, we'll often think about numerous things at the same time. We'll be aware of our dog playing with paper, the sunlight being outside, and words that we're thinking about typing all at the same time...as i am now. This isn't abnormal, in everything we do our mind is traveling; it isn't just a condition people with A.D.D. live with. Emotions are similar in that they come and go, they're fleeting. We can hold onto one emotion more than another, just like with our thoughts...but there'll be times we'll still go off track. Choosing what to do based on fleeting emotions, is that really ok? I think about killing people who bug me, and then consider, "Wait, no i really do like them...it's just right now they've frustrated me". It doesn't have to be that severe, but if our thoughts can waver like that, is it alright to allow our emotions, which can waver just as easily, be the fuel to our decision making?
Choices themselves are a pressure. We often will find ourselves weighting the consiquences together to decide which option is best for us. We'll reflect on our choices and think "That was foolish of me" or be embarassed by something we've done in the past. But in the end, that's already come and gone! Why allow that to be a pressure, when it has passed? It's alright to think and reflect, but once it becomes a pressure on our lives, haven't we taken it too far?
The Buddhist lives to eliminate the sufferings of the earth. Buddhist's desire to reach beyond the trappings of our body (pain, suffering), beyond the trappings of our emotions, and instead strive to see things simply, "As they are"; without the colorations that our body and emotions can blind us with. Along this path, they also share with others the wisdom they've come to know, in the hopes that they'll be able to guide another down the path they've found growth in.
Freedom is what we choose it to be. It's a want, but something that there'll always be more of to obtain. For some the ultimate freedom is the escape of life's pressures and forces...to simply "live", without weighting choices and making decisions. Others consider the ultimate freedom obtaining the most options to choose from. To be "Free" to do as we want. For everybody, freedom is something slightly different. Interesting to think about, no?
So what do you believe? What makes sense to you? and, What is your freedom?