[Buddha-l] Mindfulness in the marketplace

[jkirk]

> >Something about this phenomenon makes me edgy, but I can't put my finger
on
> >precisely why, other than to wonder if meditation in se is ethically
> >neutral!
> >________________________________
> I get the same feeling, Joanna, and for me the reason is that by a shift
> in the meaning of words, something banal and mean like the pursuit of
> gains by lawful cheating, gets the social capital of the opposite:
> striving for inner peace and trying to become a better person. Being
> totally egotistic and stupidly involved in short term goals get the
> appearance of selflesness and wisdom. Aand those who write this and
> believe are so proud of themselves!
> Is meditation ethically neutral? TM is in my opinion, but Buddhist
> meditation cannot be, because right from the beginning the Buddha ruled
> hedonism out because it is 'unworthy and mean'. Eudemonism is also
> rejected in most Buddhist traditions because it is a dead end and
> doesn't lead to wisdom. Utilism is restricted to marginal questions
> because nirvaaNa is not useful and, well you know Richard and I have a
> different view in this, but I would say that the Buddha would agree more
> with Aristotle than Kant or Habermas.
>
> erik
================
Hi Eric,
On the other hand, one might say that meditation in and of itself is
ethically neutral, otherwise the fraudsters would not be able to use it.
But then that's probably wrong too, because fraudsters will make use of
anything, as you say, by warping it to suit their purposes.   Vide the past
ten years (or more?) of Christianity mongers (in the USA at least) preaching
how suitable and effective getting "right with God" is to the success of
their entrepreneurial endeavors. These people even put infomercials on TV.
Protestant ethic and all that -- made easier since, according to this crowd,
success is guaranteed or your money back.
Joanna