[Buddha-l] Re: Greetings from Oviedo

[Benito Carral]

On Tuesday, October 4, 2005, Joy Vriens wrote:

>> I'd say more, but I need to go persuade my Reasoning
>> and Critical Thinking class...

> But   don't  Reasoning  and  Critical  Thinking  make
> unhappy  citizens?  (trying without conviction to get
> this conversation back to Buddhism).

   I  think  this  is  really interesting, it has to do
with  the  "hapiness myth." Why do most of people think
that the goal of life is to be happy? I don't agree. In
fact,  I consider such a view a very dangerous one, and
certainly unwholesome.

   As  far  as I know, the Buddha taugh how to end with
dukkha.  And  that has little to do with most of people
understand  by  happiness.  I  would say that, from the
point  of  view of Early Buddhism, the goal was to have
peace of mind.

   I  suppose  that  an  interesting question would be,
"What do people mean when they say, 'happiness'?"

   Well, my two cents. Now it's dinner time.

   Best wishes,

   Beni