[Buddha-l] Re: Diversions, distractions and off-topic discussions

[Mike Austin]

In message <1128781640.4379.12.camel at localhost.localdomain>, Richard P. 
Hayes <rhayes at unm.edu> writes

>Stop being so selfish, Mike. It's not all about you and your faults.

If I am to be of benefit to others, it becomes my main responsibility to 
address those obstacles that I can change.  If I can effectively address 
the obstacles in others also, I will do so.  But discussing the failings 
of third parties here is not the way to do it, I feel.  "Think globally. 
Act locally." as they say.


>Why not point out that the decisions made by the
>leadership of some nations promotes greed, hatred and delusion in its
>citizens?

Yes, I do. I engage in the democratic protest, I join in antiwar marches 
and I occasionally discuss politics. On a Buddhist forum, I cannot point 
out dubious decisions to the leadership that make them. What I can do is 
to point out discussions that may promote dukkha here, by those who post 
here. And I would welcome others to do the same for me.

Maybe I am wrong, but the following quote is one of many on the subject. 
I make the assumption that the essence of this applies to lay people:

 From AN X69 Kathavatthu Sutta (Topics of Conversation)

"It isn't right, monks, that sons of good families, on having gone forth 
out of faith from home to the homeless life, should get engaged in such 
topics of conversation, i.e., conversation about kings, robbers, & 
ministers of state... talk of whether things exist or not.

"There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on 
modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing 
persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, 
and on the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of 
conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of 
conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so 
powerful -- to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects."

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin