[Buddha-l] Re: The Buddha, an 'emotional weakling'? What are the "joys of living"?

[Benito Carral]

On Wednesday, June 21, 2006, Bob Zeuschner wrote:

> The  joy  of  living can include holding hands with a
> lady  while  watching  a  beautiful  sunset  over the
> ocean/beach  --  I  suspect  the  Buddha  would  have
> rejected  this. The joy of living can include playing
> a  musical  instrument,  singing,  dancing,  and even
> reading fiction. [...]

   You  know, all the joys that you describe are a kind
of  anestesia,  they  can  only entertain, and when one
dies, there is a new and worst life waiting for him.

   Most  of  people  in our society enjoy some of those
joys  and  they lead to the sittuation I have described
in my previous post.

   The  Buddha  would have not indulged in them because
they  are  stupid "dukkhatic" ones. Someone could spend
his  life  being  an  incredible  good guitar or soccer
player  while  people  are starving, while the Earth is
dying.  The  Buddha choose to spend his energy and time
helping   others   to   transform  greed,  hatred,  and
delusion.

   Buddhism  is  not  the kind of stuff some Westerners
like  to  play while they hold to the "joys of living,"
but a really serious issue born from compassion.

   Best wishes,

--
Benito Carral
  Asturias, Sepharad (Spain
  Dharma translator
  Baolin Buddhist Study House, founder and director