[Buddha-l] buddhism and brain studies

[Jackhat1 at aol.com]

a message dated 11/12/2008 2:22:05 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
jhubbard at email.smith.edu writes:
 
.Why should I let somebody convince me that, contrary to my  
(incontrovertible) feeling, I really am suffering most of the time?  
Besides you in opposition to your own "experience" of things (reputable  
the best source of knowledge, according to the Buddhist camp) *and*  
putting you on that slippery slope to the monastic life, it just seems  
like a lot of hard work for relatively little return, especially if  
things are pretty good for you already<
--------
That's a good question. The Dalai Lama gave one answer as, if things are  
good for you, keep doing what you are doing and forget Buddhism.
 
Two other answers. First, a daily meditation practice dealing with minor  
problems such as the pain in your knee teaches you to deal with the bigger  
problems we all have such as illness, death of a loved one, etc. Part of  dealing 
with these minor problems involve recognizing them and delving into  them. 
Second, most of us have instances of minor suffering everyday that  causes us a 
problem but that we don't recognize as suffering. For instance,  someone cuts in 
line in front of us at the grocery store; the phone rings  while we are 
eating dinner; we have had a disagreement with a relative that  has been in the 
background for years. It is like our having  a medical problem such as a low 
grade tooth infection or some vitamin  deficiency. We don't recognize we have it 
and also don't recognize what a  healthy life feels like. 
 
Jack


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