First, there is nothing wrong with sensual
pleasure and worldly enjoyment. It is the attachment towards these
things; the forever unsatisfied greedy desires and cravings; and the
dishonest way of attaining these enjoyment are the problems makers for
us.
Secondly, if we really are in search for salvation or to attain self-realization, we do need to have self-control in all these enjoyment and not let them controlling us. We can enjoy all these things but without the attachment towards all these enjoyment. But not many people can do this in reality because the temptation for sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment is so great in this world. Some times we thought we can stay detached and enjoy everything, but in fact we are being lured into strong attachment towards all these enjoyment and suffer in the end.
If a person has very strong and determined detachment towards everything, then there is no problems at all for him or her to be in the world and live a worldly life as everyone does. But deep in his or her heart is unaffected, uninfluenced and undisturbed by all the sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment. He or she is not being controlled by the cravings and aversions; and is free from suffering.
If a person has not yet established in firm detachment, then he or she needs to be away from sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment to avoid being affected, influenced or disturbed by all these things. Or else, he or she will be neglecting his or her responsibility towards himself or herself for self-realization; by getting lost in the indulgence in sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment.
Most important is that we are not attaching to our likes and dislikes; cravings and aversions; and know how to let go.
For many people who are not interested in self-realization, they will see the sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment as something meaningful and a need in life. They will be forever chasing after all these things and see all these enjoyment as a status of their successful achievements in life. There is nothing wrong about this as long as nobody is being hurt or harmed in this pursue of temporary happiness of worldly enjoyments. Be happy.
But for the people who are in search for self-realization, they will see all these sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment are very temporary; unsatisfied; empty and meaningless. And thus, they show disgust with sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment. They will aim for the higher purpose of life; or the attainment of true and lasting happiness of self-realization. Be happy too.
Some people are beyond both worldly life of enjoyment and spiritual life of detachment. That’s very rare and great achievement, Om shanti.
If we are not firm in our resolution for the pursue in attaining self-realization, then some times we might feel unhappy or disatisfy with ourselves and our spiritual practice of detachment, self-control and self-discipline. We might feel lack of motivation to continue our practice and our faith will be shattered. We will be defeated by the temptation of the worldly enjoyment and by our greed for lustful desires. We will forget our initial goal and just want to have some temporary excitement of sensual pleasure to fill up the emptiness in our heart.
If we decided to give up spiritual practice of observances and restraints; and do not want to have self-control anymore, be happy. Do not let our self-worth and happiness being determined by what we do and don’t do. If we can live a worldly enjoyment life and being happy, why not? The aim of yoga and Buddhism is to be happy in life, transcending both happiness and suffering; and transcending all the names and forms. But if our actions in pursuing worldly enjoyment will bring disharmony and unhappiness to ourselves and to other living beings, then there is no meanings at all in having all these enjoyment but at the same time we are creating lots of bad karma and suffering for ourselves. If we are capable of getting lots of goodness and prosperity in life honestly and we are generous in sharing these worldly attainments in life with others who are less fortunate, then that is very nice. Dharma or wisdom never defines that being rich and prosperous in life is something bad or not good. It is a reflection of a person’s past good karma. If this person is generous in sharing with others, then this good karma will bring this person more goodness and prosperity in life.
We all are like those stubborn rats in our home. They will continue to walk into the traps that people set up for them because they want to eat the bait in the rat’s trap. Hunger and thirst is the basic craving for all living beings. How many of us are busy in life trying to make lots of money just to satisfy our cravings for the enjoyment of eating and drinking? I guess there must be many. Some times we feel that there is nothing else more meaningful than eating and drinking because at least we can really put it into our body and they have become part of our body. What we eat and drink is forming what we are. Everything else don’t belong to us at all except the food and drinks that we consumed and enjoyed; and are feeding our body and can give us the energy to enjoy all other things in life. Or else, if we can’t even enjoy our food and drinks, life will be so empty and meaningless.
And so, if at this stage (feeling meaningless about life), we can develop strong disgust about life and want to search for long lasting and meaningful happiness, and it will become a powerful ignition for us to focus in the spiritual quest for self-realization. But not let this meaningless and emptiness that we felt about life bring us down and lost in depression and negative thinking. Be positive and direct our attention in life towards self-realization then.
May we all be happy no matters we are in the path of pursuing self-realization or at the edge of the path, doubting and unsure about what is the meaning of life.
Secondly, if we really are in search for salvation or to attain self-realization, we do need to have self-control in all these enjoyment and not let them controlling us. We can enjoy all these things but without the attachment towards all these enjoyment. But not many people can do this in reality because the temptation for sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment is so great in this world. Some times we thought we can stay detached and enjoy everything, but in fact we are being lured into strong attachment towards all these enjoyment and suffer in the end.
If a person has very strong and determined detachment towards everything, then there is no problems at all for him or her to be in the world and live a worldly life as everyone does. But deep in his or her heart is unaffected, uninfluenced and undisturbed by all the sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment. He or she is not being controlled by the cravings and aversions; and is free from suffering.
If a person has not yet established in firm detachment, then he or she needs to be away from sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment to avoid being affected, influenced or disturbed by all these things. Or else, he or she will be neglecting his or her responsibility towards himself or herself for self-realization; by getting lost in the indulgence in sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment.
Most important is that we are not attaching to our likes and dislikes; cravings and aversions; and know how to let go.
For many people who are not interested in self-realization, they will see the sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment as something meaningful and a need in life. They will be forever chasing after all these things and see all these enjoyment as a status of their successful achievements in life. There is nothing wrong about this as long as nobody is being hurt or harmed in this pursue of temporary happiness of worldly enjoyments. Be happy.
But for the people who are in search for self-realization, they will see all these sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment are very temporary; unsatisfied; empty and meaningless. And thus, they show disgust with sensual pleasure and worldly enjoyment. They will aim for the higher purpose of life; or the attainment of true and lasting happiness of self-realization. Be happy too.
Some people are beyond both worldly life of enjoyment and spiritual life of detachment. That’s very rare and great achievement, Om shanti.
If we are not firm in our resolution for the pursue in attaining self-realization, then some times we might feel unhappy or disatisfy with ourselves and our spiritual practice of detachment, self-control and self-discipline. We might feel lack of motivation to continue our practice and our faith will be shattered. We will be defeated by the temptation of the worldly enjoyment and by our greed for lustful desires. We will forget our initial goal and just want to have some temporary excitement of sensual pleasure to fill up the emptiness in our heart.
If we decided to give up spiritual practice of observances and restraints; and do not want to have self-control anymore, be happy. Do not let our self-worth and happiness being determined by what we do and don’t do. If we can live a worldly enjoyment life and being happy, why not? The aim of yoga and Buddhism is to be happy in life, transcending both happiness and suffering; and transcending all the names and forms. But if our actions in pursuing worldly enjoyment will bring disharmony and unhappiness to ourselves and to other living beings, then there is no meanings at all in having all these enjoyment but at the same time we are creating lots of bad karma and suffering for ourselves. If we are capable of getting lots of goodness and prosperity in life honestly and we are generous in sharing these worldly attainments in life with others who are less fortunate, then that is very nice. Dharma or wisdom never defines that being rich and prosperous in life is something bad or not good. It is a reflection of a person’s past good karma. If this person is generous in sharing with others, then this good karma will bring this person more goodness and prosperity in life.
We all are like those stubborn rats in our home. They will continue to walk into the traps that people set up for them because they want to eat the bait in the rat’s trap. Hunger and thirst is the basic craving for all living beings. How many of us are busy in life trying to make lots of money just to satisfy our cravings for the enjoyment of eating and drinking? I guess there must be many. Some times we feel that there is nothing else more meaningful than eating and drinking because at least we can really put it into our body and they have become part of our body. What we eat and drink is forming what we are. Everything else don’t belong to us at all except the food and drinks that we consumed and enjoyed; and are feeding our body and can give us the energy to enjoy all other things in life. Or else, if we can’t even enjoy our food and drinks, life will be so empty and meaningless.
And so, if at this stage (feeling meaningless about life), we can develop strong disgust about life and want to search for long lasting and meaningful happiness, and it will become a powerful ignition for us to focus in the spiritual quest for self-realization. But not let this meaningless and emptiness that we felt about life bring us down and lost in depression and negative thinking. Be positive and direct our attention in life towards self-realization then.
May we all be happy no matters we are in the path of pursuing self-realization or at the edge of the path, doubting and unsure about what is the meaning of life.
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