For What I have learned in the States! The Dalai Lama lays out the best ethics that I have heard so far in my life. Humans should take as a starting point, that everything desires happiness and wish to avoid suffering. No person can tell if their action is right or wrong if that person does not take into account others being ness. Absolute truth is almost impossible to ascertain when taking into account everyone’s perspective. But, if our actions harms others happiness or creates suffering on another than we can assume that we are not doing an ethical act. If I hold this statement to be true, then does it matter what others do to me, or does the only thing that matters is how do I respond to their act. Did I respond out of hurt or did I respond out of love and compassion? If my response causes pain and suffering, even if it my response was unintentionally than I have not been an ethical person, no matter what my intentions were. My pain comes from projections of my own wants. I cannot, nor can anyone else, read another’s mind, so I cannot know what others are thinking. If I experience pain, I am only, projecting my own past pain, my own past experiences, my own conclusions upon others for what they have done that has caused me pain. (the pain I am speaking about is not the physical pain of being beaten but the emotional pain from projections) Even when others explain, talk, can I or anyone understand their true meanings, or are we basing our reality on what they are saying based on our past experiences. If I cannot truly know what is in someone else’s mind than my own instincts is just me using my past emotions from the past on the present situation. If their intentions are true to help me, or expressing their own pain, or to intentionally to hurt me, should any of these scenarios matter, if the highest good, is not to cause suffering upon others, so my response is to not cause suffering, even though, I have experienced suffering. For my suffering is coming from expectations derived from desires or past experiences. And what is my heart? “Follow your heart” is a saying I keep hearing, but what is the heart? Is it instincts, using the past emotions on today’s situation, or do we have some psychic ability to know the future? What is the difference between the heart and instincts? Whatever the distinction is that makes them different, do they both have the same quality, our rational brain being used to explain our emotional brain? What happens when the heart changes then do we keep on following the heart? People follow their heart into marriage for the oxytocin to change in a few years that leads to a divorce. Each person has their own reality when a person’s reality and mine intersects/intertwines, like two circles, we have a connection, but invariably where the realities are not the same, conflict will arise. Hurt follows, expectations destroyed, the instinct’s proven wrong, the heart broken, the disappointment arises, but how do I respond? Lao Za, the writer of the Tao, believes that no response is the best response, because as Mother Thresea, says Even if I do good people will believe I have alternative motives. So, even when I have found, I have caused suffering in others, even though it was unintentionally, how do I respond? This question goes back to my own perception of their response, what will be their perception of my response? Many in the States, and in other places believe that if people do not just agree then leave. People have their own minds, and no matter what the talking, it will not change it, because they are just being told how wrong they are, they are experiencing suffering. So many people around the world would just agree with them or I will cause them to suffer, telling the truth is of a lower priority than causing them to suffer. If I feel hurt or pain, keep it inside, for if expressed it will cause suffering. My thoughts, my feelings, my being expressed is of a less value than if I cause suffering upon someone else, which is unethical. No matter what they have done to me. For is it that I want suffering by them expressing their hurts and lost expectations. Do I or anyone else want to be told how they have caused suffering on others? As Lao Za expresses, when one becomes nothing then they are of the greatest good. For no matter what our intentions might have been, if our intentions causes suffering than we are unethical, and who in the world does not want to be agreed with, so become nothing, for it is our response that matters more than our feelings inside. The many Buddhist believes that destroying my ego is the foundation of finding happiness, but destroying others ego should not be a concern for me. It is often said that ignorance is a blessing. And, who is to say anyone’s reality is correct. It is said that Allah and the Native Americans, that the creator has given us two ears and one mouth, so which is more important, listening or speaking. It is said “A person’s best friend is a dog, because they love unconditionally while they listen without saying a word.” Take care. Lynn P.S. Sorry if speaking my mind has caused any suffering on others.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 15:04:56 +0000
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