putting an end to hatred

Discussion in 'Philosophy' started by red hairz, Sep 21, 2003.

  1. The Buddha was invited by a Brahman to have a meal in his house. But when he arrived, the Brahman greeted him strangely, with a torrent of abuse.

    Politely, the Buddha asked, “Do visitors come to your home, good Brahman?”
    “Yes.”
    “What preparations do you make for them?”
    “We get ready a great feast.”
    ”What happens if they don't arrive?”
    “Then we gladly eat it ourselves.”

    “Well, Brahman, you've invited me for a meal and you've entertained me with hard words. I want nothing from your preparation. So please take it back and eat it yourselves.”

    “Never retaliate in kind,” the Buddha told his followers. “Hatred does not come to an end through hatred but can only cease through generosity.”

     
  2. very nice quote.

    the problem in today's society is how does one apply it?


    today, if one is victim of hatred, it's never solely through words. It may be through physical violence, segregation and whatever other ingeneous mean hatred will manage to express itself.
    So how can one's generosity reach through hatred ?

    my answer would be through faith.

    here is his holyness the Dalai-lama's anwser:

    quote
    " Know that one person who wants to harm us cannot affect true compassion; because true compassion relies on the profound knowledge that this person aspires too, to hapyness."
    unquote
     
  3. I like to listen to the Dalai Lama on audio book; it is a wonderful way to lift one's self up while driving down the road. I don't have nearly as many road rage fits when I am in "Zen" mode, which is what I call my altered state of thinking

    But as you said, in today's society, it is hard to apply words like these. Sounds simple enough. But it takes a strong spirit to adhere to peaceful being.

    I'm working on it; I'm just not there yet. But I have begun to let some things pass and let go of things that have haunted me for over 15 years.
     
  4. to be precise, about that "how to do it"

    I think the how is quite easy: don't anwser to insults etc etc..

    the challeng is in finding "a reward" in such action.

    a rewards as opposed to what you feel when you use the means of negativeness.

    one exemple to illustrate my saying:

    you're walking down the street, someone comming up bumps into you quite violently and carries one without an excuse whatsoever.

    It is undenyable that yelling at that MO##ER F######G P###K to "WHATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU A## H###" does kinda feel good.
    but what about if you just think to yourself "I still wish you to be happy"
    any 'feel good' about it ?

    think about this exemple, picture yourself walking down, he comes up, ouch, it kinda hurt, what's your first reflex? and if you would yell at him would you feel kinda better?
    and what about if ou say a little prayer for his protection?

    well if you learn to feel good about such positives actions, then you can become powerfull, and live by those words.
    you CAN anwser with love to hatred.



    for those that think this is a stupid dangerous way of thinking:

    take two rooms, seperated by a wall. room a is plunged into darkness, room B is enlighted to the extreme. If you remove the wall between the two rooms, what happend?






    the lights repeals the darkness.







    love, IS much more powerfull.

    but in our society we are so much surrounded by darkness in any form that we need to generate a lot of light (be it faith, strengh of carracter..) to repeal the darkness.

    It's possible, because when you spread light arround you, you draw it from an infinit source within.

    as his holyness says: once you reached that state, ou cannot be harmed.


    in the exemple i used, i could be injured by the fellow, but my ability to love him will never be stained. Thus my power is greater.

    ..
     
  5. that example you gave with the 2 rooms is a very good way of explaining it I must remember this
     

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