tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10882921.post949385615802754847..comments2024-03-17T17:59:44.193+00:00Comments on Bill's Log: Possessions, Including BoatsWilliam Serjeanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18419676353659137355noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10882921.post-66126286559610546032015-08-07T13:31:55.795+01:002015-08-07T13:31:55.795+01:00I can only echo what Alden says. Very nicely put.I can only echo what Alden says. Very nicely put.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08338070894458245404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10882921.post-675058732045002832015-08-07T03:33:11.556+01:002015-08-07T03:33:11.556+01:00Bill, you ask a very important question here. &quo...Bill, you ask a very important question here. "Why are we never satisfied? Why do we always want more?" <br /><br />Buddhism deals very well with this question, in fact it is part of Buddhisms "Four Noble Truths" <br /><br />There is a saying from the Pali canon, "upadhi dukkhassa mūlanti," which means “Attachment is the root of suffering.” <br /><br />Buddhism is not a religion as such, it is more a science of the mind. I have found great truth within its teachings and is in no way a threat to Christian belief, in fact I have found it complimentary and emphasis's many practises which were once part and parcel of Christian spirituality.<br /><br />I call these practises "The tools of transformation". By making a paradigm shift in the way we approach spirituality, which means changing our emphasis slightly (NOT discarding anything in terms of Christian belief) we are able to make some inroads into changing transforming who we are. <br /><br />What has disturbed me about Christian practise is 2000 years of war and persecution regarding what one 'Believes' rather than what one does (The fruits of the spirit).<br /><br />Less emphasis on demanding that the rest of the world will be saved by believing in ones own religious ideas and more emphasis on transforming oneself first I think would go a long way to make Christs Church a more attractive proposition.<br /><br />The tools of transformation as I seem them are:<br /><br />Impeccable moral behaviour.<br />Meditation (or mind training).<br />Contemplation.<br />Prayer.<br />Praise<br />Chanting.<br />Spiritual reading.<br />Retreat.<br />Pilgrimage.<br /><br />It is interesting that the Dalai Lama admonishes Christians who want to become Buddhists and tells them to go back to their own communities and churches and make their own inherited religion work - by work he is talking about personal transformation of the individual, not theological exclusiveness about "Belief". Believing in Gods love and compassion is very important, but we must transform ourselves first if we are going to take the delivery of this gift seriously.<br /><br />I know many Christians for whom attendance in Churches doesn't seem to have changed them in any way at all. This is because all they hear in church is an admonishment to 'believe' and the exclusiveness of this belief - They are never taught the tools of transformation. I find this very sad indeed.<br />Alden Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06601028197387499096noreply@blogger.com