As a kid, I feel pain whenever I see suffering.. When the neighbour's kid fell from his bicycle, my brother laughed at him but I screamed, as if I felt his pain.Growing up, it pains me whenever a natural disaster strikes or a group terrorist attack. When the tsunami strikes, it pains me even more with the demise of my dad. I was almost down to full depression and needed clinical relief, since I was also nursing a root canal problem at the same time.
I am sure many people felt the same, even the most cruel animal will have compassion. Some chose to ignore them, some "lived" with them, some "coped" with them. For comfort, some turned to their family and friends, some turned to drugs, some counted their blessings, some took stocks of their lifes, some went to their religion, some went to their God/Gods.
I chose the latter. But I cannot understand why a religion or a follower of a great religion can decide to kill so many people in the name of God, and neither can I understand why the all loving God is willing to let a natural disaster cause so much suffering and deaths.
I have no answer, and neither does the books I have read, except for one book.. which I read on the plane (if you have read my other post)
Buddha says (in the 4 noble Truth) that in this world..
1) there is suffering...
2) and there is a cause to all this suffering...
3) there can be cessation of suffering...
4) and there is a path to freedom from suffering and pain.
Like in medicine,
1- There is an illness .... 2- There is a cause of illness .... 3- There is a possibility of a cure of the illness .... 4- There is a prescription i.e., what we need to do to bring about a cure.
It pains me to see someone I cared for in suffering and I can do nothing about it. I can listen to one's woes, and even if I commented, I get snapped at, since he has so much negative emotion. If I dun comment, I am branded as condescending and dun bother.
Either way, I am lost and a loser. What I can only do is to relieve any physical pain (instantly providing panadol for headache) and dedicate all my prayers to him and may he get inner peace.
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12 comments:
depression.. cannot generalise here; but I think the current living conditions/environment that most of us live isn't healthy. Try these: Be with positive people, talk about positive/optimistic things, Be happy with what you achieve for the day, take up hobbies (to distract the mind, take up a sport (exercise has its benefits and a healthy body translates to happier mood), religion (important), have some close friends, and most importantly.. continue to blog!! (esp your thoughts)
The essence of the Buddha's teaching can be summed up in two principles: the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.
In case you are wondering, this is the 4 Noble Truths.
sure i can see that you're a man with feelings...i can feel like you but not as great!
surely many things cropped up in this world which previously doesn't exist! sure does many solutions need to be come up with all the new problems! :)
His dogma got run over by his karma.
... and we all must find/seek our own dharma. ;)
dharma - 'purpose in life'
i guess when someone is not feeling so good, he's bound to get agitated. just be there and sometimes, that's all they need. to know someone is by their side.
i sympathise with you for you are extremely sensitive to the pain that others feel. that can't be easy for you. but i am glad you have found religion as a way to balance it.
i guess natural disaster is just a natural flow in life. by the rate we multiply, we will eliminate our own race from the lack of space, water, resources, etc. so, nature keeps the total population is check. think of the big picture. like if your one doggy has terminal and contagious disease, you have to put him down to save your others.
i hope you will turn out for the next blogger meeting in sg. it will be nice to meet you in person.
what you had post really touches me and like you, i feel easily for pain suffered by others. but unlike you i dont know how to rationalise it or explain it. seeing it thru buddhism is one way and that i would like to learn and hopefully you are willing to share.
me: "i guess natural disaster is just a natural flow in life. by the rate we multiply, we will eliminate our own race from the lack of space, water, resources, etc. so, nature keeps the total population is check. think of the big picture. like if your one doggy has terminal and contagious disease, you have to put him down to save your others. "
i always think that the human race is like cancer as we are killing the host that give us life. like the way you put it "it is a flow of life".
You are a good person, Robin.
Hmm I love the idea behind this website, very unique.
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Here are some links that I believe will be interested
Very touching article Robin..
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Thanks for your teachings.