Author Topic: Life Lessons.  (Read 7114 times)

RedLantern

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Life Lessons.
« on: July 18, 2013, 06:02:05 PM »
An aging master grew tired of his apprentice's complaints.One morning,he sent him to get some salt.When the apprentice returned,the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and drink it.
''how does it taste?the master asked. "Bitter"said the apprentice.The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt near nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water,the old man said,"now drink from the lake"As the water dripped from the young man's chin the master ask"how does it taste?"Fresh"remarked the apprentice."don't taste the salt"asked the master.
"Don't take the salt?" asked the master."No" said the young man.At this the master sat beside this serious young man and explained softly.
The pain of life is pure salt:more,no less.The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same.However the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put in.So when you are in pain,the only thing you can do is to enlarge  your sense of things.Stop being a glass.Become  a lake.
                                                 
                                                              Article from "Facebook Com"
It seems that a major activity of humans is complaining If we are willing to admit it,we have all been guilty of complaining sometimes.

fruven

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Re: Life Lessons.
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2013, 06:30:15 PM »
Amazing. That is one good way at looking at things. When our perspective or view on things changes the sufferings lessen. The same thing happening to two different persons, outwardly it may look the same but the experience is different. It become an experience worth learning or just another experience increasing our bitterness.

diablo1974

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Re: Life Lessons.
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2013, 05:11:11 AM »
There are many life stories in different religions and cultures. These stories are quite enlightening, the
jataka tales - collection of stories from Shakyamuni Buddha lives.  As we ages, our perspective in wanting and looking at things changes, our attachments might shift more towards non materialistic things but rather struggle more in the mental state of mind.

DS Star

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Re: Life Lessons.
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2013, 10:12:27 AM »
Enlightening story for us to ponder.

Life is like this... when we only focus on our own problem, we will feel the burden is heavier but if we focus out and look at bigger picture and the problems of others, we will see that our problem is nothing and it is only affecting one person whereas there are more important matters for us to do to benefit others...



"I complained that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." -- Persian proverb

pgdharma

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Re: Life Lessons.
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2013, 02:11:01 PM »
The Buddha said, “The mind is everything. What you think you become.”

Our thinking determines our actions which eventually determine our outcome. If we change our thinking we will change our life as all that we are is the result of what we have thought.

dondrup

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Re: Life Lessons.
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2013, 05:42:06 PM »
Pain is a feeling. There are many causes of pain.  When we are in pain, our attention is instantly and automatically directed to the area where the pain is and we are very focused  on wanting to remove the pain quickly.   The pain will eventually cease because the causes for its occurrence do not exist anymore. When we have pain, we can be aware of it but we shouldn't focus on it. When this happens, we 'extend our sense of things' to more than a single object i.e. the pain. In this way, the feeling of pain subsides or completely stop because we are not focusing on it. When we leave the pain alone,  the karma will exhaust itself.

bambi

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Re: Life Lessons.
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2013, 01:07:04 PM »
I admit. I do complain sometimes but the lesson from the master to his disciple is true. No matter how I complain, it will not lessen nor do any good so might as well swallow it and move on. No point getting stuck when there is no solution. I always tell myself there are many out there who are worse off than me therefore no more complains! ;D