Re: Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 10:42 pm
Greetings,
Firstly, I want to apologise to anyone who was offended by my earlier posting of the photo of Michael Jackson dangling his son of the balcony and my flippant response to it. It was neither the time and place to remind fans of such things, nor a skillful means by which to make the point which I wanted to make. It probably comes from the fact that on Friday someone I work with had to leave work because his girlfriend was literally in a state of shock at hearing about Michael Jackson's death. This attachment and clinging of hers is now causing her suffering, over an event which needn't be the cause of suffering. Attachment is the cause of suffering and it is prevalence of attachment and craving that is the real tragedy - not that the natural process of death happened to overtake one individual. As the Buddha taught in the Salla Sutta, "If any benefit is gained by lamenting, the wise would do it. Only a fool would harm himself. Yet through weeping and sorrowing the mind does not become calm, but still more suffering is produced, the body is harmed and one becomes lean and pale, one merely hurts oneself". My colleague's girlfriend is a case-in-point, and I feel for her suffering.
Hence, I decided to think about how better to express my thoughts on this matter and to present them in a way that can hopefully help to extend the range of our lovingkindess and compassion beyond its current scope, and to see death in its proper perspective and have a more equanimous response.
Respect to those who use the Dhamma to cure suffering
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1668" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Anyhow, I hope that was a more skillful attempt to make this point which I feel is very important and is overshadowed when there is such a disproportional and emotional response to the death of one person.
Metta,
Retro.
Firstly, I want to apologise to anyone who was offended by my earlier posting of the photo of Michael Jackson dangling his son of the balcony and my flippant response to it. It was neither the time and place to remind fans of such things, nor a skillful means by which to make the point which I wanted to make. It probably comes from the fact that on Friday someone I work with had to leave work because his girlfriend was literally in a state of shock at hearing about Michael Jackson's death. This attachment and clinging of hers is now causing her suffering, over an event which needn't be the cause of suffering. Attachment is the cause of suffering and it is prevalence of attachment and craving that is the real tragedy - not that the natural process of death happened to overtake one individual. As the Buddha taught in the Salla Sutta, "If any benefit is gained by lamenting, the wise would do it. Only a fool would harm himself. Yet through weeping and sorrowing the mind does not become calm, but still more suffering is produced, the body is harmed and one becomes lean and pale, one merely hurts oneself". My colleague's girlfriend is a case-in-point, and I feel for her suffering.
Hence, I decided to think about how better to express my thoughts on this matter and to present them in a way that can hopefully help to extend the range of our lovingkindess and compassion beyond its current scope, and to see death in its proper perspective and have a more equanimous response.
Respect to those who use the Dhamma to cure suffering
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1668" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Anyhow, I hope that was a more skillful attempt to make this point which I feel is very important and is overshadowed when there is such a disproportional and emotional response to the death of one person.
Metta,
Retro.