Why every moment of happiness is good

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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xtracorrupt
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Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by xtracorrupt »

There is no information gathered on paranirvana therefore we cannot understand it, therefore we must believe it as neutral because it has no reason to be either good or bad. Therefore every moment of happiness is good and every moment of suffering is bad.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by Cittasanto »

seams like a logical jump to the end without much consideration for the beginning, considering there are worldly an spiritual pleasures
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
xtracorrupt
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by xtracorrupt »

Cittasanto wrote:seams like a logical jump to the end without much consideration for the beginning, considering there are worldly an spiritual pleasures
I think spiritual pleasures are wordly pleasures, i was including worldy pleasures in my statement.

In this context i was using happiness as the state of well being
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Alobha
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by Alobha »

xtracorrupt wrote:There is no information gathered on paranirvana therefore we cannot understand it
Well. One can know that when one indulges in every form of happiness and seeks for worldly pleasures all the time, paranirvana will not be achieved. One can also get a brief glimpse of this supreme peace by means of practice.
xtracorrupt wrote:Therefore every moment of happiness is good and every moment of suffering is bad.
This is wrong view. I suggest you read some lecture on khamma to get a better understanding of what "good" and "bad" means in the buddhist context.

Best wishes,
Alobha
Mawkish1983
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by Mawkish1983 »

In my experience, even something that feels wonderful and perfect, something that makes you immeasurably happy, something seemingly purely pleasurable, even something like that will lead to stress and suffering if it is rooted in sensual desire. Something that feels that good at the time but opposes the precepts inevitably yields stress and suffering. In my experience, the more the precepts are abandoned, the worse the stress.

And the contrast between 'good' feelings and stress can be extremely large. Don't blindly pursue happiness, measure its origin against sila. You don't want to experience the depths of Dukkha that I did after pursuing what I thought was 'good' because of how it felt.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by Cittasanto »

xtracorrupt wrote:
Cittasanto wrote:seams like a logical jump to the end without much consideration for the beginning, considering there are worldly an spiritual pleasures
I think spiritual pleasures are wordly pleasures, i was including worldy pleasures in my statement.

In this context i was using happiness as the state of well being
seams unnecessary to include two separate states in a definition when they are separate in the teachings found in Theravada.
not all roads lead to Rome, and a belief leading to the defining that they do, is not helpful.

Edit - this is something another of your threads recognises.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Yana
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by Yana »

Alobha wrote:
xtracorrupt wrote:Therefore every moment of happiness is good and every moment of suffering is bad.
This is wrong view. I suggest you read some lecture on khamma to get a better understanding of what "good" and "bad" means in the buddhist context.

Best wishes,
Alobha
Hi,

Alobha is right.

It is good to do good things and positive things in life but that won't free you from suffering. Only seeing the real nature of reality can free you.Doing good helps keep your mind wholesome and creates good kamma. With this wholesome mind you have to train it through meditation so you can gain wisdom and see the real nature of reality.

If you accept happiness than you will also have to accept suffering.There can not be one without the other.Happiness is measured against suffering.We live in a world of duality.

It is good to be happy when your happy but always keep in mind that if you attach yourself to it.crave all the things that make you happy.want it to stay like that forever.

and it changes..(and It will always change nothing stays the same)..what happens...

your sad! your in pain! your suffering!

The best thing is when your happy enjoy it but don't attach yourself to it..when your suffering acknowledge it as suffering..always find the middle path..aim for being content..happy or sad..doesn't matter..accept it.
you will always have it with you until your reach the other shore.

:anjali:
Life is preparing for Death
xtracorrupt
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by xtracorrupt »

Alobha wrote:
xtracorrupt wrote:There is no information gathered on paranirvana therefore we cannot understand it
Well. One can know that when one indulges in every form of happiness and seeks for worldly pleasures all the time, paranirvana will not be achieved. One can also get a brief glimpse of this supreme peace by means of practice.
xtracorrupt wrote:Therefore every moment of happiness is good and every moment of suffering is bad.
This is wrong view. I suggest you read some lecture on khamma to get a better understanding of what "good" and "bad" means in the buddhist context.

Best wishes,
Alobha
perhaps, but I think being attached to happiness can be seen as a good thing, because it will make that person strive towards this.

However delusion, could be seen as a hindrance towards enlightenemnemt, therefore this is where it comes to be very important in judging whether or not that persons delusion will cause good karma or bad karma, whether the happiness obtained is greater then the happiness possible without the delusion.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by Cittasanto »

xtracorrupt wrote:
Alobha wrote:
xtracorrupt wrote:There is no information gathered on paranirvana therefore we cannot understand it
Well. One can know that when one indulges in every form of happiness and seeks for worldly pleasures all the time, paranirvana will not be achieved. One can also get a brief glimpse of this supreme peace by means of practice.
xtracorrupt wrote:Therefore every moment of happiness is good and every moment of suffering is bad.
This is wrong view. I suggest you read some lecture on khamma to get a better understanding of what "good" and "bad" means in the buddhist context.

Best wishes,
Alobha
perhaps, but I think being attached to happiness can be seen as a good thing, because it will make that person strive towards this.

However delusion, could be seen as a hindrance towards enlightenemnemt, therefore this is where it comes to be very important in judging whether or not that persons delusion will cause good karma or bad karma, whether the happiness obtained is greater then the happiness possible without the delusion.
yes to the object of pleasure.
this however is not always skillful as you are clumping together both worldly & spiritual pleasure there in no judgement of direction only of "this is nice lets get more!"
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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mikenz66
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by mikenz66 »

Simply seeking pleasure is certainly not what the Buddha taught:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Monks, there are these four courses of action. Which four? There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable.
...
:anjali:
Mike
xtracorrupt
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Re: Why every moment of happiness is good

Post by xtracorrupt »

mikenz66 wrote:Simply seeking pleasure is certainly not what the Buddha taught:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Monks, there are these four courses of action. Which four? There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is unpleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is profitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do but that, when done, leads to what is unprofitable. There is the course of action that is pleasant to do and that, when done, leads to what is profitable.
...
:anjali:
Mike
when i say happiness i do not mean pleasure, i mean in terms of no suffering/delusion/greed
theres is no need for needing
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