Buddhism and Goals

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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METTAXCORE
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by METTAXCORE »

Well... I just try to be mindfull about my weightloss (Im a chubby Buddhist! lol) I do set goals for myself and I use the Buddhas teachings to help me along. Like when my hand reaches for a double glazed chocolate donut, I tell myself "Stephanie.. remember that you have bad habit that keep you from achieving greater happiness." And everytime Im presented with meal choice options, I remind myself "Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care." Goals are great and continue to set them! Just try using Buddhism as a means to achieve your goals, dont give them up completely.
"The way is not in the sky, the way is in the heart."
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METTAXCORE
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by METTAXCORE »

Also, something thats really helped me with weightloss is eating ONLY at my table and reciting my meal time prayers before I eat. It helps me to be more mindfull of the act of eating itself and what its really for. It help me snack less and not want anything else. Oh, and I love working out to freebuddhistaudio.com on my ipod!
"The way is not in the sky, the way is in the heart."
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Goofaholix
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by Goofaholix »

MayaRefugee wrote:These days, being a lot more content with the ways things are, there's not much (persistent) discontent to try and eradicate from my life thus I am finding that I struggle to find that type of all consuming motivation to passionately pursue goals like I used to - it's like a fire has gone out that used to serve as my reason to do certain things and now all the reasons I can muster are devoid of any epic force which makes it easy for me to talk myself out of doing them - I can take them or leave them sort of thing - they don't seem like neccessities.
Interesting that you should say your fire has gone out as that is one of the meanings on nibbana.

So you've realised that whatever goal you set for yourself achieving it is not going to release you from a sense of discontent and give you lasting gratification, this is good.

When the goal or the destination ceases to be alluring then the journey or the process towards achieving your goal should become more important to you.

Hopefully you stop doing things because of what you think you can get out of them and start doing things because they are the right thing to do or because they are the good thing to do.

When you see every moment in life as an opportunity to develop wisdom then you give attention to the present moment, not to some future goal and not to some idea of what you are going to get out of it.

But yes this probably means you'll never be the head of a fortune 500 company, sorry.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
MayaRefugee
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by MayaRefugee »

More interesting replies, thanks guys!

Goof,

What you say about the goal or destination ceasing to be alluring is precisely my problem, I think I need to reassess or reframe the situation to find a way to look at the things/actions that will get me to a relatively unalluring destination in an alluring, and as you said, personally important way, however I slice it I find my conclusions and potential motivators are still stained by old ways of thinking, they're really uninspiring and just fall apart/do nothing for me when looked at with my new perspectives/ways of thinking.

Anybody have any suggestions or insights on finding an inspirational and all encompassing why/reason?

How do you develop a lust for longevity/health?

Why improve the body when it simply is what it is?

Peace,

MR
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ground
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by ground »

Hi MR
MayaRefugee wrote: How do you develop a lust for longevity/health?

Why improve the body when it simply is what it is?
You asked and I prefer to take a stance that may be considered kind of more "orthodox"

The body is simply your vehicle to take measures against "circumstances" getting worse. Not to take measures will definitely render things worse, so the time available to take measures is precious.

A similiar but alternative "reading" may be a position more aligned to Mahayana, but I am going to refrain from stating this position here.

Kind regards
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Pannapetar
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by Pannapetar »

MayaRefugee wrote:How do you develop a lust for longevity/health?
Lust probably has little do with it. I mean, how could this possibly work? Consciously develop a desire to trick yourself into exercising? I don't think so. Consider sanity instead. It simply makes sense to maintain a healthy body. Therefore it makes sense to spend effort towards that goal. It is connected to the ability to act upon reason.
MayaRefugee wrote:Why improve the body when it simply is what it is?
The body is hardly static, is it?

Cheers, Thomas
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jcsuperstar
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by jcsuperstar »

exercise can be great for mindfulness practice, the buddha did a lot of walking!
a healthy body also settles down easier into meditation
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Dan74
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by Dan74 »

Discipline and focus are the qualities I work on, the ones that don't come naturally at all!

Whether it is to do with the body and eating habits, I think these are great practice qualities in general and without them practice isn't really going to take off. So even these worldly aims, like losing weight, exercising more, etc can be treated as practice, especially if they are done with a focus on the present, sharpening attention, broadening awareness and persevering in the light of the right view, right intention and right action.
Last edited by Dan74 on Mon May 17, 2010 5:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Pannapetar
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by Pannapetar »

jcsuperstar wrote:exercise can be great for mindfulness practice, the buddha did a lot of walking!
And then there is the monk who walked a thousand miles. Well, almost. :D

Cheers, Thomas
chownah
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by chownah »

Anybody have any suggestions or insights on finding an inspirational and all encompassing why/reason?
The Four Noble Truths?
chownah
MayaRefugee
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by MayaRefugee »

The Buddha's first words after enlightenment were these: "Seeking but not finding the house builder, I traveled through the round of countless births. Oh, painful is birth ever and again! House builder you have now been seen. You shall not build the house again. Your rafters have been broken down; your ridge-pole is demolished too. My mind has now attained the unformed nibbana and reached the end of every kind of craving." (Dh. 153-54.)
Taken from here: http://www.vipassanadhura.com/buddha.htm

Isn't planning to go to the gym regularly, eating certain types of food regularly, reaching a specic weight, etc. and carrying out these plans just a form of house building?

What's making these plans?

Peace,

MR
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ground
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by ground »

MayaRefugee wrote:
The Buddha's first words after enlightenment were these: "Seeking but not finding the house builder, I traveled through the round of countless births. Oh, painful is birth ever and again! House builder you have now been seen. You shall not build the house again. Your rafters have been broken down; your ridge-pole is demolished too. My mind has now attained the unformed nibbana and reached the end of every kind of craving." (Dh. 153-54.)
Taken from here: http://www.vipassanadhura.com/buddha.htm

Isn't planning to go to the gym regularly, eating certain types of food regularly, reaching a specic weight, etc. and carrying out these plans just a form of house building?

What's making these plans?
What/who is asking these questions? And why? To build a house (of views)?

The "let's pretend to be enlightened right from the start" approach is just inconsistent and perpetuates samsara.

If you manage to engage in practice without goal setting then fine. But if you can't "just do it" then you need goals.

But there is no need for body cult because eating is just meant to survive and moving exercise is just the same like walking a dog. You walk the dog because the dog obviously needs it and feels better afterwards, compassion.

Kind regards
MayaRefugee
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by MayaRefugee »

The charioteer is asking these questions, he wants to know wether he should hook the horses up to the chariot and if he should then he also wants to know which direction he should point the horses in and wether or not he should whip them into action - as far as he can tell things are fine how they are at the moment and their is no pressing need to hook the horses up and go somewhere or make the situation become something else, all reports from the top seem to share this sentiment as well. The charioteer suspects and openly admits that the remnants of past mental formations could be clouding his perceptions and stopping him from making certain realizations.

BTW, I don't see how giving due consideration to the wisdom of the Buddhas perceptions is pretending to be enlightened - if you think he has put into words something that is true are you suposed to ignore it or deny it's validity - what good are teachings if not used as "teachings"?

Peace,

MR
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Goofaholix
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by Goofaholix »

MayaRefugee wrote:The charioteer is asking these questions, he wants to know wether he should hook the horses up to the chariot and if he should then he also wants to know which direction he should point the horses in and wether or not he should whip them into action - as far as he can tell things are fine how they are at the moment and their is no pressing need to hook the horses up and go somewhere or make the situation become something else, all reports from the top seem to share this sentiment as well. The charioteer suspects and openly admits that the remnants of past mental formations could be clouding his perceptions and stopping him from making certain realizations.

BTW, I don't see how giving due consideration to the wisdom of the Buddhas perceptions is pretending to be enlightened - if you think he has put into words something that is true are you suposed to ignore it or deny it's validity - what good are teachings if not used as "teachings"?
I'm guessing the issue is that you have too much time on your hands and are wondering what to do with it.

Before I was married and had children I also came to a point where I was feeling much as you do, where I had realised that there was nothing worth pursuing out there, nothing that was going to satisfy, but I still wasn't prepared to commit to full time practice either.

Since being married and had children I don't think that feeling has changed but what has changed is that I have no idle time on my hands, I struggle to find time to do all the things I have to do let alone the things I want to do. I have no time to idle away except maybe half an hour a day on dhammawheel and my practice is more oriented towards moment to moment mindfulness rather than formal retreats, I crave my one retreat a year when in the past I could do retreats for months on end.

Anyway, I'm not sure if this is helping but hopefully it may give some perspective.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
MayaRefugee
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Re: Buddhism and Goals

Post by MayaRefugee »

Thanks Goof!

Circumstances being the way they are at the moment I do have a lot of time on my hands - I find I spend most if it daydreaming or mentally rehearsing whatever box needs to be ticked next - not very efficent or productive in the eyes of most but I enjoy it.

You're post definately has me thinking, as I compulsively reply I'm rhetorically wondering:

Should I find activities to do for the sake of filling time?

What should I be doing with my time?

Peace,

MR
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