What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
- mettafuture
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:13 pm
What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
What's wrong with going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad? Is the "worldly life" really that bad? This is the question that's been floating through my head lately.
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
No, actually it can be very good, especially if you have a loving partner and a steady income.
- mettafuture
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:13 pm
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
But, throughout the suttas, the Buddha repeatedly tells us to renounce this life for the spiritual life. Yes, there are suttas directed toward householders that don't emphasize renunciation as much, but they're like little ants next to the other suttas.Shonin wrote:No, actually it can be very good, especially if you have a loving partner and a steady income.
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Nothing, and dont let the naysayers lead you to believe you must renounce these things. The Buddha praised this lifestyle for his lay followers. Please see the Mangala Sutta, Sigolavada Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta.
Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
- BB
- BB
- mettafuture
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:13 pm
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Thank you.bodom wrote:Nothing, and dont let the naysayers lead you to believe you must renounce these things. The Buddha praised this lifestyle for his lay followers. Please see the Mangala Sutta, Sigolavada Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta.
Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'll give these suttas a closer look tonight.
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
If you find satisfaction and do not see the dukkha involved in this kind of pursuit, then go for it.mettafuture wrote:What's wrong with going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad? Is the "worldly life" really that bad? This is the question that's been floating through my head lately.
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm seeing the Buddha providing a code of ethics for lay persons, not "prais(ing) this lifestyle" in this sutta.bodom wrote:Nothing, and dont let the naysayers lead you to believe you must renounce these things. The Buddha praised this lifestyle for his lay followers. Please see the Mangala Sutta, Sigolavada Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta.
Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Tapussa Sutta
This Sutta made me realise one angle...in relation to the topic
It has challenged me to move beyond the 'norm', 'what everyone else is doing', 'what is expected of me'....
It is saying to me..'there's something greater, more meaningful, more noble'
Then the next question: 'Why do I let myself limit my own potential for the greater, meaningful & noble?'
Then most importantly...'Do I want the greater, more meaningful and noble than mere 'going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad'?'
This Sutta made me realise one angle...in relation to the topic
It has challenged me to move beyond the 'norm', 'what everyone else is doing', 'what is expected of me'....
It is saying to me..'there's something greater, more meaningful, more noble'
Then the next question: 'Why do I let myself limit my own potential for the greater, meaningful & noble?'
Then most importantly...'Do I want the greater, more meaningful and noble than mere 'going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad'?'
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Nothing wrong with it. If you get the call for ordained life, you'll know it. Just don't get attached to enjoying the good, because it shall pass.mettafuture wrote:What's wrong with going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad? Is the "worldly life" really that bad? This is the question that's been floating through my head lately.
Best wishes,
Anna
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Surely what is deemed 'greater' 'more meaningful' and 'noble' is based on value judgments rather than objective fact. If you subscribe to a set of values that declares lay life to be 'lesser', 'meaningless' and 'ignoble' regardless of how it satisfies you, then so it is, but only in relation to those values.plwk wrote:Then most importantly...'Do I want the greater, more meaningful and noble than mere 'going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad'?'
Personally I'm not persuaded much by value judgements - only by what brings lasting happiness.
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
You can see it any way you like.Mukunda wrote:Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm seeing the Buddha providing a code of ethics for lay persons, not "prais(ing) this lifestyle" in this sutta.bodom wrote:Nothing, and dont let the naysayers lead you to believe you must renounce these things. The Buddha praised this lifestyle for his lay followers. Please see the Mangala Sutta, Sigolavada Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta.
Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
- BB
- BB
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
In all fairness, the Buddha didn't tell everyone to renounce the worldly life. He just suggested that suffering and unsatisfactoriness was inherent in it... built into the very fabric of it. His instruction of renunciation was intended for those who wish transcend suffering. For the laypeople he simply advised an ethical life abiding by the precepts.mettafuture wrote:But, throughout the suttas, the Buddha repeatedly tells us to renounce this life for the spiritual life. Yes, there are suttas directed toward householders that don't emphasize renunciation as much, but they're like little ants next to the other suttas.
- Ngawang Drolma.
- Posts: 805
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:38 pm
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
plwk wrote:Tapussa Sutta
This Sutta made me realise one angle...in relation to the topic
It has challenged me to move beyond the 'norm', 'what everyone else is doing', 'what is expected of me'....
It is saying to me..'there's something greater, more meaningful, more noble'
Then the next question: 'Why do I let myself limit my own potential for the greater, meaningful & noble?'
Then most importantly...'Do I want the greater, more meaningful and noble than mere 'going to school, getting a degree, working hard to earn a stable income, starting a family, enjoying the good, and learning how to tolerate the bad'?'
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
Hello Friend,
There is nothing wrong with it.
A good heart is the core of everything... even for wisdom.
There is nothing wrong with it.
A good heart is the core of everything... even for wisdom.
Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?
If I am missing the praise, perhaps you'd be so kind as to point it out for me.bodom wrote:You can see it any way you like.Mukunda wrote:Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm seeing the Buddha providing a code of ethics for lay persons, not "prais(ing) this lifestyle" in this sutta.bodom wrote:Nothing, and dont let the naysayers lead you to believe you must renounce these things. The Buddha praised this lifestyle for his lay followers. Please see the Mangala Sutta, Sigolavada Sutta and Vyagghapajja Sutta.
Everyman's Ethics: Four Discourses of the Buddha by Narada Thera
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... el014.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;