What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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mettafuture
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What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by mettafuture »

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.
Shonin
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Shonin »

No, actually it can be very good, especially if you have a loving partner and a steady income.
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mettafuture
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by mettafuture »

Shonin wrote:No, actually it can be very good, especially if you have a loving partner and a steady income.
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. :D
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bodom
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by bodom »

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;

:anjali:
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
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mettafuture
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by mettafuture »

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;

:anjali:
Thank you.

I'll give these suttas a closer look tonight.

:anjali:
Mukunda
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Mukunda »

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.
If you find satisfaction and do not see the dukkha involved in this kind of pursuit, then go for it.
:anjali:
Mukunda
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Mukunda »

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;

:anjali:
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.
plwk
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by plwk »

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'?'

:smile:
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Annapurna
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Annapurna »

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.
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.

Best wishes,

Anna
Shonin
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Shonin »

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'?'
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.

Personally I'm not persuaded much by value judgements - only by what brings lasting happiness.
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bodom
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by bodom »

Mukunda wrote:
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;

:anjali:
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.
You can see it any way you like. :smile:

:anjali:
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
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OcTavO
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by OcTavO »

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.
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.
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Ngawang Drolma.
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Ngawang Drolma. »

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'?'

:smile:
:goodpost:
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Goedert
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Goedert »

Hello Friend,

There is nothing wrong with it.

A good heart is the core of everything... even for wisdom.
Mukunda
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Re: What's wrong with living a "normal" life?

Post by Mukunda »

bodom wrote:
Mukunda wrote:
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;

:anjali:
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.
You can see it any way you like. :smile:

:anjali:
If I am missing the praise, perhaps you'd be so kind as to point it out for me. :shrug:
:anjali:
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