336-Was Diogenes a Buddhist?- Buddhism in daily life

Was Diogenes a Buddhist?


Diogenes was a Greek philosopher who propagated the doctrine of
"needlessness", i.e. the complete opposite of today's "consumer
society".


In his view, man should desire only elementary things. Everything
beyond that, the scholar considered "useless", external
conventions, such as marriage, he rejected.


For me as a Buddhist, Diogenes' views appear to be of elementary
foresight; if I, as a human being, am going to crumble to dust
anyway, what good are gold and money to me?


The philosopher is also said to have met the great King
Alexander. According to the story, Diogenes was sleeping in an
old wine barrel. When the king came to visit (the philosopher's
reputation seemed enormous), Alexander introduced himself: "I am
Alexander, the great king". To this Diogenes replied: "you stand
in the sun for me, go to the side"!


Well, to me also every day many people stand in the sun, but no
kings.


The radical way of life of Diogenes, including his hard answer to
the king, show similarities with the teaching of Buddha; not only
the historical Buddha had reached "enlightenment", already before
(and after) him extraordinary people had and have reached this
state.


I claim: You can achieve it too, we all can become a Buddha!


According to another story, Diogenes is said to have had little
in common with Plato (Greek philosopher, 428 to 348 BC). What a
wonderful time this must have been, smart people were exchanging
ideas!


IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING, YOU CAN'T BLAME YOURSELF


- DIRK NOWITZKI - GERMAN BASKETBALL PLAYER - B. 1978


So what do our possessions bring us, what is "in the sun" for us?
What are we "fighting" for, what makes up our personality?


We don't have to sleep in an old barrel, nor should we "stand in
the sun" of other people.


We could engage in the philosophy of Buddha, peeling back the
layers of our personality one by one, coming back to the "core"
of being, but do we want that, do you want that?


Well, I do!


Diogenes was a Buddhist!


And I love the rays of the sun.


Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de


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