190-What is Chan? Part 3 - Buddhism in daily life

What is Chan? Part 3


The sufferings from which we suffer have not only been poured out
on us by karma, no, we have inflicted many pains on ourselves.
For example, because in our insatiable thirst for satisfaction we
are always thinking up new desires, then are disappointed when
none of them come to pass.


Or because we are constantly stuck in the past, reliving over and
over again the moments when we were "so" happy, then realizing
that it's not like that now.


Also, because we imagine the future as we would like to "have
it", then find out in reality that we are not "Superman".


We prefer to deceive ourselves, to delude ourselves, to see the
world as we like it. And we continue to be disappointed, one
after the other.


C. Deception


We want to be happy, we want to be satisfied with our job and our
environment, we don't want to see the many things that go wrong
as long as we can avoid them.


This is exactly where the teachings of Buddha come in, we should
look "behind the scenes", not twist things so that they then
correspond to our ideas, but accept everything as it is. This
requires a great deal of courage, because most of the time
"reality" is repulsive, not very pleasant, just not like in
Hollywood flicks. Self-deception is something very unpleasant,
because the rude awakening is guaranteed to come, if not today,
then tomorrow.


The lifeline here is Chan (Zen) Buddhism, which offers us the
chance to escape suffering here first. According to Buddha,
sufferings are unnecessary, self-chosen. After "awakening" there
are no more sufferings, man is already in Nirvana.


Of course you can still deceive yourself for a while, the flesh
is not yet completely withered, the teeth are "still" in, the
legs still "want". But you don't seriously believe that you will
be spared the decay, that everything will remain as it is right
now?


You will pass away, your family will go (one after the other),
all your possessions will rust and rot, nothing will remain, even
the planet will decay. If you continue to deceive yourself, you
will be disappointed.


Nothing is for eternity, no living being makes an exception.


Nevertheless applies: The way is the goal!


In the next days you read further to the main topic "What is
Chan?"


Because of simple sense pleasures he risks the death by hunger
and thirst


- Buddha - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 before
the year zero


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