Contentment # 2Greed for possessionsFactors Contributing to DiscontentmentIn general there are four types of factors contributing to discontentment among people:1. Greed for power:People like to have power because those who have power can control others. When those who would like to have power do not get power, they get discontent.2. Greed for possessions:We live in a wo9rld where people in general would like to have more and more materialistic things because they have the notion that those things bring happiness to them. Those who live in small houses, even if they are adequate for their needs would crave for bigger houses. Someone who has a million dollars would like to have a billion dollars.3. Greed for food:People in general would like to have better food than what they have.4. Promiscuity:Those who already have their own spouses go in search of others.To be happy and progress in life, first, we should be contended with what we already have and then perform our duties to the best of our abilities without hankering unduly after other things. For example, if you are the “Head of Department” at the place you work and would like to have job satisfaction and progress in the career, firstly, you should like to have job satisfaction and progress in the career, firstly, you should be contended with the position you have and perform the duties to the best of your abilities. Then the happiness and progress in the career will come to you automatically.Similarly, a husband or a wife who expects to have a happy marriage should be contended with his/her partner and perform the duties to the best of their abilities to gain happiness. Running around looking for a new spouse might not be the solution, because such behavior might create more problems and eventually bring unhappiness.There is an old metaphor that illustrated a stray, starved dog went into a house. The owner feed it with the rice milk. But after a week, the dog wants to eat the rice, so the owner feed it the rice. But after a week, the dog wants to eat the meat, so the owner feed it the meat, but one week after that, the dog attempting to claim up the table competing with the owner for food from the owner plate. So the owner has no alternative but to chase the dog away, because it is a dog of the sort that never know enough.Some people male or female, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, can have this kind of discontentment.People in general would like to have better food than what they have.Forms of HappinessThere are at least two different forms of happiness:1. Happiness dependent on external stimuli:Such happiness is dependent on pleasure coming through sense organs such as eyes, ears, nose, mouth and body. This type of happiness may be superficial, because such happiness is temporary and in some instances eventually lead to unhappiness. happiness has the following characteristics:- The object of the happiness can be obtained only as a result of considerable effort and difficulty because they are rare and limited in quantity.- The object of the happiness. Once obtained has to be closely guarded.- Inability to obtain such happiness could lead to aggression and acts of vengeance.2. Inner happiness:This type of happiness is independent of external stimuli and arises directly from inside when the mind has the following characteristics:- Purity: Occurs when the mind is free of defilements.- Peacefulness: occurs when the mind is free from stress and anxiety.- Freedom: occurs when the mind is kept away from various things that intrude and bother you.- Radiance: occurs when the mind is filled with wisdom and seeing things according to reality.- Fulfillment: occurs when the mind has no further feeling of lacking/insufficient, not detract from its wholesome quality, no feeling of loneliness, but only the delightfulness and self contentment in itself. Inner happiness, but only the delightfulness and self contentment in the self. Inner happiness is the true happiness. It is the happiness that creates no conflicts of interest. It is a happiness that helps to diminish other problems. Those who are to find inner happiness that helps to diminish other problems. Those who are to find inner happiness must first cultivate a state of mind that is peaceful and free form discontent.Earning one’s living contentlyThe purpose of earning the living is nothing more than to procure sufficient of the basic requisites of life to maintain one’s physical body, so that one can pursue the perfections in every ways and in every opportunities. Buddhism has never taught us to hanker unduly after unnecessary things or the accrue material asset to satisfy our desires.The success of the social or economic development of a country is not measured by the level of the material or financial wealth alone but by the absence of the poverty and the quality of life of the people.Those who already have their own spouses go in search of others.Principles for administering one’s possessions1. Acquisition:When acquiring assets, you should earn them in a scrupulous way without taking advantage of other people, by not breaking the law, breaking the custom, breaking one’s precepts or breaking the virtue.2. Expenditure:When using your wealth, you should not be stringy or extravagant. You should not be reluctant to use what you have earned for you own welfare and the welfare of those close to you. At the same time, you should practice generosity sharing with others, and use the wealth to benefit the society.3. Attitude:One should not worship money but should see it as a means or tool by which one can lead a contented life.Types of PovertyThere are two types of paupers in the society1. Material paupers:The are the people who suffer from lacking of financial resources. They are temporarily poor because if they can find an appropriate way to earn their money, they with be able to escape from poverty.2. Spiritual paupers:They are people who never become contended with their financial respurces. They belong to “permanent poor” category. They are wealthy people who never contended with their wealth because they always think that they need more.Thus, contentment means “knowing moderation”. It is a miraculous virtue which can stop people form competing mercilessly with one another, stop extravagance, stop pretentiousness, stop recklessness, stop wars, making people self-sufficient with their socio-economic status.“Contentment is the ultimate wealth”Peacefulness: occurs when the mind is free from stress and anxiety.Way to achieve contentment in everyday life1. Daily reflections on the impermanence of life:The reality of life is that we grow old, get sick and eventually die. We cannot escape from this. If we can habitually reflect this process in life, the greediness will disappear and the contentment will arise. No matter how much wealth we accrue, we cannot take them with us when we pass away.2. Know moderation in eating:We should have the motto ‘Eat to live rather than live to eat’. This is the basic level of contentment that we should practice every day.3. Practice generosity:If we often give things to others, it will help us to overcome the greediness.4. Observe eight precepts:Eight precepts help to engender many aspects of contentment. For example, the third precept of abstaining from sexual relations trains us to overcome indulgence in sexual pleasure. The sixth precept of not taking food in the evening helps us to overcome our excessive desire for food. The seventh precept of not wearing jewelry or make up trains us to be contended with our natural beauty. The eighth precept of not sleeping on a luxurious bed trains us to overcome the desire for comfort.5. Meditate regularly:When we meditate regularly, the mid becomes refined and we can think clearly.Training in contentment of Thai societySince ancient times, Thai society has had efficient way of training in contentment by the ordination. Even it is just a temporary ordination; one Buddha lent period (three months).However, it give the ordinances the chance to experience inner happiness that independent to material object, the happiness that come from knowing contentment and the subtlest states of inner peace. This inner happiness is difficult to experience in normal daily life of the laypeople.Those who ordain as monks are allowed to use only the bare minimum of material requisites, namely three robes, one bowl for alms round, and other eight requisites. The ordinance will experience a simple life without worries or being attached to the material wealth. They will experience the freedom of mind which gives rise to the subtlest states of inner happiness that is different form the superficial happiness they had when they were a laypeople. The monkhood will allow the person to understand the important to their happiness of attaining contentment in life.The Benefits of Contentment1. Free from worries.2. Refrain from unwholesomeness.3. Freedom of mind and body.4. Free from any mistakes.5. Easy to cultivate the virtues.6. Live without suffering and dangers.7. Achieve prosperity and progress in life.8. Being called as a person who brings the prosperity of Buddhism." /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " />
Contentment # 2
[ 23 ต.ค. 2554 ] - [ 18263 ]
Desktop Version
