Purpose of human life

No, i haven't read the link, nor will i. My remarks are based on the exploitation of the Tibetans by Buddhist monasteries before the Chinese invasion, and the farce of a "government in exile" which runs after the Dalai Lama. Every one of them a Buddhist monk (small wonder, since no one in Tibet got a public education before the Chinese invasion), not a single one of them chosen by the Tibetan people, every one of them appointed by the Dalai Lama.

If what you have been claiming recently in this thread is true, the Dalai Lama will have no interest in helping anyone--they have to help themselves.

My "case" is just fine--in fact, you keep making it for me.

Why not read the link anyway your sources might be incorrect. If not then isn't it about what a person says now that matters. The Buddha always taught that selfishness leads to suffering so Buddhists would try to remove it as part of their practice.

What do you have to lose - read the link above and give your response? You can't be a critic if you won't read the current words of those you want to criticize.

Once again, you demonstrate that you don't get it. I con't care what the Dalai Lama says. My objection to that smug, self-satisfied and selfish son of a bitch is based on how the Tibetans lived before the Chinese invasion. Here, let me give you a bit of Christian scripture on the subject--you always seem to be completely incapable of understanding that:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

The Dalai Lama heads a putative "government in exile," the members of which are all Buddhist monks, and all appointed by him, none of them chosen by the Tibetan people. Before the Chinese invasion, there were no roads which were not made by hand by the people, a labor for which they were not paid. There was no airport. There was no public education. There was no system to produce and deliver clean water anywhere in Tibet. There was no sewage system anywhere in Tibet. There was no garbage collection anywhere in Tibet. There were no public health clinics, there were no hospitals.

The Tibetan people in 1950 lived no differently than their ancestors had lived in 950--except that in 950, the people were not feeding tens of thousands of useless, Buddhist monk mouths.

The Tibetan people were sunk in an idiotic superstition. The supernatural fairy tales about Jetsun Milarepa are a perfect example. They were held in thrall to a theistic feudalism in which every man, woman and child was owned by a monastery, and spent their lives providing the food and clothing the monks used. The greatest ambition of any parent was that his son would become a monk--the girls were screwed, both figurativelyand literally. All they were good for was breeding.

By their fruits you shall know them--the fruits of Kagyu Buddhism, and the other sects of Buddhism in Tibet was to keep their people ignorant, impoverished and shackled to the field which fed the monks.

Given a choice I will go with the Dalai Lama's actual words which can be found in the link I posted to you above and in everything he has ever published. Which is unselfish, wise, compassionate and full of loving kindness. Non-theistic... and mostly practical non-religious advice (advice in the sense of sharing his own thoughts on the matter to those who wish to read them) ... on how to live a humane life. I can't see how anyone could have a problem with that?

http://www.dalailama.com/messages/compassion

I am not sure if I would as far as you Setanta.

But the Dali Lama sure does have a hell of a successful marketing department. And he seems to be a bit of a publicity whore. His sucking up to Steven Seagal (the second rate actor) for example is excessive.

I'm sure you don't see--you have shown yourself again and again to be unable to see the points of view of others. I don't care what the gobshite says, what matters is what he does. He attracts huge donations to maintain a government in exile which has been appointed by him and which is comprised entirely of Buddhist monks, and not a penny of which goes to benefit the people of Tibet. Who cares how good his PR department is? (Good point, Max.)

What you say is mistaken. Also the Dalai Lama has voluntarily stepped down from his political role. He wants democracy for Tibetans in exile and has said so for many decades. The donations and spiritual work which helps relieve the mental suffering of others supports all the refugees.

Here is a Buddhist organization which is less than enchanted with the Dalai Lama: The Western Shugen Society

No, what you say is mistaken. You don't have clue what the huge, multi-million dollar Dalai Lama organization is all about, and you will, predictably, refuse to hear any criticism.

Go by what the Dalai Lama says... everywhere.. not what others who may have hidden agendas say.

I wish you the best Setanta... I'll let others judge the Dalai Lama for themselves. I don't need to defend him he doesn't need it. His actions of body and speech speak for themselves he is an exemplary Buddhist.

I think you and Setanta are in agreement on that one.

You got that right . . .

EDIT: I suspect the irony will blow right by igm . . . whoosh ! ! !

For the record, this is my original post in this thread:



I did not mention Buddhism.

Then . . .







It is to this drivel that i have been responding. Igm has backpeddled furiously, and now admits the selfish nature of Buddhism, that it is only intended to end suffering for the individual practitioner.

I did not come here with an ax to grind. I have simply been responding to the bullshit which igm posts.

This is what the Buddha taught. I said the purpose for a Traditional (Mahayana) Buddhist is this i.e. this is what the purpose of human life is... for a Buddhist. It is to help all without exception to remove the root cause of suffering by helping them to do it for themselves by following the Buddha's advice. That is unselfish. It involves developing loving kindness, compassion, and wisdom to help others in this way, who ever they are. Many mistakes are made along the way.

How right you were. In retrospect... excellent advice... I've learned something many thank!

Oh yeah, many mistakes are made along the way. The most glaring is the belief that the mumb0-jumbo you peddle will end the suffering of those who suffer debilitating diseases, or starvation, or brutal beatings, or injustices of any kind.

JLN is as full of **** as you are. I have judged Buddhism by the same standard that i judge all other religions. By their fruits you shall know them. In the balance of human suffering, Buddhism is just as empty, self-centerted, self-congratulatory and futile as any other religion.

Buddhism can be abandoned as an act of Buddhism.

Set, I want you to get it into your head once and for all that I am full of shitake.