"may all beings be happy" context?

[old3bob]

4 minutes ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

 

i don't categorize religious teachings or traditions as superstition.   

i generally seek to understand whatever story, event, lesson, quote, character, being, or description is presented, in the larger context of  what it means within that religion.   

 

Typically i will make the distinction in conversation or discussion between a "physical being" and a "non-physical being."  

 

The Buddha was not big on religious belief.  I'd also say the more important context is beyond academics thus in what it means across the board "metaphysically" or spiritually if that term works better.

[BigSkyDiamond]

15 minutes ago, old3bob said:

Mara or evil has many brothers and sisters, as in liar, cheater, thief,  manipulator of half truths, malice, greed, and on and on, thus I'd say far more than just a tempter.

 

That list is (some of the) things we are tempted by:

lie, cheat, steal, dishonesty, manipulation, greed, malice

 

Each of those is a choice whether and to what extent we engage in those.

 

In Buddha's case (the list in the Thich Nat Than article) he was tempted with:
wealth, power, fame, women, lavish lifestyle. leadership, government authority, business, success, prestige, public recognition.  The battle was to vanquish those temptations.  

 

vanquish =

1. to overcome in battle: subdue completely 

2. to defeat in a conflict or contest

3. to gain mastery over (an emotion, passion, or temptation)

 

Edited 20 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond

[BigSkyDiamond]

1 hour ago, old3bob said:

The Buddha was not big on religious belief.  I'd also say the more important context is beyond academics thus in what it means across the board "metaphysically" or spiritually if that term works better.

 

But the reason we know about Shakyamuni's battle with Mara at all though, is because it comes to us by way of the religious teachings of Buddhism.  So it is understood in that context.  And yes  it does have a broader practical application to daily life, even if someone is not a Buddhist, even if they are living an entirely secular life, even if they are not seeking enlightment or practicing dharma.   Because every person faces and deals with "what is the right thing to do" in this or that situation which they encounter in their daily life.  It is sometimes called conscience. The final sentence (see below in bold) for a secular application could read:

 

Mara is considered the one who distracts people from "doing the right thing."  Mara is considered the negative qualities found in human's egos and psyche. "

 

conscience: the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action.

 

 

Was Shakyamuni a real physical human being?  Yes.  Was Mara and the daughters and the army of demons in physical form?  No.  Did he really see them?   Well, physical humans have dreams and daydreams and visions.  It is a reality that those occur.  But the characters within the vision do not have physical substance.   If you had a dream last night then for  you it is real that you had a dream.  That dream really happened.  You know what you saw, including the characters and what they said and did and your interactions with them.  The dream or vision is real, yes.  Are the characters in the vision or dream physical, no.

 

 

"[There] is a painted mural  in Thailand about Siddhartha's battle with Mara. The story goes that while Siddhartha or Buddha Gautama was meditating trying to reach enlightenment, he was assaulted under the bodhi tree by the demon named Mara, who is often said to be the tempter. Mara used violence, sensory pleasure, and mockery to try to prevent Siddhartha from attaining enlightenment because he was afraid that Siddhartha would. Mara tempted Siddhartha with his daughters but Siddhartha was not moved. So Mara stood up with an army against him and Siddhartha touched the ground and it shook. Mara was defeated by Siddhartha and after the battle, it rained down lotus flowers. In the Buddhist religion, Mara is considered the one who distracts people from practicing Buddhist dharma. Mara is considered the negative qualities found in human's egos and psyche. "

 

from Jess Davis,  “Siddhartha's battle with Mara”

 

Edited 19 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond

[old3bob]

 

a tangent on that:  there is no awareness for humans in the physical without the workings of prana/energy in various forms at various levels including the astral, otherwise a persons body would more or less be in a vegetative state.  It could be said that the physical is the last in line of manifestation.  (that many strongly identify with as being who they  are along with their particular mind with nothing beyond that.

[BigSkyDiamond]

40 minutes ago, old3bob said:

 

a tangent on that:  there is no awareness for humans in the physical without the workings of prana/energy in various forms at various levels including the astral, otherwise a persons body would more or less be in a vegetative state.  It could be said that the physical is the last in line of manifestation.  (that many strongly identify with as being who they  are along with their particular mind with nothing beyond that.

 

yes.  i agree.

back of everything physical, is the non-physical which generates the physical.

the non-physical is the source of everything physical.

 

therefore we can change and affect the physical, by working at the level of the non-physical.  Our inner work results in changes in the outer world.

 

Edited 17 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond