Dalai Lama and the Buddhism Uniqueness - Assignment Example

Q1. The differences between the Buddhist and western approaches to determine the source of one’s problems Buddhists believe that the source of people’s problems is their greed, hatred and delusion. They believe that people’s inner desire for things that they do not have leads to problems since they will try and attain what they lack. Hatred is also a major cause of people’s problems as there is no happiness with each other, be it a person or a thing. As a result of hatred, there is selfishness reflected from one person to another. Delusion and illusion of things not attained, leads to people’s problems in a way that they live a different life from what they envision. To avoid problems and live as one happy group, the Buddhist suggests that people have proper attitudes, thoughts and actions towards each other. The western approach is that one’s problems are caused by lack or failure to have. This approach states that when you have what you desire, you are happy and not troubled because your needs are met. On the other hand, as human when we lack these needs and wants, we are in problems. Lack of food, shelter, basic health care, and other needs result to anxiety as what contributes to our well being is not available. To avoid this, the western culture advocates for hard work in order to achieve one’s daily needs, meet their wants and be happy. As people work hard to meet their needs and avoid problems, they ignore other people’s problems. The Buddhist refers to this approach as selfish and individualistic. . Q2. Dalai Lama’s opinion on happiness in relation to nature – nurture Lama had a special way as to what is true happiness and how one can achieve true happiness in life. He says that every motion in our life is towards happiness and in the process of searching for happiness, people undergo suffering. According to him, many people in the world work at achieving their own happiness but the secret to true happiness is making others happy. He says that ‘’all happiness in the world comes from the desire for happiness for others’’ (p 52). He also adds that happiness comes as a result of humility; to cultivate humility which is one’s virtue leads to inner happiness. Regarding other people as more precious than us leads to happiness. This regard is shown in our actions and deeds towards them and not striving to make ourselves happy which is a resemblance of selfishness. Seeking personal happiness by nature is a self centered move since it makes only one person happy and inconsiderate to other people. Lama suggests that many of the people in the world who are unhappy are those who are after their own happiness and who have a self-focused view towards happiness. Q3. Dalai Lama’s opinion about positive and negative desire and its relation to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs As much as Dalai Lama taught about living a selfless lifestyle, he acknowledges that people have needs that have to be met for them to feel comfortable and value themselves as humans. Positive desires are more like needs and if not met, there is trouble in the person. Positive desires are required so as to have a strong self confidence, says Lama. In relation to Maslow’s hierarchy, positive desires are a representation of the basic needs in any person’s life which include food, clothing, and shelter. Unless these basic necessities are provided, the person’s dignity and self worth is not realized. Negative desires on the other hand are wants that people can do without; things that people want to have but can live well without. These negative desires arise due to lust and greed of the human nature. They arise in a person after having seen them with other people and desire to have the same. In this line, they are the highest components in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The top most components in the hierarchy are Ego- status and self actualization, which are not necessary but need arise as people attain one level. According to Maslow hierarchy of needs, when an individual attains one level, he is compelled and motivated to move to the next level. The desire to keep on ascending in the hierarchy are the negative desires according to Lama since these needs that people strive to realize one can live comfortably without. Q4 Dalai Lama’s concepts of how one creates self-created suffering giving a personal example According to Dalai Lama, self created suffering is caused by greed and lust for things that one does not have presently but desires to have and hence makes an effort to have them. The urge within a person to attain the visualized thing leads to unhappiness and suffering as they strive to achieve the desire. Dalai Lama refers to this as self – created suffering seeing that it is a desire from within; it is a drive that a person has to go the next level. Due to this desire to achieving a certain thing, one creates a pressure on themselves’ to move forward to achieve. I have desired to a laptop which is one of the most expensive computer of our time. This desire has pushed me to take on part time jobs in order to save and buy the laptop. In the process, I have reduced that time I rest and share with my family and friends, hence bringing suffering to me and those around me. The process of attaining my dream laptop is exhausting because my resting hours are limited compared to the recommended eight sleeping hours one ought to have. Q5 Dalai Lama’s concepts of how one finds value and benefit of compassion giving a personal example Compassion is an inner desire for other people to be free from their suffering whether physical, emotional or psychological. Compassion leads someone to taking action and a commitment to see other peoples’ suffering ended. Genuine compassion requires nothing in return from the recipient, but the sole drive is to see them as happy as giver. The other form of compassion is where you free someone from suffering so as to gain or get something in return. Compassion makes us love other people and show concern about their well being. At a personal level, there is need for me to be compassionate to those around me be it family, friends or strangers. Compassion drives me to give to charity, food to the hungry or paying someone’s hospital bill. The joy of the other person after they are freed from suffering, gives me a feeling of happiness when they are physically and emotionally okay. Although it is hard to show compassion to an enemy or a person I dislike, I try my level best to help them as if they were my brother. Q6 Dalai Lama’s concepts of how to train one’s mind for happiness giving a personal example According to Lama, learning is a way on how to train your mind on happiness. One should learn the things that are good and bad to them as an individual as well as those around him. We have to learn the negative and positive aspects of our life, their causes, and their immediate and long time effects. When we learn this, we have a good base of how to react when faced by various situations. Lama emphasizes on learning both negative and positive emotions and behaviors and how destructive or constructive depending on how they are handled. Personally, I try to focus on the positive side of everything irrespective of what comes my way. I believe in the motto that I am my thoughts hence positive thinking makes me happy. This is because I have trained my mind to look at the positive side of things hence my mind gives a positive reaction to everything that is posed at me. With this mindset, I am able to appreciate both good and bad things that come my way. Q7 Dalai Lama’s concepts of how to deal with Anger and hatred giving a personal example Dalai Lama’s concept on anger and hatred is very realistic though unbelievable to many people. Lama concept rallies for patience and tolerance when faced with situations that makes one angry as a person. He acknowledges that anger cultivates loads of energy, but how this energy is used, is the problem. Many people will result to hatred hence fighting and destruction. However there are various remedies to converting the anger to a positive response e.g. letting out and being open about what you feel. He says that true tolerance and patience are a result of self discipline and restraint to overcome the negative reaction that may arise. As a person when I am angry, I walk away and resolve the issue later when I am calm and more composed. Although this is not the best move as it does not give an immediate solution, it is important to have self control, patience and tolerance so as to solve disputes in a mature way. Solving disputes when both or one party is angry leads to a situation of discontent with whatever judgment that is passed. As a result, a grudge arises and an urge for revenge starts within the two parties that are at loggerheads. Q8 Dalai Lama’s concepts of how to with deal anxiety and build self-esteem giving a personal example According to Dalai Lama, anxiety is not a major problem in anyone’s life as it has a solution. He says that it has a remedy hence no need to worry about it. Spending more time thinking about the solution is the remedy, worrying about the problem as it worsens it. Lama says if you have a sincere motivation for doing something then, fear and anxiety are reduced. If you are ready to reveal yourself in kindness, compassion and respect to others there will be no space for fear or anxiety from within. Honesty leads to self confidence as you are aware of what you can do and what you cannot do as an individual. From a personal level, I solve my anxiety by accepting myself for who I am and appreciating my strengths and weaknesses. With this I realize that there are things I cannot do hence I don’t dwell on them but instead I focus on the positive things which will build me and others. If I do not build my self- esteem, this will lead to a point of feeling worthless as I compare myself to other peoples’ strengths. Self acceptance and appreciation are a remedy that everyone should always have. Q9. Dalai Lama’s concepts on basic spiritual values and how one could use them in their daily life Spirituality is a topic that is special to Dalai Lama and he says that every human being should embark on a spiritual path. However the path “chosen should be best suited for the person’s mental disposition, natural incantation, temperament, belief, family and cultural background’’ (Lama P 294). To this effect, he advises that each person should have a thirty minute to one hour devotion per day but practice what you believe in, twenty four hours a day. From this, he says that true spirituality is a mental attitude that one can achieve anytime. There is also basic spirituality which involves human qualities of goodness, kindness, compassion, care. One should have this spirituality whether they are believers or not. The concept is applicable in my daily life as they are values that I live with daily, that is how I carry myself and treat people around me. The concept is more on how I relate to others and my mindset as opposed to spending long hours in my place of worship or doing devotion. With the right attitude, it is easy to attain and practice the spiritual values and live a holy life because the mind is trained to do the good deeds. Q10. Meaning of life as examined by Astra Taylor Film maker Astra Taylor seeks to understand the true meaning of life and talked to various philosophers of modern times on their views about the meaning of life. Here are some of the views that the philosophers had: Avital Ronell According to this philosopher, meaning is hard to come by as there are many aspects and dimensions of life from which the same can be looked at. To come up with a definite meaning of what life is, is unachievable as people have their own definitions. Many people view the meaning of life according to association to a certain thing or group. They want to be linked with a religion in an entity of spirituality; others will want to belong to a country in the entity of patriotism. But the true meaning of life cannot be grasped or laid down. It is not tangible yet many people try to achieve it throughout their life. There are various efforts by politics to refuse gratification but there are no rules to define what life is. The fact that there is no clear meaning to life leads to anxiety as one wonders if they are doing the right thing or not. When one is cautious about their actions, it may mean to show that they are not responsible enough to what they are doing or were doing before. True meaning of life can only be given by an individual but not from a generalized approach. Peter Singer This philosopher talks about ethics and defines it simply by the choices that we make on how to act or behave. He brings out the aspect of people wanting to spend money on luxurious things yet they had the choice to give the same money for a worthy course for example giving to charity. It is ethics that leads to our moral issues as they are choices that we make. We have obligation that we have to choose and go by as people without waiting for a guiding rule or law by external bodies. The meaning of life is given by the choices that we make as individuals and not a common meaning to all people. The choices that we make not only affect us but those who are around us. Kwame Antony Appieh This philosopher discusses life as a journey where one is travelling around and meets many people in the process. Some you interact with one-on-one and others you don’t. Everyone is in a relationship with a million other people in the universe and we need to be responsible for all those around us not only family and friends but fellow citizens. The choices that we make on how we do things mean a lot as they can either build or destroy us. He uses a German quote that shows if you try and harm your friend, he will bash your skull. Hence every choice we make, we should be sure to do it right and avoid conflict with others. Martha Nussbaum According to this philosopher, meaning of life is looked at from a point of human capability; what are we capable of in our actions, thoughts and imaginations. We must have values that govern us on how to relate with other people well. People have a general or popular culture but it is their values that build them up. People ought to treat others with respect for other to reciprocate and live in harmony. You have to join hands to make the world a better place for all live in. Cornel West Cornel says that courage is a virtue that all people should posses so as to face life in a bold way and to take up the challenges that come with it. He states that everyone has their own way of passing time. Many people love music, others prefer outdoor activities while some will seat and meditate. He tries to bring out the aspect of people deriving pleasure in many different ways. Social life however is important. People should appreciate it, take time off their work to relax and ease the built up pressure. He says “the pleasure of the mind cannot be denied. Even without a social life, the mind thirsts for some things”. Even for people who are not very social, they still have to take time off to do what pleases and rejuvenates their minds and bodies. He connects the aspect of work and pleasure to show that everything is meaningful but the meaning is not definite as every individual has their own true meaning to life. In conclusion, life is what we want it to be and how we view it as individuals. We cannot define real happiness or the true meaning of life but our actions contribute wholly to achieving it. Our actions should not be fuelled by our earthly desires and demands, but instead focus on what affects other people. If trying to get my happiness will affect those around me, it will be nice to consult with them and get their views on the same. The teachings of Dalai Lama and those of other philosophers are to be taken cautiously as they all have things that we can borrow from. Works cited Lama, D. and Cutler, H. The Art of Happiness, Riverhead publishers, 1998 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p9OV5t2QIs Read More