Are needs weaknesses?

I've always believed in the ancient Egyptian proverb, "The kingdom of heaven is within you." It seems clear to me that the concept was carried over into Christianity:

Luke 17:20-21

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Here is the full ancient Egyptian proverb:

"The kingdom of heaven is within you, and whosoever shall know himself shall find it." Source

In Hinduism and Buddhism, I'm of the opinion that needs can only be seen as a negative as well.

Nirvana is a place of perfect peace and happiness, like heaven. In Hinduism and Buddhism, nirvana is the highest state that someone can attain, a state of enlightenment, meaning a person's individual desires and suffering go away.

The origin of the word nirvana relates to religious enlightenment; it comes from the Sanskrit meaning "extinction, disappearance" of the individual to the universal. Achieving nirvana is to make earthly feelings like suffering and desire disappear. It's often used casually to mean any place of happiness, like if you love chocolate, going to Hershey's Park would be nirvana. On the other hand, if you're a Buddhist monk, it may take you years of meditating to reach nirvana.

Source

Once again, the belief is that the most a human being can achieve is the absence of needs.

What does the above have to do with the topic at hand? In my view, if you believe that the kingdom of heaven (or nirvana) is within, it can be reached without any help from the outside. I believe that means that needs (in a spiritual sense) are superfluous to reaching the pinnacle of human achievement (heaven/nirvana) because needs always involve attaining something from outside of oneself. That's why I'm of the view that needs are weaknesses. We can't do away with all of our needs such as eating and drinking. But, those needs are also weaknesses in my mind because they require energy that could be used for more productive endeavors (if we didn't need them).

Needs, and "needs", are slavery.

If your actual needs aren't met you wont much get around to nirvana.

one single sentence from the bible and you decide it encompasses all the bibles teachings
In the bible a man promises God he will sacrifice the first person to walk into his tent, the first person was his daughter...
Does that mean we should all go sacrifice our daughters

Your comments are out of context

Wants are weaknesses, needs are living

Your comments are perfect and right to the point! If the kingdom of heaven is within, then this body is without. Everything without is without the within, so let us give up that and lets go swimming.a reply to: Profusion

a reply to: Profusion

Needs are different from wants

Example being ...One can want to eat out of habit or greed
But one needs to eat when your body requires food

And of course the Human Race needs to procreate in order that it may survive
We are hard wired to do so

All needs met the mind is able to focus on more spiritual matters
Each have their own path and purpose
Though each individual is an integral part of the whole

a reply to: Profusion

Does the Kingdom of God being within you indicate that you are
IN God's Kingdom?

Every sinner and ungodly man on the planet has the Kingdom
of God within them, but it should be common sense that
their works of fornication, lying, witchcraft, heresy,
adultery and murder plainly show they are not IN the
Kingdom of God.

The term KINGDOM signifies RULE or REIGN.
Those truly in God's Kingdom are RULED by God.
Anyone from Stalin to Hitler can say they have
the Kingdom of God within, but none of these
persons were RULED by God, as was witnessed
by their lifestyle and actions.

Christ teaching that the Kingdom of God being in you, does
not mean you are IN the Kingdom. Your soul/spirit is still
on the outside according to the following scriptures;

Teaching of Christ that many that are now seeking to enter
the Kingdom will not be able; Luke 13:24 Strive to enter in
at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter
in, and shall not be able.

The Parable of the ten virgins found in Matthew chap 25,
which explains why only 5 made it in to the Kingdom.

The Parable of the sower found in Mark chapter 4, which
explains how only 1/4 of those who heard the Word of God
entered into the Kingdom.

Teaching of the Apostle Paul in Galations chapter 5
who showed the difference in FRUIT of those in God's
Kingdom, and those who are not.

There are hundreds of other scriptures, but this is sufficient
enough to prove your misunderstanding. These Biblical teachings
distinctly show those still on the outside of the Kingdom and
hence why their lifestyle follow UNGODLINESS and REBELLION
against GOD and His Son Yahushua the Christ.

I hope you'll take time to read Christ parables about the Kingdom
It would also be of benefit if you understood the biblical term
ELECT. Because ONLY the ELECT are in the Kingdom of God.

a reply to: Profusion

originally posted by: Profusion
Once again, the belief is that the most a human being can achieve is the absence of needs.

I think what you said here in relation to Buddhism may be a little simplistic. The practice of Buddhism involves 'purifying the heart' in a sense. To rid of its 'defilements' like ill will, greed and anger, etc. Maybe you can say those are related to desires also.

In the original Buddhist practice, there is the practice of Satipatthana. It is the practice of watching/observing yourself - your actions, your thoughts, feelings, mental condition, etc. with the purpose of gaining understanding of yourself. I think it is in accord with the practice of 'know thyself'.

-----

"The savior said, "Brother Thomas while you have time in the world, listen to me, and I will reveal to you the things you have pondered in your mind."

"Now, since it has been said that you are my twin and true companion, examine yourself, and learn who you are, in what way you exist, and how you will come to be. Since you will be called my brother, it is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself."

- From The Book of Thomas the Contender, The Nag Hammadi Library

Let's assume that you reach a state of body awareness where the body vibrates at a certain level and can be felt like the skin is caressed by unseen hands and you can use some of that energy to manipulate other bodies to become calm with tool like Reiki (of course asking before you do something to get consent).

Does this body bliss mean that you will not be annoyed at things you see that are insane behavior and a deviation from the golden rule when you analyze human society?

Even if a human can be seen as a cell making up a greater body, individual cells can still be poisonous to the other cells?

a reply to: Raggedyman

That's the thing, you took it litterally.
What the sacrifice of the daughter means is the lower emotions of the spirit. To sacrifice the lower emotions in order to obtain Godhood. That is why he wanted to "sacrifice" his daughter for a "higher power".

originally posted by: luciferslight
a reply to: Raggedyman

That's the thing, you took it litterally.
What the sacrifice of the daughter means is the lower emotions of the spirit. To sacrifice the lower emotions in order to obtain Godhood. That is why he wanted to "sacrifice" his daughter for a "higher power".

Oh
So you read the story
and understood it, and said I took it literally, was it spiritual then, an analogy, a dream

You havnt a clue what the story is about or where it came from

I could have just said it was there and it wasn't

You should research before making flippant commentd

originally posted by: Profusion


Here is the full ancient Egyptian proverb:

"The kingdom of heaven is within you, and whosoever shall know himself shall find it." Source

If you know yourself as the space in which everything is appearing instead of a separate thing appearing in the space - you will know that all that appears cannot appear without you.
You are heaven and nothing can appear outside the kingdom.

In Hinduism and Buddhism, I'm of the opinion that needs can only be seen as a negative as well.

Once again, the belief is that the most a human being can achieve is the absence of needs.

The idea that you are a person, a separate thing must go for the end of needs to go. When it has been found that everything that appears is simply just happening there will be no individual suffering.
Suffering might appear but it does not belong to anyone. Everything and anything can appear in the unconditional space of awareness - that is what makes it unconditional.

originally posted by: nOraKat
a reply to: Profusion

originally posted by: Profusion
Once again, the belief is that the most a human being can achieve is the absence of needs.

I think what you said here in relation to Buddhism may be a little simplistic. The practice of Buddhism involves 'purifying the heart' in a sense. To rid of its 'defilements' like ill will, greed and anger, etc. Maybe you can say those are related to desires also.

The heart cannot be purified by the mind - no amount of trying to be good will make you good. Only when you realise that you are not a thing will the conflict cease.

In the original Buddhist practice, there is the practice of Satipatthana. It is the practice of watching/observing yourself - your actions, your thoughts, feelings, mental condition, etc. with the purpose of gaining understanding of yourself. I think it is in accord with the practice of 'know thyself'.

The thing is - you can never observe yourself - you are what is seeing. Everything that appears is not you - neti, neti (not this, not this) nothing that can be perceived is you. Can you see what it is that is seeing these words? Notice that you are the seeing but not the seen. Everything that appears is dream stuff - but has anyone seen the dreamer??
The dreamer and the dream are one seamless happening.

All we really need to find is what is looking/seeing - the truth is hidden in plain sight (the act of seeing).
“What we are looking for is what is looking.” St. Francis.

Let's look at needs in a different light. If one has a need (also desire) to seek and attain Nirvava is that a weakness or a strength? Is that need driven by an existing feeling of something missing in one's life or weakness, or driven by strength and courage to better oneself to gain self-awareness? There are many underlying reasons why we choose certain paths. Then we come back to 'know thyself' because without self awareness, needs cannot be understood, and, therefore, can never be met.

Once needs are understood, then to explore ways to meet those needs should be attempted, which, to me, takes courage to face and conquer.

Some needs such as love and compassion can only make one's inner light shine brighter. This, however, is a my subjective stance, whereas another may have deemed love and compassion as weaknesses to be overcome; subjectivity. To each their own to define weakness and strength.

Just sharing..

What is lacking right now?

a reply to: Itisnowagain

So much is lacking in this world...where do I start. How about love and compassion?

originally posted by: InTheLight
a reply to: Itisnowagain

So much is lacking in this world...where do I start. How about love and compassion?

Love is here now always.
And real compassion is knowing that no one is doing anything.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

Not for all. And even from Robert's tape, he seems to be seeking happiness, therefore, it must be lacking.

a reply to: InTheLight

Is there anything lacking for you right now?

Thought might tell you something is missing but without thought - is there anything wrong or right or missing?

An absence of need produces only stagnation, and therefore the ultimate weakness. Without needs there can never be growth.

Just sayin'

originally posted by: loam
An absence of need produces only stagnation, and therefore the ultimate weakness. Without needs there can never be growth.

Just sayin'

If you think you a small thing you might want to grow - but if you find out what you really are there will be no way you can grow!