The Fallen Prince! A Machiavellian insight into Gautama Buddahs Descent into Peasantry!

TripleLindy
reply to post by Chamberf=6

 

I agree that he speaks the truth ... just a very poor one!

I prefer a truth that is a bit more RICH for all of us!

One that includes both worlds and neither at the expense of the other!

So you want to be rich/wealthy before attaining Nirvana, or in your case go to praise god everyday in heaven?

Is your problem with living a simple ascetic life? Didn't your guy Jesus do that? (He was called prince too)

TripleLindy
reply to post by Chamberf=6

 

They were asking MY PERSONAL TAKE on what being A Prince was.

Not what my take on The Prince was!

Don't get confused now please.

Why even try to bring Machiavelli into it at all, then?

To come across more "schooled" or "deep"?

Since Jesus was a prince (not to me, but whatever) do you think he should have lived with riches and acted as instructed in The Prince?

If not, then why the Buddha?

We are Gods children ... he has an infinite credit card we can use ok!
Don't make me quote Jesus at you please!

Sure quote Jesus "at" us. Where did he uplift the (monetarily) rich? Where/when did live live like a rich man?

reply to post by Chamberf=6


No I am saying we should enjoy suffering more and buck the hell up and live with the realities of this existence
... BECAUSE technology can free all of us to live like princes and the universe is far big enough for us to each have our own SOLAR SYSTEM.

If the Buddha was truly God he would have KNOWN this!

Hence why I am making the claim that he was a false prophet and that was because he WAS indeed narrow minded and did not trust human capacity to be fair. He skewed the equation and made things worse.

Because look at it now... the world is freaking FILTHY!

I am fine to live an aesthetic life as long as everyone else gets to be a prince ok!

reply to post by TripleLindy


This isn't true.

Actually, TPTB both in Buddha's time and today very much feared the spread of Buddhism. Buddhism is the dissolving of artificial subjective boundaries... like removing adherence to society's unjust laws, inequitable caste systems, and the notion that persons of royalty/leadership are somehow above the common man.

Buddhism is the science of seeing through the illusion of subjectivity, learning that we are all one and that we all stand upon equal moral and legal ground.

So no, Buddhism doesn't make it easier for TPTB to control people, because TPTB can't control people who place no faith in those human-created social distinctions that are only designed to suppress the masses. Contrary to keeping people enslaved and indentured, Buddhism very much sets them free.

reply to post by TripleLindy

If the Buddha was truly God he would have KNOWN this

Um...he never said he was FYI.

Where do you get that idea? Is this where you find reason to keep calling him a "false prophet"?

No I am saying we should enjoy suffering more and buck the hell up and live with the realities of this existence ...
BECAUSE technology can free all of us to live like princes and the universe is far big enough for us to each have our own SOLAR SYSTEM.

Buddha said all life was suffering.

Technology can make me a prince? Can it give everyone vast wealth too?

Technology can give me my own solar system? Where do I sign up? At the Mormon church? Or the church of Scientology?

Either this discussion is to esoteric for me or the Buddhist teachings and societies I have been around did not read into his thoughts as the premises of this thread. True he was a Royal prince who was deeply moved by the meaning of life. True he gave all those comforts up on his quest for enlightenment. Once he became enlightened (which is not to be confused with trying to get there) his teachings then became more about life's path to peace, tranquility, harmony and happiness. The middle path of life of life can end much suffering and the route cause of most suffering comes with enlightenment and can be avoided by simply stopping what is causing the suffering; death and happiness are all part of this life as it has been since forever. .
As a child, Siddhartha the Buddha, was troubled by some of the same thoughts that children today have. They wonder about birth and death. They wonder why they get sick and why grandfather died. They wonder why their wishes do not come true. Children also wonder about happiness and the beauty in nature. There is still a child in all of us.
"The kind of seed sown will produce that kind of fruit. Those who do good will reap good results. Those who do evil will reap evil results. If you carefully plant a good seed and nurture it's cycle you will joyfully gather good fruit."
Dhammapada
Is a common belief with the Buddhist I have been around and I even married one.

Buddha sat and pondered/meditated for many years before his enlightenment and he had an extremely hard (self imposed) time during this period. Once enlightened he went to the city and sought out 5 holy men who he explained his new philosophy to and they became his first disciples. That was a miracle in itself IMO.

I am not sticking up for Buddha so please do not think I am. I have lived in Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian countries all over the world and for my two cents worth as a society the Buddhist are hard to beat with their respect and philosophy of life. They do not live in fear of some sky god's revenge for the revenge they will face is through their own actions and karma. Simple belief and seems to work for them.

Noble Eightfold Path:
1. Right View. The right way to think about life is to see the world through the eyes of the Buddha--with wisdom and compassion.

2. Right Thought. We are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good, strong characters.

3. Right Speech. By speaking kind and helpful words, we are respected and trusted by everyone.

4. Right Conduct. No matter what we say, others know us from the way we behave. Before we criticize others, we should first see what we do ourselves.

5. Right Livelihood. This means choosing a job that does not hurt others. The Buddha said, "Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by making others unhappy."

6. Right Effort. A worthwhile life means doing our best at all times and having good will toward others. This also means not wasting effort on things that harm ourselves and others.

7. Right Mindfulness. This means being aware of our thoughts, words, and deeds.

8. Right Concentration. Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this, we can be quiet and attain true peace of mind.

Following the Noble Eightfold Path can be compared to cultivating a garden, but in Buddhism one cultivates one's wisdom. The mind is the ground and thoughts are seeds. Deeds are ways one cares for the garden. Our faults are weeds. Pulling them out is like weeding a garden. The harvest is real and lasting happiness.

Also as in any other religion there are different sects and beliefs once mankind starts messing with the original message... The movie Avatar had many of the principles of the Buddhist way of life IMO without the floaty white thingies....

reply to post by Chamberf=6


I agree that he personally never said he was god ... however he hasn't dispelled that notion in the many reincarnations of his avatar, hence he is seen as a God!

Also if he was just about nirvana ... doesn't that lead one away from searching for oneself as god realized and instead swap that with a lesser [therefore false] but still achievable final destination point of ones soul.

A poverty stricken Godhood!

Why would anyone want to turn heaven into a ghetto?

I love Buddhism.

I love riches too.

Contradictions only exist in the mind.

reply to post by therealguyfawkes


I apologize for accidentally overlooking your post momentarily.

It is an opt out choice .. to not suffer!

I feel it is a complete cop out because that is what we are here to do ... AND we can all suffer far less if we are all on an equal HIGH level technological standing ... so the arguments of his time don't seem to hold up to hard and prolonged scrutiny in ours.

There is nothing wrong with a technocratic socialist galactic republic!

reply to post by TripleLindy

Nirvana in Buddhism can be described as bliss, peace, enlightenment which can be achieved in life or experienced in death.

If one has peace, bliss, and enlightenment, what need does one have for anything else (in your case riches)?

so the arguments of his time don't seem to hold up to hard and prolonged scrutiny in ours.

IMO the Eightfold Path holds up no matter what "time" you live in.

reply to post by 727Sky


Yes ...but did he think ... "Why can't all children be princes?" ...or did he take that not all children can be princes as a given from the get go.

Because if he didn't think that, then I'd say he is disqualified [hence false prophet] due to failing to comply with this ...

2. Right Thought. We are what we think. Clear and kind thoughts build good, strong characters.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Buddha was around in 525 or so BC, so there wasn't a whole lot of technology or creature comforts to really resist, mostly just palace pleasures, which he rejected. The premise that technology makes suffering bearable is true, but I don't see how Buddha is a false prophet because of this. No one is making you give up your possessions, least of all Buddha.

"why can't all children be princes"...

Buddhism is not about being a prince. Why would he want something for someone that he himself rejected?

TripleLindy
reply to post by filosophia

 

When everyone IS TPTB ... then no one is TPTB!

Okay, fine, but this statement has nothing to do with Buddhism, or The Prince. You seem to just be enjoying saying semantical musings.

The Dalai Lama tweets.

reply to post by Chamberf=6


Then there is no need to incarnate ever ... here is not a street ... its a playground!

If souls want to not incarnate they can go around the 3rd Dimension ok!

Its not a throuroughfare ... children are playing here for Gods sake!

TripleLindy
reply to post by Chamberf=6

 

Then there is no need to incarnate ever ... here is not a street ... its a playground!

If souls want to not incarnate they can go around the 3rd Dimension ok!

Its not a throuroughfare ... children are playing here for Gods sake!

What??

Are you on break from school?

????????

reply to post by Skyfloating


Starred!

I concur and I am glad you pointed that detail out!

reply to post by Chamberf=6


Life is my school ... existence is my teacher ... and I am in my psychology 101 class experimenting!

I will take a break when I am dead.

TripleLindy
reply to post by Chamberf=6

 

Life is my school ... existence is my teacher ... and I am in my psychology 101 class experimenting!

I will take a break when I am dead.

(points finger) FALSE PROPHET!!!!!

reply to post by Chamberf=6


No, seriously! I am like this in real life also!

Terrible huh!