In the same vein of altruism that was prevalent in my last post, I would like to touch on the applications of what I have been learning in school. More specifically, I would like to apply the understandings and reasoning behind the development and function of early Hinduism and Buddhist beliefs.
Buddha teaches us that we are existent within a world rife with suffering. Suffering of the mind, body, and heart. Moreover, he teaches that these forms of suffering are nothing more than superficial matters, but are ultimately intertwined infinitely and unending through the natural laws of karma. Which brings me to the roots of Hinduism.
Hinduism is polytheistic in that they believe in many gods that embody everything from air, to grain, to love, etc. However, all of these deities are all sub-forms comprising the three primary gods of Brahman (Creation), Shiva (Destruction), and Vishnu (Preservation, or mediation/balance). These three prime deities align perfectly with the Buddhist understandings of suffering, cessation of suffering, and continual maintenance of nirvana (balance).
These two separate ideologies are obviously very similar, but when understood as a related through the cultural diffusion and cyclical evolution of an original ideology, it becomes clear to see that they are merely offshoots of the same thought. So what does this have to do with altruism and my last post? Because of the caste-system and understanding of reincarnation and karma inherent in each.
In the Hindu caste-system, you are meant to understand your place, and actively do everything in your power to observe the proper rituals required to balance out your karma so that you can be reincarnated in the higher caste. Alternately, Buddhism teaches that you must be aware of the "suffering" around you, and reconcile with it accordingly to maintain nirvana and balance in order to simply use your karma the most wisely.
As I learn these things from an objective standpoint, I can't help but to apply these same understandings to my own life as I see it now. The result I come to begins with the realization of where I stand "consciously" based on my own experiences and "path" thus far. What I realize is that I am a scholar and will always derive the most happiness, and achieve the greatest peace when I am learning, and/or when I have sated my thirst for knowledge.
What this means is that school will always make me happy when I am genuinely learning something. This explains why my constant questioning of orders in the military (not to disobey, but rather just to understand the underlying reasoning behind one decision or another) led to such a great deal of strife and misery. And why every relationship I have ever had ultimately ended with me confused and yearning to know where, how, and why things went wrong, and led to the dwindling of attachment and subsequent breakup.
I understand how and why my life is filled with suffering the way it is, and I also understand how I must act, effect, and truly "feel" the moments of my life so that I can derive outward resilience, inner strength, and ultimate peaceful balance with my own path. And while this post may seems a bit dogmatic by the fervor with which I write these words, I must admit that I am no believer or spiritualist, I just try to make the best decisions with what I do know.
In point of fact I am a realist, in that I take a stance of introspection and awareness coupled with my analytical understanding to derive a deeper meaning to my own life. This is how I have always been and how I will continue to live. Because in the end, whatever doctrine or spiritualism you choose to anchor yourself to, we have only this one life. So make it count. And on the off chance that there is a continuation, re-manifestation, or subsequent consciousness beyond this one, life is just easier if we do our best to balance out the "karma" in our lives by acting only the most prudent and making the best choices in every situation we face.
Take it for what its worth, and thanks for reading.. that is all.
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