What's if you're Strong?
Saturday, 22. March 2008, 20:15:51
I've found this in a very interesting and valuable blog by Susthama:
While I agree with the 12 steps in principle, the seventh step confuses me a little. This step assumes that all the people are weak by definition. And what if some person accounts himself as strong enough? This again leads me to my old thoughts that all religions (including even Buddhism) are designed for weak people (or grey masses).
Maybe strength could be accounted for another weakness? Or maybe a strong person is not normal amongst a human world? I doubt it. In my meaning - personal strength is the ability to fine control and to have a good balance between good and evil. Or in other words - to be beneath the good and evil and to supervise them.
Also, does it mean that Buddha was a weak person too? Otherwise - where these rules come from? Rules can come only from strong and supervising person. Am I missing something?
Here is a rough 12 step guide to help you with the problem of life – addiction to self.
...
Step Seven
Accept that I am limited, imperfect, cruel, hurtful, jealous, passionate, and deficient, this is what keeps me humble and modest. I don’t expect to be Amida or perfect.
...
While I agree with the 12 steps in principle, the seventh step confuses me a little. This step assumes that all the people are weak by definition. And what if some person accounts himself as strong enough? This again leads me to my old thoughts that all religions (including even Buddhism) are designed for weak people (or grey masses).
Maybe strength could be accounted for another weakness? Or maybe a strong person is not normal amongst a human world? I doubt it. In my meaning - personal strength is the ability to fine control and to have a good balance between good and evil. Or in other words - to be beneath the good and evil and to supervise them.
Also, does it mean that Buddha was a weak person too? Otherwise - where these rules come from? Rules can come only from strong and supervising person. Am I missing something?
(14%)
WIDGETIZE
Nikio # 29. March 2008, 23:36
1. That list is created to help addicted people create new model of the world inside their head (and replace bad model the have been following),
2. because of that, the list must not be generalized but considered in limited number of situations.
If you want to read something really good about the dillemas you proposed in this posting, please find book Alamut by Vladimir Bartol. Here is the link from original publisher, but I believe it is available on Amazon too: http://www.sanje.si/delo.php?deloId=132
Susthama Marian Kim # 4. April 2008, 18:01
It is based on the human condition being frail and weak. This list is for those who acknowledge this weakness and recognize that they can't cure themselves. This relieves one of alot of self-abuse and self-punishment because if they could then it's their own fault for not getting themselves out of the fixes they find themselves in.
I think the Buddhist world can divide themselves into two; the ones who feel they have the capacity to attain nirvana/enlightenment, and the ones who feel they can't.
Me, I'm of the opinion that the human condition is vulnerable and prone to err. This has been my experience and strength comes from something else and I have confidence in it so in turn it gives me strength but I don't feel that I necessarily have to have it in the first place.
Thanks for this.
S