Header Ads

I'm new to Buddhism... This might have been asked before: what's the difference between being a Buddhist, and being complacent?

Recently I've been diagnosed with depression, and as I endured all my sleepless nights, anxiety, and harmful thoughts, I read up on Buddhism and it honestly seems to me that this is the perfect solution for changing my mindset and my outlook, and helping me recover and live a more fulfilling life.

I'm still confused on some certain aspects, and as I'm still learning, I might still be a little ignorant or mistaken on some topics... so the Four Noble Truths mention that desire is suffering, and that letting go of this temporary urge or desire will help us clear our mind and detach ourselves from this suffering.

What I'm confused about is, if this mention of desire encapsulates all instances of human wants, dreams, and ambitions, is it considered "suffering" to put in work, time, and energy attempting to realize a certain dream that you desire fulfillment of, like becoming a musician, or becoming a millionaire? I feel like I'm wrong in assuming Buddhist teachings imply that the desire to work for a certain goal or to "climb a mountain" should be let go in order to achieve happiness, but to me this just seems like complacency or "giving up," but I can't interpret the Four Noble Truths any other way, and I feel frustrated because I feel like there should exist a mindset where I can still put all my energy and effort towards making music, or making art, and working towards certain goals, without considering this upwards climb a form of suffering if there ever comes a time where I might have trouble reaching or achieving these goals set for myself.

There are for sure many very successful Buddhists who have put in work and energy, and gone through suffering to realize their individual dreams, but is there a way I can consider reaching for these ambitions not as a form of dhukka?

Or should I interpret these truths in the sense that I can work for and desire to reach a certain goalpoint or dream, as long as I can work to let go of any pain or dissatisfaction if I don't reach these goals, or if I consider this work or "grind" as more of a fulfilling journey rather than suffering or dhukka itself?

If I'm misunderstanding something or missing a key point I'd appreciate if I could be corrected! I just started reading about Buddhism a few days ago and I'm really interested in changing my philosophy and letting Buddhism influence my daily habits and outlook.

submitted by /u/PM_ME_ANIME_SAMPLES
[link] [comments]

from Buddhism https://ift.tt/2OVt5ii
Blogger द्वारा संचालित.