Think twice before you do anything. For example;

Someone stares at me. I'd go up to him and ask "What you looking at?". Then I'd stare back right into his face like Vanderlei was on steroids.

If you wanted to rewire, you'd do this; "He's staring at me. Usually I'd go and stare back, but since I want to be a wuss, I'm just either going to ignore or avoid him."

Simple, isn't it? In reality, it's hard like hell.

Never figured out how to do it.

-Taison out

Yeah for sure it is hard as hell. It seems like we have no control almost we have to do the stupid stuff eventually. At least when you have attachments hence why the buddha taught us to break our attachments.

Was going to try to write something supportive, but came across this. A little better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDSAAlrqAHM

So basically we have to put people before ourselves and we'll learn to embrace the great people that we really are.
We have to make an effort to improve ourselves for the benefit of all.
I've heard many people say how much their life improved after finding religion (not that I'm religious). Is this not what religion teaches us? To put others before ourselves. It just so happens to be the way to enlightenment.

Believe it or not, even though I'm a strict buddhist, I am not able to follow his teachings.

I get attachments at all the time. I'm attached to my computer, I'm attached to my way of life, I'm attached to martial arts, I'm attached to being religious, I'm attached to any and all girls in my life.

What is to not get attached? Caring for something you love, is that not attachment?

Seeing my mother die and then tell me not to get attached? WTF is wrong with people. She was the being that gave birth to me, and then someone comes to me and says "don't get attached"? He deserves a fist in his face.

Sometimes religion only goes so far. I'm walking on the borderline between believing and practicing. I believe in his philosophy, but I don't practice it to a certain extent.

People only gets better when they are encouraged and motivated to. I for example, won't get any better if there's nothing to get better for. I'm happy with who I am and what I am, even if it does gets on people's nerves that I am happy with my life and that I have obtained only what a select few will ever get.

I'm not boasting, but I'm fluent in 4 languages, learning a new language, got 2 black belts, I'm linguistically talent which means I can pronounce any words in any language fluently even though I don't know what it means, and I'm usually 100% right about most things because when I do talk I know for sure it's right, or I wouldn't say a word.

Now doesn't that gets on your nerves if you know someone like that? It does for some people and all I can say is [censored] them. Like I care for those pathetic beings anyway. I can't help I spend my time doing more productive stuff instead of eat, sleep, study, eat, sleep, study.

I read a lot, hence I gain "street knowledge" as some people coins it. It just means I have a lot more general knowledge, and with MA I am able to apply things that I read to real life.

For example, I am able to blend in with any type of person. I have enough knowledge of most subjects to be able to have a conversation with anyone, be it political, religious, science, martial art, entertainment, sport, movies, sex (ok, bad choice), fashion, celebrities, history, etc etc.

Just because of one simple reason which believe can't believe. I read magazines.

People these days are so obsessed with getting good at one thing, they forget they have this little thing called 'life' to enjoy.

So here I am with people who are [censored] with me because I enjoy life to the full extent. I study when I have to, I work when I want, I buy stuff and I try new things daily (for example just now, I tried eating cottage cheese with blue berries) and I'm able to have a good laugh with anyone if they're friendly. I've been rubbing elbows with kids, teenagers, cute girls, ugly girls, old men, old women. I'm just that sociable sometimes. It's not some friggin' skill, it's called being 'nice' and 'understanding'.

Where was I? Oh yeah, being smooth. Just be who you are and make people smile. Trust me, I'm a very laconic person in real life, but I am able to get people to either love me or hate when I want them to.

Stupid stuff is just experience in our life.

I'd share with you a few stupid stuff but doing so I might be branded a stalker. Oh well, I guess I have to share it;

Once I used to like a girl, and back then I had absolutely NO CLUE whatsoever how to flirt. It was back in high school. Guess what? I sent her cards, sms, emails, called her and stuff. Guess what? I was acting like a stalker without knowing it.

Now isn't that stupid? To get a girl you like to be so friggin' scared of you that they won't go to class.

Here I am a few years later knowing that I had no chemistry with her whatsoever, and what I did was so hilarious I lmao everytime I think about it.

As for religion, it's a place where you put your faith. I put my faith in Lord Buddha, I put my faith in my mom's spirit, I put my faith in my hands which will carve my family's future someday, I put my faith in me. But I don't put faith in other men because if you want something done right you've got to do it yourself.

-Taison out

Essentially you must learn to see the beauty and value in all things and 'experience' all the reasonable (cottage cheese and blueberries are NOT reasonable! ) things you can.
I guess it's the idea of just living and being i nthe moment rather than living 'for' something or spending all your time having the end in mind. It's the process that counts.

I'm going to agree with you there Taison in that i feel it is probably almost impossible to live without attachment. At times it could be selfish, almost inhumane. How are we to cultivate feelings of compassion without becoming attached to people?

The Dali Lama does suggest somewhere however that non bhuddists could live by the teachings that are relevant to them. For example, I don't believe in Karma or reincarnation but i agree strongly with the idea of ousting emotions such as anger and fear, and cultivating the positive such as love and compassion.

Quote:

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I guess it's the idea of just living and being i nthe moment rather than living 'for' something or spending all your time having the end in mind. It's the process that counts.

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Exactly. Today I tried using chopsticks with my left hand, since I'm ambidextrous I wanted to try something new. Guess what? I utterly failed. Eating noodles using chopsticks in your off-hand is like the hardest thing ever. Anyway, it was fun to try.

Enjoy the moment, do what you want to do since in this life-time, you're only going to live it once. Even if you do re-incarnate, all the accomplishments, merits, everything you've done will be erased. Do what you want to do and make yourself happy with living life.

Live to live, not live to work your arse off, If I am to put it that bluntly.

-Taison out

God I hate living in fear of what will come next. I must be pretty screwed up cuz I never stop worrying. Oh well life is fun anyhow. I'm really impatient to. Eh that's life.
It seems as though the more intense and serious and future oriented you get, the more tense and shaky you get and you star6t to break down at a certain point. It's like in a relationship where if you suddenly stop getting quite as much attention as you expect for a little while even if it doesn't mean anything you start to get extremely clingy as if you can pull things back but that solution only serves to drive people away usually so it's tough, you have to disciplin yourself.

Isn't belief in and adherence to a philosophy or teachings a form of attachment in itself?