The teaching of Buddha appeal to the common masses because his compassion to all beings is 100% pure. He was totally and truly selfless because his selflessness was what he totally and truly believed for the happiness of himself and not just for the happiness of others. It is difficult for one to have the Right View about the self because of the Five Hindrances inherent in himself. Most people cannot fathom the self-interest of selflessness and how it can bring a more superior form of happiness to oneself. This is because we have the wrong views due to wrong “education” or brainwashing by the people around us. We develop “herd immunity” and become protected from truly great ideas.
Most religions preach about serving god first. Buddhism preaches about serving people first and foremost; bringing happiness to individual follower is the top priority. Buddha wants us to be happy instead of telling us to make God happy.
The body is not the real self and the self is also not inside the body. The body is like an avatar which is remotely controlled by the self. Where is the real self? Most people are oblivious about the virtual world they are in when they are in a dream. While we are so sure that we are consciously alive in this world, the Buddha tell us that we are simply in another dream; like the Matrix. We can’t really tell where the real self is when we are in the dream, but we don’t really have to know because it will make no difference. People know the usefulness of knowing but only the Awaken one know the usefulness of not knowing as well. Regardless of whether this is true, it is a very useful way of thinking which can bring us happiness. We like to “think” scientific theories are true since they can be repeatedly proven using controlled experiments. Actually, these are only true as far as the inputs and expected outputs are concerned; the “neural networks” in between are unknown but just speculations or ways of explaining the input-output relationships using Mathematical formulas or tools. Anyway, we “think” or assume they are truths so long as they serve our purposes of predicting the outputs from the given inputs. This is an example of knowing the use of not-knowing. In Quantum Physics, some theories are said to work if you are not watching but cease to work if you are watching. You may think this is crazy but it works and the results are repeatable. Who are you to say it is wrong or it is pseudoscience? Why should you doubt the teaching of Buddha if it serves your purpose of attaining happiness under any circumstances? You must control your mind to make yourself happy; otherwise, your mind will control you. Is this really so hard to understand and practice? It’s hard only if you refuse to understand; it is easy if you truly understand it, just like any examination papers.
When you have no self aka selfless, not seeing the body as the self, you will have no fear, obligations, and guilt (FOG). The most evil people have no obligations and guilt but a lot of fear; although they pretend to be fearless simply because they arm themselves to the teeth; they don’t have to arm themselves if they are truly fearless. The fact that they feel the needs to arm to the teeth revealed their immense fear which they try to hide. You are truly fearless when you have no self to protect. Why wouldn’t you be happy when you have no FOG? Why should you have guilt if you have perfected your virtue? Why should you feel obligated to save the world when the bad deeds or karma were committed by other people? You have perfect wisdom when you have no delusion. You have perfect virtue when you have no greed. You have perfect equanimity when you have no hatred. You must let go of all attachments, including clinging to the body and religious beliefs, in order to have no greed, hatred and delusion. That’s the state of Nirvana, achieved in this very life, without having to die just so you can get to the Heaven. You are an Arahant when you have perfect virtue, equanimity and wisdom. You can feel it yourself without the need for someone else to give you a grade or certification. Conversely, if you still crave for a certificate, it reveals your imperfections of still having worldly desires.
The Buddha have no self, no FOG, and live with nothing. He lived like a beggar but he was actually the greatest and most generous giver. His work was to cultivate the self and his greatest gift to the whole world is the Dharma. Living with nothing is the most concrete proof that he has no fear. Leadership by example is his greatest benevolence. Teaching the people of the whole world is his most generous gift without any expectation (in terms of behavioural compliance nor material reciprocation). Buddha don’t need us; we need the Buddha.
Some religious leaders tell people to be selfless but their selfish behaviours can’t fool most of the people. They want people to selflessly make donations, for the religion aka the “self” and not other religions or other “self”. The donations are used to build lavish buildings and support lavish lifestyle of the preachers. It is all for the glory of the religion, they said, for the religion to project its power and influence, even to topple the governments which they dislike or make regime change, or instigate the youngsters to revolt against their governments. They talk about unity of the believers but all for the purpose to fight against people of other religions or atheists. Uniting around a political or religious leader is the sign of moral bankruptcy. It is a train-wreck to perdition. The believers who blindly follow the political or religious leaders are like rats following the pied piper’s sound of flute into the river. We call that “herd immunity” because they are immune to voice of reasons. The world has no lack of intelligent people, but 20% of fools can cause 80% of the problems in the world.
RESILIENT KID 