Why Be Good? (Post 1 of 5)
Over the next 5 days, I have outlined a series of posts that I wish to share about the basis for morality. Todays post is is a question that I emailed blogger friend, Jon. Then, over the next 4 days, I will post will post his response, my response to myself, as well as a few book excerpts. Here we go.
TREV'S EMAIL TO JON (Edited)
What is the basis for morality?
If...
- ...life is truly (as Jon described it) the projection of light contrasted with darkness upon the screen of The Self (which I believe and experience it to be)...
- ...light cannot be known apart from darkness and vice versa...
- ...good and evil are terms that we apply to certain things and situations, when in actuality things just ARE WHAT THEY ARE...
- ...pain and suffering can be great teachers...
- ...there will always be good and evil, rich and poor, light and darkness - for ever and ever - because duality is the reason the ONE became the ten-thousand things (all "perfect," all the time is BORING!)...
- ...samsara is nirvana (we're not looking for a perfectly light, totally "good" - and drab - heaven in the future); or to put it another way: the entire way to heaven is heaven...
Would striving to be "good" and "do good things" not be a one-sided, unbalanced way to live?
Of course I am exaggerating a bit, because from the root of my being, I will always choose to give my crust of bread to the hungry man and wish no harm on anyone... but I am exaggerating to make a point and for discussion purposes.
(Stay tuned for tomorrow's post: My response to my own question. Then Thursday I will post Jon's response.)
Category:
general spirituality,
zen
Posts
9 comments:
oh dear... must we?
Ohhhhhhhhh, yeah, Julie. We're gonna get it rolling with this one.
:)
And no, we must not... we can choose to, though. (hint, hint)
I don't know what the answer is (although I fully expect to by the end of Day Five), but some aspects of the question itself seem fishy: like, who is the "individual" who can (or can't?) "choose" to be something somebody somewhere has decided is "moral"? There seem to be some presuppositions going on here. Of course, we need at some point to agree on some terms in order to be able to have a conversation, but these seem to be some of the concepts that have gotten the Western mind in such trouble over the years...
Bemused and amused by this proposed exercise (in... what?)
Andrew; you'll know Trev's answer. But what is yours?
What Andrew said :)
Well ol' Trev...you know my position. I, like you, embrace the light contrasted with darkness upon the screen of Self. Thanks to Paramahansa Yogananda for this revelation.
Attachment to the outcome creates the good or bad, pain or pleasure...and since everything is in divine order all of the time- what is, is- according to one's attachment.
My perspective (worth nothing) is avoid creating karma, therefore do...so as not to create karma.
BUT- in the end (no matter how much karma results in how many trips through the wringer), we find ourselves back at the beginning, at Home- having never ventured forward as a separate being.
Interesting discussion you've got going here. Like Andrew, I'm looking forward to THE answer in part V. :)
Right, Andrew, lots of fishy presumptions, but please understand that I'm not exactly shooting for a "universal" position that sums up everything for everybody...
...rather, it's an attempt an answer my own questions about intent and motivation for selflessness and/or morality and/or the basis for behavior...
(but, as you say, perhaps the very "I" that is at the root of this line of questioning should be called into question)
:) hahahah... Oh man, i love it.
Expect no ANSWER, by the way. It's all very fluid.
If you leave the conversation after day 5 with more questions than answers, it's been a useful conversation.
....just in case anyone might think different- what I appear to state as emphatic- is only my belief, not intended for (any other) human consumption...simply my food for thought.
I really, really don't know anything...
What is mine? I'm going to have to go with.... Mu!
I suppose my personal motivation for doing good changes from moment to moment, depending on the stage at which I happen to be operating, among other things...sometimes I do it because it seems natural; sometimes because of residual guilt, fear, shame, whatever, which we all have; sometimes because of the perceived benefits to me; sometimes out of compassion. But that's all looking at it from one perspective, one side of the tapestry. On the other side is the Tao from which it's impossible to deviate, and I won't elaborate on that because the Tao that is spoken is not the true Tao!
Just so you're only answering for yourself and not proposing anything universal (Kantian! lol) - I shall gladly read along (and consider my own thoughts upon the topic!)
Why be good, eh? Something to muse for the next few days. And I know I tended to be a Kantian, but have re-iterated many times since then. Hmmm.
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