Let’s chat a bit. I’m going to ask a few philosophical questions.
For starters:
“Why do people bother coming to live on earth?” Just to get a job and a family, accumulate some stuff -and then die? To maximize pleasure and minimize pain?
To chase after the three cosmic illusions that Buddhism warns us about: power, wealth and fame? To compete and be the best (a winner) at weight-lifting or the violin or at politics?
Also, “Where do we come from.” And by this I don’t mean the science of the egg getting fertilized, undergoing cell division etc. I mean where did the consciousness - or if you will - the soul come from. And to what end? Did it have anything in mind, or did it just come to look around and see if anything interesting was going on. Was there intention, and if so, how is that to be understood, and what actions should it lead to?
And at the other end, when we die, do we go somewhere? And, as many religions teach, is there an accounting for how time and talents have been used? And also what if we don’t merely see the concept of past and future lives as just being a matter for metaphysical amusement and self enhancement (e.g I was an Egyptian high priest!)/ Is it desirable to consider what our actions and avoidances during this trip are setting up for a future life?
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