Rather than remain in the impersonal realm of thought, questioning me or providing me with your analysis of the first discourse, you projected your analysis upon me as if it is the truth of me. You made your analysis personal, using scriptures to "back up" this projection. I never used the word desire, nor did I use the word sacrifice, nor did I use the word peace, and yet, there they are, as if I did.Cathy Preston wrote:So you're back to death as the only peace. You have some kind of a god complex, imagining your sacrifice will end the suffering of all beings. Your desire is your own undoing.
dhammapada-347Those who are lust-infatuated fall back into the swirling current (of samsara) like a spider on its self-spun web. This, too, the wise cut off. Without any longing, they abandon all suffering and renounce the world.354. The gift of Dhamma excels all gifts; the taste of the Dhamma excels all tastes; the delight in Dhamma excels all delights. The Craving-Freed vanquishes all suffering.359. Weeds are the bane of fields, desire is the bane of mankind. Therefore, what is offered to those free of desire yields abundant fruit.
Staying within the integrity of I am, I will analyse the scriptures you have put forth:
dhammapada-347
There is no longing present in the abandonment of suffering. Note the Buddha said "in the abandonment of suffering", present tense. In the abandonment of suffering, there is awareness of suffering, is there not? How does one end something unless they are aware of the something?Those who are lust-infatuated fall back into the swirling current (of samsara) like a spider on its self-spun web. This, too, the wise cut off. Without any longing, they abandon all suffering and renounce the world.
Again, note that the Buddha did not say that being craving-freed is to be suffering free, but rather, is that which vanquishes all suffering. Again, the use of present tense, again, how can there be vanquishing of suffering if one is not aware of the suffering that needs vanquishing? Can I untie my shoes if I am not aware of my tied shoes?354. The gift of Dhamma excels all gifts; the taste of the Dhamma excels all tastes; the delight in Dhamma excels all delights. The Craving-Freed vanquishes all suffering.
Again, how is one made free of desire if they are not aware of desire?359. Weeds are the bane of fields, desire is the bane of mankind. Therefore, what is offered to those free of desire yields abundant fruit.