GAS and Buddhism

bmattock said:
I don't have any problem with those who went to Canada, save one - I don't think they should have been let back in again. Choices. They made theirs, and good on 'em. Hope they have long and happy lives. But stay gone. I really disliked the amnesty. Please understand - not personal. I would have a beer with any of those guys - in Canada.
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I wonder if any of the abandoned South Vietnamese troops feel/felt the same way about foreign Vietnam veterans visiting their country.
 
Wow,

I miss a thread for one day and it develops from the dangers of GAS to happiness, to the dangers of mass consumerism, to the dangers of capitalism, to probable human extinction, to a global waistland, then, somehow, to Canadians and draft dodgers, and who is more patriotic. The times we live in! Kudos to the orginal question though. I'm not trying to preach to anyone, and I don't think the original question indicated that.
 
Having many cameras and lenses is no problem. Being attached to them is the problem. Desiring more cameras and lenses, if yours do a fine job, is also a problem. If you were to get rid of that which you desire, do you think you would eliminate desire?

Buddhism is something (who can say what?) that is practiced, not rationalized. Better to sit zazan (in meditation) for 15 or 20 minutes a day.
 
Rey said:
Wow,

I miss a thread for one day and it develops from the dangers of GAS to happiness, to the dangers of mass consumerism, to the dangers of capitalism, to probable human extinction, to a global waistland, then, somehow, to Canadians and draft dodgers, and who is more patriotic. The times we live in! Kudos to the orginal question though. I'm not trying to preach to anyone, and I don't think the original question indicated that.
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Rey,
Just another day on RFF! :angel:

/T
 
In 1986, I must have become a Monk... At least>>>

In 1986, I must have become a Monk... At least>>>

for a while, and with exception to camera gear. I became disillusioned with all the Krap that was limiting my mobility. I sold off everything. My rule at that time was that if could put it in my car and take it with me, I would own it. Also, regarding larger personal property, like furniture, I would only keep whatever I could lift by myself, without assistance from any other person or mechanical device (cranes and such).

That rule has allowed me to live in more places around the country than before that time, and also allowed me to create income more than sufficient to live my modest life style, without worry about economic conditions of the country, or region I lived in. Approaching retirement now, I will be able to sustain my life style without financial worry and without setbacks in that style.

I sold all my real property at the time of that decision and have never worried myself with real estate ownership since. It's not like I am going to take a couple of acres and a home with me when this is all over.

Simplicity is Freedom-Freedom is Simplicity

Well, except for the camera gear.
 
kuzano said:
for a while, and with exception to camera gear. I became disillusioned with all the Krap that was limiting my mobility. I sold off everything. My rule at that time was that if could put it in my car and take it with me, I would own it. Also, regarding larger personal property, like furniture, I would only keep whatever I could lift by myself, without assistance from any other person or mechanical device (cranes and such).

That rule has allowed me to live in more places around the country than before that time, and also allowed me to create income more than sufficient to live my modest life style, without worry about economic conditions of the country, or region I lived in. Approaching retirement now, I will be able to sustain my life style without financial worry and without setbacks in that style.

I sold all my real property at the time of that decision and have never worried myself with real estate ownership since. It's not like I am going to take a couple of acres and a home with me when this is all over.

Simplicity is Freedom-Freedom is Simplicity

Well, except for the camera gear.
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Kuzano,
I want to sit at your feet and be your disciple. Teach us, Master.

/T
 
kuzano said:
for a while, and with exception to camera gear. I became disillusioned with all the Krap that was limiting my mobility. I sold off everything. My rule at that time was that if could put it in my car and take it with me, I would own it. Also, regarding larger personal property, like furniture, I would only keep whatever I could lift by myself, without assistance from any other person or mechanical device (cranes and such).

That rule has allowed me to live in more places around the country than before that time, and also allowed me to create income more than sufficient to live my modest life style, without worry about economic conditions of the country, or region I lived in. Approaching retirement now, I will be able to sustain my life style without financial worry and without setbacks in that style.

I sold all my real property at the time of that decision and have never worried myself with real estate ownership since. It's not like I am going to take a couple of acres and a home with me when this is all over.

Simplicity is Freedom-Freedom is Simplicity

Well, except for the camera gear.
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You could teach us many things. I've thought of trying to simplify, but I have a hard time parting with things that belonged to my father befoe he passed away. Maybe you should write a book...
 
Grasshopper, seek out these venerable Masters of the Universe and ye shall learn the secrets of true happiness and dissolution of the self into the ecstatic void. Merely ask, and all shall be revealed:

 
"for a while, and with exception to camera gear. I became disillusioned with all the Krap that was limiting my mobility. I sold off everything. My rule at that time was that if could put it in my car and take it with me, I would own it. Also, regarding larger personal property, like furniture, I would only keep whatever I could lift by myself, without assistance from any other person or mechanical device (cranes and such).

That rule has allowed me to live in more places around the country than before that time, and also allowed me to create income more than sufficient to live my modest life style, without worry about economic conditions of the country, or region I lived in. Approaching retirement now, I will be able to sustain my life style without financial worry and without setbacks in that style.

I sold all my real property at the time of that decision and have never worried myself with real estate ownership since. It's not like I am going to take a couple of acres and a home with me when this is all over.

Simplicity is Freedom-Freedom is Simplicity

Well, except for the camera gear."


I find I am at my most creative when I am living simplest. I've had a number of times in the past few years when I had NO money after all the bills were paid and was still in the red - I had my car repoed - all that fun - but strangely, since I had bulk rolls of film laying around (stocked like a squirrel before Winter) I could still take out my camera and shoot, and it was a much simpler, enjoyable experience. GAS wasn't an issue because I couldn't buy something even if I wanted to. Now, since my credit is pretty much ruined, the only time I can buy something is when I sell something. I love it - I hope I never have to be owned by creditors again. Well anyway, I was inspired by your post - maybe once the kids grow up and out I can follow a similar path...
 
myoptic3 said:
Buddhism is something (who can say what?) that is practiced, not rationalized.
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Funny, I'd say the exact opposite. Well, not exact, in that there is a difference between rational thought and rationalization. In my view, the teachings of the Buddha -- the Middle Path -- are as close to rational as you can get in any non-material realm. But then, as the old saying goes, "A thousand monks, a thousand religions."

To return to the original post, the realms of existence are (from memory) as given below. Each realm is a reward (or punishment) for the previous realm.

The Hot Hells: everything returns to hurt or haunt you. Holgas, perhaps, or the Zone System?

The Cold Hells: you realize you don't need the Hot Hells and graduate to a point-and-shoot. It's still not much use but it's better than the Hot Hells.

The Realm of Animals: you understand that some things are better than others, and buy a camera you can control, such as a Zorkii.

The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: you then buy more and more second-rate cameras, but none of them satisfies your cravings.

The Precious Human Rebirth: you realize that life is not perfect, but resolve to make the best of it. A Voigtländer Bessa-R-series or second-hand Leica, perhaps.

The Realm of the Jealous Gods: you have all that anyone could want, but are paranoid about losing it: maybe a nice M-outfit that you are too frightened to use in case it gets scratched up or stolen.

The Realm of the Gods: everything seems to be perfect, but but you do not realize that because you are still in the realms of duality or illusion, this 'perfection' cannot last.

Sooner or later, in the Realm of the Gods, 'the garlands of flowers around your neck begin to wilt and your armpits begin to smell' -- and your new MP starts to feel rough. You fall back into:

The Realm of the Jealous Gods. You realize what you have lost; get paranoid; and fall back into the Precious Human Rebirth...

... and so on, eventually back down to the Hot Hells. Of course you can fall back into any lower realm at any point, without progressing to a higher one.

All of us are in one of these realms of existence. By definition, we are all in the Precious Human Rebirth at the moment (the most auspicious for recognizing the nature of illusion, balanced as we are between pleasure and pain) but within each Realm we can also perceive each other Realm, i.e. think of how you feel now and how you have felt in the past, in this lifetime. Don't you remember being in the other Realms of Existence? Yesterday, maybe? Or last week? Or last month?

I apologize to any fellow Buddhists who think I am being flippant, and still more to those who know more about Buddhism than I and may have spotted a missed Realm; but I hope the examples may help a few people...

Cheers,

Roger
 
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chikne said:
Since we know that craving for something is actually more important than actually being in possession of it, we just need a way to maintain the crave without actually consuming anything.

So how can this be achieved?
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Easy. Only crave stuff you can't afford. (And refrain from stealing).

Vincent
 
Al Patterson said:
I find it amusing to think that we humans think we can destroy the planet. True, we may take ourselves out of the picture, but at some point the planet will remove a lot of the evidence that we were ever here, and start over again.
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...and all that will be left is cockroaches and working LEICAs 😀😀😀
 
The three poisons (attachment, aversion and indifference) that are described in some schools of Buddhism are wonderfully illustrated in this thread and indeed throughout the forum. Some people seem to nourish a surprising degree of hatred towards people who don't agree with them.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
The three poisons (attachment, aversion and indifference) that are described in some schools of Buddhism are wonderfully illustrated in this thread and indeed throughout the forum. Some people seem to nourish a surprising degree of hatred towards people who don't agree with them.

Cheers,

R.
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Quite.

Regards,

Bill
 
Let me try this a different way.

Bill, if we were on a boat together, with others including children, on a long journey, with a finite supply of food and water, would you expect to eat and drink what you wanted, when you wanted? Would you make a mess and leave it for others to clear up? Would you help to crew the boat, or would you just be along for the ride?

Regards,

Bill
 
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