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Health report for 10/10 --?????
- Thread starter Bill Martino
- Start date
Ben Arown-Awile
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What exactly does this mean Bill?
Does your religion teach that your death is predetermined and can not be influenced by factors in your life?
For example, if your "death day" is written as December 30, 2005, does that mean that any time before that you are "bulletproof" and can safely indulge in acts that would normally be fatal?
I guess another way to look at it is that you can indulge in potentially fatal acts, and if they kill you, it was your "death day".
If they don't kill you, it just isn't your time to die.
In my religion we call that "Tempting Fate".
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Just check the expiration date on your birth certificate.
Know when it's safe to live on the edge!
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Ben,
I'm enjoying your company despite myself!
A thoughtful challenge.
I figure 15 years is about the same as 85 years from the perspective of eternity. That thought leads me to Bill's same conclusions via a different route. It's quality not length of life that matters.
Quality is of course defined by the entity involved. As you and I both know, Bill's drinking and goosing of waitresses is not entirely the same as the average barfly's.
Maybe he's a bad good example? Or perhaps a good bad example?
I'm enjoying your company despite myself!
A thoughtful challenge.
I figure 15 years is about the same as 85 years from the perspective of eternity. That thought leads me to Bill's same conclusions via a different route. It's quality not length of life that matters.
Quality is of course defined by the entity involved. As you and I both know, Bill's drinking and goosing of waitresses is not entirely the same as the average barfly's.
Maybe he's a bad good example? Or perhaps a good bad example?
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"I guess another way to look at it is that you can indulge in potentially fatal acts, and if they kill you, it was your "death day".
If they don't kill you, it just isn't your time to die."
Happens all the time and I suspect there are many right here on this forum who have done just this either willingly or unwillingly.
A read of Ernest K. Gann's, "Fate is the Hunter," is a good place to start if you want to develop a belief system that includes the "death day" philosophy. Somewhere around midlife long before I accepted the belief system that maintains me today I did a prolonged study of this phenomena and became convinced of its validity. However, I don't preach any philosophy to anybody and encourage people to believe what works best for them.
Howard is correct as usual. All one needs to do is visit a couple of rest homes to come to the same conclusion: It's quality, not quantity that counts.
Thanks again all for well wishes and kind considerations.
If they don't kill you, it just isn't your time to die."
Happens all the time and I suspect there are many right here on this forum who have done just this either willingly or unwillingly.
A read of Ernest K. Gann's, "Fate is the Hunter," is a good place to start if you want to develop a belief system that includes the "death day" philosophy. Somewhere around midlife long before I accepted the belief system that maintains me today I did a prolonged study of this phenomena and became convinced of its validity. However, I don't preach any philosophy to anybody and encourage people to believe what works best for them.
Howard is correct as usual. All one needs to do is visit a couple of rest homes to come to the same conclusion: It's quality, not quantity that counts.
Thanks again all for well wishes and kind considerations.
Ben Arown-Awile
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Howard,
I not only agree with both of those statements, I consider them to be in the realm of "Universal Truth".
However, I would also add:
Length is of course defined by the entity involved.
And, that's the issue I am trying to understand, hence my original question: In traditional Buddhist teaching, does the doctrine of pre-destination take precedence over that of free will?
In other words if it's not your Death Day, can you safely indulge in actions that would otherwise be fatal?
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"In other words if it's not your Death Day, can you safely indulge in actions that would otherwise be fatal?"
We do it all the time.
We do it all the time.
Ben Arown-Awile
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I think what troubles me about the Death Day system Bill, is its potential to be used as a rationalization for behavior that really is rooted elsewhere. If Buddhist teaching recognizes a Death day, it must also provide a path to avoid improper application of the belief.
It is also a Buddhist belief that while we are in an earthly incarnation The Body is the Temple of the Spirit. As we mistreat our body, we diminish our spirit.
Even though I believe this, I continue to wreck my Temple. I think I am about to be evicted. Maybe its time for me to switch to the Death Day theory.
It is also a Buddhist belief that while we are in an earthly incarnation The Body is the Temple of the Spirit. As we mistreat our body, we diminish our spirit.
Even though I believe this, I continue to wreck my Temple. I think I am about to be evicted. Maybe its time for me to switch to the Death Day theory.
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"Even though I believe this, I continue to wreck my Temple. I think I am about to be evicted. Maybe its time for me to switch to the Death Day theory."
It is.
It is.
Ben:
I don't know what to think, but the destruction of one's temple may have more to do with how the temple is constructed than the activities engaged in. One member of my family passed away recently who never drank, smoked or cussed in his whole life. This did not prevent his entire cardio-vascular system from detonating without notice and far in advance of the average national lifespan.
Another family member is approaching his first full century of existance and is a testiment to cigarettes and hard likker. My suspicion is that heredity is the biological component of one's death-day predetermination.
As far as tempting fate is concerned, it is a good thing there are some closet "death day" theorists at large, or we wouldn't get much response when we dialed 9-1-1.
I don't know what to think, but the destruction of one's temple may have more to do with how the temple is constructed than the activities engaged in. One member of my family passed away recently who never drank, smoked or cussed in his whole life. This did not prevent his entire cardio-vascular system from detonating without notice and far in advance of the average national lifespan.
Another family member is approaching his first full century of existance and is a testiment to cigarettes and hard likker. My suspicion is that heredity is the biological component of one's death-day predetermination.
As far as tempting fate is concerned, it is a good thing there are some closet "death day" theorists at large, or we wouldn't get much response when we dialed 9-1-1.
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Ben,
One thing I have noticed about the Tibetian tradition is that they use various thoughts for the psychological results. The tools that are used for the effects they cause are not necessarrily logically consistent. For instance, one of the tools I have been exposed to is the idea that all entities have played the part of my mother in the millions of reincarnations I have experienced. The very idea of reincarnation is not logically consistent with a belief in the illusory nature of the ego. (At least not on the level we usually interact.) Yet the thought is useful to stimulate empathy and compassion.
I have no idea where Bill's "Death day" idea came from. He's hung around enough Tibetians that it could have come from there. But it also appears to have the potential for thought training even if it does not hang together logically.
On the other hand, it might be misused or misunderstood like any other physical or psychological tool.
As my NRA compatriots say, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people."
One thing I have noticed about the Tibetian tradition is that they use various thoughts for the psychological results. The tools that are used for the effects they cause are not necessarrily logically consistent. For instance, one of the tools I have been exposed to is the idea that all entities have played the part of my mother in the millions of reincarnations I have experienced. The very idea of reincarnation is not logically consistent with a belief in the illusory nature of the ego. (At least not on the level we usually interact.) Yet the thought is useful to stimulate empathy and compassion.
I have no idea where Bill's "Death day" idea came from. He's hung around enough Tibetians that it could have come from there. But it also appears to have the potential for thought training even if it does not hang together logically.
On the other hand, it might be misused or misunderstood like any other physical or psychological tool.
As my NRA compatriots say, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people."
Ben Arown-Awile
Banned
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Although I am no longer an Active Seeker, when I was, realizing this Tool Truth, enabled me to use whatever tools I could find wherever I could find them, regardless of what tradition, religion, or discipline from whence they came.
Eventually my tool box became overloaded and too heavy to carry and I realized that the truth could not be learned but would have to be revealed - from within.
I expect that to happen about the same time I realize that my Death Day has arrived.
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Great stuff and thanks.
"I expect that to happen about the same time I realize that my Death Day has arrived."
Ben, many thanks for nice AM chuckle. I have always appreciated your sense of humor.
"I expect that to happen about the same time I realize that my Death Day has arrived."
Ben, many thanks for nice AM chuckle. I have always appreciated your sense of humor.