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**espabamar** · 11-10-2011, 07:01 PM

However, there are times when allowing a person to continue to suffer, or even increasing the level of suffering that a person feels in a deliberate way might be the only way to show them the negative continuances of their actions.

Hi KY,
I can see where you are coming from on that, but it's a tough one to call. It's difficult to judge whether such an approach would kill or cure.

Despite repeated pleas by her parents friends and extended family, she continued to drink and drug and suffer terrible pain as a result of her actions. A clear example of obvious suffering but ultimately the symptom of a deeper suffering - the one Buddha was trying to instruct us on IMHO. Examples like these are obvious because we can all see and recognise them, like terminal illness, disability, mental states and so forth.

The reason a person turns to drink, drugs or any kind of substance, even apparently 'harmless' ones, is their capacity to relieve stress - the stress of 'being' who we are. Behind any addiction is a genuine longing for freedom from suffering and there are things which offer a temporary (and subsequently damaging) abatement.

I would think that rather than enforce more suffering on a person, it may be ultimately safer to lead them to this knowledge, although I'm not idealistic enough to think that this is an easy option.

Namaste
Kris

11-10-2011, 07:01 PM	#15
espabamar Join Date Dec 2005 Posts 437 Senior Member	However, there are times when allowing a person to continue to suffer, or even increasing the level of suffering that a person feels in a deliberate way might be the only way to show them the negative continuances of their actions. Hi KY, I can see where you are coming from on that, but it's a tough one to call. It's difficult to judge whether such an approach would kill or cure. Despite repeated pleas by her parents friends and extended family, she continued to drink and drug and suffer terrible pain as a result of her actions. A clear example of obvious suffering but ultimately the symptom of a deeper suffering - the one Buddha was trying to instruct us on IMHO. Examples like these are obvious because we can all see and recognise them, like terminal illness, disability, mental states and so forth. The reason a person turns to drink, drugs or any kind of substance, even apparently 'harmless' ones, is their capacity to relieve stress - the stress of 'being' who we are. Behind any addiction is a genuine longing for freedom from suffering and there are things which offer a temporary (and subsequently damaging) abatement. I would think that rather than enforce more suffering on a person, it may be ultimately safer to lead them to this knowledge, although I'm not idealistic enough to think that this is an easy option. Namaste Kris
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