DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - We must taste the bitter before we can appreciate the sweet

**Eeaquzyh** · 04-02-2012, 10:03 AM

by the cessation of suffering, buddha meant 'peace'. when true peace is actually tasted, in comparison, 'sweet' also tastes 'bitter'

I don't know that I'm understanding this correctly. Are you saying that the end-goal of practicing Buddhism is to achieve a state in which one continuously tastes a sweet that is sweeter than all other sweets? This seems like a contradiction to me, in that the goal of practicing Buddhism is to satisfy a desire.

i think to practise buddhism, there must be some kind of improvement we wish to make with our life, some kind of reduction of suffering

Yes, I see the value in this. But once somebody finds clarity, why would they continue to work towards enlightenment? At that point, wouldn't it be clear that wanting to reach enlightenment is a desire?

I'm not trying to argue against Buddhism or anything like that. I haven't been following the Buddha's teachings for very long, and it has helped me quite a bit. I've been questioning Buddha's path lately though, which has left me in a sort of limbo.

04-02-2012, 10:03 AM	#4
Eeaquzyh Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 428 Senior Member	by the cessation of suffering, buddha meant 'peace'. when true peace is actually tasted, in comparison, 'sweet' also tastes 'bitter' I don't know that I'm understanding this correctly. Are you saying that the end-goal of practicing Buddhism is to achieve a state in which one continuously tastes a sweet that is sweeter than all other sweets? This seems like a contradiction to me, in that the goal of practicing Buddhism is to satisfy a desire. i think to practise buddhism, there must be some kind of improvement we wish to make with our life, some kind of reduction of suffering Yes, I see the value in this. But once somebody finds clarity, why would they continue to work towards enlightenment? At that point, wouldn't it be clear that wanting to reach enlightenment is a desire? I'm not trying to argue against Buddhism or anything like that. I haven't been following the Buddha's teachings for very long, and it has helped me quite a bit. I've been questioning Buddha's path lately though, which has left me in a sort of limbo.
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