DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Difficulties in practice after a recent retreat.

**Aw1HhC0m** · 07-26-2010, 03:28 PM

This sounds like the kind of extreme discipline some forms of Buddhism (so I hear) consider desirable for strengthening the mind. Unfortunately, it also reminds me of the extreme self-punishment the Buddha subjected himself to for seven years before abandoning it in favour of the Middle Way. "If you tighten the string too much, it will snap." I am quite convinced that one can realise the goal without this kind of, forgive me, torture. Insight resulting from my own study and practice and the kindly compassion and metta of others are what has brought me to this point in my development.

07-26-2010, 03:28 PM	#14
Aw1HhC0m Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 463 Senior Member	This sounds like the kind of extreme discipline some forms of Buddhism (so I hear) consider desirable for strengthening the mind. Unfortunately, it also reminds me of the extreme self-punishment the Buddha subjected himself to for seven years before abandoning it in favour of the Middle Way. "If you tighten the string too much, it will snap." I am quite convinced that one can realise the goal without this kind of, forgive me, torture. Insight resulting from my own study and practice and the kindly compassion and metta of others are what has brought me to this point in my development.
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