Once again, I love the beginning of this.. "There are no accidents. God is not a well-intentioned bungler. All things that happen, even the most ostensibly terrible ones, happen by God's will. If you don't see the point, please look again.. there are no accidents. To realize this is to enter into God's love." It really should be placed on doorposts of houses and in our hearts. I think about that almost all the time. Everything happens for a reason, it's just really hard to see sometimes. Sometimes it seems like there was absolutely no reason. But everything is connected and helps us become who we are. I think it's better to learn and try and find the good in everything that's happened, instead of being bitter and taking it out of the rest of the world.
I don't know what to say about the rest of the reading that everyone has already heard or said. This reading just reminded me of teen church nights.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Cloud of Unknowing
“And be sure not to think of anything but himself, so that nothing may work in your mind or in your will but only himself.” This just reminds me of the same idea: to let go of everything, and once you have nothing, then you will have everything. The way I normally think of Jesus and Christianity is not to let go of everything so God can come from within, but to let go of everything and replace it with everything the church teaches. I don’t really know what to say because I don’t want to insult God, even though I’m not sure what I believe in anymore. I do believe that there’s someone or something out there, but whoever or whatever that someone is, I don’t think he wants us to concentrate our everything on him. I think he must love us and want us to be happy and live the life that he’s blessed us with. I believe in what Buddha said... “But when you realize that something is unwholesome and bad for you, give it up. And when you realize that something is wholesome and good for you, do it.” And I believe in being nice and helpful to everyone, and hopefully they’ll be nice and helpful back. But I really think that every religion started from the fear of dying and what’ll happen to us after. Everyone wants to believe that there’s something better for us in the life after death. It helps everyone get through their days and their lives knowing and feeling comforted by the idea of a God who will take care of us after. But what if there’s not, what if when we die, we die and that’s it. What if we don’t go anywhere cool, we just stop existing.
Gregory of Nyssa
My favorite part that really hit me was the beginning when the rabbi asks the scholars “Where does God dwell?” And they laugh and reply “God is everywhere, of course. “ But the rabbi disagreed and told them “God dwells wherever man lets him in.” That’s such a powerful statement. I agree and disagree to some extent. Yes, you should believe in God in order to let him in, but isn’t he already in all of us? And isn’t he suppose to love and help everyone?
“In our human existence physical health is a good thing; and indeed it is a blessing not only to know the reasons for good health but actually to enjoy it. Now suppose a man should speak the praises of good health and then proceed to take food that was unwholesome and contained unhealthy juices. What good would his praise of health be, when he himself was afflicted with disease?” He makes such a good point that I can’t even say anything in return. How can we mistreat the bodies we’ve been born with? Most of us slowly kill our bodies with alcohol, cigarettes, and greasy heart clogging delicious foods. It’s horrible, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to change. Maybe the devil is in all of our fast food. Temptations are no good.
“In our human existence physical health is a good thing; and indeed it is a blessing not only to know the reasons for good health but actually to enjoy it. Now suppose a man should speak the praises of good health and then proceed to take food that was unwholesome and contained unhealthy juices. What good would his praise of health be, when he himself was afflicted with disease?” He makes such a good point that I can’t even say anything in return. How can we mistreat the bodies we’ve been born with? Most of us slowly kill our bodies with alcohol, cigarettes, and greasy heart clogging delicious foods. It’s horrible, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to change. Maybe the devil is in all of our fast food. Temptations are no good.
John the Evangelist
When I was little my dad use to always tell me the same thing to explain God to me, “Behold, I make all things new. I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.” (My dad isn’t Catholic, he doesn’t believe in anything but my mom is a strong believer.) The idea that God is the alpha and the omega means so much if you think about it. There is no beginning; we will never know the beginning, because God is the beginning. And there is no end, the end is with God and he is the end. I always wonder then: Who made God? I was always told that God made God.
Once again, back to the same idea of enlightenment being within, “The spirit you have received from him remains in you, and you don’t need to have any man teach you; but that spirit teaches you all things, and is the truth.” When I read that I think about truth as the knowledge about God. I’m not sure what they mean exactly by “truth.” So then why don’t they believe in clearing the mind and letting the knowledge just come to you from within? Why is it absolutely necessary that you must to go to church once a week to learn about God and his teachings about what’s right and wrong? Some religions are so similar, yet so different.
Once again, back to the same idea of enlightenment being within, “The spirit you have received from him remains in you, and you don’t need to have any man teach you; but that spirit teaches you all things, and is the truth.” When I read that I think about truth as the knowledge about God. I’m not sure what they mean exactly by “truth.” So then why don’t they believe in clearing the mind and letting the knowledge just come to you from within? Why is it absolutely necessary that you must to go to church once a week to learn about God and his teachings about what’s right and wrong? Some religions are so similar, yet so different.
The Gospel of Thomas
This reading really surprised me. It reminded me of everything we’ve just been reading. “It will not come if you look for it. Nor can you say, ‘It is here’ or ‘It is there.’ For the kingdom of the Father is already spread out over the earth, but people don’t see it.” It’s exactly what everyone has been saying in the Hinduism and Buddhism readings. I’ve never heard Jesus and Buddha sound so similar before, and that says a lot because I use to go to church at least twice a week for about 9 years. The part where Thomas says Jesus says “But the kingdom is inside you, and it is outside you. If you know yourselves, then you will be known; and you will know that you are the sons of the living Father.” That is exactly what everyone’s been saying about being enlightened. It comes from within, and you already know it, you just have to clear your mind and truly know yourself.
I really like where it says “Recognize what is in your sight, and what is hidden will become clear to you.” How I understand that is that when you recognize everything in sight, and really understand, then you will start to see things that you’ve never seen before because of the new understanding.
I really like where it says “Recognize what is in your sight, and what is hidden will become clear to you.” How I understand that is that when you recognize everything in sight, and really understand, then you will start to see things that you’ve never seen before because of the new understanding.
Jesus of Nazareth
The beginning paragraph is the best part. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.” It’s really hard to follow that, but I think if everyone could then we’d be much better off. Anger between two people or two countries can build so easily, it happens everyday. Even if it started off as an accident, like a girl A glares at girl B, now girl B hates girl A, so girl A hates her back, then they’re friends get involved and you have two schools hating each other. That’s only a minor thing, anger towards other countries builds up all the time as well, before you know it, countries hate each other because of one or two guys.
I really like when he says “Don’t judge, and you will not be judged; don’t condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” The way you treat everyone, is the same way you’re treating God. God is in all of us so we should start treating everyone else well if we expect God to treat us the same way in Heaven. I think of judging as more of an acceptance. Because judging is seeing the world the way we think it should be, rather than how it is, so that’s what we base our judgments on. So if you start accepting everyone, then people will tend to be more accepting of you. And if you forgive, people will tend to be more forgiving towards you in the future, and so will God. And if you give, you will be rewarded in Heaven.
I really like when he says “Don’t judge, and you will not be judged; don’t condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” The way you treat everyone, is the same way you’re treating God. God is in all of us so we should start treating everyone else well if we expect God to treat us the same way in Heaven. I think of judging as more of an acceptance. Because judging is seeing the world the way we think it should be, rather than how it is, so that’s what we base our judgments on. So if you start accepting everyone, then people will tend to be more accepting of you. And if you forgive, people will tend to be more forgiving towards you in the future, and so will God. And if you give, you will be rewarded in Heaven.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tzu-ssu
“The sincere person does the right thing without trying,” then what do you say about the people that make mistakes. Are they not sincere because they messed up? Or maybe they weren’t sincere because they were trying to outsmart fate. To be something they’re not so in a way they are lying to themselves and must lie or do a wrong thing to be the person they are trying to be. “Live in perfect serenity with who you are.”
“The mature person accepts his situation and doesn’t desire anything outside it. If he finds himself rich and honored, he acts as a rich man should act; if he is poor, he acts as a poor man should act;” I disagree with parts of that, but I guess to find perfect serenity within yourself than you should be content with what you have.
“The mature person accepts his situation and doesn’t desire anything outside it. If he finds himself rich and honored, he acts as a rich man should act; if he is poor, he acts as a poor man should act;” I disagree with parts of that, but I guess to find perfect serenity within yourself than you should be content with what you have.
Hui-Hai
I like how he related the mind to a mirror. The mirror has nothing in it, but it can reflect anything and everything without trying. So if the mind is not trying, then it should be able to reflect everything once it is clear. “If the mind were clear, it wouldn’t give rise to delusions, and its attachments to subject and object would vanish; then purity would rise by itself, and you would be capable of such perception.” It says that if your mind is perfectly empty, then that is the essence of wisdom. But how do you get every possible thought out of your mind? That seems a bit unrealistic, but I guess that’s why it takes years, even decades of practice.
I think a big step to clear the mind would be to lose track of time. Don’t think about the future and don’t think about the past. Only think about the present moment, and if you can somehow not even think about the present moment then nothing can hurt you or make you worry. That’s the path to inner contentment.
I think a big step to clear the mind would be to lose track of time. Don’t think about the future and don’t think about the past. Only think about the present moment, and if you can somehow not even think about the present moment then nothing can hurt you or make you worry. That’s the path to inner contentment.
Pai-Chang
"The ordinary person's mind is the same as the sage's, because Original Mind is perfect and complete in itself." I like the think that the mind started perfect but as we grow up it gets foggier and things start filling it up and kicking other information to the far back of the brain. And to find enlightenment again, we must forget about everything thats cluttering up the mind and clean out our minds to get rid of the fogginess so we can go back to our original enlightened mind. Because we can't find anything to be enlightened outside of ourselves, it comes from within our own mind.
Chuang-Tzu
I think what he’s trying to say in this passage, like all the other readings this week, is that there needs to be complete equality. Everything has its opposite but one can’t exist without the other. If we never went through any pain or suffering, then we would have no idea how happiness could really feel.
“Those who divide fail to divide.” If you try to find the difference between everything, you won’t find anything. For example: trying to find the difference between hot and cold. You can’t find hot without the cold. Sooner or later, you will experience the cold that comes with the hot. Like a hot shower, it’s nice and hot but as soon as the shower ends, you experience the cold. If you’re always trying to differentiate everything then you’ll only make your life more complicated. Just take things for what they are.
“There is a beginning. There is a not yet beginning to be a beginning. There is a not yet beginning to be a not yet beginning to be a beginning.” I think what he’s trying to say in a different way is that there is a now. Then there must have been a before. And there must have been a before to the before the now. There is no end to the forward or the past so why focus on anything other than the present.
“Those who divide fail to divide.” If you try to find the difference between everything, you won’t find anything. For example: trying to find the difference between hot and cold. You can’t find hot without the cold. Sooner or later, you will experience the cold that comes with the hot. Like a hot shower, it’s nice and hot but as soon as the shower ends, you experience the cold. If you’re always trying to differentiate everything then you’ll only make your life more complicated. Just take things for what they are.
“There is a beginning. There is a not yet beginning to be a beginning. There is a not yet beginning to be a not yet beginning to be a beginning.” I think what he’s trying to say in a different way is that there is a now. Then there must have been a before. And there must have been a before to the before the now. There is no end to the forward or the past so why focus on anything other than the present.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Shunryu Suzuki
“Our ‘original mind’ includes everything within itself.” Well at what point do we lose our original mind? I like how he says in the beginners mind there are lots of possibilities. We can have an empty mind that’s open to all possibilities. “In the experts mind there are few” I think in the experts mind, he or she gets so caught up with what they think are the truths and focus only in that area. It isn’t as open to all possibilities.
“The reason why everything is beautiful is because it is out of balance, but its background is always in perfect harmony.” I’m not sure how to interpret that but how I see it is that everything in life has some good and some bad, some things have more bad than good or more good than bad. But when you look at the bigger picture, all the good in bad in everything equals out. So in the end, everything is in perfect harmony.
“The reason why everything is beautiful is because it is out of balance, but its background is always in perfect harmony.” I’m not sure how to interpret that but how I see it is that everything in life has some good and some bad, some things have more bad than good or more good than bad. But when you look at the bigger picture, all the good in bad in everything equals out. So in the end, everything is in perfect harmony.
Wu-Men
This writing was hard to understand. A lot of strange things came to my mind, like the eyebrows entangling doesn’t sound very pleasant. But looking through the eyes and hearing through the ears of the great Ancestral Teachers appealing, but the thought of swallowing a red-hot iron ball and not being able to vomit it out takes most of the appeal out of everything else. And I don’t understand why he says “When you meet the Buddha, you kill the Buddha. When you meet Bodhidharma, you kill Bodhidharma.” It doesn’t make sense to me.
Dogen
I don’t know where to start. I have a million thoughts about everything he said. I really liked when he talked about the fish, I thought of a fish in the ocean. The ocean never stops so the fish has no reason to stop swimming. The fish does not need to take up a lot of room, he only uses the space he needs. We don’t know what the fish thinks, but I like to think that he’s perfectly at peace. He never worries about how much space he has because wherever he goes, he has all he needs. Lucky peaceful free fish.
“To start from the self and try to understand all things is delusion. To let the self be awakened by all things is enlightenment. To be enlightened about delusion is to be Buddha. To be deluded in the midst of enlightenment is to be an ordinary person.” I really like this. I think what he means is to just let go. Let go of everything in the mind and you’ll soon be enlightened. But when you’re enlightened about being enlightened than you’re truly enlightened. I think a better way to explain what I’m trying to say is looking at a blind man as an example. If a blind man lives his life knowing he can’t see (if he, for some strange reason, grew up with a bunch of other blind people) then it’s never a problem, he grew up that way and has no idea about a completely different world involving sight. Then one day, he meets someone that can see and realizes that there’s something else out there, something he knows nothing about but now he’s beginning to hear and learn about an entire different world, but never really experiences it himself. That is the first way of being enlightened. And then one day, he gets his sight, and he can really experience and see things for himself. That is how he is truly enlightened.
I liked what he said about meditation. Let thoughts come and go, but don’t hold on to any of them, and don’t desire to attain enlightenment. The truth is within, so if you can’t find it within yourself, where are you supposed to find it? He makes a good point. If all of these wise enlightened people could find such wisdom within themselves, then if we try hard enough, should we? Well I guess if we tried, then we would really never attain enlightenment. I think before we research deep into the insights and thoughts of others, we should first try to find some truths and insights within. I think that’d make a better foundation and understanding of what other people already know.
“To start from the self and try to understand all things is delusion. To let the self be awakened by all things is enlightenment. To be enlightened about delusion is to be Buddha. To be deluded in the midst of enlightenment is to be an ordinary person.” I really like this. I think what he means is to just let go. Let go of everything in the mind and you’ll soon be enlightened. But when you’re enlightened about being enlightened than you’re truly enlightened. I think a better way to explain what I’m trying to say is looking at a blind man as an example. If a blind man lives his life knowing he can’t see (if he, for some strange reason, grew up with a bunch of other blind people) then it’s never a problem, he grew up that way and has no idea about a completely different world involving sight. Then one day, he meets someone that can see and realizes that there’s something else out there, something he knows nothing about but now he’s beginning to hear and learn about an entire different world, but never really experiences it himself. That is the first way of being enlightened. And then one day, he gets his sight, and he can really experience and see things for himself. That is how he is truly enlightened.
I liked what he said about meditation. Let thoughts come and go, but don’t hold on to any of them, and don’t desire to attain enlightenment. The truth is within, so if you can’t find it within yourself, where are you supposed to find it? He makes a good point. If all of these wise enlightened people could find such wisdom within themselves, then if we try hard enough, should we? Well I guess if we tried, then we would really never attain enlightenment. I think before we research deep into the insights and thoughts of others, we should first try to find some truths and insights within. I think that’d make a better foundation and understanding of what other people already know.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Diamond Sutra
“When I attained Absolute Perfect Enlightenment, I attained absolutely nothing. That is why it is called Absolute Perfect Enlightenment.” I did not understand that at first, but after re-reading that about 5 times, it makes much more sense. Absolute Perfect Enlightenment isn’t about attaining anything. I don’t think you can attain Perfect Enlightenment if you are trying, I think when you stop looking and just let go of everything, needs/wants/thoughts/belongs/whatever it may be, then you can be truly enlightened. He even says that “The mind should be kept independent of any thoughts that arise within it. If the mind depends upon anything, it has no sure haven.” What I’m getting from that is to let go of any thoughts that are just clutter or distractions. Like how personal belongings or eating much more than the body needs out of selfish want, those are just distractions just like thoughts can be. The mind wanders easily, and it’s even easier to get caught up in thoughts that involve emotion like fear, worries, hate, revenge, want, desire, ect. So it’s better just to let it all go. Then the mind will be ready to be enlightened. If you really think about it, it sounds good when you’re just thinking about it, but I think it’d be pretty close to impossible in reality today. I don’t know anybody that could let go of everything they own and forget about all of the “important” thoughts that really don’t mean anything when you look at the bigger picture. Sometimes I wish that everyone would read this book “The Enlightened Mind” so everyone would calm down and stop being so stressed out about pointless things.
The Buddha
I love everything that Buddha is saying. I’m not sure what name I should call him. I think he has a really good point on everything. If something is unwholesome and bad for you, just don’t do it. And when something is wholesome and good for you, then do it. So many people today, even myself, hear that little voice in the back of our head telling us something is bad for us morally or physically, but we choose to ignore that little voice and do it anyways. I think most people know the difference between right and wrong to an extent but when we choose to ignore ourselves and just do the wrong anyways, the line between right and wrong becomes thinner and thinner. Some of the excuses people use to justify the wrong they’re doing are really stupid. Whether it’s “Oh, that girl has been really mean to everyone so I don’t care about being mean to her.” No, that’s not okay. Or “Everyone in my family has drug problems so there’s no hope for me, why fight it,” even stupider. If it’s bad-don’t do it, if it’s good-do it. That’d be amazing if everyone could follow that.
I just wrote a long paragraph about the raft, but now I don't know where I was going with that. I think if you look at what he's saying in a physical way is that once you've used something for what it was needed to do, then leave it. I think about everything most American families have used, and can no longer use, but they still keep everything. Think of all the old skis and snowboards and stuffed animals in everyone’s garages. Even all the old clothes that we no longer want to wear or no longer fit us, but we still keep everything in the back of our closet. Most people have soooo much stuff that we’re never going to use, so I don’t know why we hold on to it. And I don’t know why we can’t let go. Think of all the good our stuff could do for other people if we just let it go. There’s a lot of people that need our clutter more than we do.
I just wrote a long paragraph about the raft, but now I don't know where I was going with that. I think if you look at what he's saying in a physical way is that once you've used something for what it was needed to do, then leave it. I think about everything most American families have used, and can no longer use, but they still keep everything. Think of all the old skis and snowboards and stuffed animals in everyone’s garages. Even all the old clothes that we no longer want to wear or no longer fit us, but we still keep everything in the back of our closet. Most people have soooo much stuff that we’re never going to use, so I don’t know why we hold on to it. And I don’t know why we can’t let go. Think of all the good our stuff could do for other people if we just let it go. There’s a lot of people that need our clutter more than we do.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Yehiel Mikhal of Zlotchov
How can you live forever if you don’t believe in God? Man lives only a short time on the earth; he can only live forever in the mind of God. I think what he means in this writing is that if you are only great in your own eyes, or only thinking about yourself, no one will remember you or want to remember you. By living your life to serve others and God, your memory will live on long after you have passed away.
By accepting that we are nothing except through the will of God, that we came from God through creation , we will become a part of God, “like a drop that has fallen into the great sea and is one with the waters of the sea and cannot be recognized as a separate thing.“ We will always exist as long as God exists.
By accepting that we are nothing except through the will of God, that we came from God through creation , we will become a part of God, “like a drop that has fallen into the great sea and is one with the waters of the sea and cannot be recognized as a separate thing.“ We will always exist as long as God exists.
Shmelke of Nikolsburg
This writing reminds me a lot of the Tu-Shun story with the jewels, in the fact that everyone is reflected through everyone else. “It is our right to hate an evil man for his actions, but because his deepest self is the image of God, it is our duty to honor him with love.” Just because someone did something wrong, doesn’t make them any less of one of God’s children as well as a reflection of God Himself.
I like the Rabbi’s response saying “You must understand these words correctly. Love your neighbor like something which you yourself are. For all souls are one.” We all one, and we are all created from the same thing. So how can we hate someone for being human and making mistakes?
I like the Rabbi’s response saying “You must understand these words correctly. Love your neighbor like something which you yourself are. For all souls are one.” We all one, and we are all created from the same thing. So how can we hate someone for being human and making mistakes?
Dov Baer of Mezritch
I don’t understand the first paragraph very well. If looking at an object brings greater vitality to the object, then why does it become cut off from its divine root and vitality once you look away? Do things not really exist unless we acknowledge their existence?
“I will teach you the best way to say Torah. You must be nothing but an ear that hears what the universe of the word if constantly saying within you. The moment you begin to hear what you yourself are saying, you must stop.” I think what he is trying to say is that the Torah is meant to be accepted as it stands, without interpretation or rationalization. You can’t reject the parts you don’t understand and only accept the parts you do understand. Otherwise, everyone would have their own interpretation of the Torah. It would no longer be God’s word.
“As it is said in the Talmud: ‘Greater than the first miracle is the last.’” It’s a wonderful thing that God did indeed create heaven and earth out of nothing. But the fact that we can actually realize that God, through His purpose, created everything from nothing; that is the real miracle.
“I will teach you the best way to say Torah. You must be nothing but an ear that hears what the universe of the word if constantly saying within you. The moment you begin to hear what you yourself are saying, you must stop.” I think what he is trying to say is that the Torah is meant to be accepted as it stands, without interpretation or rationalization. You can’t reject the parts you don’t understand and only accept the parts you do understand. Otherwise, everyone would have their own interpretation of the Torah. It would no longer be God’s word.
“As it is said in the Talmud: ‘Greater than the first miracle is the last.’” It’s a wonderful thing that God did indeed create heaven and earth out of nothing. But the fact that we can actually realize that God, through His purpose, created everything from nothing; that is the real miracle.
The Bible
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” So simple, yet so true. If everyone did that, then I think our world would be a better place. I don’t think he meant for people to just pretend that they love everyone and just be nice to everyone, but truly accept and forgive everyone is to truly love. To care and know about peoples biggest flaws and mistakes, and still be able to look past that and love them for the kind heart they have somewhere, even if it’s a really deep somewhere. But what kind of world would it be if everyone loved each other? I can’t even imagine what a world like that would be like.
My High School counselor use to work with homeless people in urban cities, and she made a video of an interview with a homeless man in San Francisco. He was really interesting and one of the nicest people I’ve ever seen with some really insightful things to say. One of the things he said that really stuck with me was “You don’t have to know someone to care about them.” Coming from someone that had nothing, who had the right to be bitter towards people, I thought that was really cool.
“I form light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil.” God made everything. I think he was trying to balance out our world. You can’t appreciate beauty if you’ve never seen the ugly. Happiness wouldn’t mean anything to us if we’ve never suffered.
My High School counselor use to work with homeless people in urban cities, and she made a video of an interview with a homeless man in San Francisco. He was really interesting and one of the nicest people I’ve ever seen with some really insightful things to say. One of the things he said that really stuck with me was “You don’t have to know someone to care about them.” Coming from someone that had nothing, who had the right to be bitter towards people, I thought that was really cool.
“I form light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil.” God made everything. I think he was trying to balance out our world. You can’t appreciate beauty if you’ve never seen the ugly. Happiness wouldn’t mean anything to us if we’ve never suffered.
Philo
I think Philo was an optimist. He believed that “God loves to give, and freely bestows good things on all people, even the imperfect…That is why every soul he created has the seed of goodness in it.” I don’t think he had any proof that everyone had goodness in them, but he just liked to believe that everyone had goodness in them. I like to believe the same way. If you wait long enough, I think you’ll eventually see the goodness in everyone. But most people are pretty selfish and aren’t willing to spend time waiting to see the good in someone.
Philo says that “God alone… lives in eternal bliss. His nature is absolutely perfect, or rather, God is the height, the goal, and the limit of happiness. There is nothing outside himself that he needs, but he has given a share of his own beauty to all particular beings, from the fountain of beauty: himself.” Philo holds on to the belief that since God is good, every good thing comes from God. Then where do the bad things come from? And if God did make the bad things, then why did he make them? I think Adam and Eve should be blamed for the mosquitoes.
“According to our holy teacher Moses, the goal of wisdom is laughter and play—not the kind that one sees in little children… but the kind that is developed in those who have grown mature through both time and understanding.” I think once you mature and experience enough, you start to look at life and yourself in a different understanding, and through that different aspect, it’s easier to laugh at yourself and your own mistakes. And also when you live long enough, you begin to realize life is short, and to enjoy it and laugh often.
Philo says that “God alone… lives in eternal bliss. His nature is absolutely perfect, or rather, God is the height, the goal, and the limit of happiness. There is nothing outside himself that he needs, but he has given a share of his own beauty to all particular beings, from the fountain of beauty: himself.” Philo holds on to the belief that since God is good, every good thing comes from God. Then where do the bad things come from? And if God did make the bad things, then why did he make them? I think Adam and Eve should be blamed for the mosquitoes.
“According to our holy teacher Moses, the goal of wisdom is laughter and play—not the kind that one sees in little children… but the kind that is developed in those who have grown mature through both time and understanding.” I think once you mature and experience enough, you start to look at life and yourself in a different understanding, and through that different aspect, it’s easier to laugh at yourself and your own mistakes. And also when you live long enough, you begin to realize life is short, and to enjoy it and laugh often.
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