Judith D
Alan writes: 'I think we should trust in our ability to make a difference in the world, to bring benefit to other living beings and the Universe. That is what I feel should spur us to do whatever we can to alleviate suffering.'
And that Alan, is an essence of the buddhist teaching, isn't it. The Dalai Lama said that the purpose of life is to be happy - and the best way to get there is to bring happiness to others. It really is not enough to attend to our own needs, whether they are physical, mental or spiritual, without spreading it around in whichever way we are able. The 'needs' discussed here are pretty often things we very actively DO NOT want, although hindsight may in fact tell us they were good and necessary.
And that Alan, is an essence of the buddhist teaching, isn't it. The Dalai Lama said that the purpose of life is to be happy - and the best way to get there is to bring happiness to others. It really is not enough to attend to our own needs, whether they are physical, mental or spiritual, without spreading it around in whichever way we are able. The 'needs' discussed here are pretty often things we very actively DO NOT want, although hindsight may in fact tell us they were good and necessary.