Is it just me or is Blogger very slow at the moment? This morning I wrote a follow-up post to yesterday’s post using Flock but it took so long to connect to the server that I reread the post several times while waiting, and discovered that I want to work on it some more before posting it, so instead I am in the situation of not having anything in particular to post.
I’ll leave you with this thought for the day:
Nothing that goes on in anyone else’s mind can harm you. Nor can the shifts and changes in the world around you.
– Then where is harm to be found?
In your capacity to see it. Stop doing that and everything will be fine. Let the part of you that makes that judgement keep quiet even if the body it’s attached to is stabbed or burnt, or stinking with pus, or consumed with cancer. Or put it another way: It needs to realise that what happens to everyone – good and bad alike – is neither good nor bad. That what happens in every life – lived naturally or not – is neither natural nor unnatural.
Meditation number 39, Book Four, Meditations, Marcus Aurelius. (The new translation by Gregory Hays.)
I never realised Marcus Aurelius was a Buddhist!
5 Comments
He was? Nah… but perhaps it’s more of the universality of Buddhist teachings — a sort of “universal truths”. Excellent quote that I’m going to bear in mind: “Where is the harm to be found? In our capacity to see it.”
So very true.
You’re right of course, Ivan!
/wave at Cherry. Take care in Sydney this weekend!
“Nothing that goes on in anyone else’s mind can harm you. Nor can the shifts and changes in the world around you.”
Thats like saying standing in the middle of a busy road can’t harm you. It’s the impact with the cars that harm you.
On it’s own the quote implies that what goes on in other people’s minds is not important to your well being. This is patently not true. Just look at politicians and thier agendas.
Our ability to percieve thoughts in other human minds is what allows us to achieve things in our society and also provides us with the ability to avoid harm to ourselves and others.
Thats said I do think it’s important not to labour emotionally over someone else’s thoughts and feelings. It can bring you down and cause long term suffering to yourself and others.
M, I think what the quote was referring to is what you say in your last paragraph:
“Thats said I do think it’s important not to labour emotionally over someone else’s thoughts and feelings. It can bring you down and cause long term suffering to yourself and others.”
I don’t think it’s advocating indifference, stupidity (standing in the middle of a busy street) or not making any effort. Empathy with others is what’s important, not fixating on and worrying about “what they might think of me”. That’s my interpretation of it, anyway.