Can a buddhist enjoy life - what are the limitations and restrictions

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Anyone who says that is misrepresenting Buddhism completely. The primary goal in Buddhism is the attainment of true happiness. The problem, of course, is that, according to Buddhism, no thing in the universe can bring such happiness. This is what is meant by the concept of uncertainty; not that we should always think of it, but that it is a characteristic inherent in all arisen phenomena.

The good news is that by understanding this reality, we can find true and lasting happiness because we will no longer seek out happiness in that which cannot provide it. We will no longer face disappointment when that which we think of as stable turns out to be unstable; when that which we think of as satisfying turns out to be unsatisfying; and when that which we think of as controllable turns out to be out of our control.

sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā”ti, yadā paññāya passati.
atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

All formations are impermanent. When one sees this with wisdom,
thereupon becoming disenchanted with what is unsatisfying, this is the path of purification.

-- Dhp. 277

Upvote:1

The goal of Buddhist is to achieve true happiness. The way to achieve this is changing your perspective and outlook of the world to be in line with reality. All the Buddhist training is geared towards this goal. Bring your outlook of the world inline with reality at the experiential level in order to be able to live happily.

The misery we create is a product of our untrained mind and us not knowing through 1st hand experience the realities of nature. So we have to:

  1. understand the realities at the experiential level
  2. change out outlook and thinking to be inline with the realities so misery or unhappiness does not arise

Upvote:3

Remember, in the sutra Samyutta Nikaya #35, the Buddha says:

What ordinary folk call happiness, the enlightened ones call dukkha.

Note 'dukkha' means suffering.

All experience, happiness and sadness, is Dukkha. Buddhist's identify with each other through their experience of 'moksha' (or 'liberation') within dukkha (which is also thought of as 'conditioned' existence itself).

As such the ordinary ones are 'deterred' from happiness (or more correctly, taught to think of it as something entriely negative), while the enlightened ones are encouraged to, strangely, also renounce it (depsite calling it 'moksha' or 'liberation'). This may seem paradoxical, but it demonstrates a repeated step-like descending process where all experience is associated with dukkha until one entirely disconnects with conditioned reality and therefore suffering.

The goal is the cessation of suffering, not the occupation of the suffering mind with happiness. This is not a moral activity, and one does not generate bad karma by seeking happiness-dukkha, though a movement away from viewing any experience at all as positive is always rewarded with 'meat' (as it is called). Renouncing the meat as positive causes a chain-reaction, though one usually begins to crave the so called meat and the chain breaks.

Upvote:6

Buddhism does not teach that one should abandon happiness. Buddhism teaches that happiness can be divided into three categories: Sensual happiness which is the least happiness, happiness based on concentration which is better, and the happiness of Nibbana, which is the supreme happiness.

Buddhism doesn't ban a lay person from sensual happiness, but teaches that people must avoid certain types of actions which are clearly harmful to ones self or others (for example, killing, stealing, adultery, lying, and taking intoxicants), and for lay people, sensuality that is not clearly destructive are permitted, although moderation is encouraged, and renouncing sensuality entirely is highly encouraged as a superior path towards the higher happiness of Nibbana.

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