Aimless. . .
When you hear the word aimless or aimlessness what do think? No point? Worthless? Not worth doing or nonsense? Did you know Aimlessness is actually a trait that mean Buddhists seek to engage?
In the Buddhist tradition, aimlessness is considered the Third Door of Liberation, or gateway to awakening. Thich Nhất Hanh describes it in his book The Art of Living: “Aimlessness does not mean doing nothing. It means not putting something in front of you to chase after. When we remove the objects of our craving and desires, we discover that happiness and freedom are available right here in the present moment.”
As I understand it, aimlessness is about getting freedom from the ceaseless striving that can bring us stress and disappointment.
You may be running all your life instead of living it. You may be running after happiness, love, romance, success, or enlightenment. Concentrating on aimlessness consists of removing the object of your pursuit, your goal. If you are running after nirvana, you should know that nirvana is already there in yourself and in everything. If you are running after the Buddha, be aware that the Buddha is already in you. If you are seeking happiness, be aware that happiness is available in the here and now.
The Third Door of Liberation is aimlessness, apranihita. There is nothing to do, nothing to realize, no program, no agenda. This is the Buddhist teaching about eschatology. Does the rose have to do something? No, the purpose of a rose is to be a rose. Your purpose is to be yourself. You don’t have to run anywhere to become someone else. You are wonderful just as you are. This teaching of the Buddha allows us to enjoy ourselves, the blue sky, and everything that is refreshing and healing in the present moment.
There is no need to put anything in front of us and run after it. We already have everything we are looking for, everything we want to become. We are already a Buddha so why not just take the hand of another Buddha and practice enjoying the walk we call life.
Peace and Love, Jim
#aimless #thedailybuddha
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