Something to think about

Some people claim that self-sufficiency is a myth. A person is a social animal, they declare; people cannot successfully live outside of some community. But that is not the correct way to understand true self-sufficiency. What we are referring to is a supreme sense of connection with oneself and the cosmos around oneself. This doesn't preclude community with others, but it does prevent the excesses and shortcomings that occur when society is one's only source of union.


Deng Ming-Dao
365 Tao: Daily Meditations
p. 262


Is there a state of self-sufficiency as Deng Ming-Dao postulates? I guess, according to the way I understand his definition, that one doesn't have to be a hermit or a social isolate to be self-sufficient. If so, then that person would appear to be part of the community. If that's true, then how would I know when I meet one who is self-sufficient?

A Thought

Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.
-- Vietnamese Buddhist Precept--

This just jumped off the page at me today. I wonder why.

All sorts of headlines kept flashing before my eyes.

If this were the prevailing philosophy instead of being ignored by most, what would the world be like today?

I wonder if this ever could become generally accepted.