my buddhist blog number 164

Hi Everybody,
There's beena bit of a gap because Sarah is playing at the RSC in Stratford on Avon and I've spent a bit of time up there with her.Today's episode is about what Buddhism calls the life state of hunger, and what modern psychology calls hedonic adaptation. OK here goes.
Since it lies at the root of a great deal of self-inflicted pain and suffering...and that's the key point to note...it is self-inflicted. it is our choice...Nichiren Buddhism considers it important enough to flag it up for us, by giving this  itch-to-acquire stuff a name. It's called the life state of Hunger. Basically this is a state of more or less constant, restless dissatisfaction with our lives because we convince ourselves that our happiness lies in having something, or experiencing something that is just out of our reach. And in this life state, there is nearly always something that is just out of our reach. This restless dissatisfaction is not limited of course to just material things. It reaches out to into all the fields of human activity you can think of, from the desire for particular relationships or partners to the desire for more wealth than we happen to have, or status or fame and on to regaining youth and beauty through plastic surgery say. There's always something to want or yearn for. And it's by no means uncommon for people in this life state to fix their gaze on one thing after another in their environment, in the sure and certain knowledge...each time...that this will satisfy their deep hunger and bring them the happiness that so far has just eluded them.

The extraordinary thing...and i use that phrase advisedly because it is I think genuinely surprising...that modern psychology recognises something very similar indeed to what we have just been talking about. The term it uses to describe it is ' hedonic adapatation,'  Hedonic comes from the Greek word that means pleasure. Adaptation speaks for itself. So put simply this somewhat esoteric phrase means that we adapt with astonishing speed to new stuff., to any new material goods that we acquire. It simply becomes the new norm.

' The things that  we get used to most easily and most take for granted are our material possessions...our car, our house,. Advertisers understand this and invite us to ' feed our addiction' with more and more spending.'

But the key point to note is that the new acquisition changes nothing in terms of how we feel in the depths of our lives. Nothing changes in terms of our fundamental sense of well-being. '

Ok enough for today. Back at the end of the week with another episode.
Best wishes,
William
PS The case for Buddhism is available on Amazon and on Kindle.

my Buddhist blog number 163

Hi Everybody,
Had a busy time over the past few weeks. The great  news is that a  major Italian publisher wants to put out this book and an earlier one called Buddhism and the Science of Happiness in various formats, including paperback and audio. I have to say I'm totally blown away by getting such support, so  I've been busy getting the various bits and pieces to them.

If you've been following the previous episodes we're in the middle of the chapter on happiness and we're talking about the dilemma that often confronts us in modern society where we have often allowed who we are to somehow become synonymous with what we have.

So what does Nichiren Buddhism have to say to help us re-balance ourselves in the face of this constant materialist onslaught that can deeply undermine our sense of self worth? It makes it clear right from the start that it is not about rejecting material possession. It's not about denial, or giving things up, since that doesn't of itself achieve anything. Nichiren Buddhism fully embraces both the material and the spiritual aspects of life, because both are clearly important to us. The absolute key it argues, to establishing a durable sense of well-being is awareness, recognising the situation  for what it really is seeing the threat to our stability and understanding that we need to establish a meaningful balance.

So for example, people who take up this practice are encouraged to chant for, and of course to take action for whatever it is they believe they need to achieve full and fulfilling lives. And that might certainly include material things, from a better income and financial security for example, to a better house and everything in between. Such things are an integral part of all our lives and can't simply be left out. But undoubtedly as we continue with the practice it radically changes our perspective. It puts the constant wanting of  things into a broader whole-life context.

while acquiring new things can undoubtedly be an extremely pleasurable experience...and why shouldn't it be indeed...it cannot be the basis for the solid, lasting, resilient sense of well-being that we all seek. The pleasure in new possessions soon wears off, very soon in fact. And the only way to re-ignite that sort of pleasure is to get out there again into a fresh bout of retail therapy! We've all been at least some way down that road. Just look at the level of global credit card debt that was exposed in the crash of 2008. All we need we repeatedly persuade ourselves is that something else in the shopping mall or the showroom window....and we'll be really trulyt happy. Promise.

And then something else catches our attention...and on and on.

We're into the world of what Buddhism calls Hunger sate, and modern psychology calls Hedonic adaptation.

And that's where we go next time.
See you then. Best wishes,
William
Tne Case for Buddhism is available from  Amazon and as a download on Kindle