What A Human Life Looks Like

Discussion
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As with the Buddha’s last words before his parinibbāna:

Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Indeed, bhikkhus, I declare this to you: It is in the nature of all formations to dissolve. Attain perfection through diligence.” These were the Blessed One’s last words.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “handa dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo, vayadhammā saṅkhārā appamādena sampādethā”ti. Ayaṃ tathāgatassa pacchimā vācā.

— D.16, Mahāparinibbāna Sutta

And the highest importance of heedfulness (appamāda):

“Bhikkhus, to whatever extent there are beings, whether footless or with two feet, four feet, or many feet, whether having form or formless, whether percipient or non-percipient, or neither percipient nor non-percipient, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One is declared foremost among them. So too, all wholesome qualities are rooted in heedfulness and converge upon heedfulness and heedfulness is declared foremost among them.”

Yāvatā, bhikkhave, sattā apadā vā dvipadā vā catuppadā vā bahuppadā vā rūpino vā arūpino vā saññino vā asaññino vā nevasaññi­nāsaññino vā, tathāgato tesaṃ aggamakkhāyati arahaṃ sammāsambuddho; evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, ye keci kusalā dhammā, sabbe te appamādamūlakā appa­māda­samo­saraṇā. Appamādo tesaṃ aggamakkhāyati.

— AN 10.15, Appamāda Sutta

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We can spend our lives toiling like Sisyphus or being engaged mindfully, each moment an interesting experience.

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Something about the video kept bothering me… Finally I realised that it was the way activities were divided up. Our lives ARE short, but not because we go to school or work or sleep - retirement??

This IS life - every bit of it, and that is why it is so important HOW we live it, how we do the activities that make up our lives, and which activities we choose. One can live the Dhamma AND be doing activities. Some are just more conducive to the path than others.

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Yes, there’s not enough time to do everything and THEN do the dhamma. The dhamma IS everything. It must be done while doing everything.

With metta

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Yes, I agree that doing the practice at all times is very important, however, I am sure we can also agree that work/school, cooking, chores and so on aren’t the best situations to develop the practice (or meditate).

Or at the very least, sleep, which uses up 30% of our life. :wink: