Ancient sages always spoke about simplicity for their times. The people then must have been as materialistic as those of our times now to have sages expound teachings which point to one’s own nature, and simplicity.

In today’s world, simplicity bears many explanations. To the modern mind, simplicity is a home with electricity, gas, heat, hot water, appliances to cook, t.v., a couch, bed, maybe a computer and a telephone. Then there is the simplicity for the luxury seekers; A fancy expensive car(s), at least 4-7 bedrooms, clothing no cheaper than a few thousand dollars, all the modern appliances, and such as stated above, plus a maid, butler, extravagant vacations, etc, etc, etc.

Simplicity for those who barely have is quite an interesting idea; a place to sleep and some sort of food stuff to fill the belly, some shoes and warm clothing for the winter months, and maybe a covering over the body when the weather is a bit trying. Thos seeking for the modern basic simplicity are still luxurious to the poor person, and the one seeking rich luxuries is luxurious to the one seeking modern basic simplicities.

Because of such states of mind, all three view their ways of simplicity to be enough, perfect, yet little do they know that only one of them maintains a humility unsurpassed; that is the poor person seeking only a roof from the rain, warmth for the winter, and some food when hunger is unbearable.

Why is it that the poor person seeks so little? It is because of their karmic conditions. They have no other method to attain the more of modern basic simplicity. They may not be sages, but their “just enough” mentality allows for the cultivation of patience and humility, and plants the seeds of abundance in their later years, and or future lifetimes.

In our modern time of haves and have nots, the suffering of not having is even worst compared to when living beings were free from technological dependencies and luxuries. The reason, those who have, feel they are worth something, those who have not feel they are not worth anything, and so those who have usually create the perception that those who have not are useless, and no good.

This perception plants the seeds of being reborn in a life of poverty, and or losing one’s riches in their current life. Believe it or not, but having just enough to maintain pants good roots of abundance later in one’s life. The reason is because when one only has what they need, they do not seek for anything more. But, if one does seek for more than what they need, in the long run, they end up losing what they have.

In our world, the living beings are taught to want, and lust over material things. They are taught this from childhood and are surrounded by that mentality till they die. What most people do not want to hear, is that they have been coaxed into living like that.
They do not want to face the fact that they have been led to gradually deteriorate their health and those of their children. They do not want to believe there are people deliberately making society twist and turn in all directions.

It is much easier to sit back and enjoy one’s desires than it is to investigate the world. It is a time where people must re-learn old trades. They must rely on skills developed over hard work.

Its time to learn how to farm, sew, cook, spend time without the entertainment of TV., radio, movies and the like, especially video games which is one of the worst things to ever be given to children, and adults nowadays.

We must all re-learn how to wear simple clothing, cheaper clothing, simple and cheaper shoes. Step away from the popular, and commercial, and go back to what we actually do need to cover our bodies.

The cost of vegetables is more expensive than meat nowadays. Its unbelievable! Our society is literally very backwards. What is good for you is more expensive than what is bad for you. Meaning, it is easier to by the unhealthy foods, than it is to buy the healthier ones.

We must re-learn how to eat vegetables, how to accept the not so tasty foods because we just need to maintain this body, not give it good tasting foods. The good tastes go to waste. They are good going into the mouth, but who will eat them after they come out? No one! The good tasting foods were simply a cover for what the food really is.

So what is this simplicity that sages talked about for centuries? It is just utilizing what is necessary for basic living; A place to cover from the rain, clothes to protect from the weather, food to warm the stomach, and shoes to protect the feet. Anything else, is just excessive.

Our world will once again taste that lifestyle. And it will be a bitter transition indeed. This is why cultivation is of utmost importance. No more vacations, just sit home and cultivate with the family. Educate each other on the importance of investigating the mind, strengthening your energy, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

No more TV, for it harbors evils people would never believe existed. Radio interrupts the mental waves, so does TV. Movies and TV shows interfere with ones emotional stability, causing desires to erupt, anger, hatred, jealousy, love, like, and false thinking that influences one’s daily living.

If people can simply abide with the conditions of the world, not want, but utilize, they would find a peace that was once the mind of this world’s ancestors. Nothing fancy any more, nothing expensive, wonderfully tasting. Just plain old maintenance, and service to each other.

The cultivation of the way is quite simple. It only requires what it already has and what we all came into this world with, and will leave with.

Investigate the mind. Hurry!

Thank you Lin, very timely.

I live very far from that ideal. While I'm happy where I am, I understand that the Way you articulate is ultimately the direction I should move toward.


Michael

Hi Michael,

Its just a headsup...but really, just smile, and you'll be alright hehehe

***adding this in: I meant for this to mean anyone to just smile, and all things will be good.

Thanx Lin, nice article i enjoyed reading. Cannot agree more.

Ive been told alot about simplicity by my grandma who lived true world war 1 and 2. Aswell several friends of me who came from Bosnia and Jugoslavia after the war. They simply didnt had another option so they learned to be happy with less and to be inventive with what they had.

Regards, Mike

Well I have had the great fortune in my life to have been dirt poor and also to have had luxary.
The following are some of the conculsions I've come to.
A lack of or too many "things" has no bearing on ones degree of virtue,wisdom,compassion or ability to empathise.
Poverty sucks as they say and its true from what I've seen.It leads to poor health,inferior education and it especially effects women who often bare the brunt of it.
I have met unhappy homeless and unhappy millionaires,the cause of their unhappiness in either case stem from a lack of love in their lives,love of themselves and those around them.
I have also met happy penniless wanders and happy well healed aristocrats. In both cases the reason they were happy was they were doing what was right for them,in other words they were following their hearts.

Humility has nothing to do with how you cloth yourself or the pitch of your roof,humility is the intention in your heart.
What good would it do if you were to give all you have away and live a "simple life" but still have a heart of venom.
Its not a case of how thirfty we are or how hard we work,its what is in our heart that counts.
If your heart is true nobody can educate you to be contrary to your true heart.
There are burdens equal to being rich as their are to being poor when it comes to cultivation.
Rather I believe the condition that is most conducive to fulfilling your mission, is the one best obtained.

One must abide with causes and conditions.

So you're saying that a substatial aspect of your intention of cultivating the mind is preparation?

h

Lin,

Thank you for the article. At first I was nodding all the way. Even just yesterday I got into an argument with my fiance over some things that she thought we 'needed' for our new apartment. I argue for simplicity almost to a fault.. or maybe to a fault... if things are falling apart but can still be used, then I keep using them.

I am called 'cheap' by a lot of people but I just don't have the money most of the time to have the 'nice things'. So, I agree that as a society we have become very distracted, very comfortable and lulled by entertainment.

That aside though, I don't necessarily think that nice things are bad. I look at a skyscraper and think of all the hard work that it took to build it. From the first thought to the last rivet. I sit at my computer and marvel at the great minds that conceived the idea and the hard work it took to create it. Everywhere I look I see the beauty from which all of man's creations have come from and I am in complete awe. I see the divine at work in all our ideas.

So that leaves me in a bind. These beautiful ideas scream out of our unique human minds and intuition yet they tend to bind us in greed/lust and leave us blind.

So my conclusion is to work on myself, see the beauty in all things, and hope that I can some day center my being in the Tao itself.

Once again, thank you for these insights.
-Nate

I don't know, i believe true art (being literature, films, music, etc) teaches us and uplift our spirit, even if it contains violence or harsh despictions of the human condition. Love, humour, joy are wonderful things to experience, perhaps one of our best qualities as human beings.

To me, the problem lies, not in deny all these things, but in observe them as the phenomena they are. To not make them our own, that's where the ego lies, and it always wants more. I don't blame the ego though, after all, we are not really sure what will come next, and sickness and death is around the corner. We just want to be happy in our own particular way.

But i get the message about a simpler world, which is very much at hand if humankind unites and do it right once and for all. We have all the technology and knowledge to do it. Sadly, this kind of thought has been around for ages, and evil thoughts, egoism, hate & inflicted pain seems to always be present and conspire against the idea.

Not preparation. Abiding with conditions means to not get angry. To understand the causes of those conditions, and not be moved by them.

Reason for cultivating is simply to attain wisdom. Aspire to do the work of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and end the cycle of birth and death...Maybe one day I will such wisdom.

Peace and Blessings,
Lin

Yes true. But in society you can't. Too many distractions.

Best place to do that is away from society. Read Walden by H. D. Thoreau as an example of how this works:

http://www.literaturepage.com/read/walden.html


Then come back and help others to show them that suffering can be exhausted. Gautama Buddha did it.

You can, and its one of the best place to do it in. Not easy though. So many distractions just feed the fire for cultivation.

Its better to be home than at the temples.. There is a saying:

Zai Jia, chu jia, chu jia, zai jia...Dou shi Yige xin.

It doesn't matter at home, or at the temple, at the temple or at home...
stillness is all in the heart.

Of course its not easy out there, but that's where one gets stronger, more diligent. When its easy, cultivation has nothing to temper itself with.
Outside in the world, is like making swords...heat the metal, shape it, cool it, add layers to make it stronger by heating and shaping, cooling.. a whole process.

Its tempering the metal, just like cultivation.

For some, in the world is good, for others in the temples is good. Same mind, but the conditions for cultivation are different.



Peace and Blessings Brother,
Lin

I would like to hear your experience of the effects computer games can have. Mine has been that they can encourage abilities in concentration, problem solving and perseverence - not to mention hand-eye co-ordination. Admittedly, I have seen negative effects too, but this by no means writes off all the benefits that they can have.



By no means unbelievable. If something is better for you and in less supply then it stands to reason that it is dearer. Simple economics. The unbelievable thing is that relatively few people value vegetables. Funny, isn't it, how meat was once considered a luxury and is now a major part of the staple diet in the modernised world to the detriment of our health.

Whether vegetables are considered "tasty" or not is entirely individual. Personally, I would eat vegetables in preference to most other foods on offer.



As do all electricals.

Research has shown that even the 50-60Hz AC supply (at least, that's the frequency used in the UK) interferes with brain waves, particularly in one's sleep. Indicating that we aren't even safe from the wires which enter our homes.

I agree with you that movies, tv and computer games can have a great influence over one's emotional stability. Arguably, books are no different either. It's all a matter of internal reactions to information received from the environment.

It has to be said that I am a great fan of much of what you write. There is great clarity, simplicity and truth. However, I cannot help but feel that this article is, in part, a reaction to what you have experienced since your return to the USA. This seems almost contradictory to the transmission of dharma which I came to expect. Yes, we must investigate our minds, but this is no different now than it was in the times gone by. The externalities will always change with time, but our self-perpetuated attachment to them is ours to conquer.

Yours humbly,
James

Well, this short piece is based on what I have seen as a result of modern technological indulgence, not due to personal experiences. I don't watch tv, really, but I do listen to instrumental music: er hu, gu zheng/gu qin and flute.

Computers in general cause the eyes to weaken by pulling the organ to fix itself in one zone with the lights of the screen shining out. I know that the glare has been reduced due to certain type screens for comps nowadays, so that is good, but not the cleanser of all. THe electromagnetic charge off the computer is heavy on the brain, causing the mind to fix on the actions on the computer which then waste a lot of energy. its like a demon eating one's essence..a m achine to eat one's concentration..slowly...

The games plant seeds of violence in the mind, plant causes of situations that would never really happen to the person playing. That in turn plays on the person's emotions while playing, causing them to go up and down, causing false thinking and flippant speech. This has chemical reactions in the body, and makes the body's energy off balanced a lot.

Though hand and eye coordination are utilized, that skill can be done with more practical exercises.

The transmission of Dharma lies in the transmission of falsity. If there is suffering, there is Dharma. Problems as we face now has been problems people faced in the past. The only difference is we have technological attachments: But we still have the same greed, happiness, love, hate, lust, desire, joy...etc.

China was and is no different. People all over the world all have the same emotions, just viewed differntly, which is the causes for the myriads of things.

The teachings never change, but the manner in which they are expounded do. A play on words here and there causes the mind to investigate, contemplate. Thus planting the seeds for clarity in the future.


Peace and Blessings...and well thought out response you gave.

Lin

I believe it is important to spend time away from others in wild places on your own.
Because in doing so, we are confronted with the realisation of how fundamentally important our are relations to one another truly are.

When the realisation of the importance of others in your life is fully understood, society distractions are seen for what they truly are.
A blessing.

That was indeed quite clear I am by no means attempting to invalidate your words, as wisdom requires no previous experiences and can be applied universally. At the same time, that is also what didn't sit comfortably with me, rather than being universal wisdom, this was a lot more localised. There is a subtle difference between relating to beings in this time of human development, making them see the error of their whimsical ways, and giving direction, which is often misinterpreted as preaching.

I know what it is you are trying to relate, yet there were hints of guidance which came off as slightly superior and dismissive of this stage of human development, particularly their material achievements.

The focus is, was, and should remain, solely upon cultivation. Beings will see for themselves where they are going wrong if the right seeds are planted. Telling them so is what closes their minds to the Truth.



Agreed. Simply seperations in time and space (location), yet the same mind.

Words are simply a number of symbols arranged horizantally to relay internal meaning and experience. Mastery of communication comes from being able to converse with all walks of life and opening their minds, and hearts - or as you put it, plant the seeds for clarity in the future. One should be able to plant seeds in the mind of a toilet cleaner at an Irish pub as well as the president of the USA. Real wisdom lies, not only in being able to do this, but in being able to open the hearts and minds of all with the same few words.

Yours, in admiration,
James

I never thought you wee trying to invalidate :-) Universal wisdom comes in all shapes and sizes, of course you know; Worldly Wisdom is just intellect, Universal Wisdom holds Worldly Wisdom in its Bosom. Different in characteristics, yet can point to something similar. Kind of like Amitabha Buddha and Vaidurya Light Buddha: they are both Buddhas, but use "different" characteristics that resonate with "different" minds.

A fool I am indeed... no universal wisdom on my shore. I'm still rowing the boat. hahahaha


Peace and blessings,
Lin