"Real" Happiness

[Marblehead]

After they sat down in a comfortable place one seeker raised his hand.

 

"Yes?" asked the Sage.

 

"Um ... if Bunny the librarian would like to join our quest would it be all right if she sat on my lap?" asked the young seeker.

 

"Silly boy!" tutted the Sage.

 

And silently passed him the condom that the old man had given him.

[Mark Foote]

And silently passed him the condom that the old man had given him.

 

Not hearing the conversation and not seeing what the sage had passed the seeker, one of the novices across the room leaned over to his benchmate and whispered, "why did that disciple get transmission- he is, like, totally into the physical, not spiritual at all- I don't see why I don't deserve recognition as much as that unworthy one, where are my lineage papers?"

Edited January 20, 2010 by Mark Foote

[Marblehead]

The Sage, being very perceptive, stood up, clapped his hands once to gain attention, and said,"I see we have distractions here. Let us gather all the seekers and move to the park by the big, tall construction of steel and there we will continue our questioning of the concept of "real" happiness. Let us all gather outdoors at the entrance we came in."

 

After a short time all the seekers were gathered at the entrance and they began their journey to the park.

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

A tumbleweed tumbled by, pushed by the unconcerned wind.. the Sage reflected on this and said: Begone, students.. your faith and loyality is misplaced..

 

Be well..

[Raz]

[Tao99]

Didn't Chuang Tzu say happiness is giving up the quest for happiness?

Edited January 20, 2010 by Tao99

[Marblehead]

Didn't Chuang Tzu say happiness is giving up the quest for happiness?

 

Hehehe. Are you trying to get ahead of me again?

 

(Yes, that was a fair paraphrase.)

 

Peace & Love!

[Tao99]

Edited February 4, 2010 by Tao99

[Apech]

Greetings..

 

A tumbleweed tumbled by, pushed by the unconcerned wind.. the Sage reflected on this and said: Begone, students.. your faith and loyality is misplaced..

 

Be well..

 

The seekers whispered amongst each other - saying "we know a test when we see one".

 

"No we will not leave," said their spokeman, " Lead us to real happiness oh wise one."

 

"Happiness, schmappiness, well what can I do?" the Sage shrugged and raised his eyes to heaven.

[Marblehead]

Greetings..

 

A tumbleweed tumbled by, pushed by the unconcerned wind.. the Sage reflected on this and said: Begone, students.. your faith and loyality is misplaced..

 

Be well..

 

"No, no," said the Sage, "I was only joking. We will find what we are looking for in due time. But even when we find our answers that will be only the beginning. We must have patience."

 

 

PS Nice post Raz.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Marblehead

[Marblehead]

And there is much mumbling during the walk to the park. Many of the seekers are growing impatient, wondering if they are on the correct path and if they are getting lose to their destination. The Sage realizes this but says nothing further and decides to remain silent until they reach the park.

[Mark Foote]

And there is much mumbling during the walk to the park. Many of the seekers are growing impatient, wondering if they are on the correct path and if they are getting lose to their destination. The Sage realizes this but says nothing further and decides to remain silent until they reach the park.

 

As the small group approaches the park, the sage is startled to see a crowd of people gathered in a corner of the park, seated around an placid individual in the lotus and engaged in some discussion. The sage shakes his head, and there is only mist in the park and his group of followers, muttering among themselves in the chill morning air.

[Mark Foote]

As the small group approaches the park, the sage is startled to see a crowd of people gathered in a corner of the park, seated around an placid individual in the lotus and engaged in some discussion. The sage shakes his head, and there is only mist in the park and his group of followers, muttering among themselves in the chill morning air.

 

The sage sits himself down on a bench where the sun has almost begun to warm things, and pulls a bottle of E&J brandy out of a small paper bag he's been carrying. The eyebrows of his followers reach to the heavens as he takes a swig; dumbfounded, they realize how much their happiness has of late depended on him, who gives every appearance of becoming blotto before their eyes, at this ungodly hour. The sage begins to sing: "when true simplicity is gained; to bow, and to bend, we shall not be ashamed; to turn, to turn, shall be our delight..."- just then the gathering is interrupted by the sound of Bunny the librarian's heels as she approaches up the path on her way to the library, her trench coat revealing the essence of feminimity as she studiously ignores the small crowd.

[Marblehead]

Hehehe.

 

I guess I need to get this story rolling again before the Sage does something with Bunny.

 

Peace & Love!

[Marblehead]

Of course, we who know the Sage know that there is green tea in that bottle but he has never explained himself to anyone. People will believe what they want to believe, you know.

 

The group is comfortably settled and has had time to look at all the beauties of the park.

 

The Sage replaces his bottle in his jacket pocket, stands up and announces, "So here we are, my fellow seekers, well on our way in discovering what happiness is and how we can determine if our happiness is real or just an illusion. Let us first consider the definition of happiness that I copied from the dictionary at the library."

 

All the seekers projected their attention to the Sage and remained silent waiting for the Sage to continue.

[Marblehead]

[Mark Foote]

The Sage pulls the notepad from his pocket and reads it to the seekers.

 

After a period of discussion they decide on:

 

a state of well-being and contentment

 

except they want to change “well-being” to “peace”.

 

So they agree on:

 

a state of peace and contentment as an acceptable definition of happiness.

 

The Sage announces, “Now, we had some earlier suggestions as to what happiness is. Give me a little time to gather my notes and present these to you to see if we should modify our definition. Let’s meet back here in half an hour.”

 

The Sage got up and set off at a brisk pace down the road toward the library, in the direction Bunny had gone. "Peace and contentment", he thought to himself; "I wonder, who it is, that has peace and contentment?

 

Turning a corner, the Sage was suddenly confronted with a very odd sight, indeed; a man was hanging upside down by a rope tied around his feet, the other end of which was tied to an iron gate. A crowd was gathered around the man, watching as he struggled to breathe.

 

Without breaking stride, the Sage pulled a machete out from underneath his coat, severed the rope neatly, and continued up the path toward the library. "Peace and contentment", he muttered to himself; "where's that at!" Walking onto the library grounds, he sat down on a bench in the sun, and pulled a sheaf of notes out of the inside of his coat from the pocket where the machete had disappeared.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Mark Foote

[Apech]

The Sage got up and set off at a brisk pace down the road toward the library, in the direction Bunny had gone. "Peace and contentment", he thought to himself; "I wonder, who it is, that has peace and contentment?

 

Turning a corner, the Sage was suddenly confronted with a very odd sight, indeed; a man was hanging upside down by a rope tied around his feet, the other end of which was tied to an iron gate. A crowd was gathered around the man, watching as he struggled to breathe.

 

Without breaking stride, the Sage pulled a machete out from underneath his coat, severed the rope neatly, and continued up the path toward the library. "Peace and contentment", he muttered to himself; "where's that at!" Walking onto the library grounds, he sat down on a bench in the sun, and pulled a sheaf of notes out of the inside of his coat from the pocket where the machete had disappeared.

 

The man who had been hanging brushed off the dust from his clothes where he had fallen. He raised his eyes to heaven and spread his arms in an appeal to the Almighty.

 

"How the hell am I supposed to win the gate weighing competition if people keep cutting me down!"

 

The crowd grumbled and nodded their heads, although they were split as to whether he should be disqualified for the illegal tumble, after a discussion they agreed that he should be allowed another go. Bunny waved the golden Gate-weigh Cup in encouragement as he strapped himself up once more, took a deep breath and set his mind on the world record.

Edited February 12, 2010 by apepch7

[Marblehead]

I sure am glad I'm getting lots of help with this thread. Hehehe.

 

Peace & Love!

[Marblehead]

Hi All,

 

I just talked with the sage!!!

 

He said that Bunny had lured him into her bedroom and he has been her prisoner all this time.

 

He just escaped, finally, yesterday and is recovering. He said he will be back with us tomorrow.

 

Peace & Love!

[Apech]

That Bunny eh? She's out of control!

 

How's he going to find real happiness trapped in a room with her ... wait a minute ...!!

[Marblehead]

He stood still, took three deep embryonic breaths and then started walking.

 

Hehehe. I see y'all are going to continue making this difficult for me. We'll get there though, by golly!

 

Peace & Love!

[Apech]

 

"The stones and twigs will align to tell me how to go forward. I need to make sense of this drama that just unfolded."

 

He stood still, took three deep embryonic breaths and then started walking.

 

As he approached the stall of the oracle the head of a wizened crone popped out from under a blanket and cackled.

 

"I have the entrails of a goat and the thigh bone of a walrus!"

 

"I'm not a doctor I can't help you," replied the sage.

[Mark Foote]

As he approached the stall of the oracle the head of a wizened crone popped out from under a blanket and cackled.

 

"I have the entrails of a goat and the thigh bone of a walrus!"

 

"I'm not a doctor I can't help you," replied the sage.

 

"and we shall tell you, tell you what you wish to know!" went on the crone, ignoring the sage's remark. Whisking the blanket aside, a small cauldron appeared, still steaming although no trace of any fire was evident.

 

"I see, many things" croaked the crone, "a man who has hung himself, for the sake of his girlfriend, who has spent days attempting to gain peace and contentment from one who has refused her!"

 

The sage turned slightly red, and fumbled for his heart medication, but mumbled "go on!"

 

"first, you must cross my palm with silver!" spat the crone.

 

Reaching in his pocket, the sage brought forth a small coin, with some very strange markings on it. "Where did you get that!", whispered the woman, as she snatched it from his hand. "Very well, that will do; I see, many people waiting, and no one laughing; I see, a dark wine, that cannot be drunk; and for you, I see no place in the mountains, but only this street and a bright fountain."

 

The sage bowed his head to the old woman, and turned to go; he thought for just a moment he could smell the perfume that his recent abductor had worn for the whole three days, no doubt to cover some unimaginable body odor, but he shook his head and walked on down the street without looking back.

[Seth Ananda]

For Me Happiness comes from not Believing in Lies. I Find it interesting that if you look at the word BeLIEfs you find the word LIE sitting at its centre.

someone pages back said something about Faith. To me it looks like Faith is what powers our Belief system. As soon as I start to believe a perspective I put my Faith in it and then I maintain it with my Faith. Then all the problems start.

As soon as I stop believing in all the Lies and draw my Faith back to me, or my energy... then suddenly the world gets really good and everything has a sense of perfection and vastness or openness...

It seems I just can't argue with reality how it is. That is the only truth I feel I Know.