Why are there fewer women than men in search of Enlightenment and Freedom from Samsara?

[Cat Pillar]

I can sympathize with MPG. I can see how having a relationship with a woman who has no interest in cultivation could be completely uninteresting to him.

 

GrandmasterP...I understand your experience far outweighs my own, but it seems somewhat naive to assert that there truly is "someone for everyone." I personally do not believe that holds as a rule of life.

 

The simple fact is that not everyone finds someone. Some people do spend their entire lives single. I'm too young to apply full certainty to the statement, but I consider it probable that I will not find a suitable companion this time around. I view this as a gift in many ways - less chance I'll get distracted from my goal of being content and at peace regardless of external circumstances. A relationship might become a crutch and prevent me from learning to be content and at peace in the midst of loneliness.

 

Not everyone is destined to be with someone.

[Birch]

one could argue that searching for enlightenment is a state of depression and resistance, do those really living their lives fully, doing what they enjoy, friends etc, search for enlightenment that hard, why would one be searching for enlightenment, to escape hell? Why is there hell?

 

Well, there's a thing. Many people looking for enlightenment believe that it will (it must) bring relief and happiness and good health and all that. Ok, only me then:-)

But what if it ain't all that? Still want it? Frick, I don't/wouldn't. I'd rather feel better and enjoy life, friends etc. Which I've obviously neglected, given all this frickin time trying to figure things out.

[GrandmasterP]

Several hells sorta like boot camps to knock the corners off any really bad sorts prior to them coming back for another turn on the wheel.

Seems fair.

[Birch]

Several hells sorta like boot camps to knock the corners off any really bad sorts prior to them coming back for another turn on the wheel.

Seems fair.

 

Who are you talking about? I'm feeling a drive-by coming by

[Aetherous]

Didn't read the rest of this thread but...

 

Well, there's a thing. Many people looking for enlightenment believe that it will (it must) bring relief and happiness and good health and all that. Ok, only me then:-)

But what if it ain't all that? Still want it? Frick, I don't/wouldn't. I'd rather feel better and enjoy life, friends etc. Which I've obviously neglected, given all this frickin time trying to figure things out.

 

Yup.

[GrandmasterP]

You come across as a pretty enlightened dude MH.

[3bob]

because there are more women who are enlightened, obviously

[Cheshire Cat]

I would like to find a friend who shares my dreams. I would settle for a male even in a platonic, roommate training partner, nonsexual sort of way.

 

But the odds of finding anyone who feels the same way I do, has the same motivations I do, has the same dreams as I do isn't very likely.

 

I shared this view.

But then I realized that all the problems with this issue is that we keep "the individual" as the center of the universe.

 

I and the other guy.

I and the pretty girl.

I and the world.

 

This is misunderstanding of our very life.

 

Each one of us is "a product" of external factors. Even if I hate the madness of society, I'm born from society.

I do not exist independently.

The individual "I am" that wants to find a mate which shares his feelings and dreams, is just a golden coverage of the real thing.

 

What lies behind is just the "male power" that wants to find a suitable partner (one that will not flee. In other terms, a partner that shares his world. Not a stranger with weird feelings) to father an heir... but the individual does not exists for real, so it is just the "male power" that wants another vehicle of manifestation since the first one is temporary.

 

Yet, this is not real.

 

What lies behind is just "human beings" seen as a single entity that wants to re-generate its vehicle of manifestation.

 

All the chatter about "individual happiness", or "karmic bondage" which links me with that beautiful girl for my personal enjoyment is just BS.

Sex does not exist for our enjoyment. Life does not exist for our enjoyment. Family does not exist for our enjoyment.

Things are not so for us.

 

And spirituality does not exist for our personal enjoyment. It's a function which co-exists with other powers as "male power", "female power", "legal profession", "warrior instinct" and so on.

We are not real. We manifest powers that are more "tangible" than we are. Those powers will last for very long after our death. This is reincarnation.

 

The crazy focus on the individual is an illness of modern society and modern civilization.

 

Spiritual cultivation works best with male power. It' a kind of natural law.

Tibetans say that you need the karma of a great king to find a partner suitable for spiritual cultivation (sexual cultivation).

The simple reason is that "spirituality" isn't suited for women's power. They tend to became more masculine before attempting real spiritual cultivation.

Mind, I'm not talking about witchery things, healing stuff or philosophical understanding. Not even magic. Magical power works very well with female.

I'm talking about the undertaking of the real practice of spiritual cultivation as the Buddha did. As Lao-tzu did.

Edited October 24, 2012 by DAO rain TAO

[Marblehead]

Which I've obviously neglected, given all this frickin time trying to figure things out.

Yeah, sometimes it is better to stop thinking so much and just live, mistakes and all.

[Marblehead]

You come across as a pretty enlightened dude MH.

Thanks, even though I still have no idea what being enlightened means.

 

But yeah, I have lived a full life, mistakes and all.

[ragamor]

The crazy focus on the individual is an illness of modern society and modern civilization.

 

I think there is a whole lot more focus on the "we". There is a reason why the state and cooperations are so big this days.

 

Back on topic, I do think there a lot of womans searching for enlightement, but more in their own ways. Also, I think it is important to not just seek freedom like we men tend to do, but also seek love; the real path to enlightment is the combining of yin and yang.

Edited October 24, 2012 by ragamor

[Marblehead]

because there are more women who are enlightened, obviously

Hi 3bob,

 

I don't know if that was pointing to me but it doesn't really matter.

 

I know that I too do it but as always, comparing 'this' to 'that' is almost always an error because the only fair judgement is comparing a 'thing' to 'itself'.

 

There really are differences between women and men. I learned that when I was very, very young.

[Marblehead]

I shared this view.

 

Nice post (even though there are some concepts I don't agree with).

[Thunder_Gooch]

I'd settle for a platonic friendship with a male roommate who shared my dreams even.

 

More than a lover I want a friend who understands me and shares my dreams, it doesn't mean I necessarily want to pork them.

 

I have no trouble getting laid, even though it does feel empty to make love with someone you don't love or care about.

 

 

 

I shared this view.

But then I realized that all the problems with this issue is that we keep "the individual" as the center of the universe.

 

I and the other guy.

I and the pretty girl.

I and the world.

 

This is misunderstanding of our very life.

 

Each one of us is "a product" of external factors. Even if I hate the madness of society, I'm born from society.

I do not exist independently.

The individual "I am" that wants to find a mate which shares his feelings and dreams, is just a golden coverage of the real thing.

 

What lies behind is just the "male power" that wants to find a suitable partner (one that will not flee. In other terms, a partner that shares his world. Not a stranger with weird feelings) to father an heir... but the individual does not exists for real, so it is just the "male power" that wants another vehicle of manifestation since the first one is temporary.

 

Yet, this is not real.

 

What lies behind is just "human beings" seen as a single entity that wants to re-generate its vehicle of manifestation.

 

All the chatter about "individual happiness", or "karmic bondage" which links me with that beautiful girl for my personal enjoyment is just BS.

Sex does not exist for our enjoyment. Life does not exist for our enjoyment. Family does not exist for our enjoyment.

Things are not so for us.

 

And spirituality does not exist for our personal enjoyment. It's a function which co-exists with other powers as "male power", "female power", "legal profession", "warrior instinct" and so on.

We are not real. We manifest powers that are more "tangible" than we are. Those powers will last for very long after our death. This is reincarnation.

 

The crazy focus on the individual is an illness of modern society and modern civilization.

 

Spiritual cultivation works best with male power. It' a kind of natural law.

Tibetans say that you need the karma of a great king to find a partner suitable for spiritual cultivation (sexual cultivation).

The simple reason is that "spirituality" isn't suited for women's power. They tend to became more masculine before attempting real spiritual cultivation.

Mind, I'm not talking about witchery things, healing stuff or philosophical understanding. Not even magic. Magical power works very well with female.

I'm talking about the undertaking of the real practice of spiritual cultivation as the Buddha did. As Lao-tzu did.

Edited October 24, 2012 by More_Pie_Guy

[madMUHHH]

I have no trouble getting laid, even though it does feel empty to make love with someone you don't love or care about.

 

So why not simply love that someone instead? At the very least for the time you two are intimate.

Edited October 24, 2012 by madMUHHH

[Birch]

I shared this view.

But then I realized that all the problems with this issue is that we keep "the individual" as the center of the universe.

 

I and the other guy.

I and the pretty girl.

I and the world.

 

This is misunderstanding of our very life.

 

Each one of us is "a product" of external factors. Even if I hate the madness of society, I'm born from society.

I do not exist independently.

The individual "I am" that wants to find a mate which shares his feelings and dreams, is just a golden coverage of the real thing.

 

What lies behind is just the "male power" that wants to find a suitable partner (one that will not flee. In other terms, a partner that shares his world. Not a stranger with weird feelings) to father an heir... but the individual does not exists for real, so it is just the "male power" that wants another vehicle of manifestation since the first one is temporary.

 

Yet, this is not real.

 

What lies behind is just "human beings" seen as a single entity that wants to re-generate its vehicle of manifestation.

 

All the chatter about "individual happiness", or "karmic bondage" which links me with that beautiful girl for my personal enjoyment is just BS.

Sex does not exist for our enjoyment. Life does not exist for our enjoyment. Family does not exist for our enjoyment.

Things are not so for us.

 

And spirituality does not exist for our personal enjoyment. It's a function which co-exists with other powers as "male power", "female power", "legal profession", "warrior instinct" and so on.

We are not real. We manifest powers that are more "tangible" than we are. Those powers will last for very long after our death. This is reincarnation.

 

The crazy focus on the individual is an illness of modern society and modern civilization.

 

Spiritual cultivation works best with male power. It' a kind of natural law.

Tibetans say that you need the karma of a great king to find a partner suitable for spiritual cultivation (sexual cultivation).

The simple reason is that "spirituality" isn't suited for women's power. They tend to became more masculine before attempting real spiritual cultivation.

Mind, I'm not talking about witchery things, healing stuff or philosophical understanding. Not even magic. Magical power works very well with female.

I'm talking about the undertaking of the real practice of spiritual cultivation as the Buddha did. As Lao-tzu did.

 

I liked this post. IMO as long as people are concerned about individual enlightenment then they haven't quite understood it.

[suninmyeyes]

DAO rain TAO said:

'The simple reason is that "spirituality" isn't suited for women's power. They tend to became more masculine before attempting real spiritual cultivation.

Mind, I'm not talking about witchery things, healing stuff or philosophical understanding. Not even magic. Magical power works very well with female.

I'm talking about the undertaking of the real practice of spiritual cultivation as the Buddha did. As Lao-tzu did.'

 

Some of the stuff youve said was nice but what is a 'real spiritual cultivation'? Whom has it been labeled as such and why?

Men have to be more feminine for spritual practise too, in both some sort of balance must be created for cultivation to be fertile.

I think that the thing is that women have been domesticated and tamed for so long in many places around the world that we havent heard so much about female spirituality traditionally-except in recent times. The way may be different sometimes , but wisdom and depth of being is the same regardless of gender.

[Mokona]

Have any of you ever seen how jaded women get after being treated like sh!t by men? i've seen many a self inflicted cut on abused women. Anyone who is treated with love and respect responds in kind to others. Men and women alike are shaped by experiences in childhood.

 

Although perceptions are personal. Does anyone in this thread practice a type/form/parody of the inner smile?

[Mokona]

Why is the Buddhist worldview often times so bleak?

[suninmyeyes]

I am vegetarian, (I will eat chicken or turkey it it is provided, but I never buy meat for myself)

 

but imagine for a minute, that you are a strict vegan, and the sight of meat makes you sick.

 

 

 

Now imagine the person you are in love with hunts deer, shoots and kills them and smokes the meat themselves.

 

You live together so you have to put up with being around their cured meat all the time, and the knowledge they are kissing you with their meat juices.

 

Now imagine you are one of only a hundred vegans on earth, and meeting a person like yourself is almost impossible, or at least extremely improbable.

LOL being a hard core vegan myself ... You work things , dance with whatever occurs. I would love to see my man satisfied and full , energized after having hunted and prepared that deeer, but brush your teeth darling! It is him , he is meant to be hunting and eating deer, not me - I can only love and admire the way universe manifests through him and at the same time be me - someone who does not want to eat animals.

Its like this with everything, sometimes our ideals are our own predators.

[三江源]

Have any of you ever seen how jaded women get after being treated like sh!t by men?

 

yes.

[Stosh]

Have any of you ever seen how jaded women get after being treated like sh!t by men? i've seen many a self inflicted cut on abused women. Anyone who is treated with love and respect responds in kind to others. Men and women alike are shaped by experiences in childhood.

 

 

Have you yourself notice noticed the supportive embracing attitude expressed by the males

toward women throughout this thread, the desire for meaningful relationship and acceptance.

On the other hand you have the women expressing something between cold blame and disdain

for the opposite gender.

Between the two groups who would you describe as 'spiritual' ?

And in the responses generated evidence ample reveals itself why

someone may conclude that women are not searching for Enlightenment.

( except via scented candle)

even sunin draws a sharp line between herself and her man.

Stosh

Edited October 24, 2012 by Stosh

[suninmyeyes]

Have you yourself notice noticed the supportive embracing attitude expressed by the males

toward women throughout this thread, the desire for meaningful relationship and acceptance.

On the other hand you have the women expressing something between cold blame and disdain

for the opposite gender.

Between the two groups who would you describe as 'spiritual' ?

And in the responses generated evidence ample reveals itself why

someone may conclude that women are not searching for Enlightenment.

( except via scented candle)

even sunin draws a sharp line between herself and her man.

Stosh

I think that we are discussing here and learning and at different points of understanding as far as the therad is concerned (havent read the whole therad though ).

What did you mean by drawing a sharp line? Let me explain, what I meant is everyone has a unique way of existing , no two flowers are the same. Thanks God for that! What a beuty.

[Stosh]

When you go through the thread , If you choose to,

you may see the point I am making way along here

That women arent finding satisfaction (statistically)

in their relationships with their men because they

arent accepting of them , they trend towards

dividing themselves from the interests and emotional

needs of their men, for various reasons.

I equate deeper spiritual tendencies toward both

other people and Enlightenment as going hand in hand.

And while some men are willing to go so far as to say that

women are MORE spiritual than men , the women dont even concede

they have any fault at all!

If youre a woman you can profess to be cleaner more pure more spiritual and

blessed with the wondrous nature of childbirth and compassion , whilst men

are brutish cruel loud and dirty things a woman is best rid of.

Stosh

Edited October 24, 2012 by Stosh

[Marblehead]

Why is the Buddhist worldview often times so bleak?

Happens in all religions. The followers twist the founder's words because they cannot live up to the expectations of the founder. Buddhism should be a much more optimistic belief system because it was the intention, IMO, of the Buddha to help people find ways to get through their pain and suffering as a result of very poor living conditions. If we can get beyond suffering (we will always have pains of one type or another) we stand an excellent chance of living an acceptalbe, and perhaps even a happy, life.