It may seem like hell to your ignorance and ego.. in reality it
is not. Those who knows the dharma knows that indulgence is only
temporary means of getting away from pain to pleasure, away from
the mind, but it is not the ultimate solution, which is dharma.
Buddhism, buddhadharma, is the culture of bliss (a quote by my
master). A person who is truly enlightened is completely liberated
and living in the highest bliss of nirvana: he is not caught in the
dualism of samsara - the cycles of pleasure and pain, good emotions
and bad emotions.
...Humans have been in the grip of pain for eons, ever since
they fell from the state of grace, entered the realm of time and
mind, and lost awareness of Being. At that point, they started to
perceive themselves as meaningless fragments in an alien universe,
unconnected to the Source and to each other.
Pain is inevitable as long as you are identified with your mind,
which is to say as long as you are unconscious, spiritually
speaking. I am talking here primarily of emotional pain, which is
also the main cause of physical pain and physical disease.
Resentment, hatred, self-pity, guilt, anger, depression, jealousy,
and so on, even the slightest irritation, are all forms of pain.
And every pleasure or emotional high contains within itself the
seed of pain: its inseparable opposite, which will manifest in
time.
Anybody who has ever taken drugs to get "high" will know that the
high eventually turns into a low, that the pleasure turns into some
form of pain. Many people also know from their own experience how
easily and quickly an intimate relationship can turn from a source
of pleasure to a source of pain. Seen from a higher perspective,
both the negative and the positive polarities are faces of the same
coin, are both part of the underlying pain that is inseparable from
the mind-identified egoic state of consciousness. ~ Eckhart
Tolle
Having sex won't shorten your lifespan or other people's life
span though... unless you have casual sex with others, then of
course, you risk STDs. As a Buddhist, there are 5 precepts, one of
them is refrain from sexual misconduct, means, keep to your
faithful partner, no adulteries. No intoxicants (i.e wine,
intoxicating drugs, etc) are also one of the precepts, so Buddhists
should try not to use alcohol for the purpose of
intoxication/indulgence unless is really unavoidable purpose.
Intoxicants not only causes one to do things one would not want to
do, like crimes, and cause diseases, social/family problems, they
can diminish one's samadhi and wisdom. It distrupts one's mental
clarity. If you practise the dharma, at some point, you will
naturally want to avoid such intoxicants or keep them to minimum.
My dharma teacher drank by accident, mistaking ginseng wine for
non-alcoholic drink, and my master tested alcohol only in small
amount and realised one's wisdom (not just intelligence) is greatly
impeded. See:
The Harm of Alcohol & Intoxication
So what are the 5 precepts? No killing, no stealing, no false
speech (lying etc..), no sexual misconduct, no intoxicants (wine,
drugs, etc). As a Buddhist I do not feel forced at all to comply
with these rules, like I mentioned earlier these are sincere
advises and are not Buddha's commandments. "Commandment" is a
strange and foreign word to a non-theist.
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no1d.htm
2. Precepts are the basis of safeguarding
blessings
When we are ignorant we lament
over observing the Five Precepts. But, if we cannot abstain from
killing, lying, stealing, sexual misconduct and being intoxicated,
then we would have problems as human beings. Observing the precepts
actually takes on a more advanced meaning in that it safeguards our
blessings; breaking them means depleting our blessings. It is a
simple rule of cause and effect.
SOME PEOPLE are afraid of taking refuge in the Three Treasures
because they are afraid of having to observe the precepts. These
people should be encouraged to take refuge first, and we then
gradually inspire them to observe the precepts.
Jen Chen Buddhism advocates that everyone observes the Five
Precepts (abstention from killing, lying, stealing, sexual
misconduct and consumption of intoxicants). When we are encouraging
others to take refuge and meet with those who rebut that because
their work requires them to entertain and therefore they cannot
observe the precept of not consuming alcoholic drinks, then it is
permissible that he observes the other four precepts. It does not
matter even if he observes just one precept. Even if one just take
refuge without observing the precepts, it does not matter too.
Having taken refuge to become a Buddhist, and with gradual
guidance, there will come a day when he understands the importance
of observing the precepts.
We promote Jen Chen Buddhism and encourage the masses to observe
the precepts. However, at times we do not use the term "observe the
precepts", instead we call it "means of safeguarding blessings".
Everyone has his own blessings and although they differ in degree
and nature, nobody likes their blessings to be reduced. The best
way to safeguard blessings is to observe the precepts. Jen Chen
Buddhism advocates that everyone observe the Five Precepts. If the
Five Precepts are not observed, then one will commit wrong deeds
that can then reduce ones blessings.
Lets use a teacup as an example. If you put the teacup at the edge
of the table, it has a higher probability of falling and
shattering. If the teacup is placed in the middle of the table,
then it is safe. Placing the teacup at the edge of the table is
like we are at the brink of breaking the precepts; shattering the
teacup is like destroying our blessings. Putting the teacup at the
centre of the table is like observing the precepts. And, when the
teacup is not broken, then it is like our blessings are assured.
Innocent children, often put teacups along the edge of the table.
Thus, adults will always teach them to put them at the centre. In
the same way, the innumerable sentient beings are ignorant of the
terror of cause and effect. They are always at the fringe of danger
- by not observing the precepts, and committing various evil karma
such as killing, theft, sexual misconduct and lying. That is why
the compassionate Buddha and Bodhisattvas teach sentient beings to
observe the precepts and enable them to distance from the danger
and to safeguard their own blessings. Therefore, to safeguard our
own bliss and at the same time not disturb others bliss, we need to
cultivate the way of safeguarding our blessings.
