The Trek Up
Are Buddhists Freedom Junkies?
(What does it mean to be free?)
9/1/20253 min read
Tell me. Just what is that you want to do?
Do you want to be free? Are you scared of freedom? Are you scared of other people having freedom? What does it mean to be free?
Most of us believe that freedom is the ability to do what we want to do. We can live our lives without community or parental or governmental intervention. We can eat what we want, go where we want, talk to who we want, drink what we want, buy what we want, and make our own choices.
What if true freedom is from suffering? Many of us don't wish for an end to our suffering, because we don't think it's possible. It's something our parents don't even wish for us. It's something we don't even wish for ourselves. We wish for a bigger house, or more vacation time, or better food, and happiness, but a happiness that is conditional upon things in our lives going well. Do things always go well? And we "know" that even in our best lives, we will feel sad or lonely or depressed or needy, because "that's who we are". Many of us don't know how to be happy. Or, if we do, we make decisions which don't cultivate happiness. There are scientific studies on what makes people happy, but how many of those are you consistently following in your life?
Life is suffering.
Follow-up questions: How can life be joyful? What causes suffering?
What are you in the market for? Are you searching for another 80's themed workout outfit? A squirrel-themed bath towel set? Do you "need" a spiffy new wardrobe piece to show other people you're cool? When you go to the store, can you feel a pull to that new coat, or electronic device? When you were reading this, did you have the sudden urge to look for squirrel-themed towels? Constantly wanting is constantly being aggravated.
I smoked off and on for 10-20 years, trying multiple times to permanently quit. Each time, it seemed too difficult. (Full disclosure: I never smoked more than 3-5 cigarettes a day. They're quite addictive.) Then I had heart pain, and I started worrying every time I smoked that I was going to cause some major issue. And..., I stopped smoking. I haven't smoked more than 3 cigarettes since that time, and each one was unsatisfying. While fighting addiction also includes physical issues that need to be dealt with, there are mental aspects. Stopping craving is a case of changing your mindset, through time and knowledge, not willpower. What could you do if you weren't being driven by your impulses?
Here's a story about a fish that grants wishes:
We tell ourselves stories that the world is fair, that everything happens for a reason, that only good things should happen to us. We tell ourselves that having nice things and leading a blessed life is the ultimate accomplishment. We like to hold on to the good for as long as we can. We stress unceasingly about this life. Our lives are a blip in time. Our lives are a blip in our experience. Our lives are extremely interconnected. Believing that we're islands in the sea, on our own, and every misstep is a cause for a gnashing of teeth and pulling out of the hair, causes suffering. Nothing is permanent. The past matters. The present matters. The future matters. But not like we think it does.
Aversion to unpleasantness creates more suffering. We avoid what we think is unpleasant, but the item itself is often neither pleasant nor unpleasant on its own. We think, "This is good, that is bad. This is fun, this is annoying." Often, we're fighting against something which others would find enjoyable, or it could be something that might make our lives better. We don't choose what actually makes us happy. We choose what we think makes us happy. By avoiding what we don't like, we cause ourselves pain. We avoid that which would make us better. We avoid what we fear, causing more fear. Sometimes what we're avoiding is objectively bad, but fighting the inevitable makes us irritable, anxious, and depressed. Instead, pursue these 8 life goals (the Eightfold Path): 1. Right understanding 2. Right Intention 3. Right Speech 4. Right Action 5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Effort 7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Concentration. #LifeGoals.
Freedom isn't just external, although external suffering makes it harder to attain inner freedom. Basic human rights are still important. Freedom is something we can have within ourselves. We can be free.
We can help others be free, too.
These are the 4 Noble Truths.
