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Originally Posted by francstoic  Buddhism virtually nihilifies the field of personal development. There's nothing to do to gain happiness now except meditate and attain to Nirvana. I mean, all worries like health, managing finances, relationships, developing the intellect etc. would just vanish if you are a true seeker of happiness, is it not so? But then we find that if we live a healthy life, we will be happy most of the time. |
The problem here is the assumption of doer-ship. There is no one who manages your finances, relationships or has an intellect. The various mental tendencies of the ego interact in such a way giving the sense of an individual "I am" which is in fact phantom-like, because when it is finally investigated the illusion evaporates.
Why burden yourself with the effort it takes to maintain the life of the body when you are not the body? The reason why a healthy life-style can give a degree of happiness and peace is because conscious growth is the act of controlling and focusing the mind. Think of the happiness that exists when the mind is eliminated completely.
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Originally Posted by francstoic Also, many people will favor the 1-unit-pain-with-3-units-happiness scheme instead of the no-happiness-no-pain scheme (because Buddhism advocates shunyata or "zeroness"). If Buddhism advocates getting rid of attachment to the world, what is it trying to communicate when it says that by attaining nirvana one gets freed from all suffering. I mean, if you were really detached, you wouldn't even bother if the suffering was there or not. |
Buddhism is not a no happiness-no pain scheme. The "zeroness" is the elimination of the mind, the end result being unshakable peace. Also the concern with suffering is only there until nirvana is "attained", if you were fully detached you would have no concerns whatsoever. My question to you is why burden yourself with concerns?