11-year-old Aaron Hern was one of the victims in the Boston Marathon bombings. abclocal.go.com
How should we react to the victims of the Boston Bombs?
How should we react to the victims of the Boston Bombs?
Can we feel compassion without feeling some of the suffering of the injured?
1. Imagine you are a doctor entering a hospital ward where there is a child victim.
It does not help you, nor the child, if you are shaking and weeping.
The good doctor, while feeling compassion, detaches himself from suffering.
The good doctor detaches himself from his selfish ego.
It is the selfish ego which produces anger, grief, worry, and despair.
The good doctor is positive, loving and calm.
This helps the sick child.
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But we should practise non-attachment to such extremes.
This means not holding on.
2. Imagine you are the pilot of a passenger plane which has just been struck by some dangerous emergency.
It does not help you, nor the passengers, if your ego feels extreme fear.
On the other hand, a little fear might prevent you from taking foolish risks.
A game of golf would not be real if there were not some minor irritations; but you want to avoid the extremes.
3. Imagine you are the parent of a child who has just been killed by agents of the US government.
Ask yourself - why does the government carry out such acts of terrorism as part of its 'Strategy of Tension'?
They want to get you angry with, and scared of, the 'terrorists'.
When people are scared they will obey their 'big brother' government.
So, detach yourself from fear and anger.
Fear and anger make you sick.
3. Imagine you are the parent of a child who has just been killed by agents of the US government.
Ask yourself - why does the government carry out such acts of terrorism as part of its 'Strategy of Tension'?
When people are scared they will obey their 'big brother' government.
So, detach yourself from fear and anger.
Fear and anger make you sick.
4. There may be times when we are hit by extreme fear, anger, grief, worry and despair.
This means not holding on.
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"All the delightful things of the world - sweet sounds, lovely forms, all the pleasant tastes and touches and thoughts - these are all agreed to bring happiness if they are not grasped and possessed.
But if you regard them merely as pleasures for your own use and satisfaction and do not see them as passing wonders, they will bring suffering.
-Sutta Nipata
Blog: Pleasure and Joy
6. It is not a good idea to 'suppress' our feelings.
Research shows that people who are able to talk about their grief, anger or fear get rid of these negative feelings more quickly.
People who are not able to talk about these feelings are more likely to suffer ill health, mental or physical.
The 'good doctor' has the knack of being non-attached to grief, anger or fear when he enters the ward.
Some people get angry when there is a long queue at the airport.
Some people learn not to get angry.
They are not supressing their anger; they just don't feel anger.
5. We should practise non-attachment to lots of things.
But if you regard them merely as pleasures for your own use and satisfaction and do not see them as passing wonders, they will bring suffering.
-Sutta Nipata
Blog: Pleasure and Joy
Research shows that people who are able to talk about their grief, anger or fear get rid of these negative feelings more quickly.
People who are not able to talk about these feelings are more likely to suffer ill health, mental or physical.
The 'good doctor' has the knack of being non-attached to grief, anger or fear when he enters the ward.
Some people get angry when there is a long queue at the airport.
Some people learn not to get angry.
They are not supressing their anger; they just don't feel anger.
