Buddhism claims this simple assertion that we are all at our core good.
That we can afford to be mindful and be who we are, without critical mind without replacing who we really are with a religious figure. The goal isn’t to be like Buddha it is to be you and for you to let you be you.
Then you ask well what if me is terrible and needs constant chastisement? Well, I suppose that is you then in this moment, still at the core the assertion is everyone is good.
How are we good? Then it makes the obvious case that we all want what is good, no one wants pain and suffering, everyone wants happiness. It reminds me of Plato’s case that a person might say, yes I know, for example, smoking is bad for me, but if the person really knew in a meaningful way that smoking is injurious they would not smoke. There are different levels of knowing. Think of knowing on a spectrum. On some level we might know we are good and to some degree we might say yes all but this part that part needs constant attention, hiding, judgment, stuffing, [fill in the blank].
Does it strike anyone else that this idea feels a little foreign somehow? If it is true then why all this struggle for perfecting? Then is there a perfect?
