Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandra
I am confused as to what seems to be the idea of service to self and service to others. My understanding has always been that service to others meant that everything you do in life is a result of what you feel would be the best path for the good of all that exists. Service to self, as I understand it, limits the good of all to self and /or family, and friends only. It has absolutely nothing to do with being in servitude to any class of beings
|
I'm not sure that imposed societal order can be roundly renounced on the basis of a "service to self" standard, or a standard of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." But I've always been intrigued by a parable I heard years back about a Buddhist monk (supposedly the zenith of compassion and love, etc.) not intervening on behalf of another who was drowning. Right or wrong or any moralistic reaction to the monk's behavior aside; who is so wise as to conclude what is the good for all?
I think the essence of a self-directed life as outlined above in this thread is analogous to the dictum "know thyself." I think we always emit outwardly what we harbor inwardly. The value of certain standards, when shared by like minds with like values, can produce a collective result of mutual enhancement.