Selfishness is the Root Cause

Geshe Kalsang Damdul la is the assistant director of of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala under the direct administration of HH the Dalai Lama. He has taught at Portland State University as a visiting Tibetan scholar and was the spiritual director of the at the Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association. In 2003, he founded the Shakyamuni Tibetan Buddhist Center. For more, check out www.globalonenessproject.org

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Buddhist
• oneness
• selfishness
• Geshe
• Kalsang
• Damdul
• Shakyamuni

[NonDuaNatura]

Would it not be more accurate to say that ignorance is the root cause? Selfishness can only arise when there is belief in a self, belief in a self can only arise due to ignorance of the true nature of phenomena i.e. dukkha, anatta and anicca. It's a shame that the mainstream dhamma world seems to view enlightenment as something unattainable in this lifetime...

[MartinSerdar]

It depends on the understanding of the term "self-centeredness"... as the positive integral center which brings wisdom and clear mind to the individual, its something you're right with. But here the self-centeredness in ways of egoism or the perception of an self, which does not exist they way as we see it and based on this wrong view generate delusions, is meant... and that's really something we've gotta get rid... so from this point he's right.

[scrumptiousvittles]

i think, though, that true self-centeredness is oneness with the world. to know and follow your true self is to realize that you as an individual are a part of the suffering world and to know that what you truly want is to honestly love the beings around you. ironically, those whom we accuse of being "self-centered" are in fact out of touch with their true selves. i do not think we have to "work" to get rid of our "self-centeredness". we have to stop WORKING and LET ourselves realize ourselves.

[universalnametag]

No on can buy love or happiness. "they" do not have "everything".

Our potential is unlimited, and this time of destruction is temporary.Each of us must do our part.

Ashe'.

[Proxima8614]

I totally agree with the fact that the world is selfish. Everyone are.. But, unfortunatelly those that are ruthless get everything.