Do you suggest a gift as in someone giving and someone receiving.
I can't give you an answer. Sorry. It's something you need find yourself, a realization. At this point in my life I'm almost ready to cut the moorings and let life take me where I need to go (not that it hasn't already done so). I am a bit frightened, though, but also curious.
It's already yours. Wrapped and tagged with your name on the package.
I hope nevertheless you have one.
Suffering is part of life. I don't minimize its significance, but neither do I dwell on it to the point that I am bitter...anymore.
Not certain that's my path. I'm just watching to see where it goes.
I'm not bitter, just cynical about anyone calling existence a gift or a blessing for which we should be thankful, especially to a creator.
But I am thankful, so much so that I want to make every day a ritual (still working on that one). I found it through a roundabout way, but others might find it through other avenues, such as Christianity. Don't sell yourself short, spider. You are special.
I never said you will live forever.
I don't think Buddha started a religion. He specifically rejected being seen as a God.
I agree with with the religious part, but considering the trillions of eggs and sperms that did not result in a living organism, I feel myself fortunate to be one of the relatively few who made it to maturity and had an opportunity to experience life itself.
Simple understanding of how things work.
I like that one.
He very deliberately sat down and designed a religion. Religions don't have to include gods.
Well, to me a religion without a god is a philosophy. Using a ritual in order to focus presents no problem to me. He saw himself as a human teacher. His students adored him....difference.
He showed others what he had discovered. It was so incredible that, yeah, he was idealized for what he had given them. The ritual has meaning and shows appreciation on many levels.
