A Few Breaths Away from Death
The most beautiful thing about this universe is balance.
You are only a few breaths away from death.
A few meals away from death.
A few drinks away from that.
Do you understand how amazing that is?
We are constantly balancing on a very thin line—on the edge of almost dying.
Therefore, balance is key.
We can’t spend all our energy on playing a game of chess, because we also need to stay alive by breathing.
That’s the most unbelievable thing: the freedom to take all the risks we want, to explore this universe, while staying alive.
If you understand this principle, you gain a deep appreciation for being alive right now—and for feeling the things you do.
Enjoying every breath to the fullest.
Buddha’s Ego Explained by Somebody Who Actually Understands It
Where does a person consist of?
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You are X percent the bread you eat
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You are X percent the things you drink
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You are built from molecules from Mother Earth
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Your head is filled with ideas from others
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Your body consists of organs
If you extrapolate this, then a person is built from a lot of different things. It’s not like there is a clear "you" that starts or ends somewhere.
Additionally, you could argue that there is no boundary where a person stops and air begins, since everything is connected anyway.
I truly get it, and I think it’s a terrible analogy.
It’s true in a way. But it’s also a very cheap way to duck responsibility. You could also say that responsibility is something we pass on through generations, and that this responsibility is also a part of us. So whether an ego or a person exists doesn’t really matter. You still have a choice—here and now.
I think Buddha’s metaphor is about a guy sitting under a tree, trying to end all suffering in the world without really doing anything. He tried, but he just sat under a tree. What’s the use of that?
There is no such thing as infinity.
When you want to understand the world, you first have to create limitations. Limitations on the time you spend on social media, for example. By doing it—by limiting it—it becomes better, because you spend your time more consciously.
So every calculation based on infinity is useless. Infinity is the only place where you actually can’t see anything, because there is no reference point. It’s also not something that’s going to happen.