{"id":435,"date":"2008-12-20T03:09:00","date_gmt":"2008-12-20T03:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace\/"},"modified":"2008-12-20T03:09:00","modified_gmt":"2008-12-20T03:09:00","slug":"the-seduction-of-the-commonplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html","title":{"rendered":"The Seduction of the Commonplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>In a review of \u201cThe Last Temptation of Christ,\u201d Miles Bethany<\/a> noted:<\/p>\n

But the \u201clast temptation\u201d of the title is nothing overtly naughty\u2013rather, it\u2019s the seduction of the commonplace; the desire to forgo following a \u201ccalling\u201d in exchange for domestic security.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I had not read the review, nor heard the phrase \u201cthe seduction of the commonplace\u201d (so far as I can remember) when the words seemed to roll forth into my mind like the singing of a Tibetan bowl when the mallet is swept around its curved surface. Softly, softly, softly, gently growing the words arose.<\/p>\n

Bethany\u2019s description fit perfectly with my mood for myself at the moment. \u201cDomestic security\u201d \u2013 a nice routine, wine, women, song, good food. In a word: comfort. In a world plagued by <\/span>dukkha<\/span>, this is what I find my mind most preoccupied with of late: comfort<\/span>. One can see where it could get intoxicating, the simple life of a nine-to-five, plugging in to social values and expectations, watching football<\/a> and debating the latest political minutia. <\/p>\n

Not that any of those things are bad, and it\u2019s not that one must <\/span>forgo them as one follows a \u201ccalling\u201d (whatever that might be). <\/p>\n

But in my own case I can see clearly that my simple, monkey mind is easily overwhelmed: seduced and intoxicated with the quest for comfort<\/span>. A couple months ago I planned to write a piece for wildmind<\/a> about solitude. I even talked about it with a few people. But then I was too busy to write, too busy doing things<\/span> \u2013 with people. It was all good stuff, enjoyable, pleasant, even \u2013dare I say<\/span>\u2013 comfortable.<\/p>\n

Is a life of <\/span>domestic security<\/span> in some way <\/span>unBuddhist?<\/span> <\/span>It certainly seems to be unChristian<\/span> by some standards (though protestantism turned it all on its head by making worldly success the very sign of salvation<\/span>!). <\/p>\n

Life is good. I cannot complain. But I can worry. I can worry that I might be lavishing in the ripening of past good karma and failing to diligently plant the seeds of new good karma<\/span>. This is pu\u00f1\u00f1a<\/a>, the acts of worldly virtue and its rewards. As stated in the dictionray (click the word for the link) \u201cThe opp[osite] of pu\u00f1\u00f1a is either apu\u00f1\u00f1a<\/b> or p\u0101pa<\/b>. The true Arahant is above both (Pv ii.615).\u201d<\/p>\n

For the Arahant (literally worthy one<\/span>; an awakened disciple of the Buddha) the correct path is not one of pu\u00f1\u00f1a but of kusala<\/a>. I\u2019m afraid that the time and space of a blog post keep me from giving a greater exposition on these important Buddhist ethical terms at the moment. Suffice to say that pu\u00f1\u00f1a<\/a> is the kind of good deed (and its result) that is still \u201cfor me\u201d \u2013 still based on the ego-idea. We can do much good as egotistical beings, but Buddhism<\/a> points out that we can do better yet. To act without self<\/span>, whether it is in a cave on a mountain or while walking through the grociery store is where we find <\/span>kusala<\/span><\/span><\/span> action<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Scholar Lance Cousins provides a detailed exposition of pu\u00f1\u00f1a<\/a> and (moreso) kusala in this article<\/a> (JBE 1996). As he states:<\/p>\n

What is clear, if one examines the canonical use of the word pu\u00f1\u00f1a,
is that it occurs both much less frequently than kusala and, on the whole,
in a more restricted context. Especially in the earlier texts, it is found
mainly in connection with d\u0101na and other activities of the lay life. Indeed
it is quite commonly used in an expression which describes a motive
for a monk to backslide: he can enjoy life\u2019s pleasures and still perform
acts which bring good fortune (pu\u00f1\u00f1\u0101ni). (p.154)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Perhaps Christ\u2019s last temptation is truly <\/span>everyone\u2019s<\/span>: the temptation to slide into a joyful, pleasant, comfortable life; to slide away from one\u2019s calling<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a review of \u201cThe Last Temptation of Christ,\u201d Miles Bethany noted: But the \u201clast temptation\u201d of the title is nothing overtly naughty\u2013rather, it\u2019s the seduction of the commonplace; the desire to forgo following a \u201ccalling\u201d in exchange for domestic security. I had not read the review, nor heard the phrase \u201cthe seduction of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Seduction of the Commonplace<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a review of "The Last Temptation of Christ," Miles Bethany noted:But the "last temptation" of the title is nothing overtly naughty--rather, it's the\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Seduction of the Commonplace\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a review of "The Last Temptation of Christ," Miles Bethany noted:But the "last temptation" of the title is nothing overtly naughty--rather, it's the\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"American Buddhist Perspectives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2008-12-20T03:09:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/i.neoseeker.com\/boxshots\/TW92aWVzL0RyYW1h\/the_last_temptation_of_christ_frontcover_small_rXfz3CF9JdPTAzX.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Justin Whitaker\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Justin Whitaker\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html\",\"name\":\"The Seduction of the Commonplace\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2008-12-20T03:09:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2008-12-20T03:09:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/#\/schema\/person\/abfb8f851f671638c4c7536b963f9da9\"},\"description\":\"In a review of \\\"The Last Temptation of Christ,\\\" Miles Bethany noted:But the \\\"last temptation\\\" of the title is nothing overtly naughty--rather, it's the\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2008\/12\/the-seduction-of-the-commonplace.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Seduction of the Commonplace\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/\",\"name\":\"American Buddhist Perspectives\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/#\/schema\/person\/abfb8f851f671638c4c7536b963f9da9\",\"name\":\"Justin Whitaker\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/817b6fba8ae056aaff4f9bdc84347d72?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/817b6fba8ae056aaff4f9bdc84347d72?s=96&d=identicon&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"Justin Whitaker\"},\"description\":\"I am an almost-life-long Montanan; a baptized Catholic; an ardent Atheist; a practicing Buddhist; a lover of Wisdom. 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