True Friendship Develops Not As A Result

It Is Worth Remembering That The Time Of Greatest Gain In Terms Of Wisdom And Inner Strength Is Often That Of Greatest Difficulty.

Through Awareness, You Get A Certain Attitude. That's The Way, You See, To Achieve More Peaceful, More Compassion, More Friendship Through That Way.

Basically, The Buddhist Attitude Is That You Should Not Accept Certain Things Through Sheer Faith. And For That You Need A Skeptical Attitude. Buddha Himself Made This Clear To His Followers. He Said You Should Not Accept Those Things I Taught Out Of Respect For Me, But Rather Through Investigation By Yourself.

The Problem Isn't Materialism As Such. Rather It Is The Underlying Assumption That Full Satisfaction Can Arise From Gratifying The Senses Alone. Unlike Animals Whose Quest For Happiness Is Restricted To Survival And To The Immediate Gratification Of Sensory Desires, We Human Beings Have The Capacity To Experience Happiness At A Deeper Level Which, When Achieved, Can Overwhelm Unhappy Experiences.

Treat Each Person As You Would An Old Friend.