Sunday, April 26, 2009

Be Epicureans!

If a man can find a life purpose, if he can be driven by faith or by vision, may he follow his calling as long as his faith or vision respects all life and individual freedom. However, may he never succumb to dogmaticism or ideology.

For the other man, figuring out what provides pleasure without bringing harm to himself, others or nature, can still create a sense fulfillment or at least contentment.

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The majority of men lead lives of quiet desparation filled with illusions of pleasure - pleasures which bring about harm to their bodies and later to their minds, which create suffering for themselves and in others. To all those : do not surrender, be Epicureans!

Find pleasure.
Find pleasure in the natural rather than in the always artificial.
Find pleasure in moderation rather than in constant excess.
Find pleasure in the present rather than in thinking only about past or future.
Find pleasure in seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, rather than only in possessing.
Find pleasure in sharing rather than only in hoarding.

If you accept your bodies first, you will accept yourselves.
If you accept yourselves, you will accept others.
If you accept others, you will be concerned about mankind.
If you are concerned about mankind, you will respect nature.

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