How should I view others sufferings I cannot affect?

Question

Through Vipassan meditation one can learn how to guard ones mind against externalities and not be affected by emotions. I believe that trying to follow this meditation to view the world from an unemotional state with actions not guided by emotion would definitely help me to be more aware and more awake, as well as have a happier and calmer mind. However, my concern is the following:

Does not letting externalities affect you mean ignoring externalities? I know that this meditation will help me feel better, however is it morally right to ignore the suffering of the world so that I could feel better?

Answer 1

Firstly, meditation isn't about becoming an unemotional robot, it is about living a life not being control by your emotions, it's completely different! You can either be the master of your mind or the slave.

There is a big difference in ignoring the worlds suffering, compared to understanding the root cause of all suffering. As for the suffering of the external world, i would recommend studying and contemplating the 4 Noble Truths. Once you realize that ignorance is the root to all suffering, then you will view the world completely different.

Also if you want to help the suffering of the external world, i would suggest not increasing the suffering of others, that would be a good start, and to achieve that, it would be for you to continue your practice into freedom, then you can be an example for others!!

I hope i have been of some help.

Metta.

Answer 2

To compliment @Lee-Hebditch's answer I like to add the following.

When you are emotional you loose the balance of your mind. So nor reacting does not mean shutting off from any contact with the out side world. When you make contact you will experience a sensation which you evaluate and react with craving or aversion. This reaction is what needs to stop.

When this is the case you do not loose the balance of the mind. Then you can choose a better course of action to help your self and others.

Answer 3

Don't ignore it just yet.
First see if there's something you can do, without sacrificing right moral principles, to alleviate another's problems. To do this, you must often be strong enough to endure any internal reactions from within, from hearing things you don't like, an intonation which offends you, seeing another person angry and self-righteous, not attending to your own wishes when you find out it takes up a lot of your time... In order to respond properly, you can't let yourself be swayed by such things. It's quite a difficult task, to be honest. The words don't do justice.

Now, I've found that when you take up such a task, you find yourself in such challenging situations that your natural reaction becomes "I have to think how to get out of this." This is where, for me, the suttas have really started to penetrate and teach something that's beyond mere words.