Should we encourage children to find their interest?
Upvote:0
Then the very act of finding an interest seems similar to how 'attachments' are described in Buddhism. Am I missing something?
In Buddhism interests are for the most part not developed "right now" - instead they are based on habits and inclinations that have been cultivated during countless of life times in Samsara. Kids are their own beings like everyone else so the attachment is already there from past lives. It's just the outer expression or topic of the defilement that might change from life to life.
What one could do instead is to introduce them to mindfulness meditation and if they like it or have affinity for it then one can continue to support and help them in their practice.
Upvote:1
First, I believe the simple answer is: Yes, it can be proper.
One of the teachings of the Noble Eightfold Path is “Right Livelyhood”. In this teaching the Buddha laid out the requirements for a job to be helpful to moving forward toward enlightenment – even for non-monks.
As long as the encouragement to follow their interests includes teachings on how to recognize a Right Livelyhood I would say such encouragement would be quite proper.
As to the specific issue of ‘Attachment’ in this: Most lay persons need to have a job / livelyhood to live. To my way of thinking, just because one finds a job one enjoys and has an affinity for, does not imply they must also have an exaggerated or unhealthy attachment to that job which would hinder their spiritual development.
Again, if the parent or teacher imparts teachings of how to recognize symptoms of unhealthy attachment to things of this world and of the proper perspective as to what a job is, in the wholeness of a person’s spiritual existence; again, I would say such encouragement would be proper.
Best, Jim
More post
- 📝 Resources to learn about yogacara buddhism
- 📝 Niànfó (念佛, nenbustu) & Morality
- 📝 Where does the Dalai Lama say '... be a better whatever you already are'?
- 📝 Can meditation help students in exams?
- 📝 After Nibbana, can one be reborn again in Samsara?
- 📝 What did the Buddha mean by "the stage beyond study" in the Shurangama Sutta?
- 📝 What does 'corrupted' (world or society) mean?
- 📝 How to ordain and become a monk?
- 📝 Anapanasati vs Vipassana, what to follow?
- 📝 Does Mahayana Buddhism discourage attaining enlightenment under the Gautama Buddha Sasana?
- 📝 If someone was an Once-returner in last life how can he know that ?
- 📝 Practice of the other three Brahmaviharas
- 📝 Is it okay to seek financial gains as a layman?
- 📝 Kakacūpama Sutta and Mistress Vedehika
- 📝 Is it possible to have perception without reification?
- 📝 How do Buddhist monks find reincarnations of previous monks while filtering out the wrong persons?
- 📝 Do Buddhists believe Buddha to be God? Do Buddhists practice idolatry?
- 📝 Zazen for metta reasons
- 📝 As a Buddhist lay-follower is there a need and good form to do good deeds?
- 📝 Should a Buddhist be afraid of death?
- 📝 Maintaining the emotional state achieved in meditation through the rest of the day
- 📝 What is 'vision externally' in AN8.66?
- 📝 What happens to grasping at 'self' after termination of life?
- 📝 How to practise without having aversion towards life?
- 📝 Emotion in Compassion Meditation
- 📝 At which stage of enlightenment are the aggregates seen as not-self fully?
- 📝 How does Buddhism reconcile evolution with reincarnation?
- 📝 How do the Vijñāna (Vinyana) get created?
- 📝 What to focus on between breaths
- 📝 View of Thervada and Mahayana Buddhism on where Conciousness is located
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Should we encourage children to find their interest?
- 📝 If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms
- 📝 Should I always put another person's interest before mine?
- 📝 Buddhism 101? Any first steps one should take to begin their journey as a buddhist?
- 📝 Should Buddhists give their time to helping others?
- 📝 My parents want me to get married, should I honor their request if I'm not interested in marriage?
- 📝 When and how should a layperson declare their achievements?
- 📝 Should one give to beggars?
- 📝 Can or should a Buddhist defend themselves physically?
- 📝 How should Buddhists handle prayer requests?
- 📝 Why should one develop compassion?
- 📝 How concerned should Buddhists be with the actions of others?
- 📝 Why not kill animals to hasten their rebirth?
- 📝 Should a Buddhist feel offended by misuses of Buddha's name or image?
- 📝 Can one learn meditation on their own?
- 📝 What should I choose, Life or Nirvana?
- 📝 Should a Buddhist have Children?
- 📝 Can someone explain about children monks?
- 📝 Should Buddhist teachers get rich?
- 📝 In meditation, should one pursue tranquility first, prior to looking for insight?
- 📝 How and when should a child be introduced to Buddhism?
- 📝 How should a married person get ordained in Theravada Buddhism?
- 📝 Compassion to friends: stepping in vs. letting them learn on their own
- 📝 Should a Buddhist advocate the learning of a martial art?
- 📝 Is it useful (and polite) to ask a potential meditation teacher about their attainments?
- 📝 Do lions create bad kamma for their next life when they kill?
- 📝 Should a Buddhist be afraid of death?
- 📝 Why should we stop the Samsara?
- 📝 Does hosting guests at home with meat and alcohol (because they are fond of it) amount to aiding the guests break their Sila?
- 📝 How should a lay person respond if they see a monk teaching something contrary to Dhamma?