1 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Is Buddhism skeptical of romantic relationships?
Again, the point of Buddhism isn't to armour ourselves against possible suffering.
Comment by Heavy-Dentist-3530 at 03/02/2025 at 22:37 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I don’t want to enter into a rabbit hole of discussion, but that is slightly discussable. Thus, Buddhism (at least some teachings) advises against positioning ourselves in situations that perpetuate suffering, advocating for a balanced approach to life that reduces unnecessary pain.
This is for reflection. I do understand the concept of suffering being part of life. However, it also seems that the concept of not positioning ourselves in those situations is equally present in Buddhist teachings.
I am not advocating against having romantic relationships. I am just questioning whether they truly lead to a sustained state of happiness. Now, the response might be, “No, you cultivate it with the other person or within your own view.” The thing is, romantic relationships themselves carry a significant risk of tragic suffering (yes, also good moments, but also great suffering). I gave the example of almost 1/2 of marriages ending in divorce.
One could say, “Yes, but some years were good enough and justified it.” However, I think that’s often a human rationalization of our own suffering in most cases.