Does Selflesness Really Exist?

[jakub_friso]

How do you define selfless act in eastern cultures and religions? 

Karma: 

Doing selfish act - evil that will backfire. 

Doing selfless act - good that will bless you. 

Honestly I highly doubt that any of our acts are completely selfless. 

But that's my opinion - an unenlightenened, ego present individual.

So I wonder what is meant by selflesness in the eyes of zen masters, yogis or any other sages really. Because I feel that there has to be some middle way in regard of this topic. 

PS: Would be awesome if Leo would grasp around this topic. 

If true altruism exists is pretty known philosophical topic and I know Leo has a lot of knowledge to think about that.

Edited December 11, 2016 by jakub_friso

[Leo Gura]

@jakub_friso Don't think of selfishness or selflessness as baked into any specific action. They are not. Selfishness is found in the intent of the action.

If you see a homeless man on the street and feel compassion for him and decide to give him a dollar -- just out of sheer compassion, not because of anything else -- then that was a selfless action.

This isn't rocket science. Your intuition clearly knows when you're behaving selflessly. All you gotta do is sit down in silence and ask it, with honesty.

It's also important not to judge yourself for behaving selfishly, cause that would only pour fuel on the fire.

If you want a rock-solid way to ensure you're acting in accordance with good Karma, just approach every situation with the intent to radiate unconditional love. This about how drastically different that would be from the way you usually approach situations.

[Prabhaker]

16 minutes ago, jakub_friso said:

Doing selfish act - evil that will backfire. 

Doing selfless act - good that will bless you. 

Be selfish, only then can you be altruistic. Otherwise the whole concept of altruism is nonsense. Be happy; only then can you help others to be happy.

[Emerald]

3 hours ago, jakub_friso said:

How do you define selfless act in eastern cultures and religions? 

Karma: 

Doing selfish act - evil that will backfire. 

Doing selfless act - good that will bless you. 

Honestly I highly doubt that any of our acts are completely selfless. 

But that's my opinion - an unenlightenened, ego present individual.

So I wonder what is meant by selflesness in the eyes of zen masters, yogis or any other sages really. Because I feel that there has to be some middle way in regard of this topic. 

PS: Would be awesome if Leo would grasp around this topic. 

If true altruism exists is pretty known philosophical topic and I know Leo has a lot of knowledge to think about that.

There is no such thing as an unselfish action. But there is nothing wrong with this fact of nature. It's just the way it is. Separation is an illusion anyway, so even the welfare of others is the welfare of Self in disguise. All is one and that one thing is all loving and thus self-loving. This also works the other way around... to do harm to others is to do harm to the Self. So, fill up your own cup and fill up the cups of others. It's all the same thing, and it's all for you in the end, as everything is what you are.