This World is a Jail

[AiR]

This world is a Jail, but we think it’s a garden with all the roses and the pleasures it offers us. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that we are jailed in this world. The prison bars stop us from achieving our Aananda - unending bliss, a super joy that we’ve never experienced before. We have lost our way and come to this world from our real home. Our real home is a place of true joy, of ecstasy, but we come to a world of sorrows; a world of pain and misery, not realizing that death can’t be escaped here and thus, we grow, we age, we suffer, we die. We don’t realize that in this prison, we are born again and again only to be jailed. Our mind and our senses self imprison us and we have to continue living in this prison forever. It’s time to escape, it’s time to be free, it’s time to realize the truth of who we are, what we are and what our true goal of life is; it’s time to realize that we are not this body, we are the divine sprit, the soul, the atman. And the atman is essentially supposed to be free to be able to merge; the soul is supposed to merge with the soul, the atman to merge with the paramatman. But unfortunately, because we are in this jail we are imprisoned and are unable to achieve the true purpose of our life. It’s time for us to think about it and to escape from this jail.

AiR

[Obvious Leo]

This world is a Jail,

An old mate of my Dad's was fond of saying this:

Stop bloody whining. If this world's too hard for you then you should grease your arse and slide into the next.

[sthitapragya]

This world is a Jail, but we think it’s a garden with all the roses and the pleasures it offers us. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that we are jailed in this world. The prison bars stop us from achieving our Aananda - unending bliss, a super joy that we’ve never experienced before. We have lost our way and come to this world from our real home. Our real home is a place of true joy, of ecstasy, but we come to a world of sorrows; a world of pain and misery, not realizing that death can’t be escaped here and thus, we grow, we age, we suffer, we die. We don’t realize that in this prison, we are born again and again only to be jailed. Our mind and our senses self imprison us and we have to continue living in this prison forever. It’s time to escape, it’s time to be free, it’s time to realize the truth of who we are, what we are and what our true goal of life is; it’s time to realize that we are not this body, we are the divine sprit, the soul, the atman. And the atman is essentially supposed to be free to be able to merge; the soul is supposed to merge with the soul, the atman to merge with the paramatman. But unfortunately, because we are in this jail we are imprisoned and are unable to achieve the true purpose of our life. It’s time for us to think about it and to escape from this jail.

AiR

The world is a jail to you because you believe it is a jail. See it for what it really is. A magnificent place where you will have the privilege of being only in this one life. Your need for aananda and your belief in the afterlife and soul are the illusions. You get only one chance at life. Enjoy it.

[Dubious]

Being alive is the only time we can talk about the pleasures of not being here and we want to talk about it for as long as possible.

[sthitapragya]

Being alive is the only time we can talk about the pleasures of not being here and we want to talk about it for as long as possible.

I agree.And by complaining and cribbing we miss out on all the beautiful things life has to offer. If one spends his one life cribbing about how bad it is, where is the wisdom in that? I find the concept ridiculous.

[Hobbes' Choice]

This world is a Jail, but we think it’s a garden with all the roses and the pleasures it offers us. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that we are jailed in this world. The prison bars stop us from achieving our Aananda - unending bliss, a super joy that we’ve never experienced before. We have lost our way and come to this world from our real home. Our real home is a place of true joy, of ecstasy, but we come to a world of sorrows; a world of pain and misery, not realizing that death can’t be escaped here and thus, we grow, we age, we suffer, we die. We don’t realize that in this prison, we are born again and again only to be jailed. Our mind and our senses self imprison us and we have to continue living in this prison forever. It’s time to escape, it’s time to be free, it’s time to realize the truth of who we are, what we are and what our true goal of life is; it’s time to realize that we are not this body, we are the divine sprit, the soul, the atman. And the atman is essentially supposed to be free to be able to merge; the soul is supposed to merge with the soul, the atman to merge with the paramatman. But unfortunately, because we are in this jail we are imprisoned and are unable to achieve the true purpose of our life. It’s time for us to think about it and to escape from this jail.

AiR

You really need to get our more.
The reason you think the world is a gaol is due to the fact that you are too detached from reality.
Find a park and take a walk. If you have any countryside left where you live, get a tent and sit out in nature for a few weeks until you appreciate the things you have.

[Obvious Leo]

The biggest problem with this wretched world-view is the assumption that our existence is some sort of trial run. It is rooted in an infantile yearning for immortality as if this were somehow even desirable, let alone possible, and it is a certain way to waste a life. In my view a far more meaningful way to approach the reality of one's own existence is to accept that we only get one crack at it and in order to extract every possible drop of meaning out of it all we need to do is give it our best shot. The incessant internal agonising over the counter-factual is the antithesis of the examined life and a fruitless journey of despair which is unworthy of a sentient mind.

I find that a calming toke of quality home-grown washed down with a glass of red does wonders for one's perspective.

[Osric]

If there is a god, and if we did sin in god's eyes, then this place is most definitely our prison as punishment. But, we have the power to make it a paradise. Most of us are just too selfish, greedy, and stupid to do so.

[Lacewing]

This world is a Jail, but we think it’s a garden with all the roses and the pleasures it offers us. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that we are jailed in this world. The prison bars stop us from achieving our Aananda - unending bliss, a super joy that we’ve never experienced before. We have lost our way and come to this world from our real home. Our real home is a place of true joy, of ecstasy, but we come to a world of sorrows; a world of pain and misery, not realizing that death can’t be escaped here and thus, we grow, we age, we suffer, we die. We don’t realize that in this prison, we are born again and again only to be jailed. Our mind and our senses self imprison us and we have to continue living in this prison forever. It’s time to escape, it’s time to be free, it’s time to realize the truth of who we are, what we are and what our true goal of life is; it’s time to realize that we are not this body, we are the divine sprit, the soul, the atman. And the atman is essentially supposed to be free to be able to merge; the soul is supposed to merge with the soul, the atman to merge with the paramatman. But unfortunately, because we are in this jail we are imprisoned and are unable to achieve the true purpose of our life. It’s time for us to think about it and to escape from this jail.

AiR

Air... you're really making up a lot of stuff... or you're repeating a lot of stuff that someone else has made up. This is not everyone's reality. I see this life as a sacred opportunity and experience. It can be very challenging, but it's not a jail! What a horrific thought. Geez... let's just all kill each other and get out of it. And no, we didn't "lose our way" and come here from our "own home". Why are you so DOWN on this world experience? Why are you identifying so much separation and fracturing? Why do you not see this whole magnificent ball of creation as an integrated and fantastic part of all that is?

I think all the people who think they're waiting for something else still-to-come are missing/wasting the unique opportunities/experiences of this earth realm... whatever it is. Whatever it is doesn't matter. It simply is what is "now". Making up stories about it not being enough... or not being the "destination"... just keep a person from being present and thankful.

[Skip]

It’s time for us to think about it and to escape from this jail.

You go on ahead. I'll take the next bus.

[Obvious Leo]

It simply is what is "now". Making up stories about it not being enough... or not being the "destination"..

I agree with you completely and it could hardly be simpler, Lacewing, but most of the greatest philosophers throughout history have been telling essentially the same story. The meaning of our lives is totally in the ownership of the person living it, and to define such a meaning for ourselves is the ultimate definition of human freedom, but on this particular point the wisdom of the ancients seems to be unanimously consistent. This meaning lies in the journey and never in the destination.