In my post Beginning Buddhism, I made some fairly ignorant comments about Buddhist philosophy.  With some reading and further elucidation I have come to realize that the promise of Nirvana is not the goal of the Buddhist.  It should not be seen as some kind of reward for the proper amount of abstinence, asceticism, or contemplation.

The purpose of Buddhist philosophy seems to me, so far, to be three fold: extinguishing the illusion of self, to live in the moment, and to be as a reflection of the world around you.  It is interesting that having just finished with a rather cynical religion that I would start judging religions by their position on the afterlife, what LaVey called “spiritual pipe dreams”.  Really, this is not a fair judgment of this religion or perhaps any other religion.

Nirvana is something to be earned, and not through empty headed selflessness, but through reflection and contemplation on what is most important- how to treat others and the self.

It is easy to think that the end of Buddhism is escapism in order to achieve liberation from samsara.  But it is more practical than that, it is about self cultivation and right action.  As I meditate, I can see how one could become addicted to the feeling of fulfillment and happiness that I can occasionally glimpse.  But Buddhism is more practical than this.  Buddhism reaches out from these periods of contemplation and mediation into our everyday activities.   Every moment, every action, is a chance to reflect and concentrate.  By clearing the mind and letting go of the concept of self, you can achieve a better understanding of the problems and day-to-day experiences you face.

Remove yourself from the picture, and you not only avoid suffering, but see the world for what it truly is.  LaVey missed the practical part of Buddhism, probably because of his contempt for anything that pointed away from the flesh.  Shame he never thought that mediation could have helped instead of hindered these desires.