Late life asset erosion is emerging as one of the most serious financial risks facing Canadian seniors, as rising care and housing costs collide with fixed incomes and longer lifespans. For many middle‑class families, the “retirement plan” built around a paid‑off home and modest savings is no longer enough to withstand a decade or more of elevated expenses in very old age.
Arya Dukkha does not arise from events themselves, but from the belief that things should or should not have happened in a particular way. The unavoidable experiences of life are like two falling water drops—brief, limited, and manageable. Suffering begins when those drops turn into rain through expectation, resistance, and craving. Honking traffic, abundant food, a lost possession, or even a dog chewing a meatless bone are not the true causes of distress. The real suffering comes from believing that relief, happiness, or satisfaction must arise from these conditions. Understanding this distinction is not mere intellectual clarity; it is a practical step toward ending suffering at its root.
We often believe happiness can be created by thinking happy thoughts, and sadness avoided by suppressing painful ones. But thinking only offers temporary shifts, not lasting change. Pleasant or unpleasant thoughts are like dodging raindrops—they may help for a moment, but they do not stop the rain. Understanding that lasting happiness or sadness cannot be manufactured by thought alone is not discouraging; it is liberating. This clarity marks a decisive step toward seeing things as they truly are.
Hedonism views life through the lens of pleasure, treating satisfaction and enjoyment as the highest compass for meaning. From existentialist thought to utilitarian ethics, pleasure is often assumed to define a life well lived. Buddhism challenges this assumption—not by rejecting pleasure, but by examining attachment to it. By distinguishing levels of pleasure, from sensory enjoyment to dhyanic absorption and liberation, this essay explores where hedonism succeeds, where it fails, and why freedom is found not in pleasure itself, but in how we relate to it.
The “Slash” Life: Data, Dhamma, and the Art of Living
In a world that constantly asks us to “pick a lane,” I’ve chosen to build a multi-lane highway. My journey is about creating order and space—whether that’s digital, physical, or mental. From the precision of Data Science to the practicalities of Property Stewardship (including my years as an Airbnb Superhost), and from the wisdom of Buddhist Dhamma to the serenity of Yoga, every path I walk informs the others.
My life is an ongoing exploration of how diverse passions—like analyzing complex datasets and teaching ancient philosophies—don’t just coexist; they enrich and empower one another. Welcome to my world, where every “gig” is a step on a continuous path of learning, serving, and living fully.