Looking into Buddhism?

[Snoopy]

Just found this and thought it contained a nice mixture of sentiments, for anyone giving Buddhism the once over...

Words of Advice for the New Buddhist « Daily Buddhism

s.

 

[citizenzen]

My favorites...

@jakeberglund — It is not a religion, it is a practice. it is not what you believe, it is what you do.

@Alicat13 — Don’t get confused by all the different schools, concentrate on the simple basics: the 4 Noble truths, Eightfold Path & Mindfulness.

@Allyinspirit — Slowly slowly * Be patient * Be true to yourself * Never compare your success or failure with others * Slowly slowly.

@bgdtcoaching — Be patient, it’s all as it is.

@thefleecebeast — Be natural.

@idtheory — Don’t believe everything that you think.
And don't think everything that you believe. ~ CZ

 

[Bandit]

@idtheory — Don’t believe everything that you think.
And don't think everything that you believe. ~ CZ

That is good. I like that.

 

[bella]

For those looking into Buddhism, can I suggest that looking before you leap is a good idea, as with any religion or belief system. Dr. She D'Montford wrote a book entitled Unveiling Bloody Buddhism. She does not bash Buddhism but rather gives a true historical account that people can consider for themselves. I know you can catch her on Eye on the Future Radio (internet) on Monday March 9th from 8 to 9 PM PDT.) Worth listening to for sure.

 

[Eclectic Mystic]

Bella, if a person was looking into Buddhism, why should that be the first thing they pick up?

 

[citizenzen]

And the first thing a person should read if considering Catholicism is an account of the Inquisition.

 

[GlorytoGod]

I read

Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse

seemed like a really good book about the life of the Budda
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/s...ype=ss&index=books&field-author=Hermann Hesse

 

[Snoopy]

I read

Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse

seemed like a really good book about the life of the Budda

“Siddhartha is an allegorical novel by Hermann Hesse which deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian boy called Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.
(In this book, the Buddha is referred to as "Gotama".)”


- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)

So from that POV, this novel is rather like recommending The Life of Brian as a really good film about the life of Jesus.


s.

 

[GlorytoGod]

“Siddhartha is an allegorical novel by Hermann Hesse which deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian boy called Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.
(In this book, the Buddha is referred to as "Gotama".)”


- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)

So from that POV, this novel is rather like recommending The Life of Brian as a really good film about the life of Jesus.


s.

LOL well it was a long time ago when I read it, but it was a good read as the Life of Brian is a good film

 

[Snoopy]

Hi and welcome

For those looking into Buddhism, can I suggest that looking before you leap is a good idea, as with any religion or belief system.

It certainly is!

Dr. She D'Montford wrote a book entitled Unveiling Bloody Buddhism. She does not bash Buddhism but rather gives a true historical account that people can consider for themselves.

Unveiling Bloody Buddhism seems to be an article about the arrival of Tibetan Buddhism in a magazine called Nexus which I don’t have so I can only look second hand at a review.

Free Tibet Complexities

The stuff about Bon-Po and Lamaism isn’t anything revelatory. Nor is the fact that when belief systems migrate around the world they are also associated with being part of wider social, economic, political and military events.

But regarding Buddhism itself (taken from this review):

In reviewing the evidence, D'Montford makes it very clear that Tibetan "Buddhism" is NOT Buddhism at all, but is more accurately described as "Lamaism".

If a teaching is based upon the Four Seals it is an authentic Buddhist teaching. Tibetan Buddhism passes that test I believe.

If you don't believe this, look at the religions yourself: notice the stark contrast between genuine Buddhist temples and Tibetan Buddhist temples, and the enormous differences in the teachings and the teachers. Nobody who understands any of the original Buddha's teachings would in any way categorize Tibetan Buddhism as Buddhism. It simply is something else entirely, something that masquerades as Buddhism.

Sheesh. The manifestations of Buddhism vary all around the world. Just one example: when Buddhism crossed over into China it cross-fertilised with Daoism to create what we now call Chan Buddhism. Is that not Buddhism?

Perhaps I should not have not bothered with this and just gone straight to finding out a little about the author...


Aussie BP - BadPsychics.com/au - Shé D'Montford - The One: The Search for Australia's Most Gifted Psychic - Psychics / Mediums - News


Snoopy.

 

[Snoopy]

LOL well it was a long time ago when I read it, but it was a good read as the Life of Brian is a good film

As long as you don't get them mixed up.

s.

 

[citizenzen]

Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse

I read this in my late teens. I was astounded that Siddhartha experienced profound insights as a young man, only to fall into the trap of materialism through his middle years.

And then I went and repeated the same pattern.

DOH!

Oh well. As I recall he used his last years well.

There may be hope for me yet.

 

[nativeastral]

ah diversities again, what wittgenstein called the family of resemblences!

 

[_Z_]

one thing we should think of is; what happens if the sun went supernova tomorrow, do we all enter nirvana by default? this idea for me negates any ideas about karma and dhama.

however it does not undermine the emptiness, that still seams like the most likely end-game scenario for the soul/mind or whatever. weather or not that is ‘bliss’ or just oblivion is quite another question.

 

[seattlegal]

one thing we should think of is; what happens if the sun went supernova tomorrow, do we all enter nirvana by default? this idea for me negates any ideas about karma and dhama.

however it does not undermine the emptiness, that still seams like the most likely end-game scenario for the soul/mind or whatever. weather or not that is ‘bliss’ or just oblivion is quite another question.

Buddhist cosmology allows for beings to be reborn in different "realms" and "planes." {Vaj may have posted a relevant link somewhere around here:}

found one:
Fundamentals of Buddhism: Rebirth

 

[citizenzen]

one thing we should think of is; what happens if the sun went supernova tomorrow, do we all enter nirvana by default? this idea for me negates any ideas about karma and dhama.

however it does not undermine the emptiness, that still seams like the most likely end-game scenario for the soul/mind or whatever. weather or not that is ‘bliss’ or just oblivion is quite another question.

I'm not sure I get your scenario. Why does it matter if the Sun supernovas? What do you mean by enter nirvana by default?

 

[_Z_]

seattlegal

Buddhist cosmology allows for beings to be reborn in different "realms" and "planes."

bit of a getaround imho, ones karma would surely be linked to ones environment ~ which is the main cause of it to begin with. i feel certain that at our hearts centre is freedom, that the soul cannot be put in chains except by its own decree. or in simpler terms, karma only affects us if we want or allow it to.

i don’t see how karma glues itself to you or even if it is anything. sure there is action [judge a man by his deeds?] this is what we do, not who we are. to some degree we are actors playing our roles in this world, to this there is a level of detachment.

citizenzen

I’m not sure I get your scenario. Why does it matter if the Sun supernovas? What do you mean by enter nirvana by default?

well if the sun goes supernover, we all die, there would be nothing left to return to [hence no samsara]. with no way back we would enter into the only other reality available [irrespective of ones karma] ~ nirvana.

 

[citizenzen]

well if the sun goes supernover, we all die, there would be nothing left to return to [hence no samsara]. with no way back we would enter into the only other reality available [irrespective of ones karma] ~ nirvana.

If all humanity vanished in this next instant, awareness and volition (karma) would find plenty of other outlets.

Every being in the universe is connected.

Why worry just about this Earth?

 

[Snoopy]

one thing we should think of is; what happens if the sun went supernova tomorrow, do we all enter nirvana by default?

Perhaps this question turns around one's notion/understanding/... of "nirvana"? If the sun went supernova tomorrow I can well imagine that we would all "pass away":

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"The Parinirvana and Afterwards [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The third great event in the Master's life commemorated at Vesak is his parinirvana or passing away.[/FONT]"

The Buddha and His Message, by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Nirvana on the other hand...?

s.

 

[Nick the Pilot]

Z,

I agree with citizenzen. If earth became unavailabe for us, we would find another place to use to strive for nirvana. Our task is to strive for nirvana, and I do not think we can be deprived of it.