The Buddhism Thread

[Philosoraptor]

Where does the kama sutra fall in all of this?

 

 

Don't scold me though, I have a copy of the Dhammapada at my desk at work

 

 

Might be a little nerdy, but years ago I started comparing Buddhism to the Jedi values from Star Wars. Very similar values. George Lucas said that many of the concepts portrayed in Star Wars were highly influenced by eastern thought. I had collected a lot of quotes from both Buddhist scholars and Star Wars characters and it's often hard to tell the difference between whether it comes from one or the other. /nerdover

[TaraMaiden]

Where does the kama sutra fall in all of this?

Or more pertinently, where do you lie within the Kama sutra....? Page 247 looks very interesting.... back atcha....

 

Don't scold me though, I have a copy of the Dhammapada at my desk at work

The Dhammapada is basically, roughly speaking, everything the buddha taught, abridged. it's a fascinating work.

 

The most often quoted, and best-known verses are in Pairs, verse 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and of course, the indisputable 5.

 

 

Might be a little nerdy, but years ago I started comparing Buddhism to the Jedi values from Star Wars. Very similar values. George Lucas said that many of the concepts portrayed in Star Wars were highly influenced by eastern thought. I had collected a lot of quotes from both Buddhist scholars and Star Wars characters and it's often hard to tell the difference between whether it comes from one or the other. /nerdover

Actually, not nerdy at all... in fact, it is believed that Yoda is closely modelled on this guy.

 

And let's not start on 'The Matrix'!

Edited February 5, 2014 by TaraMaiden
typo

[MyEvilTwin]

Tara,

You've re-interested me in Buddhism with the self-accounting and also that there are ways to find peace within too...

Is this Dhammapada is basically, roughly speaking, everything the buddha taught, abridged.--the best book to read to grasp a basic understanding, and not too deep in terms as to confuse the beginner?

[TaraMaiden]

I think in fact it's good to read alongside other material.

The Dhammapada is relatively self-explanatory, and certainly a worthy piece of work to become familiar with. But if you'd like to also check this websirte out, you'll find a massive amount of information - teachings, suttas, explanations, translations, references - which will do much to put a whole lot of flesh on bare bones.

 

Please note:

The site is a Theravadan one.

For other school teachings, Buddhanet is comprehensive, and extremely informative.

about.com Also has an extensive section on Buddhism.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Anything else, please feel free to ask, either here, or via PM

[TaraMaiden]

My aunt is very close to death with recently-diagnosed advanced cancer of several major organs.

'Suffering' as she does from senility, she never brought any pain, discomfort or anxiety to anyone's attention.

My cousin, keeping an eye on her mother, was giving her a bath about 2 weeks ago. My aunt needed the toilet, and my cousin noticed an abnormality in her bowel movements, took her to hospital later that day, and by the evening, discovered her mother had advanced, inoperable cancer, which could actually take her... at any time.

This saddened me enormously to hear, because this particular aunt has a long, chequered and difficult life behind her. She never had it easy, either emotionally or financially, but has a heart as big as the whole outdoors, a relentless sense of good humour and never an unkind word for anyone. She is and always has been, my favourite aunt.

I was at my father's side, when he died, and supported my mother through that grief; she now has the additional burden of seeing her beloved sister die.

 

Death always finds us; it is a constant and ever-present companion.

I often 'take tea with Yama'. He and I have become good friends, and I know, one day, it will be my turn to dine with him.

 

The "trick" is to become so familiar with the thought of death, that it becomes as great a part of your life as breathing is.

Edited February 15, 2014 by TaraMaiden

[bostonterrier]

Hi TaraMaiden, have you ever heard about Osho? you should read his books.

[TaraMaiden]

Yes, I know about him. He's Zen and I follow a different tradition and method of meditation. But I know he's popular with many people.

 

He's very good but not my cup of tea...

[bostonterrier]

Yes, I know about him. He's Zen and I follow a different tradition and method of meditation. But I know he's popular with many people.

 

He's very good but not my cup of tea...

 

Since you understand about budhism more than me, can you answer me a question? well my grandfather died when I was 14 years old, so I woke up in the morning and I already knew something bad happened to him, that was before my mother came home and told me my grandfather passed away, how come I knew he died before my mom mom told me?

[Confused48]

Since you understand about budhism more than me, can you answer me a question? well my grandfather died when I was 14 years old, so I woke up in the morning and I already knew something bad happened to him, that was before my mother came home and told me my grandfather passed away, how come I knew he died before my mom mom told me?

 

There is more to life than meets the eye. You and I know that. I don't think we can know much more. I don't know much more.

 

Tara?

[TaraMaiden]

The answer doesn't necessarily lie in Buddhism.

Intuition isn't Buddhist. For some people, it happens more than for others.

I wouldn't really like to guess why you had that feeling. You just did...

[evanescentworld]

I just thought I would post this link, because in essence, it explains to anyone who may be interested, what the basic, fundamental tenets of Buddhism are.

 

It's an extremely simplistic outline, but it explains things very clearly, without being preachy.

 

As the article itself points out, there is absolutely NO intention here, of proselytising.

But I get asked a lot of questions by people, (both those who are self-proclaimed believers-in-God, and others who may not have a Religious faith, but are curious) and and this article covers the bases nicely, as a preliminary explanation.

 

I hope you enjoy it.

[endlessabyss]

Neat!

 

 

I just ordered a book on what the Buddhist taught. From what I have read so far on Buddhism, I like.

[skydiveaddict]

Fr. Allan Hartway, a catholic priest in my parish, was on the religious studies faculty at Neropa Institute in Boulder (A Buddhist university) for years.

 

He once asked me how long it would take to convince me that he wasn't a heretic (he was kidding). Anyway, he is an expert on eastern religion, especially

Buddhism. I learned a lot about it from him.

[evanescentworld]

Fr. Allan Hartway, a catholic priest in my parish, was on the religious studies faculty at Neropa Institute in Boulder (A Buddhist university) for years.

 

He once asked me how long it would take to convince me that he wasn't a heretic (he was kidding). Anyway, he is an expert on eastern religion, especially

Buddhism. I learned a lot about it from him.

Thomas Merton, who is mentioned in the article, was also a Catholic Monk, who was a strong advocate of Buddhist philosophy.

You see, Buddhism can live side by side with other religions and neither divert, nor seek to convert.

indeed, the main basic principles of Buddhism can be added to any other faith or creed, without any suffering or damage to either one....

[umirano]

Buddha was born from Maya's "right side" (Maya being his mother), some people say her right hip. And there are some other super- or un-natural elements to buddhism, like claims about supernatural beings and an existence after death, which we have no proof for. In this regard buddhism does not differ much from other religions. From what I can tell there's no commandment to kill infidels which puts it light years ahead of other religions ethically.

[Ronni_W]

evanescentworld,

Thanks for the link.

The article seems to be missing the, er, information about the super- or un-natural elements and supernatural beings...but it's still a very good starting point.

 

(Did I say that with a straight-enough face? I am shaking so hard from laughing, I can't type straight, either!)

 

Anyway. evanescentworld, if you have some links for controlling the mind, so it's able to focus on ANY one thing for more than half-a-second, please do share...here or through PM.

 

Namaste!

[endlessabyss]

The Buddha could of cared less about ultimate causes/metaphysics. He took a more scientific/practical stance, and felt religion was unsatisfying. My take, is he didn't like the idea of a higher power, and felt ones life should be in their own control. I still find that him, and Jesus, had a lot in common, from an ethical standpoint.

 

 

I'm intrigued about what he had to say about desire/suffering. As I was sitting at work today, feeling kind of weird about a former colleague of mine moving on to a new venture in life, I started to realize how transient everything is (relationships, material belongings, feelings, careers, etc.). Subsequently, I felt the need to stop developing attachments to things in this life, because it will eventually lead to negative emotions down the road.

 

 

Maybe I'll starting incorporating meditation into my life as well.

Edited November 3, 2014 by endlessabyss

[writergal]

Living Buddha, Living Christ is a good book for those who are Catholic and want to explore Buddhism.

 

Also, Women of Wisdom examines the lives of 6 female Tibetan mystics. Also a great read.

 

I got turned on to Buddhism when I lived in southern China and had the chance to learn Buddhism casually from 3 Mahayana Buddhist monks who lived in a temple situated in the hills behind my university. Just today I was at the library and saw a couple of Buddhist monks checking out library books. My state has the second largest population of Tibetan American community in the U.S. and so I feel lucky that I could continue my Buddhist studies here (although I do miss those 3 Buddhist monks I met so many years ago).

[skydiveaddict]

indeed, the main basic principles of Buddhism can be added to any other faith or creed, without any suffering or damage to either one....

 

I don't think my priest we be in favor of that

[evanescentworld]

Your priest need neither know, nor would be in the slightest bit aware, if you didn't tell him.

 

That's the 'beauty' of it.

Because there is NO deity, you can look upon Buddhism as being a set of ethical guidelines on how to proceed Skilfully and Mindfully, as you go about your day's business.

 

Who'd be any the wiser, of what you are doing?

[SycamoreCircle]

I started spending more and more time with the Tao Te Ching in the wake of my break up. It really has helped calm me and allowed me to work through things. And now I'm discovering the books and lectures of Alan Watts.

[writergal]

Alan Watts is great.

 

I think Buddhism can be used as a tool by itself, or along with one's own religious belief system. Years ago the Dalai Lama came to Minnesota to speak (since my state has the 2nd largest Tibetan population in the U.S.). During his talk, the Dalai Lama pointed this out, that Buddhism can be compatible with oth er religious beliefs. He used Catholicism as the prime example. Now I don't know if that's true.

[evanescentworld]

It's absolutely true.

I mentioned Thomas Merton, in my post, and he is also mentioned in the link I gave.

 

Thomas Merton spent a large portion of his life, implementing and integrating Buddhist practice into his Catholic religious life.

 

let me clarify:

 

You can put Buddhism into any other religion you choose, with no "damage" or compromise, to either religion.

 

However, you cannot incorporate a theistic religion into Buddhism.

 

it works absolutely perfectly, but one way, only.....

 

Because Buddhism does not acknowledge a definite existence of a single, omniscient, omnipotent, eternal deity.

Therefore, one cannot incorporate Catholicism INTO Buddhism, but one can - absloutely comfortably - work in reverse.

[evanescentworld]

There is a word frequently used, with regard to showing empathy, understanding and support for those who seem to need it, and that word is Compassion.

 

If we check the definition of the word, via an online dictionary, this is one definition we find:

 

com·pas·sion (km-pshn)

(n) Deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it.

 

[Middle English compassioun, from Late Latin compassi, compassin-, from compassus, past participle of compat, to sympathize : Latin com- + Latin pat, to suffer;

 

(I removed some irrelevant data).

 

However, when we consider Compassion, in Buddhism, it is considered to be one of the 4 Divine States, or Brahma-Viharas:

 

These are:

 

Metta - Loving Kindness

Karuna - Compassion

Mudita - Empathetic Joy

Upekka - Equanimity.

 

These are 4 states which as Buddhists, we strive to develop and cultivate, for all Sentient beings, regardless.

From Pol Pot to Mother Teresa, From Hitler to the Dalai Lama, everyone deserves these 'gifts'.

 

However:

One of the cautions is the manner in which we develop these states, and more importantly, the Motive.

The Motive must be selfless.

 

Our motives should not be anything to do with making ourselves feel, or look good. (Naturally, to do kindness towards others makes us also feel pleased, but this pleasure should be for the sake of the other person, not ours.)

 

We also need to guard against developing these States in an UNSKILFUL manner.

For example, Loving Kindness is very easy for our own child; but loving kindness towards someone intent on robbing is somewhat harder; and it's difficult (to say the least!) to hold Loving Kindness for people who, for example, decide to perpetrate acts of terrorism or violence towards innocent victims.

 

in our eyes, these people are truly Suffering ,and in a place of emotional pain; they want a specific result, but see the only way of getting it, to be by harming others, which of course, by our western civilised standards, is unthinkable....

 

We need to lay aside our natural feelings of revulsion, because this leads to prejudice, and prejudice is divisive. We cannot develop loving Kindness selectively, or conditionally.

We strive to develop it, no matter what, or who.

 

Compassion is the Virtuous State of abiding that is often misunderstood; and naturally so.

Because sometimes, in an effort to be compassionate towards others, we end up actually creating a more harmful situation.

 

There is another thread on here where a gentle, loving, kind and 'compassionate' member, is seeking to support his girlfriend in her grief, regarding a previous deceased boyfriend.

But in my personal opinion, by being so gentle, loving and kind, his compassion is misguided; misplaced. What could be termed Idiot Compassion (and that refers to the type of compassion demonstrated, not the person demonstrating it!).

 

Idiot Compassion often has the opposite of the desired effect: It can keep the person within the very state we are compassionate about, because it gives them permission to continue the behaviour, knowing that our understanding and pity will be ever-present.

Only, of course, it won't be.

Because at one moment or another, we will start getting impatient with this person, as all they seem to be doing is wallowing, and remaining stuck, and they won't be appearing to be doing anything - or as much as perhaps they should, or could - to extricate themselves from the problem.

 

I'm not necessarily talking about the random homeless guy, who we see, more or less frequently or otherwise, because we rarely have an emotional attachment to them;

I'm talking about people within our circle: Acquaintances, friends, family members or partners.

Idiot Compassion is a crutch put to use long after the leg has healed, shall we say.....

 

Wise Compassion is occasionally far from gentle. It's very much akin to 'tough Love' at times.

For example, if our cousin is an habitual petty thief, and we see he keeps coming home with property that is not his, we need to feel compassion for his seeming bad habit, and needless greed, and try to talk him out of such action; but he needs denouncing to the law.

If he commits a crime, the Law states he deserves to be punished if found guilty.

The Law will take into account any mitigating circumstances (a psychological handicap, a personality disorder, a 'cry for help'....), but that is for the lawyer to calculate and present.

We have to show compassion and support, by reassuring the person we are there for them; but we cannot condone such action, and must understand that as a member of society, governed by legal directives, they deserve the punishment decided upon.

 

There are countless stories of relatives of victims, showing forgiveness and compassion for the criminal: women whose children have been killed, connecting with the perpetrator and forging a friendship with them.

That is Wise Compassion.

 

As Edith Cavell said, before being shot by the Germans: "I realise patriotism is not enough; I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."

 

She was able to look her aggressors in the eye, and feel nothing but togetherness with them.

 

Mudita - or sympathetic Joy - is the happiness one cultivates for others when they are blessed with good fortune - even though we ourselves may be in the depths of despair. It holds no envy, no resentment, no anguish. Just the happiness of seeing someone happy - as if we were eliminated from the tournament, and embracing our adversary, and congratulating them upon their victory and a race well run....

 

Upekka is a tricky one....

In Buddhism, equanimity means to be calm balanced, neutral....

But is being calm and balanced all there is to equanimity? And how does one develop equanimity?

Although translated as "equanimity," the precise meaning of upekkha seems hard to pin down. The word upekkha literally translated, means "to look over." However, a Pali/Sanskrit glossary I consulted says it means "not taking notice; disregard."

 

 

According to the esteemed and respected Theravadin monk and scholar Bhikkhu Bodhi, the word upekkha in the past has been mistranslated as "indifference," which has caused many in the West to believe, mistakenly, that Buddhists are supposed to be detached and unconcerned with other beings .

 

But what it really means is to not be ruled by passions, desires, likes and dislikes.

 

"It is evenness of mind, unshakeable freedom of mind, a state of inner equipoise that cannot be upset by gain and loss, honor and dishonor, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. Upekkha is freedom from all points of self-reference; it is indifference only to the demands of the ego-self with its craving for pleasure and position, not to the well-being of one's fellow human beings."

 

The Buddha described upekkha as 'abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will.' Hardly the same thing as "indifference," is it?

 

Thich Nhat Hanh, the famous Vietnamese Zen Monk, says, in 'The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching' that the word upekka means "equanimity, non-attachment, non-discrimination, even-mindedness, or letting go.

It is as if you climb a mountain to be able to look over the whole situation, not bound by one side or the other."

 

So upekka means to be within a situation, but unperturbed, untouched, unsullied or 'un-balanced' by it.

 

I would add that the Fourth Divine State is one that is extremely difficult to manifest, and can only be 100% successfully achieved when the first three are mastered.

but it's never a wasted effort, to at least try.....

[dichotomy]

I am just starting to explore this - so forgive me...but is there not a difference between the Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism with the first being outwardly focused and the other more inward focused?