Never assume
Always Acknowledge
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Written by
i think this is why so many free-thinking people respect buddhism- because it's one of the few major spiritual systems where the advice is presented purely as being what it is- advice: not the word of God, not as dogma, not as a strict set of moral rules, etc.
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
Written by : Stone
Why do you keep comparing Christ to Buddha? Both are at different ends of the spectrum. Christians believe in supreme beings, heaven, hell and all that. The key to Buddhism is self-realization; there is no supreme being, no heaven and no hell.
Written by : Stone
How can anyone have free will without self-realization?
Written by : OWD
You can do fine academic researches into buddhism, which will be of great value for advancing the academic understanding of buddhism, but, you will not be aquiring any understanding of what happens when you practice it.
Written by : OWD
But, ultimately, I don't think 'dukkha' can be accurately conveyed by a single English word.
Written by : Stout
It's interesting, If you want to compare Christianity and Buddhism all you need to do is compare the 4/8 with the 14 deadly sins ( nee the 7 deadly sins )
If we toss out pride and the genetic modification ones because they're strictly faith issues, then we're left with the same sort of "instructions" for leading a happy, healthy life.
Written by : OWD
i think this is why so many free-thinking people respect buddhism- because it's one of the few major spiritual systems where the advice is presented purely as being what it is- advice: not the word of God, not as dogma, not as a strict set of moral rules, etc.
Written by : OWD
And, right at the root of the teachings, you've got the recorded words of the buddha himself- saying that he is not a God (or son of God) and, that where his teachings are concerned, the proper course is not to blindly accept, but to try them out and decide for yourself- to question them.
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
Written by : firetom
Dave and you argued in favour of Buddhism (being a philosophy rather than a religion) by stating that it is "non-dogmatic
Written by :
Following the line of your previous arguments, I guess I get what you mean and would like to point out that if you merely practice Buddhism without academical studies, you depend on "hearsay" and "blind faith". If we cannot find agreement on this one we will simply have to disagree on this point.
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Written by : James Finley
Many people associate meditation with Eastern traditions. What do you mean by meditation?
Today more and more Christians are using the term meditation in a way that was traditionally referred to in the Christian tradition as contemplation, and that's how I'm using it.
At the heart of the Gospel is Jesus saying "I and the Father are one." The early Christians understood this as a call to enter into Christ's divine oneness with the Father. They felt they could respond to that call by entering into that oneness experientially; even on this earth they could realize something of this eternal oneness with God that Christ came to reveal and proclaim. And they sought to experience this through meditation and prayer.
Christian meditation is way of experiencing God beyond what the ego can grasp or attain. It's beyond thought, beyond memory, beyond the will, beyond feeling.
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
Written by
The object of Vipassana practice is to learn to pay attention. We think we are doing this already, but that is an illusion. It comes from the fact that we are paying so little attention to the ongoing surge of our own life experiences that we might just as well be asleep. We are simply not paying enough attention to notice that we are not paying attention.
Through the process of mindfulness, we slowly become aware of what we really are down below the ego image. We wake up to what life really is. It is not just a parade of ups and downs, lollipops and smacks on the wrist. That is an illusion. Life has a much deeper texture than that if we bother to look, and if we look in the right way.
Vipassana is a process of self-discovery, a participatory investigation in which you observe your own experiences while participating in them, and as they occur.
The process of mindfulness is really quite different from what we usually do. We usually do not look into what is really there in front of us. We see life through a screen of thoughts and concepts, and we mistake those mental objects for the reality. We get so caught up in this endless thought stream that reality flows by unnoticed. We spend our time engrossed in activity, caught up in an eternal pursuit of pleasure and gratification and an eternal flight from pain and unpleasantness. We spend all of our energies trying to make ourselves feel better, trying to bury our fears. We are endlessly seeking security. Meanwhile, the world of real experience flows by untouched and un-tasted.
Written by Fire Tom
Meaning (to me) that: Life contains self induced stress and by practising awareness on the sources of stressful thoughts one will get a more calm, reasonable approach towards ones own tasks in life.
Written by Fire Tom
Would I have "free will" when attaining "self realization" or would I 'see things as they really are', act accordingly and by that 'consciously' (and happily) 'do the right thing' (as in the logical choice)?
Written by Fire Tom
Please note that "atrocities committed under the guise of Christianity" might equal "atrocities committed under the guise of Buddhism"…
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
Written by : AP
In 1979, Thailand was being flooded by refugees from Cambodia who fled as the Vietnamese army drove the Khmer Rouge from power.
On June 8, 1979, the Thai army gathered thousands of desperate Cambodians from all over eastern Thailand and trucked them to the border at Preah Vihear.
They were forced to march down the steep slopes back to their country.
"The path down the mountains became steeper, the jungle thicker," British journalist William Shawcross wrote in describing the scene in his book "The Quality of Mercy."
"Dozens, scores of people fell onto mines. Those with possessions had to abandon them to carry their children down. One group of refugees desperately pooled whatever valuables they had left, filled two buckets with them, and walked back up toward the Thai soldiers, carrying a white flag. The soldiers took the buckets and then shot the refugees."
About 45,000 refugees were compelled to make the risky trek down the slope, Shawcross estimates. There are no definitive figures on casualties, but they are thought to have numbered in the thousands.
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
Written by Fire Tom
I dunno what exactly you refer to: "Fire Tom, it will all make sense when you get your first glimpse of self-realisation." Do you think you know who I really am? Or are you just viewing me as a reflection of your self?
Written by Fire Tom
I do finally acknowledge that by endlessly trying to explain myself to you (here), life flows by (unnoticed). Thank you for that lesson - honestly... Thank you
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
Written by : Stone
You would not have asked that question if you understood self-realisation. And sure, know me, know you.
Written by : Stones' signature
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. – Socrates
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
Written by :FireTom
I'm feeling edgy today.
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Written by :
I might have misunderstood your comments and remarks on "atrocities committed" and "condemnations", "women stoned to death" as criticism towards Christianity, where (on the contrary) you were only mentioning... My dearest apologies.
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Written by : OWD
I can mention the nazi atrocities done in the name of the German people, without in any way critisising the German race.
To mention atrocities done in the name of an organisation, does not necessarily entail critisism of that organisation.
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
Written by :FireTom
By saying that atrocities and genocide have been committed in the name of an ideology we ignore the fact that the ideology itself bears (enough) loopholes as for ppl to commit these again.
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Written by :FireTom
Can you understand that you appear inconsistent to me when you
- on one side criticise (to a very large extent and partly appear to even accuse) carnivores to be responsible for suffering on this planet and
- on the other side ignore the argument that the support for the gun/ arms industry is equally causing suffering on this planet; that 2nd hand sales contribute to the number of illegal guns within the US; that recent Harvard studies show links between suicidal rates and death rates of children to the extent of calling these arguments "dubious"?
By that you're feeding the gun lobbyists... (offtopic)
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
Written by Fire Tom
Is this thread going anywhere? Or is it pointless
Written by
Buddhism as Buddhism. is understanding that Buddhism is a means to psychological and spiritual wholeness; the way to enlightenment and the instrument for higher evolution. Unless one understands this, one cannot really approach Buddhism. One may approach “something”, but that will not be Buddhism. At best it will be a rather unfortunate distortion of Buddhism (Sangharakshita, 1990)
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
Written by Fire Tom
Hear me:
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
Written by Fire Tom
You may think that you're consistent when looking into the mirror - all I'm doing is to reflect your appearance to (me, as being part of) the world outside your head. You can take this on, meditate on it, act accordingly or leave it behind and ignore it - your choice. Perfectly okay - none of us is running for presidential elections.
My 'confusion' or 'frustration' on various topics tackled derives from you ignoring (valid) arguments and questions. But no answer is just as much of an answer.
To me it is about intent and understanding.
If one studies Buddhism for a lifetime, it IMHO will lead to the understanding of Buddhism - just as a lifetime study of the 3-beat wave will lead to its understanding. It may not enable one to perform it, but it will lead to the understanding of how it works.
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
Using the keywords [buddhism] we found the following existing topics.