SooYiMongSeng wrote:Label me suspect: But the moment I came upon this stop on the road (this http address you loaded in your web browser), I envisioned a really tight, neatly packed space with a lot of conversations going on all at once (limbs and peoples' heads sticking out of the windows, even)
...and as I stood outside the pit-stop I thought, "Wow...it seems really noisy in there."
Not that I am necessarily labelling this forum as "too noisey" by any standard. . . but I just have to ask:
"How useful has this forum been for your practice and or life... really? To what degree has this forum lessened your own personal suffering"
Yes, I am very curious to know.
Yes, I am new to this.
No, I am not an expert at -anything-.
Yes, I am very willing to learn, and hear all that all you wonderful individuals have to share. Every good, bad, agreeable and disagreeable anything.
Yes, I am proceeding with caution as best I can, with as most mindfulness as I possess at this moment. I'll try my best! End of disclaimers...
Hi SYMS,
Nature is noisy.
Some practitioners like noise.
We practice so we become the noise and it doesn't bother us.
Sitting in the city we become fire engines, traffic, neighbors loud music, and TV.
Some people run to caves and escape the noise of the city.
But then the rain and wind won't shut up.
Sitting in the cave we become the wind and rain.
So maybe it doesn't matter where you are, but what matters is that you learn to make peace with whatever presents itself to your mind where-ever you are.
Dharma Wheel posts are rude and kind and stupid and enlightened. (mine are mostly stupid)
Don't get excited. Like words written on water, it all goes away.
Do your best! Ask questions that will help your practice. Ask a question if you don't understand the meaning of a word that is used. Ask a question if you don't understand what they are talking about.
Don't stop asking until you get the answer that allows your mind to rest. When you are tired of resting you can enjoy the noisy posts on Dharma Wheel.
Try looking around in areas that are unfamiliar to you. You may find a beautiful butterfly or a bushy tailed chipmunk hiding under an avatar of the Buddha, or vica versa.
When you think you can help someone with an answer, chime in.
Just because someone says they are a Buddhist doesn't mean that they are enlightened or kindly or human.
If the old-timers give you a hard time you have to shout at them, "Hey OLDTIMER" remember when you were a newcomer", and then they behave themselves.
It is nice to be old because you have no agenda and can shamelessly make a fool of yourself whenever you want. Don't worry, old is not so bad.
Then you can make noise or shut up without any hope or fear.
Practice lessens my suffering. Noise is just noise. When Dharma Wheel noise is practice, it useful for life and can lessens my suffering too. When Dharma wheel is noise, it is just noise waiting to sing.
Glad to meet you here.
oldbob