Search found 2141 matches

by Zhen Li
Mon Mar 25, 2024 4:15 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Favourite Professional Sports
Replies: 20
Views: 558

Re: Favourite Professional Sports

I don't watch any sports. In the past I followed MMA, and still enjoy talking about it and seeing it sometimes, but I've mostly lost interest. I do a very little bit of Historical Fencing (HEMA) with basket-hilt broadsword/saber. That's interesting. I also did fencing a while back, foil and sabre. ...
by Zhen Li
Mon Mar 25, 2024 4:12 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Favourite Professional Sports
Replies: 20
Views: 558

Re: Favourite Professional Sports

I think there is something similar about Toronto and Yokohama... Maybe why the bay stars affinity? I like to watch American Football - go Bills! - but I like to play hockey. My son I think nailed it - it feels like you're flying... and you get to check people. Well, besides the uniform colours, I g...
by Zhen Li
Mon Mar 25, 2024 1:37 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Favourite Professional Sports
Replies: 20
Views: 558

Favourite Professional Sports

I had to choose 10 options, so I went with what are likely the most widely followed professional sports. Naturally, some popular sports will have been omitted, as will a "none of the above" category. Three options can be voted on. It isn't surprising that Buddhists aren't as into sports as...
by Zhen Li
Sat Mar 23, 2024 2:54 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: What did Indian Buddhists call themselves?
Replies: 11
Views: 526

Re: What did Indian Buddhists call themselves?

Aemilius wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 10:07 am I believe it is in plural saugatena (?), i.e. buddhists, - have heard it long time ago.
It would be saugatāḥ. saugatena would be "by the Buddhist" (i.e. instrumental).
by Zhen Li
Fri Mar 22, 2024 3:07 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: What did Indian Buddhists call themselves?
Replies: 11
Views: 526

Re: What did Indian Buddhists call themselves?

Bauddha is the typical one. As sphairos mentioned, there are a number of names depending on one's role, but another common one was Śākyabhikṣu, i.e., bhikṣu of Śākyamuni's lineage. Brahmacaryabhikṣu is also used, which refers to entirely celibate bhikṣus. These are what is still used in Nepal in the...
by Zhen Li
Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:07 am
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Confused about teachings of Mahayana.
Replies: 8
Views: 437

Re: Confused about teachings of Mahayana.

How to understand confusing language in Vajrayana/Mahayana? :namaste: Most of the terminology is explained in resources like encyclopedias of Buddhism or even Wikipedia. For Vajrayana, there is terminology that can only be explained by a teacher. Thanks, I probably should’ve used encyclopedias to u...
by Zhen Li
Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:43 am
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Confused about teachings of Mahayana.
Replies: 8
Views: 437

Re: Confused about teachings of Mahayana.

Muddy343 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:20 am How to understand confusing language in Vajrayana/Mahayana? :namaste:
Most of the terminology is explained in resources like encyclopedias of Buddhism or even Wikipedia. For Vajrayana, there is terminology that can only be explained by a teacher.
by Zhen Li
Mon Mar 04, 2024 2:43 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Five-Colored Cord Rituals?
Replies: 6
Views: 706

Re: Five-Colored Cord Rituals?

This really is interesting, since both these sutras much predate the Five Buddhas tradition in esoteric Buddhism, at least according to our current understanding. I guess it just illustrates that the themes that esoteric Buddhism as we know it may have had roots going very far back. Of course, it i...
by Zhen Li
Thu Feb 29, 2024 3:47 am
Forum: Pure Land
Topic: How did Nagarjuna find out about Pure Land?
Replies: 5
Views: 648

Re: How did Nagarjuna find out about Pure Land?

I remember reading that it was Nagarjuna who mentioned Pure Land the first time. How did he find this out? Does Nagarjuna have some kind of a lineage that traces back (we know little of his life, so this is unlikely IMO) or did he realize this on his own when he became a bodhisattva in some traditi...
by Zhen Li
Thu Feb 29, 2024 1:10 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Five-Colored Cord Rituals?
Replies: 6
Views: 706

Re: Five-Colored Cord Rituals?

This thread is called a pañcasūtra. Based on what I've seen in Newar Buddhism, they are present in nearly 100% of rituals there and frequently appear in typical ritual manuals in Sanskrit. Some rituals call for additional thicker cords, like a red or green one, based on the deity focused on in the r...
by Zhen Li
Mon Feb 26, 2024 2:36 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Negative energy
Replies: 32
Views: 1496

Re: Negative energy

İf I come across a/any negative energy, what should ı do? since it is not easy to turn out people this characteristic to positive, turn out and go could be an option? could choose to stay always in positive way or side in any position could be a Buddhist life style? what are your thoughts? thnks, D...
by Zhen Li
Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:09 am
Forum: Sūtra Studies
Topic: English translation collection of basic sutras that has had its language adapted for modern readers
Replies: 29
Views: 1150

Re: English translation collection of basic sutras that has had its language adapted for modern readers

What? I actually LOVE studying, especially metaphysics and philosophy (that's why my profile picture is Nagarjuna), I just hate reading weird and boring texts!! It reminds me too much of the Bible like I said (Leviticus and Numbers ahhhhhhh)!! You contradict yourself. Immanuel Kant's Kritik der rei...
by Zhen Li
Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:41 am
Forum: Language
Topic: Amazing language translation with Google Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT
Replies: 8
Views: 913

Re: Amazing language translation with Google Gemini Advanced and ChatGPT

I use these LLM tools on a daily basis for various tasks. One has to know "how" and "when" to use them as a tool, but never as an authority. These are not more intelligent than humans, only faster at retrieving information it has in its LLM. Any translator worth their salt would ...
by Zhen Li
Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:27 am
Forum: Language
Topic: Translator Apps Tibetan English
Replies: 3
Views: 213

Re: Translator Apps Tibetan English

White Sakura wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:07 pm Is there a translator app Tibetan English, that translates sentences?
Yes, Monlam AI (https://monlam.ai/) does sentence/paragraph level translation, text to speech, speech to text, and OCR.
I believe it handles both classical and modern Tibetan, but I have only used it for classical stuff so far.
by Zhen Li
Thu Feb 08, 2024 2:29 am
Forum: Jodo Shin Shu
Topic: Amida Buddha’s Saving Love by Richard St. Clair (Shaku Egen)
Replies: 11
Views: 1062

Re: Amida Buddha’s Saving Love by Richard St. Clair (Shaku Egen)

The absence of suffering and state of perfect peace permits the attainment of Buddhahood for those who are incapable of attaining enlightenment while amidst the suffering of the Sahā world; hence, the bliss of the Pure Land is a means to this end, not exactly an end-in-itself. It isn't like paradis...
by Zhen Li
Thu Feb 08, 2024 2:08 am
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: Looking for a genealogy of scripture / lineages
Replies: 7
Views: 536

Re: Looking for a genealogy of scripture / lineages

I believe the scholarship is out there for someone to piece together a good genealogy. While I think Yinshun's work on this topic is some of the best, it is only available in Chinese for now. In terms of English language studies of Buddhist history, you can find decent explanations on potential aven...
by Zhen Li
Sat Feb 03, 2024 8:10 pm
Forum: Sūtra Studies
Topic: Is there a chinese tripitaka in english?
Replies: 19
Views: 6767

Re: Is there a chinese tripitaka in english?

Marcus Bingenheimer's bibliography is useful, but it is not complete and even old translations are sometimes missing. Also, even though it says last updated 2022-01-10, there is a lot that isn't included and it isn't clear what criteria are used for inclusion. There are some BDK translations missin...
by Zhen Li
Thu Jan 25, 2024 5:43 pm
Forum: Jodo Shin Shu
Topic: Shinjin and insight into non-origination
Replies: 5
Views: 349

Re: Shinjin and insight into non-origination

I'm also a little confused about Shinran's view of buddha-nature. I've heard from several Shin teachers that shinjin = buddha-nature. This is stated like a dictum, with the apparent implication that sentient beings do not possess a preexisting buddha-nature until they have received shinjin. However...
by Zhen Li
Thu Jan 25, 2024 10:52 am
Forum: Jodo Shin Shu
Topic: Shinjin and insight into non-origination
Replies: 5
Views: 349

Re: Shinjin and insight into non-origination

So this insight is part and parcel of the mind of Buddha which is received as shinjin. There is a Shin dictum that shinjin is buddha-nature, but we wouldn't say that a person who has received shinjin is already a buddha. It is more like a seed which will unfailingly develop into buddhahood after th...
by Zhen Li
Thu Jan 25, 2024 1:21 am
Forum: Jodo Shin Shu
Topic: Shinjin and insight into non-origination
Replies: 5
Views: 349

Re: Shinjin and insight into non-origination

Yes, I have noticed a major issue with CWS: they tend to make points without any references or clarifications when needed. I feel like it needed a careful peer review from people outside of the translation committee. Also, the translation is not standard. It should be "insight into the non-orig...

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