Dharma Wheel

I feel like it is appropriate to say that Buddha is my guru. I'm not sure it's accurate to call him my "savior" however - even though Buddhism is highly soteriological in orientation. Does that mean my interpretation is secular? Or does it mean I don't divide the secular aspect from other aspects? I...

Yes Yes - a practice journal is a great idea, but do'nt add creative writing on the to-do list. Naturally as with any retreat you are observing 5 Precepts. Maybe open and close retreat with special chant. Keep a balance with meditation practices: sitting, walking, standing, lying down. If you are pl...

Are you planning on "studying" to the extent you need to learn classical languages? If so, that's going to be the biggest factor. Mahayana texts are generally in Sanskrit, Chinese, or Tibetan. If you aren't learning a language what is the purpose of studying abroad? Just curious...

It's an opportunity to do and say whatever you want and then claim you were confused due to advanced age when you get called out on it. I can't wait :lol: Can I use that as an excuse for saying ridiculous things when the conference call phone is accidentally off mute? Sure why not? This thread is f...

In the USA, Center for Disease Control determines which vaccines for which strains of flu go in the shot, and its based on past history of flu in your region, usually the prior year. It's not a perfect system. Best way to avoid contracting a disease is constant hand-washing, you and everyone you liv...

bcol01 wrote: ↑Sun May 05, 2019 4:29 am It's so sad that beauty fades and we get older. How do you all view getting older and losing your looks, etc?

Beauty fades, health fades, your mind fades, and then you also die. This is what living means too. All of this.

I believe in the Uttaratantra it is said that not wanting suffering is evidence of your Buddha Nature. I think the idea is that suffering is ignorance becoming awareness. It’s like the red line under a misspelled word. It gets your attention and motivates you to do something to correct it. Unfortun...

Yes, Shravakayana sounds like a good alternative. What then of the Private Buddha vehicle, (I believe this is included in the Hinayana designation?) I could say the Shravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana, as opposed to the bodhisattvayana (as taught in the Lotus Sutra.) So; Shravakayana & Pratyekabudd...

Welcome to the group!

Queequeg wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 6:43 pm SWK,
I'm guessing you're not familiar with the three problems that were identified and discussed at the conference?

i guess i don't get it. (finds a place to sit on the fence)

There's even an animal that could travel in deep space unharmed, maybe to colonize the galaxies?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade

why is it that i say "Goo-goo" instead of Guo Gu Roshi ?

If bodhisattvas vow to postpone their own nirvana until all other beings attain enlightenment as well then how did the Buddha being a previous bodhisattva attain nirvana? Maybe because Buddhas do in fact save all sentient beings. You missed it. Buddha has attained parinibbana, but suffering is stil...

Erick, i like your resoning. Bu t to say Buddha is a shit stick sjit? Ok, all know ,life aint prety. Bro, that is not any nearer to an answer. So . ... Lay it out.. Say it.. Or, else, its just another yunmen koan stupiditi,,,a foolish game oh i think for some of us a shit-stick penetrates to the tr...

Pfft - I'm not sure I believe half of that. Why is subjectivity considered "a blind spot" ? Is this saying that one can never be objective about anything? That's the purpose of science, to look at things as objectively as possible. The article seems to be a scientific view apologetical as to why we ...

"The initial challenge of Buddhist meditative practice is not merely to suppress, let alone repress, destructive mental states, but instead to identify how they arise, how they are experienced, and how they influence oneself and others over the long run." Actually suppression and avoidance of ALL em...

To me the sutta is saying that the World will Fail you, that Life is Suffering. I'm not disputing that. Here are 3 well-recognized Buddhist teachers saying that there are helpful as well as harmful emotions: https://buddhismnow.com/2011/02/12/liberating-emotions-by-ajahn-sumedho/ https://www.buddhan...

1. Your child has been told so many times not to run into the street. And yet he does it again. A car slams on the brake and you hear the tires screech. At first you feel fear, then anger. Then you mindfully channel your anger into serious concern. You are going to have to take steps, because you lo...

Now I'm delusional, since I'm a Buddhist who still believes in peace & love? You guys crack me up. I'm done with this convo. :crazy: We've been trying to explain that Buddhism doesn't categorise compassion as 'an emotion'. For some reason that seems to keep going by you. Thinking of 'emotions' as '...

In case anyone is interested, there’s a classic 1980’s film called Quest for Fire : In the prehistoric world, a Cro-Magnon tribe depends on an ever-burning source of fire, and through misfortune their’s becomes extinguished. Lacking the knowledge to start a new fire, the tribe sends three warriors ...