Dharma Wheel

Best thing you could do for the environment would be to stay wherever you and embrace a minimalist lifestyle. You're mind and wallet will be happier for it too.

I understand that they take rebirth in Hinayana Pure Lands. Does it say this anywhere in the suttas? No, this idea advanced by TKF finds no scriptural basis in sūtra, tantra, vinaya, abhidharma or anywhere else. I know because I looked. Also, the five pure abodes are not buddhafields/pure lands. Th...

Tsongkhapafan wrote:I understand that they take rebirth in Hinayana Pure Lands.

Does it say this anywhere in the suttas?

Nicholas Weeks wrote:Avatamsaka Sutra!

seconded

Since all paths in Buddhism lead to lead to enlightenment, it's a useless activity to label a path higher or lower. It benefits nobody and causes unnecessary division. I agree, but it is such a culturally engrained process, to label paths as "high" and "low", that it is unlikely to disappear. Alas....

I'll roll the dice on Amida and see where it gets me. If I end up in the deepest of hells for whatever reasons or there's no afterlife period, then that's okay too. At least I gave it a shot. That sounds like a healthy attitude to me, minus the whole deepest hells part. I don't see how that applies...

DGA wrote:

Rakz wrote:Someone who is always knocking down "lesser" paths is a sign of low realization.

Interesting proposition. What do you think of this thread?

https://dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=24694

I don't know enough about Nichirenism to comment.

Some paths are more rapid than others. Some paths do not lead all the way to complete buddhahood. Some paths may be more rapid than others but it would be useless to give anyone that information if they don't have any inclination for those. It doesn't matter if a path leads to complete Buddhahood o...

Zen does indeed deal with "weird stuff" (an unfortunately coined phrase). I prefer the expression "high weirdness". We have to think beyond a strictly psychological perspective. The universe is not bound by our brain activity. A sutra says: In a sky full of people, only some want to fly. Isn't that...

The inability to discern a correct path from a wrong path and a higher path from a lower path is a form of ignorance. Since all paths in Buddhism lead to lead to enlightenment, it's a useless activity to label a path higher or lower. It benefits nobody and causes unnecessary division. By your reaso...

Someone who is always knocking down "lesser" paths is a sign of low realization.

If it were the case that Vajrayana temples are like factories pumping out Buddhas left and right then I would of been the first one to go and sign up. Obviously it is not the case.

If you felt more relaxed, this is a good thing. Taking benzodiazepenes also makes you feel more relaxed. So does good sex. So what? Yes, there is nothing significant about it for me at least. Like anything else, it probably takes a lot of dedication and practice to experience the deeper results. Fo...

That is not what I mean. Direct introduction always works. Anyone who receives it can then use Dzogchen methods to either discover that they have not discovered, or reinforce what they discovered. I received transmission in november 2015. Practiced it for a little while as well. Nothing really happ...

I'm not trying to knock on Dzogchen by the way but I think smcj is correct in his assessment.

That is not what I mean. Direct introduction always works. Anyone who receives it can then use Dzogchen methods to either discover that they have not discovered, or reinforce what they discovered. I received transmission in november 2015. Practiced it for a little while as well. Nothing really happ...

Ayu wrote:

Rakz wrote:Zen is for the extremely disciplined.

Some things become easier as soon as one develops dicipline.

Was referring to traditional macho zen, not the softer westernized version.

Zen is for the extremely disciplined.

Is the doctrine of "no-self" and/or "emptiness" merely meant to be merely a teaching device (i.e.: if you meditate on this you will gain certain specific insights) or is it meant to be a metaphysical truth? It has both epistemic and ontological ramifications. Its epistemic ramification is that beli...

Brothers and sisters In his nice book : Who Loves Dies Well. On the Brink of Buddha's Pure David Brazier says that pureland was the primordial kind of buddhism. Any thoughts about it ? thank you I don't know who this Brazier guy is but most scholars would agree that the early suttas are the origina...