Dharma Wheel

Considering the massive destruction of knowledge caused by christianity and islam we can be sure that before it there has been knowledge about the other continents, that was known in the ancient world of Europe and India. That's like saying that before my house burned down there must have been a se...

Another question one might ask is, "is that just a load of garbage?"

2. There are a lot of people who cannot see beyond their own stubborn inconsistencies. So? These are people - normal, everyday people you're dealing with. They may not have the skills in debate that you'd like them to have. Many of them may not have the faintest idea that they're arguments have log...

Interesting choice of sources. Of all the sources for info on logical fallacies, why did you pick Nizkor...? ... Trying to get people to abandon falcious argument, especially when they don't know anything about it or don't really care can and probably would be futile. It would do little good to res...

This is a link to a list of "logical fallacies"...faulty premises and faulty conclusions. Since there are so many philosophers here, and because one often runs into an argument that may not make sense, this list might be helpful. It describes a variety of faulty arguments, and gives the name for tha...

Do microorganisms have a presence of mentality? Buddhists often say: "All beings want to be happy" But "want" and 'happy" can refer to a lot of different levels of experience, and these levels do not require a human brain, or any process that we may be directly familiar with. So, you swat at a hous...

devilyoudont wrote:A demonstration of the manner in which the misapplication of means can lead to unskillfulness: http://newhumanist.org.uk/904/trapped-by-buddha" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for that link. It was a good read.

(snipped) ....but then my mind wanders to people on this forum calling me a troll and how angry that makes me feel - then I bring myself back to my outward breath - and then my mind goes toward these sensitive spots. I just recognize them as thoughts and move on with the meditation. .... But what d...

The mice eat my rice Is there a solution against mice apart from genocide Two solutions: 1. tell Buddha to eat faster. 2. If you want to offer something "foody" use something that the mice won't eat, like bran or seed husks or some other part of the plant. I know someone who uses crumpled up pine n...

What is the explanation of this inconsistency? Is it that when these sutras talk about civilizations many many kalpas ago, they are actually referring to another 'world-cycle' where sentient beings rose and then destroyed? The explanation of the inconsistency is that it is the wrong question. It is...

I thought I heard heavy breathing coming from somewhere.

If one asserts that the validity of the teachings rests purely upon historical accuracy, meaning that they must be the exact words of the Buddha, then this is truly a matter of blind faith, because we cannot prove what the Buddha actually said. We believe that the Pali teachings are his exact words,...

Yes, of course a lot of people have definitely stated that these are the words of the Buddha, and they probably are. But it cannot be proven by any method. Then, for all intents and purposes, it's the same as saying we have no collection of Shakyamuni Buddha's actual words. It's all hypotheses. It'...

....from my own POV, your uninformed but adversarial posture toward the Vajrayana...Faith and devotion, to which you object so vehemently... (snipped a lot) Anyone exploring the world of Buddhism would rightly be surprised at the diversity and seemingly contradictory types of practice that exist. E...

While scholars are in agreement that the Pali Canon is the earliest Buddhist collection of texts, has anyone defintively stated that the Buddha said these things? Yes, of course a lot of people have definitely stated that these are the words of the Buddha, and they probably are. But it cannot be pr...

There are those who not only limit "real buddhism" to the Pali texts, but assert that only some of the Pali writings attributed to the Buddha are authentic teachings. I think one can accept that it is possible (either likely or unlikely) that the bulk of the Mahayana teachings, which bear very littl...

.......But, at a certain point, all the deities, prayers, oaths, mantras, bells, drums, flags, etc. result in a great big unnecessary complication. Sure, these types of things get us outside of ourselves and foster more virtuous attitudes, and there's nothing wrong with that, but they can also dete...

I don't think there is anything to forgive. It's a sensible question. And this is a very interesting position to take, and not uncommon among those who are more inclined to follow the Theravada traditions. Strictly speaking, that quote is accurate. One cannot overcome ignorance through offerings and...

7=5=7 is only in base 10.
If you write haiku in base 3 it's 12-21-12:

A day on Mars will stretch the five second food rule,
The blooming of a garden rose is missed by the snail who blinks at the very same time,
Haiku’s meter thus warped when composed in base three.

try cleaning them with tabasco sauce or another reddish hot sauce. This will not hurt the utensils (at least not any more than eating thai food would). also try toiomato juice, ketchup. etc. these work great on copper. For silver, use toothpaste (paste, not gel).