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Re: Becoming a Buddhist

DailyBuddhism — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:39:29 -0000

Thanks for pointing out the link problem, it's fixed now.

Your post is exactly what I meant. The rituals and vows themselves are not important; it's the effect they have on you that matters.

In Christianity, for example, you are making a vow to God-- it's a two-way arrangement, so the rituals must be done a certain way because God makes the rules. On the other hand, in Buddhism, at least in most varieties, it's really all about YOU. After you did took the Bodhisattva Vows, you felt like a real Buddhist. It was a mental shift inside you, nothing external.

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that you need to do whatever it takes to make you FEEL that something has changed. If you want a ceremony, then have a ceremony; if you want to read these words and commit to living a Buddhist life right now in front of the computer, that's just as acceptable. It's what YOU need.

Re: The Forty Meditation Themes, Part 1

DailyBuddhism — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:16:47 -0000

The foul objects are meditations that make you more familiar with the things we fear most and find most repulsive. I'm oversimplifying, but basically by becoming closer to those ideas you gain more familiarity with them and learn to accept them. By "embracing death" we lessen our attachment to life. It sounds pretty morbid, but it actually has a very positive mental effect and has worked for millennia. The recollections are basically remembering the positive things about the objects in question and gaining peace from them.

I was not familiar with the idea of vision boards, but it sounds like a good idea to me. From a classical Buddhist standpoint, you should try to train yourself not to need that sort of support mechanism, but my own opinion is that if it helps, it's a good thing.

Re: Meditation Part 1: Overview and Benefits

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:00:55 -0000

I had not heard of that before, but it wouldn't surprise me. When talking about depression, do you mean monks or laypeople? I could certainly see some monks suffering from depression; they try so hard to reach Nirvana that it might be rough seeing themselves failing day in and day out. Of course, that's still a form of attachment or grasping, but if they recognize it as sucj, they could try to work through it. Also, a monk in a monastery faces an entirely different lifestyle than a layperson. They are bound to become depressed when they think of the things they have given up. It's better for them in the long run, but I'm sure from time to time they miss having a "normal life."

If you mean laypeople become depressed after meditation, I'm not sure why that would be the case. Anyone?

Re: Meditation Part 4: Walking Meditation and Kinhin

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:04:11 -0000

OK, yes, the video's a joke, but it's the best I could find. The only other videos about Kinhin didn't even show the guy's feet. The idea that they take tiny little steps very slowly as in the video is accurate. Just don't walk into any doors!

Re: Meditation Part 2: Breath Watching & Insight Meditation

DailyBuddhism — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:44:13 -0000

You probably need the Flash plugin to view them. If you can watch any other YouTube video, these should work. Here are direct links to the videos on Youtube. Check their "Help" pages if you cannot view them there either.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Koan: The Muddy Road

DailyBuddhism — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:58:55 -0000

The above, as usual, is just my opinion!

Re: Koan: The Muddy Road

DailyBuddhism — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:53:40 -0000

"what kind of intuition?"

You already know the answer to that question. Work it out. {Evil laugh}

But seriously, let's look at the one about the old man and the girl from a weeks back ("No Loving Kindness"). Today's Muddy Road story is actually pretty easy to understand, but that one isn't; there are several interpretations of what's going on in the story, just like you said with your subjective/contextual comment. Meaning is subjective and always open to the reader's interpretation (as in any literature), but still, there are just so many reasonable interpretations.

Here's an example of one that I would call a "type 3" koan:

A monk asked Hogen, "I, Echo, ask you, Master. What is Buddha?"
Hogen said, "You are Echo."

What does it mean? Echo knew what it meant, but you or I could go all over the place assigning meaning to that.

But back to your question, something like the short koan about Echo would have caused Echo to gain enlightenment right there on the spot. Otherwise, no one would have bothered to write it down. Did it cause you or me to gain Enlightenment? No, and probably no one else reading this just reached Nirvana either.

Many of the short, paradoxical koans came from a specific teacher and were individually tailored for a specific student. Master Hogen knew his Student Echo, and after years of training, he knew that this question could help Echo. He didn't care about you or me, he wanted to help Echo, there and then.

That's not to say someone today cannot learn from the old paradox-koans, but they weren't intended to be messages of great wisdom from the past. Supposedly, if you spent years under a modern Zen Master, that Master might make up just the right question or puzzle for you.

It's not a matter of being cultural or period-specific, it's individual.

Re: Koan: The Muddy Road

DailyBuddhism — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:04:54 -0000

Again, the definition of a koan is somewhat flexible:

Koan: A story about a Zen master and his student, sometimes like a riddle, other times like a fable, which has become an object of Zen study, and which, when meditated upon, may unlock mechanisms in the Zen student’s mind leading to satori.

Koan: a story, dialogue, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chán (Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to intuition.

Koan: A paradoxical anecdote or story; used to bring Zen students to realization and to help clarify their enlightenment.

There are many of the paradoxical (the third definition above) koans that can be considered "canon," but for the most point those things are ambiguous to the point of being annoying. Although they helped someone reach enlightenment at some point in the past, they really aren't much help to anyone else (just my opinion). At my most generous, I think they are way beyond the level of Buddhism we deal with here.

Therefore, I prefer to use the first or second definitions of koan for the stories on the site. These stories make people think, but aren't so deep that the meaning is beyond most people's grasp.

We'll get to the really paradoxical stuff eventually, but I really doubt most readers would enjoy most of the really "wacky" ones.

Re: Koan: The Muddy Road

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:41:36 -0000

Yeah, most of the stories I post in the Koan category aren't precisely koans. I do tend to use the term rather loosely. Still, it's a story that requires introspection and consideration, so the term does loosely apply.

And the books I get these from call them Koans too, so I'm at least not the first guilty party ;)

Re: Buddhist Service Obligations?

DailyBuddhism — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:32:22 -0000

Lonnie, I think your contrast of Theravada and Tibetan match my own thoughts exactly.

I believe something of a fusion between the two would be just what's needed for the west. That will happen; Buddhism has split and evolved many times since the days of the Buddha, and it will continue to do so. Unfortunately, as you said in a previous post, it may take a very long time to do so.

I suspect your thoughts on individualism vs. group identity isn't limited to Buddhism. I think it's probably apparent to Christian churches as well. How many of us know Christians who haven't been to church in years? I know back in my own "Christian period," I went every Sunday. It was great; we sang songs, took classes, prayed together, and once in a while had a social event. The community aspect of it all was great, and helped keep the "meaning" of the faith in mind. I do miss that.

I think we all realize the value of joining a church or sangha, but our individualism leads us to believe that it's not really necessary to do so. Making a choice like Zen makes individualism even more justifiable.

And I also agree that we'll be seeing some of these ideas covered again in the Daily Buddhism real soon now ;)

Re: Copyrights, Privacy, Etc.

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:05:56 -0000

Oh I absolutely agree! ;)

Still, it was just a matter of time before someone sent me an email stating "I didn't think you'd send that out to the whole list!" It hadn't come up yet, but I have no doubt that it would have eventually.

And besides, by putting it out there for all the readers to see, nobody can say I'm hiding the details; besides if people actually read the thing, they might catch me saying something that *IS* wrong and I can fix it.

But now it's posted for any and all to see, so no one can say I didn't make the policy known.

Tomorrow, back to some actual Buddhist material.

Re: Koan: The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

DailyBuddhism — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:27:51 -0000

As with all the koans, there is rarely a "right" or "wrong" answer.

You read the story and apply your own experiences to it to create some meaning that is unique to you. What it means to me, and what it means to you could be completely different things, yet both are "right."

Some of these stories make no obvious sense to some people, but others can be affected strongly. That's the benefit of them; sooner or later you'll run into one that has a positive effect on you.

Re: The Pesky Fifth Precept

DailyBuddhism — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:27:38 -0000

Jason, "drug" may have been a poor choice of words. I meant that one drink leads to more drinking. Every drunk begins with a single drink.

I know of no evidence that shows that drinking leads to drug use. That wasn't what I meant at all.

Re: The Pesky Fifth Precept

DailyBuddhism — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:09:42 -0000

And there you go, bringing an excellent thought to the table- Why does there have to be a RIGHT or WRONG, BLACK or WHITE answer to this? There doesn't. Every person and every case is individual and unique.

Although, as you and I both said, you cannot go wrong with abstinence. If someone can consistently limit themselves to one glass a day (or some other non-intoxicating quantity), then that's fine. In my own opinion, it's still a "gateway drug" for most people, but if you really have kind of control, then it's not my place to say you can't have your evening wine.

As you point out, it's all too easy to get locked into a "fundamentalist" mode of thinking, where everything has a black or white answer. Feel free to point this out whenever you catch me doing it in the future!

Re: Faith or Not?

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:08:59 -0000

I really don't like the word "faith" when talking about Buddhism. The important parts are provably, sensibly, logically provable. Meditation DOES help you live more calmly and think more clearly. The precepts are OBVIOUSLY good rules to live by.

It is true that some parts of Buddhism, such as karma and rebirth, are more "beliefs" and do require a leap of faith, but you don't HAVE to accept those ideas to consider yourself a Buddhist. I work and teach under the assumption that karma and reincarnation is the way things are, but when I think about it, there are many questions I cannot answer, so I don't accept it fully. I think a healthy dose of skepticism and self-questioning, as well as the simple ACCEPTANCE of doubt, is one of the greatest things about Buddhism.

You aren't going to go to Hell if you doubt what I am saying.

Re: The OTHER Precepts

DailyBuddhism — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:23:15 -0000

I am personally still not convinced about the benefits of alcohol that some studies have shown; I think that the tendency to overdo it outweighs any small potential health benefits. It's just too easy to start down the path to a real addiction problem. That's just my opinion.

"this precept seems to be more about avoiding heedlessness, not about which substances you choose to use."

No, I absolutely disagree on this. It specifically mentions intoxicants, there is no vagueness about it. I think in this case it is very clear that they mean intoxicant-induced heedlessness. General "sober stupidity" is another matter entirely, and there are plenty of prohibitions against that sort of foolishness in Buddhism.

I personally don't drink alcohol (ever) or take any kind of non-medicinal drugs. I do, however, love my caffeine, whether in coffee or soda. I see little harm in it, but I can see where it might affect concentration while meditating. I'm not going to justify it; I know it's not the optimum situation. Someday I may choose to work on breaking that habit, but right now, I see bigger problems that I need to focus on. As with everything in Buddhism, it's up to you to work out what is best for you.

It's not for me to condemn imbibing occasionally in small quantities. The precept itself is pretty clear on the subject, but if science were to unequivocally prove that small amounts were good for you, then Buddhism would adapt to allow it... or maybe not in this case since it can still lead to addiction.

Re: Koan: No Loving Kindness

DailyBuddhism — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:54:03 -0000

First, I have no idea how old the story is. Pretty old, and we'll have to let it go at that.

Anyone could "sponsor" a monk. It was part of normal culture to support the local monks with offerings and food. Building them a house and feeding them for 20 years sounds a bit on the excessive side to me, but it probably happened. The sponsor being a woman probably wasn't unusual either; anyone with enough wealth could have done it.

"What did she want for her 20 years that would have caused her to become so angry? It’s the woman whose compassion “ran out.” Does true compassion run out?"

Good question. There may be something in that line of thinking.

"Do these koans really have “answers,” or are they just something to tickle the brain with? "

There is no right or wrong answer. The story itself may or may not even be true. Some old master at some point in the past told this koan to one of his students and when the answer occurred to the student, he achieved enlightenment. Some of them do have a "point" that can be useful to anyone who thinks on them enough. The answer is often unique to the person, so what yu take away from this and what I do could be completely different, yet both are valid.

I think I explained the story behind koans back when we covered Zen. Check in the archives.

Re: Koan: No Loving Kindness

DailyBuddhism — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:20:43 -0000

I dunno either. This is one of the ones that stumps me a bit. By most standards, the monk "passed the test" by not giving into the girl's seductions, but the old woman considered it a failure.

The answer he gave her though... “An old tree grows on a cold rock in winter, Nowhere is there any warmth,” is what I really don't follow well. I keep trying to read something sexual into it, because it was in response to a seduction. I suspect he was simply saying "I'm too old for that sort of thing," but whether or not that really is the case, then I, like the old woman, am not really sure.

But on the more material side of it, for a monk to be fed and housed for 20 years, however simply, was a pretty good deal for the monk.

Re: No-Self or Anatman

DailyBuddhism — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:12:09 -0000

I don't think it was intended to be one, but it fits well enough. Notice that all those "I am ..." are various people. If he was really into Buddhism, he would have continued with "I am the bike. I am the road. I am the rain." and so forth.

It's definitely on the right track though.

Re: The OTHER Precepts

DailyBuddhism — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:31:17 -0000

Zen inspires and requires clear thought. Crystal clear thought. Clear thinking at that level is really useful for concentration and focus. This kind of thinking can be a great help to warriors and assassins as well other, less violent, professions.

Also keep in mind that here on the Daily Buddhism, we have really only been looking at "pure" Buddhism, the theory and ideas of the Buddhist way. In real life, historically, Buddhism has often been flavored by politics and social necessity, ideas such as honor, loyalty, and national defense often get in the way of pure Buddhism.

Also keep in mind that Buddhism was quite often an official "state religion" in many eastern countries. Just because people are required to be Buddhists by the government, doesn't mean they really followed the rules or believed any of it. Hypocrisy was as rampant in the historical Far East as it was/is everywhere else.

Re: Creation And Evolution in Buddhism

DailyBuddhism — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:23:13 -0000

OK, it's not really exactly like the Big Bang theory; it doesn't go anywhere near that far, but it is obviously cyclical in the same way. The universe begins and ends in a regular fashion, only the details between their stories and our science differ a bit.

I don't remember any official doctrine behind what you are asking. I suspect that in those days they just didn't have any real conception of a "planet" or "universe" in the way we do today. On the bottom was water, and the land was on top of that. If land forms on top of the water, that's gotta be the beginning right? Nothing could be under all that water!!!

Just my logical guess. If anyone knows any better, please post it!

Re: Podcast Episode 15: Koans & Precepts & Mandalas & More

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:18:09 -0000

I recently had the same conversation with someone else on the forum.

http://www.arcanethings.com...

You should read through the various comments there.

It *IS* a real dilemma, but people in your situation work through it all the time. I found this website, which might be of help:

http://buddhistmilitarysang...

Good luck, and thanks for serving!

Re: Announcements

DailyBuddhism — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:28:14 -0000

Neither; As it says right there in the message, the money goes to support the website and podcast. Rather than charge for access to the Daily Buddhism, I am making payment voluntary and optional. There are numerous costs to run the site, including webhosting, bandwidth, equipment, and other things.

If anyone chooses to donate to those worthy charities that you mentioned, there are many places online to do so.

Re: Announcement

DailyBuddhism — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:35:52 -0000

Supposedly you just "wink out" of existence entirely; no suffering ever again. Obviously, no one really knows what happens.

"I would want to keep coming back and trying for nirvana"

I definitely understand where you're coming from on this (I don't think the world is so bad either), but... from the Buddhist point of view, you sound like you may be so attached to this world that you want to keep coming back? That kinda defeats the purpose of all this.

Re: Q&A: Suicide

DailyBuddhism — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:02:17 -0000

"This would be similar to the cast system Hindus belive in"

That's where Buddhism got a lot of their foundational material.

I wouldn't think classical Buddhists would get too upset at extinctions of species if they occurred naturally-- nothing is permanent after all. However, extinctions caused by humanity is another story.

"Perhaps ants or even bacteria are souls."

I'm reminded of a TV commercial for facial tissues that was on not too long ago. It had a bald guy running around letting ants out of the house and otherwise being kind to living things. It implied heavily that he was Buddhist. At one point,he had to sneeze, and grabbed an anti-bacterial tissue to contain the sneeze. He sneezed into the tissue then he noticed on the box that it "kills germs" and looks at the camera in terror at what he'd done. It was funny.

Do ants and bacteria have souls? There's really no way to know. Most people connect souls with sentience, so there are limits. But who can really know?