<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
	<channel>
      <title>Modern Buddhism - NewBuddhist</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/categories/modern-buddhism/feed.rss</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 17:09:44 -0400</pubDate>
         <description>Modern Buddhism - NewBuddhist</description>
   <language>en-CA</language>
   <atom:link href="http://newbuddhist.com/categories/modern-buddhism/feed.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
   <item>
      <title>Personal responsibility &amp; Compassion</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18793/personal-responsibility-compassion</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 03:51:40 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Invincible_summer</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18793@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[To what extent are people responsible for their own happiness? To what extent are we responsible to make others happy?<br /><br />I ask this because lately, I've had quite a few friends talk about/post on FB about body image issues - not their own (at least not overtly), but within the context of the fashion industry and the overabundance of skinny models, etc. <br /><br />It got me thinking - it's so easy to blame the transnational corporations for "brainwashing" people and "making" them feel bad about their bodies. But surely we have a responsibility to ourselves to be compassionate and accepting of ourselves... how much does that come into play? Is it reasonable to put a majority of the blame on the global, faceless "Other," as they are the ones promoting these standards of beauty? Or are we mainly to blame for buying into it?<br /><br />In my opinion, it's somewhere in between (big surprise there :p ). Of course marketers shouldn't be consciously promoting a certain standard of beauty that has been shown to be psychologically harmful, but we also need to guard ourselves from these messages. We shouldn't feel the need to have our bodies approved by Abercrombie &amp; Fitch to feel good about ourselves... but is it unskillful to actually say this to someone?<br /><br /><br />Just a bit of rambling, but something that comes up quite a bit for me actually. I want to know your thoughts!]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Saga Dawa</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18790/saga-dawa</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 02:01:51 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>rivercane</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18790@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I'm not sure if this mainly applies to Tibetan Buddhism but for those of you who belong to a local sangha, will you be doing anything special for the month of May?<br /><br />From About.com:
<blockquote><div>Saga Dawa is the entire fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. The seventh day of Saga Dawa is the day of the historical Buddha's birth for Tibetans. However, the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and entry into Nirvana at his death are observed together on the 15th day of Saga Dawa, which in 2013 is May 25.</div></blockquote>
The woman who runs our group said that the first full moon in May is what determines the date and that sometimes there is disagreement over the first full moon. According to About.com, this year it will be May 25th but she told us that NASA is listing May 24th as the first full moon so we will do Buddha Shakyamuni Practice on that day. I have no idea what this entails but I plan on attending.<br /><br />According to the email that was sent out, the merit accumulated from any virtuous actions you perform on this day is "magnified by one hundred thousand." Has anyone done Buddha Shakyamuni Practice before or celebrated Saga Dawa? It is new to me.]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Dalai Lama, other leading thinkers say emotional health key to solving world's problems</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18770/dalai-lama-other-leading-thinkers-say-emotional-health-key-to-solving-worlds-problems</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 13:47:13 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>LeonBasin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18770@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Yeah, I'm with this type of thinking. Once we can take care of our emotions, we can then heal ourselves. When we can complete full understanding of ourselves and our emotions, we can then proceed to help others. It does begin with emotions. <br /><br />Dalai Lama, other leading thinkers say emotional health key to solving world's problems<br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://host.madison.com/news/local/dalai-lama-other-leading-thinkers-say-emotional-health-key-to/article_3611133a-9f24-5283-9ffd-5c6ce0778952.html#ixzz2TZbIU5Bh" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://host.madison.com/news/local/dalai-lama-other-leading-thinkers-say-emotional-health-key-to/article_3611133a-9f24-5283-9ffd-5c6ce0778952.html#ixzz2TZbIU5Bh</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Coming in for a landing.....</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18743/coming-in-for-a-landing</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 06:23:45 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Vastmind</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18743@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Well, it looks like if your visiting Memphis Int. airport, and need<br />meditation space.....we have it!  I was cruising along, main floor....<br />before security check-in....<br />before you get to starbuck's, and on the left was a door that said<br />'Meditation room'. Hmmm? I opened the door, and there is a room with <br />about 4-5 benches in there. <br /><br />Do you sit while in travel status?<br />Could you?? Would you.....in an airport?   :) ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>The space between self esteem and self compassion</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18757/the-space-between-self-esteem-and-self-compassion</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 10:18:12 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>person</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18757@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[This is a TED talk by Dr. Kristen Neff. She talks about how having compassion for oneself is a much better strategy for confidence than self esteem which relies on comparing and being better than others.<br /><br /><span><span id="youtube-IvtZBUSplr4"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=IvtZBUSplr4"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/IvtZBUSplr4/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Burma's government hoping Muslims drown in typhoon?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18754/burmas-government-hoping-muslims-drown-in-typhoon</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 08:52:45 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Cinorjer</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18754@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Yesterday on a talk radio station I heard a troubling report from Burma.  Seems there are many thousands of ethnic Muslims shoved into official refugee camps in Burma because the Buddhists in their home towns won't let them return to their homes.  These camps are tent cities on basically useless wasteland, because they're flooded every time typhoons come through.<br /><br />Well, a typhoon is on its way.  The reporter on the radio just returned from Burma, and the government is busy moving the Buddhist population to higher ground...but forcing the refugees to stay in the camps and refusing to help any Muslims that still have homes to evacuate.  In fact, one camp that wasn't too vulnerable was ordered to pack up and move even closer to the ocean because the Buddhists needed the spot for their own  people.<br /><br />The reporter said she passed a couple of monks on the street and gave them a polite greeting.  And the monks mocked her because they knew a western reporter would be there to help show what's happening to the Muslims.<br /><br />So if the typhoon does slam into Burma as tracked, thousands of Muslims are going to drown, and that will be an intentional action by the Buddhist government and Buddhist people.<br /><br />Buddhism is nothing special when it comes to changing how societies act.  They can remain bigoted and filled with hatred no matter what their religion tries to teach them.  This rotten branch of the Sangha needs to be chopped off and fresh Dharma allowed to grow.  <br /><br />     ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Buddha Garden</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18354/buddha-garden</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Apr 2013 03:57:22 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18354@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XLSwuYeyFRw/UPjSLIMqH3I/AAAAAAAAKOg/DAZ1Si9lq3g/s1600/zen+garden+school.jpg" alt="image" /><br />Yesterday I was able to do some gardening.<br />Pulling up sentient weeds, interfering with the natural order of things. Still I think gardening is a potential practice.<br /><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20041121042904/http://pages.britishlibrary.net/lobster/garden/garden.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://web.archive.org/web/20041121042904/http://pages.britishlibrary.net/lobster/garden/garden.html</a><br /><br />Do you practice gardening? Better still, is gardening part of your practice?<br />Any pics? Window box? Indoor bottle garden? Zen tray garden? Sprig of weed on your shrine? Mushroom box? Herbs?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Buddhism, Lent and letting go of attachments</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18062/buddhism-lent-and-letting-go-of-attachments</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:21:01 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>karasti</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18062@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I wasn't sure where to put this one. <br /> <br />A lot of people around me are practicing Catholics, and are of course in the midst of Lent. The point of Lent is to sacrifice something for that time period, because of the sacrifice Jesus made, right? (I have never been Catholic so I'm not sure I have that 100% correct). When I was younger and my mom converted to Catholicism, I asked why she gave up meat just to go to a fish fry, when meat was never a sacrifice for her. I asked why she didn't give up makeup, or her morning coffees, or something else. She looked like someone just shot her dog. It was unthinkable that she'd have to sacrifice something that might cause her to suffer even in the least. It's easy to give up meat one day a week when you could care less and just go to community fish fry or McDonald's. <br /> <br />So, in the theme of Lent, I am wondering if any one here does a similar practice? Deciding to give up something you are rather attached to for a set period of time. What did you give up? For how long? How did it go? <br /> <br />I have been considering doing this, but I admit it's a bit scary to think about, lol. That to me is a sign that perhaps I should do exactly that, if I am afraid to give something up for, say a week, or a month, that says a lot about my attachments. How do you practice letting go of yours?<br /> <br />I gave up FB for a week, I didn't log in at all. I had an initial sense of anxiety over it, because it's so much of my daily routine to check in with certain people. But after several hours I settled in and just spent my time doing other things. However, I went right back to it after the week was up without looking back. ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>"Waiting for the Sincere Question"</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18612/waiting-for-the-sincere-question</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:48:18 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>genkaku</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18612@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[For those inclined towards Zen practice, I thought Koun Franz' latest blog essay, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://nyoho.com/2013/05/01/waiting-for-the-sincere-question/">"Waiting for the Sincere Question,"</a> was pretty good.]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>MS Walk</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18665/ms-walk</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 05 May 2013 19:28:20 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lamaramadingdong</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18665@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Did the MS walk this morning with my daughters, for my daughter who was diagnosed a little over a year ago at age 21.  Here is a photo of the back of the team T-shirt our walkers wore.  My daughter doesn't know she's a Buddhist yet...<br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Final Message of Jamphel Yeshi Before Self-Immolation!! :(</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17232/final-message-of-jamphel-yeshi-before-self-immolation</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Nov 2012 01:38:24 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>LeonBasin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17232@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Jamphel Yeshi, who immolated himself on Monday in New Delhi and died on Wednesday, left a letter which seems to be an attempt to explain his actions.  The hand-written letter, dated March 16, 2012, was found in the room where Mr. Yeshi stayed in India’s capital, and was translated by Bhuchung D. Sonam. <br /><br /><br />Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is the shining example of world peace. We must strive to ensure return of His Holiness to Tibet. I pray and believe that the Tibetan people in and outside Tibet will be united and sing the Tibetan national anthem in front of the Potala Palace.<br /><br />My fellow Tibetans, when we think about our future happiness and path, we need loyalty. It is the life-soul of a people. It is the spirit to find truth. It is the guide leading to happiness. My fellow Tibetans, if you want equality and happiness as the rest of the world, you must hold onto this word ‘LOYALTY’ towards your country. Loyalty is the wisdom to know truth from falsehood. You must work hard in all your endeavors, big or small.<br /><br />Freedom is the basis of happiness for all living beings. Without freedom, six million Tibetans are like a butter lamp in the wind, without direction. My fellow Tibetans from Three Provinces, it is clear to us all that if we unitedly put our strength together, there will be result. So, don’t be disheartened.<br /><br />What I want to convey here is the concern of the six million Tibetans. At a time when we are making our final move toward our goal – if you have money, it is the time to spend it; if you are educated it is the time to produce results; if you have control over your life, I think the day has come to sacrifice your life. The fact that Tibetan people are setting themselves on fire in this 21st century is to let the world know about their suffering, and to tell the world about the denial of basic human rights. If you have any empathy, stand up for the Tibetan people.<br /><br />We demand freedom to practice our religion and culture. We demand freedom to use our language. We demand the same right as other people living elsewhere in the world. People of the world, stand up for Tibet. Tibet belongs to Tibetans. Victory to Tibet!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/tibetanpoliticalreview/articles/finalmessageofjamphelyeshibeforeself-immolation" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://sites.google.com/site/tibetanpoliticalreview/articles/finalmessageofjamphelyeshibeforeself-immolation</a><br /><br /><img src="null" alt="image" />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Burma Today</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18547/burma-today</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:03:34 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>ThailandTom</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18547@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[So I don't know about about the rest of the world, but Burma is high up in the news today here in SE Asia because of riots, Buddhist protestors VS Muslims. This link does have some disturbing content so be aware of that. I have even seen monks carrying out thrashings with sticks and rallying against Muslims. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22243438" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22243438</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Forgotten Buddhist Superhero: The Green Lama</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18530/forgotten-buddhist-superhero-the-green-lama</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:15:36 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>person</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18530@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yo_wUvWa3JQ/Tq9ndA-CcnI/AAAAAAAAC9k/bNefghbyLZ4/s1600/gl2_cvr.jpg" alt="image" />
<blockquote><div>If you have never heard of the Green Lama (and I admit, even as a comic book nerd, I hadn’t) apparently he was an American pulp magazine hero of the 1940s whose superpower was imparted by, of all things, Buddhism. Om mani padme hum. Such is the mantra of billionaire playboy Jethro Dumont (best billionaire playboy superhero name ever) when he wants to magically turn into his crime-fighting alter ego, the Green Lama. With his trusty sidekick Tsarong, Dumont/Lama battles evildoers like Willie the Sleeper and the Mad Magi.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/02/09/green_lama_imprint/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.salon.com/2012/02/09/green_lama_imprint/</a></div></blockquote>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>The Weight of the World and its New Ugly</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18491/the-weight-of-the-world-and-its-new-ugly</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:33:35 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>zombiegirl</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18491@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[In light of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, I've been thinking about being aware of the world's suffering and whether or not it can become a negative. Isn't there always just some new ugly? It never seems to end...<br /><br />Every time something like this happens, someone will always bring up awareness of all of the other miseries in the world happening outside of our limited scope. Living in a country like the US where things like this don't happen too terribly often, it's easy to forget about the worse living situations in other countries when they aren't right in front of your face. Is this a good thing or is this a bad thing?<br /><br />My grandmother used to criticize me for watching violent movies. She would say to me, "Why do you want to put all that awful stuff in your head?" Sometimes, I think she was overreacting a little, but there have been certain movies and things in the media that I really wish I could un-see. There have been times that I wish I hadn't put that awful stuff in my head. Certain things can really stick with you and haunt you and I don't always think it's for the best. Has anyone here ever seen the horror movie (not to be confused with the comedy) <i>The Girl Next Door</i>? If you haven't... just <i>don't.</i><br /><br />It's important to be aware... It's important not to be blind to others' suffering... But sometimes, it just feels like such a burden knowing of all these awful things. Is it wrong to feel that way? These days I find myself avoiding the news in general because it's just too depressing. Does it help me to know the awful rape statistics of India? I can't see how that knowledge could enhance my life... it just makes me angry, makes me sad. Is sometimes wishing for ignorance selfish? It probably is... If we consider the war in Iraq, feeling this way could potentially lead to extreme nationalism when you aren't aware of our running death toll. But sometimes I just wonder if keeping up to date with all of the new ugly in the world is really necessary to keep me humble. Is knowing the ugly necessary for compassion? Don't the Buddha's teachings prepare us enough? <br /><br />Maybe the problem is because I think too small and too limited. Some people probably learn about the injustices of the world and vow to make a change. Some people probably feel more connected to the world at large and don't feel as helpless as I do... Perhaps. But maybe being small and limited is okay too. There is certainly no lack of suffering in the world... my city, my neighborhood, these places are not exempt just because they could be worse.<br /><br />What do you guys think? Anyone else struggling to keep that seed of optimism alive against the horrors that seem so much louder?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Compassion over empathy could help prevent emotional burnout</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18494/compassion-over-empathy-could-help-prevent-emotional-burnout</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:14:54 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>person</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18494@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<blockquote><div>...For Singer, empathy is "a precursor to compassion, but too much of it can lead to antisocial behaviour". For example, healthcare workers or caregivers who are frequently faced with trauma victims can become intensely distressed themselves, feel overwhelmed and burn out. Brain scans have shown that similar areas of the brain are activated both in the person who suffers and the one who feels empathy. So empathic suffering is a true experience of suffering.<br /><br />In order to avoid this, we need to transform empathy into compassion. Compassion is a feeling of pity or a warm, caring emotion that does not involve feeling, say, sadness if the other person is sad. In order to better understand compassion, Singer has studied Buddhist monks -- renowned for being experts in "pro-social" meditation and compassion. When they watched videos of other people suffering, fMRI scans of their brains showed heightened activity in areas that are important to care, nurturing and positive social affiliation. In non-meditators, the videos were more likely to trigger the brain areas associated with unpleasant feelings of sadness and pain...<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-07/12/tania-singer-compassion-burnout" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-07/12/tania-singer-compassion-burnout</a></div></blockquote>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Is the Universe 'alive'?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18427/is-the-universe-alive</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:25:59 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18427@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<blockquote><div>But don't we know, for example, objects like a chair aren't alive, or conscious? Or are they?</div></blockquote>
This is from another thread, where the question is slightly different. So . . .<br /><br />In some paths the world (including chairs) are a 'manifestation of the veiled'. A personification or revelation of the ineffable. A chair is a thought of gods or God.<br /><br />This is why as Buddhists, when it comes to God, we sit on it. For some a chair, for others an expression of care for asses.<br /><br />This relationship between form and emptiness is experiential. If your universe is devoid of non caused Great Mindfulness, then sit. If you think you are The Chair - Sit. If the chair is empty . . . then . . . well you'll think of something . . .<br /><br />What side of the great chair debate is your order based on?<br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>"Fake" Buddhists?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/16129/fake-buddhists</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 04 Aug 2012 01:00:53 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>DaftChris</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">16129@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[In addition to this site, I'm also a member of a Hindu forum. The majority people on that forum are friendly, informative and open. However, there are quite a few who are vocal about their disdain for "neo-Hindus"; those who mold Brahman to fit their own philosophical leanings, those who don't literally believe in the incarnations, etc.<br /><br />This bugs me, because A.) If I were a Hindu, I would be (in some members definition) a "neo-Hindu"; as I have a different idea of what "god" would be and I don't think Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, etc. actually exist and B.) It got me thinking: If that was what some people would consider a fake Hindu, what would be the characteristics of a fake Buddhist? <br /><br />In your opinion, how do you know when someone is not sincere with their Buddhism? ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Buddhist Killings</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18399/buddhist-killings</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:01:54 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>novaw0lf</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18399@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/08/us-myanmar-violence-specialreport-idUSBRE9370AP20130408">reuters.com/article/2013/04/08/us-myanmar-violence-specialreport-idUSBRE9370AP20130408</a><br /><br /><br />Who knows about this? If this is true, than the teachings of Siddhartha have been lost with the majority of its people. Buddhism is becoming like Christianity. I am humbled by this article, though I question its rhetoric.]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Lovely: Om mantra 8 Hour Full Night Meditation with Rain Sound!</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18366/lovely-om-mantra-8-hour-full-night-meditation-with-rain-sound</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Apr 2013 03:22:42 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>LeonBasin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18366@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<span><span id="youtube-xRmsJFyEiX4"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=xRmsJFyEiX4"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/xRmsJFyEiX4/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>"Female Buddhist monk walks a pioneering path"</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18371/female-buddhist-monk-walks-a-pioneering-path</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:14:01 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>BonsaiDoug</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18371@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[An interesting read:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/picture/upload/dhammadina-dana.jpg" alt="image" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=9,11386,0,0,1,0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=9,11386,0,0,1,0</a><br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Living Two Traditions: An interview with Gil Fronsdal</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18362/living-two-traditions-an-interview-with-gil-fronsdal</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:30:11 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Invincible_summer</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18362@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tricycle.com/interview/living-two-traditions">Link here.</a><br /><br />For those of you who may not know, Gil Fronsdal is a teacher at the Insight Meditation Centre in Redwood City, California. He is also an ordained in the Soto Zen tradition. <br /><br />I think this interview is interesting because many of us who are new (or even not-so-new!) to Buddhism often find it hard to choose a tradition, or balance traditions. Perhaps this will provide some insight (pun very much intended) into how one can carry that out.<br /><br />An excerpt (emphasis mine):
<blockquote><div>I struggled a fair amount, trying to reconcile goal-less Zen practice—in which practice and realization are thought to occur together - with the goal-oriented Theravada tradition, in which you work toward later realization. Eventually I came to understand that these approaches not only complemented each other but could be seen as two sides of the same coin. Soto Zen taught me to emphasize the purity of the moment-to-moment process of sitting in meditation; Vipassana taught me how that process opens to greater freedom even when we don’t fixate on freedom as a goal. <b>My Vipassana practice taught me that the radical acceptance of myself and of things-as-they-are that I learned in Zen included an innate, natural impulse toward liberation. I didn’t have to be goal-oriented as much as I needed to let go of any obstacles to this innate impulse...</b></div></blockquote>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Media on meditation</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18350/media-on-meditation</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:10:20 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>blu3ree</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18350@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I watch dr. Oz to keep up to date with all the beneficial foods. Recently he and many other media channels have been covering "meditation". I subscribed on facebook to oz and he asked for ideas for apps concering health so i threw an idea of my "ideal" health app. So i flipped on the tv and katie was covering "meditation" with deepak chopra and he instructed the audience through some basic practice of "mindfulness". <br /><br />Seems like alot of people are getting into the most natural way to improve themselves! I think its great more and more people are being more conscious. <br />Thoughts on this please share.<br /><br />Just curious how many people heard of "meditation" through a media source?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Dhamma Brothers - Vipasanna Meditation</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18316/dhamma-brothers-vipasanna-meditation</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:13:17 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>LeonBasin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18316@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<span><span id="youtube-Ikr3kdMJ0BE"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ikr3kdMJ0BE"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Ikr3kdMJ0BE/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span><br /><br />I loved this Documentary! ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Neo Buddhism - Navayana</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18134/neo-buddhism-navayana</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 Mar 2013 06:24:28 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18134@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[This is what Father Christmas said about the fourth turning of the Dharma Wheel:<br /><br /><i>"There is no reason why it should not grow happily alongside, and even blend with the best of Western science, psychology and social science, and thus affect the ever-changing field of Western thought. It will not be Theravada or Zen... Just what it will be we do not know, nor does it matter at the present time. The Dhamma as such is immortal, but its forms must ever change to server the ever-changing human need."</i><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navayana" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navayana</a><br /><br />As an ex-communicated Navayanist (YinYana heresy) I have been to the good judges house (now home of the Buddhist Society) and made good use of the descendent of his extensive library housed at Amravarti in Herts.<br /><a href="http://www.amaravati.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.amaravati.org/</a><br /><br />I get the feeling that many people here incline to the Navayana approach.  Am I right or living in nava nava land?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Mind and Life conference XXVI: Mind, Brain and Matter</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17704/mind-and-life-conference-xxvi-mind-brain-and-matter</link>
      <pubDate>Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:07:44 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>person</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17704@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[There was recently another Mind and Life conference with HHDL and scientists. I've only watched day 1 am so far out of 5 and a half days of 11 2-3 hour meetings on scientific and religious convergences, so I can't really say how interesting this panel is but past conferences have been awesome. Here's a link to HHDL's website where you can download HD video, stream or download mp3 versions for viewing/listening. Also if you look in the Dialog and Panel discussion section you can find past conferences.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dalailama.com/webcasts/post/273-mind-and-life-xxvi-mind-brain-and-matter---critical-conversations-between-buddhist-thought-and-science" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.dalailama.com/webcasts/post/273-mind-and-life-xxvi-mind-brain-and-matter---critical-conversations-between-buddhist-thought-and-science</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Is it ethical to give money to beggars?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18003/is-it-ethical-to-give-money-to-beggars</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:54:21 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>gracelee</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18003@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Is giving money encouraging them to stay on the street? <br /><br />Is giving them money increasing or decreasing the quality of there lives?<br /><br />What is the general motivation for giving money? Is it to make them feel better or appease our own guilt?<br /><br />If the individual doesn't get money through begging they may turn to crime? Or  go and get a job?<br /><br />difficult isn't it?????<br /><br />I would love to hear your views!<br /><br />Grace]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>What exactly is a Buddha?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18241/what-exactly-is-a-buddha</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:19:18 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18241@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Here is a fundamental question from another thread:
<blockquote><div>Don't you have to understand "what is Buddha?" first, before saying if you can become one or not? Can I become a Buddha? I don't know! What exactly is that, really? </div></blockquote>
The Buddha described himself as 'awake'.<br />So related questions are what is an awake person like? What qualities do they have/exhibit. Is an awake malaka, still a malaka?<br />Is a Buddha awake and virtuous? Or is virtue a direct consequence of awakening?<br /><br />answers to the usual dreamlands . . .<br /><br /><br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>What to do with the dogma</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18232/what-to-do-with-the-dogma</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:16:49 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>nenkohai</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18232@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[My (young) dharma-practice centers around the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. That is all. I realize there are other of the Buddha's teachings, but these seem core. After Buddha's death, it seems much commentary was added that gave rise to the religion itself. Add-ons. Schools arose: "do it this way." And I feel that Buddhism has fallen into religion's trap: that of "thinking" for its adherents. Buddhist orthodoxy.<br /><br />In a purely practical sense, I am not interested in learning Indian, sanscrit, or Hindi vocabulary (said with respects, however); I am not interested in religious Buddhist ritual. <br /><br />I AM interested in the Buddha's kernal-truths. I am interested in a personal and consistent dharma practice. <br /><br />I am not sure what to do with rest of it... "the stuff."]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Historical evidence for Gautama Buddha</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18092/historical-evidence-for-gautama-buddha</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:07:19 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>shanyin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18092@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I wanted to make this thread after someone claimed in another that there is historical evidence of Siddhartha Gautama's existence around 2 500 years ago. This is something I've heard many times and even heard people say there are very confident that he existed.<br /><br />What exactly is this evidence?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Moderation</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18187/moderation</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:20:20 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>BaileyD</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18187@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I've been reading this website for some time now, but came across this article last night. I read it from a Buddhist perspective and found it helpful. Moderation is important in our lives and we can have the things we enjoy without having to abstain from everything. It's ok to enjoy life and pleasurable things, just do it in moderation. <br /><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://artofmanliness.com/2008/04/27/the-virtuous-life-moderation/">artofmanliness.com/2008/04/27/the-virtuous-life-moderation/</a><br /><br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>The Buddhist video game breaks conventions</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17568/the-buddhist-video-game-breaks-conventions</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:55:59 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Brian</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17568@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<a rel="nofollow" href="http://newbuddhist.com/article/the-buddhist-video-game-breaks-conventions">The Buddhist video game breaks conventions</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Naked Mind</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18212/naked-mind</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:41:55 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18212@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Here is a great film project you might be inspired to support - with clips.<br /><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nakedmindfilm/naked-mind-the-film" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nakedmindfilm/naked-mind-the-film</a><br /><br />It explores the nature and validity of the naked mind. I particularly liked the idea of the dark retreat and living on herb flavoured mist. Maybe I'll just get a gold star and stick it on my forehead. Used to know someone who had a star tattooed on his forehead. Now we are talking . . . ultimate mind chill . . .]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Temple in a garden</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18203/temple-in-a-garden</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:57:14 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18203@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Today I visited the temple built by Yul Brynner, or the King of Siam . . . not quite sure which . . .<br /><br />The temple is quite near to Wimbledon Tennis. Thought you might like the pics I mutilated.<br /><a href="http://yinyana.tumblr.com/image/45913789558" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://yinyana.tumblr.com/image/45913789558</a><br /><br />I have done sitting and walking meditation here. Very pleasant grounds. They had some great quotes from the sutras such as:<br /><br />'Shall we dance'<br />etc etc etc . . .<br /><a href="http://www.buddhapadipa.org/temple/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.buddhapadipa.org/temple/</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Steven Seagal, tulku, in the news again</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18152/steven-seagal-tulku-in-the-news-again</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Mar 2013 19:05:25 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Cinorjer</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18152@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[According to several news sites, Steven Seagal was palling around with Vladimir Putin recently where they discussed how Russia needed to revive boot-camp type physical training for civilians because those people were starting to get flabby.  He discussed restarting a compulsary Stalin-era physical fitness "for defense of the motherland" program.<br /><br />Is there anyone in the West who isn't aware by now that this man was declared a reincarned tulku by his teacher, Penor Rinpoche?  Certainly, the news reporters always manage to fit that in.  I have a question for the Tibet Buddhists in the crowd.  Is there any method of saying "Oops, the Rinpoche made a mistake.  This nimrod wasn't a reincarnated tulku, after all.  Our bad." because this makes your entire tulku tradition look foolish.<br /><br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>What is the best treatment for depression?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18120/what-is-the-best-treatment-for-depression</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:43:08 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>hermitwin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18120@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<span><span id="youtube-lSSS-ASiVIA"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=lSSS-ASiVIA"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/lSSS-ASiVIA/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span><br /><br />can anyone in the NHS confirm this?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Egolessness</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18094/egolessness</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:43:28 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Wisdom23</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18094@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I am starting to become aware of the inpact my ego is having. I am aware of egolessness, i was just wondering how my fellow online sangha peeps practised this. Is this another thing that is accomplished through meditation.<br /><br />Many Thanks]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Ajahn Brahm... for Sale?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18093/ajahn-brahm-for-sale</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:08:55 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Jayantha</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18093@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<a href="http://ajahnbrahmforsale.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://ajahnbrahmforsale.com/</a><br /><br />wondering if it's real or not, still trying to find out lol. What are your thoughts on this? It's all to raise money for the Bhikkhuni Monastery because apparently there is a large waiting list of women trying to get in.  <br /><br />I don't necessarily see an issue with this.. but I'm sure those grumpy old Thai Elders are probably still annoyed with Brahm lol.]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Master Cheng Yen, Tzu Chi foundation</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17219/master-cheng-yen-tzu-chi-foundation</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Nov 2012 02:34:09 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Patr</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17219@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[A model Bhikku/Bhikkuni for all of us, Master Cheng Yen of Buddhist Tzu Chi foundation.<br /><br />A very down to earth nun, no politics, prostrations or Gucci shoes......<br /><br /><br /><span><span id="youtube-SHbYOFjzFCk"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=SHbYOFjzFCk"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/SHbYOFjzFCk/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span><br />-Story of Tzu Chi Buddhist foundation<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span><span id="youtube-mbEDNXFEo78"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=mbEDNXFEo78"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/mbEDNXFEo78/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span><br />- Story starts at 2 mins, with subtitles<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />-In English<br /><span><span id="youtube-KJbEI-USKhs"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=KJbEI-USKhs"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/KJbEI-USKhs/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Ajahn Chah-Still Flowing Water</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17329/ajahn-chah-still-flowing-water</link>
      <pubDate>Sun, 09 Dec 2012 22:53:24 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>LeonBasin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17329@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<span><span id="youtube-Vc68xqY13Xs"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vc68xqY13Xs"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Vc68xqY13Xs/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>A sister's struggle to understand her brother's decision to ordain.</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18067/a-sisters-struggle-to-understand-her-brothers-decision-to-ordain</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:27:07 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>hermitwin</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18067@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[<span><span id="youtube-VaVzuy5gxcY"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=VaVzuy5gxcY"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/VaVzuy5gxcY/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Buddhism and Activism</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/18037/buddhism-and-activism</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Mar 2013 07:52:04 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>chela</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">18037@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[In the past, I've always been very vocal about and sometimes more involved in bringing attention or working towards bringing equanimity to unjust situations that are perceived in the world. Currently, I find that I'm having a difficult time thinking about how to meld my activist side with my newer Buddhist side. <br /><br />There is another thread in the forums about a person who was very involved in activism and has grown to be very hateful, and is seeking peace in his life. I understand this very much, although I have not been nearly as active as he has, I do internalize all of the wrongs I see going on in the world. <br /><br />One thing that I understand is to love the enemy instead of hating him (the whole non-duality thing, which I do perceive as a truth). Wow. This is extremely difficult. In trying to work this idea into my self, I notice that I am tending more to avoid paying attention to injustices perceived so that I don't get all worked up and so that I remain more peaceful. This is causing some internal conflict: Do I stand up for those suffering from injustices or do I just keep quiet and ignore? How do I draw attention to these injustices without sounding hateful? How do I express love for someone committing an atrocity?  And there is internal conflict caused by the internal conflict: Who am I? What kind of person am I if I can't love everyone? I shouldn't judge, yet I can't wrap my head around that in certain circumstances.<br /><br />So there is this idea of the three nutriments: food, sense impressions, will/intention, and consciousness. Even before Buddhism came into my life, I was thinking about sense impressions. Quite a few years ago, I realized that I just couldn't handle certain kinds of movies and the thought of putting myself through turmoil just to watch some grisly act happening to someone for the sake of entertainment seemed wrong. Then, just a few years ago, I realized that watching the news really upset me (especially certain stories having to do with children or animals). So I stopped watching the news. This has really helped me feel more peaceful. But now I feel like I'm ignoring what is happening in the world outside of my bubble (not the entertainment, but the actual things that are going on) so that I can be more peaceful. To me, avoidance seems like selfishness. <br /><br />It seems that it is a matter of not getting attached emotionally to the injustices that are happening. I just can't seem to get to a place of balance in this. <b>Is there a practical approach to this dilemma?</b> I understand that immersing myself in all of the wrongs happening is not very healthy. But can I continue to be a voice for those suffering without getting tied up in hatred and anxiety? Is the nutriment of consciousness what I need to work on? I am sure it is possible for advanced practitioners (I know this to be true). I know I haven't been practicing very long (a few months), but I need to know how to practice this-- it seems that this is fundamental to the core of Buddhism and it seems that it is fundamental to bringing a wholeness to myself.<br /><br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Made in 1940 but still relevant</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17888/made-in-1940-but-still-relevant</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:38:23 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Cory</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17888@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[A very inspirational speech, and even though it was in a movie, it is amazing. <br /><span><span id="youtube-6FMNFvKEy4c"><span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=6FMNFvKEy4c"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/6FMNFvKEy4c/0.jpg" width="640" height="385" alt="image" style="border: 0px;" /></a></span><span></span></span></span>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Is intuition rational?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17960/is-intuition-rational</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:30:56 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>lobster</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17960@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Dakini said in another thread
<blockquote><div>But the interesting thing with this mystical component in Buddhism is that it's tempered with a lot of very down-to-earth observation, logic, and discipline. So it's not exclusively mystical; it also has a very rational aspect. Kind of yin and yang in quality, isn't it? </div></blockquote>
By inclination we do seem drawn to the qualities within Buddhism that resonate with our preferences. For balance and awakening do we just need to work from our side or do we have to allow the arising of an integrated and largely different perspective? Is the rational answer the same as the intuitive . . . ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Is Intuition "Mysticism"?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17966/is-intuition-mysticism</link>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:45:11 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Dakini</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17966@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[(Inspired by Lobster)<br />If meditation facilitates intuitive experience, is that the same as mystical experience? Some people feel that the term "mystical" has negative connotations, or denotes something "woo-woo".  Is intuition "woo-woo"? Is "woo-woo" bad?<br /><br />One definition of mysticism that was posted here was "becoming one with the Absolute", or accessing the Absolute. And Mahayana, especially Zen followers, talk about the Absolute, so that's not a bad thing, right? Is that the goal of meditation (for Mahayanists, at least)?  What is the "Absolute", anyway?    :scratch: ]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>How to sustain a good mood?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17903/how-to-sustain-a-good-mood</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:02:50 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Cory</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17903@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[My days, for the most part, are good. But sometimes I just get a bad influence and I end up saying or doing something stupid out of peer pressure or aggravation. Like today, someone was just giving me some advice on how to take care of my bonsai on Instagram. My step brother, being ignorant, is like "Oh he tried yo ass" blah blah blah this and that. So, it got me a little angry, I have no idea why,but I replied with something slick, but then I came back to my senses and realized. WOW i totally just said something I didn't want to say. I just want it to the point that nothing anybody says gets to me or bothers me. All I could think was "Dude, he was just trying to help me!" and now I feel really bad. How can I keep other peoples input from negatively influencing me?]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Should a Buddhist monk discard his robe for a suit?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/15633/should-a-buddhist-monk-discard-his-robe-for-a-suit</link>
      <pubDate>Wed, 30 May 2012 10:47:03 -0400</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>footiam</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">15633@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Check out this:  <a href="http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=56,9900,0,0,1,0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=56,9900,0,0,1,0</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Downloading Music Vs. The 2nd Precept?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17932/downloading-music-vs-the-2nd-precept</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 20:58:59 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Tetruss</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17932@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[As many of us know,  the second precept states that we must not take what is not given. My question however is, does downloading music off a filesharing site break this precept? There's always mixed views on it.  My understanding of it works as that it is being freely given by others, as well as the fact that the 5th constitution is not met because I am not taking the original song.<br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>The Contemplation/Visualization of Amitayus Sutra</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17925/the-contemplationvisualization-of-amitayus-sutra</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:53:55 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Takuan</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17925@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I've just completed re-reading this sutra for a presentation, and it got me to wondering if anyone actually has mastered all of the visualizations described in it. There are 13 and they range from the simplistic to the extremely intricate. I wonder if anyone in this day and age can claim a mastery over these visualization practices. <br /><br />The sutra itself is quite the interesting read, and I encourage anyone interested in Pure Land Buddhism to check it out. Many people in the West think that Pure Land is all about nianfo/nembutsu, but there's so much more to it. <br />]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>"Dark Zen" ?</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17914/dark-zen</link>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:30:49 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>Dakini</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17914@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[There's what sounds like a new "school" of Zen, called "Dark Zen", described as "mystical zen".  I'm wondering if anyone has info on how this came into being, and what our zennies' thoughts on  this new sect are.  And why is it called "dark"?<br /><br /><a href="http://darkzen.org/dzfaq.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://darkzen.org/dzfaq.html</a>]]></description>
   </item>
   <item>
      <title>Kalu Rinpoche, June Campbell</title>
      <link>http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/17887/kalu-rinpoche-june-campbell</link>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:19:30 -0500</pubDate>
      <category>Modern Buddhism</category>
      <dc:creator>trendybuddha</dc:creator>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">17887@/discussions</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[What do you guys think about the scandal with Kalu Rinpoche and June Campbell? The new buddhist group I am thinking of joining use books from Kalu Rinpoche, and I don't know what to think. Even though this happened, his teachings can be good? I mean we are all good and bad. I just wish I could practise buddhism and not think about all these things, I just think it is hard to ignore. I don't know.]]></description>
   </item>
   </channel>
</rss>