Best Of
Recently Learned...
Dear Friends of Buddhism tomorrow, today and yesteryear,
1) Newbuddhist.com was impossible to visit by me due to emergency protection by @Linc to protect the site from AI generated swamping (I suspect)
2) Buddhism is an acquired template not a cure all
3) Do not mistake opinions or temporary for Buddhist 'Gospel'
4) Buddhism may be one of 'The Boys' (available as a TV series) that includes super heroic propaganda/hagiography
5) Don't drink the kool-aid or lose critical insight
6) Does it work for you? Then you are doing it right, for change
7) Good luck is possible. Work towards it...
What have you Learned recently?
lobster
Re: The worth of things…
I've lived in my house over 30 years, and it is full of stuff that I don't want or need. I'd really like to get rid of a lot of it, but most of it has no place to go but the local landfill, and those are already filling up way too fast with stuff people bought at some time and no longer want. I long ago changed my buying habits so that now part of the process is "how will I get rid of it when I don't want it anymore?" I don't buy much.
zorro
Re: Buddhist Epistemology
I think the solution is context.
The scientific method is very much about empiricism and third party verification on the physical level and in terms of things that can be tested through physical processes via physical instruments. Buddhism, on the other hand, is very much about empiricism and third party verification on the mental level and in terms of things that can be tested through mental processes via subjective experience.
The two can certain be compatible on many levels and agree, but there are also areas where they're delving into different fields of study and experience. And the Buddha presents his teachings as such—put them into practice and see what you observe and experience. Do you experience less suffering? Do you contribute les harm? If yes, then continue along the path. If no, then find one that does offer these results.
I'll say that from personal experience, Buddhism has greatly led me a place where I experience less suffering and contribute less harm to the world. And for that, I'm eternally gratful.
Jason
The worth of things…
My father died exactly a year ago today. Last year around this time I had my first look at the contents of his apartment, which I found very confrontational because it was like he was still there, in the furniture he had chosen, his gadgets, his art. I had to wait several months for the legal issues to become clear. Then my mother and I had to inventory his apartment and find out what things were worth.
In the end it became clear to me that almost all the things in my father’s apartment would give more trouble to sell than the money I would get back for them. It was a good lesson in letting go. I kept a few things for sentimental reasons, but most of it went to charity shops, and to a clearance firm that I contracted.
In the course of a lifetime we gather many things, and then we need a home to store them in. But these things we cherish at the end of our lives have to be cleared up, often at a cost. Little that we leave behind still has value after we pass, and there is much to be said for living a life with minimal possessions, like our monk friends do.
Reflecting on things today…
Jeroen
Re: “502” error on this site
@Linc said:
Spent some more time this afternoon diagnosing things and determined that the server simply needs more CPU power to be able to manage both the increased overhead of our defensive software (fail2ban) and still serve both sites at the normal speed. I've given it a small bump in power and things are much faster now.
I wish I could give you a small bump. I love you, @Linc.
Jason
Re: What movies are you watching?
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a drama narrated by an Octopus. I enjoyed
Jeffrey
Re: What do you think of modern movies?
For the most part, modern movies are regurgitated bullshit and AI slop and I don' enjoy them so much anymore. One surprising exception was Remarkable Bright Creatures, based upon the book of the same name. Besides that an Sinners, I think few modern movies have moved me. But I'm an old grump, so...
Jason
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
My dog is dying miserably of kidney failure, but he hasn't given up - managed to chase an intruder out of the house this morning - a cat that came in through an open door.
Fosdick
Buddhism and the Suffering of the World
A man once asked an old Buddhist monk:
"How can I allow myself to feel peace or happiness when the world is full of suffering, injustice, pain and chaos?"
The monk looked at him calmly and asked:
"If your house was dark...
Would you refuse to light a candle
Because the whole world is not illuminated yet?”
The man stood still.
The monk continued:
"The suffering of the world is real.
But if you completely destroy your own peace,
You create yet another exhausted and hopeless person.”
The man replied:
"But isn't being happy selfish when others suffer?"
The monk smiled softly.
"A drowned man cannot save another drowning man.
Peaceful people heal more than broken people consumed by despair.”
Then the monk pointed to a pond nearby.
“If the water is disturbed, it cannot reflect clearly.
But when it gets quiet, everything becomes visible.”
He looked back at the man and said:
"The same goes for the mind.
A restless mind reacts with fear, anger and hopelessness.
A calm mind responds with wisdom, compassion and clarity.”
The man lowered his head and whispered:
“But the world still feels so heavy.”
The monk nodded.
“Yes.
And that's why your peace is even more important.”
Then he added softly:
"Don't carry the pain of the whole world in one heart.
Instead...
Be nice where you are.
Help where you can.
Speak softly.
Reduce the suffering around you, even in small ways.
A single candle cannot take away all darkness...
But it still changes the room it enters.”
In Buddhism, happiness is not ignoring suffering.
It's learning how to stay compassion
Without letting the suffering of the world completely destroy your mind.
The monk smiled one last time and said:
"Protect your inner peace.
The world needs more calm hearts, no more broken minds.”
Tashi deleck.
Jeroen
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
Tee Hee!
Have already seen that on Mastodon.
It seems that Reform are not able to hear anything but their own opinions
... or sponsors interests?
https://donation.watch/en/unitedkingdom/party/REFORM/donors
lobster