Are you a Theravadin or a Mahayanist ?

PremaSagar · November 2011

Personally I accept all forms and traditions of Buddhism as being valid means by which we can extinguish our defiling attitudes and attain the bliss of Nirvana

ThailandTom · November 2011

I accept all forms of buddhism, I accept christianity, I accept Islam and Hinduism, I accept that my laptop got robbed with around 900pounds in cash. But I kind of would suggest I lean towards Mahayana.

MindGate · November 2011

I accept that my laptop got robbed with around 900 pounds in cash.

ThailandTom · November 2011

meh, it was over a year ago now, an apple macbook lol. I got drugged by some people. I never really felt too sad, I made myself laugh

Fenix · November 2011

I accept all forms of buddhism, I accept christianity, I accept Islam and Hinduism, I accept that my laptop got robbed with around 900pounds in cash. But I kind of would suggest I lean towards Mahayana.

meh, it was over a year ago now, an apple macbook lol. I got drugged by some people. I never really felt too sad, I made myself laugh

Duuude, I would be pissssed off!

ThailandTom · November 2011

Well whatever they drugged me with (I guess it was GHB as I was dazed for 2days), was very strong. But after that I was a bit subdued, however I was able to let it go. I came to the simple conclusion, it is gone! What can I do... I went to the police but even in the UK it would have been hard to track it down, let alone Thailand. Also there was a lot of folly in my part. But yes, letting go can go along way to rid yourself of suffering.

federica · November 2011

Being able to let go, is almost all the antidote you need, for suffering.

Jeffrey · November 2011

I have studied with both Mahayanists and Theravadans. From the beginning. Most of my efforts go towards a meditation method. I am more a meditor than a scholar. Though I find that when I read I am more inspired. I am taking a course from a Tibetan lama but I enjoy many youtube teachings from various traditions such as Ayya Khema from Theravada and Mooji from non-Buddhist?

Telly03 · November 2011

@Jeffrey I am experiencing the same in that I'm putting alot of effort into meditation, but turning to lectures for inspiration, and finding that one feeds the other.

For example... I'm more excited about my zazen after viewing the video in another thread here about the lady sharing her stroke experience. Now Buddhism wasn't mention at all in the video, however the discussion of how the brain works, left vs right, made sense to me... in meditation we are quieting the left brain delusional chatter, allowing the right brain to focus on what it does best, focusing on the now. When she was forced to shut down her left brain, she was able to glimpse nirvana.

So in a nutshell, I have realized that it's the message that speaks to you that is important... if you dismiss the possible value of a message due to biases towards the messenger, then your apt to miss something that may have helped. For example, if I would have known that Alan Watts was a womanizer and drank often, I probably would have no interest in what he had to say, then I probably would not have made any connection to Buddhism. I would probably still be thinking that Buddhism was just a bunch of words of wisdom stuck in fortune cookies (yes, I was that ignorant), not offering me anything. Alan may not have anything more for me in my journey, or anyone elses, but his message was what I needed at that time to begin my journey. Now I must be open for the next message that comes to me to bring me further, and meditating will help me stay clear and open to it... funny how it all comes around.

caz · November 2011

Im certainly a Mahayanist but I appreciate all turnings of the wheel of Dharma.

thejoieanna · November 2011

I accept all, and judge no one. But I am a Mahayanist without a question in my heart.
But I explored I explored Theravadin and it all makes sense but in my heart and actions I am a Mahayanist