Shooting Sports

Jayjay

Not hunting. Shooting sports. I'm a big time rifle/shotgun/pistol shooter. Will handling firearms serve as a sort of toxin of my mind? I don't want them to create a disruption of my peace. I heard about a monk who started a program to teach mindfulness to police. A lot were discouraged by Buddhism because you cannot kill any other living being but in their position they might have to. The monk said "If we want anyone to carry a gun its people who have been taught mindfulness and practice it" It makes a lot of sense. Also, what are rules for monks regarding firearms? Thank you all, have a great new year!!!

LittleMighty

I think that is a good question. My husband plays a lot of 'shoot-em-up' video games. You hear all the time how violent movies and video games and so on and so forth can potentially effect the mind. Should people really get 'pleasure' from these things? Can we? Is it dangerous to our psyches? My husband says it is relaxing for him. I think this would be a great question for a psychologist. I'm going to have to consider this more myself ....Happy New Year to you as well. :eek2:

shanyin

very good thinking comparing it to video games. ive been "killing people" electroincally for as long as i can remember.

The theravadin buddhist school teaches that if you are doing something ... in my word(s): wrong, you cannot be mindful.

I'm not going to get into my view into if target shooting or carrying a gun is wrong cuz I don't want to let it bother you but maybe talk to a teacher about it.

shanyin

lol

person

Pretty much any 'worldly' activity will act to disrupt ones peace of mind to some extent or another. Unless you plan on becoming a monk don't worry too much about giving up all your activities that bring some pleasure. Try to focus on your practice and study and as you grow and deepen your experience your own wisdom will help tell you what to abandon.

BonsaiDoug

There's always Zen archery.

Bekenze

There's always Zen archery.

I was about to mention this.

Mountains

I don't see anything wrong with shooting as pure sport (target shooting). No different from mastering the violin or learning to make pottery. Like anything else, just don't become attached to it (and, duh, don't kill anything).

LittleMighty

Numbness. That's a good word. I find video games, personally to be 'mind numbing' plus there is what the 'professionals' say about them making us immune to violence.

Jayjay

I agree with you all. @LittleMighty I used to be what I now consider a video game addict even though I wasn't THAT bad but about two years ago I completely quite and haven't played since. They do change your mentality a little bit but mostly they act as the past does on the mind. It obscures you from reality, from this moment, from life. Living mindfully has to do with living now, right now, in this moment, in body, and especially in mind. So in my opinion video games can hinder your connection to the actual world. But once again obsession and leasure are different. If your husband uses video games to calm himself and doesn't play them a lot (I believe recommended is 5 hours a week?) it's probably not THAT bad. If its an obsessive habit he should probably cut down. Thank you all and I will keep your opinions in mind. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

LittleMighty

Happy New Year to you as well!

Zayl

I love shooting and archery competitions. ESPECIALLY archery competitions. my stance for shooting a bow is practically me doing everything wrong. I cant the bow, I hold my drawing hand so the back faces my head, and I use a simple recurve bow, no sights or attachments. I catch shit for my stance wherever I go "hey buddy you can't shoot properly like that, it's no good"

Well hey, they shut up pretty quickly when I outshoot more people than anyone expected, and if I win a reward? I turn it down. Why? well I'm pretty spiteful... they thought I'd do terrible, I proved them wrong, and I don't want their damn accolades.

Oh and as for handling firearms. Does anyone else find that they do much, MUCH better with the open iron sights, instead of the telescopic sights? Whenever I use a scope my aim is thrown way off. But with iron sights I can hit targets, even at extreme ranges. Might not get a bullseye, but I can actually hit the damn thing.

Jayjay

Depends on the type of shooting for me. I shoot small bore olympic rifle so I use open sites (iron sites) on my .22 and I do great. Its all about the shooter and the target. I do like open better though.

Zayl

.22's are great for accuracy. a small, fast moving round. I normally use WW2 era decommissioned battle rifles for my shooting though. Sure they're old and some are beat up. But with the proper maintenance or even repairs I find that they handle much better than most modern bolt-action rifles.

LittleMighty

I can't steady myself enough to use a telescopic site, I do better with the open iron.

Jayjay

@Zayl oh cool! I usually only use my .22 rifle, my 12 gauge, and handguns. My favorite to shoot though are my Savage .22 rifle and my 10mm Deringer hand gun. Mini cannon that thing! @LittleMighty especially when standing its hard to do. I also prefer iron.

Zayl

oh hey! I have an old Savage .22 as well, it's an old single shot bolt action with a bad bolt spring, but it is the most accurate and sturdy .22 I have ever had.

Jayjay

Cool! Mine's also a bolt action but it has a place for a magazine. I intend to take it out and I refinish the front of the stock so i can install a sling rail in it bc I shoot olympic.

Dakini

Someone who'd spent a fair amount of time around Tibetans told me once that Tibetans love guns! And archery is a traditional sport among the Tibetans, Mongols, Bhutanese. So go for it, enjoy.

Telly03

Here is a Penn & Teller piece on video games and violence, part 3/3

LittleMighty

@Zayl I used to have a Savage! That was a Fantastic Gun!!!