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Another Buddhist Forum....

federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
edited May 2010 in Sanghas
Hello everyone...
I just thought I would bring this other forum to your attention, seeing as I posted news of this one there.... www.e-sangha.com
Is a bigger forum, with quite a huge range of topics under discussion, including one for every different school of Buddhism. I must also add, however, that I found it to be quite a bit more straight-laced and serious than this one and ( dare I say it? Yes, I dare!) some folks there seem to be a little bit 'up themselves' and don't seem to have a funny side..... :o
There's a thread on different sexual persuasion, and feminism, and jokes (all clean, of course!!) and much more besides.... I think it may have been established quite a bit longer than this one. Brian may even know it....
But as Dorothy said (and I wholeheartedly agree!) "There's no place like home!" To my mind, this is the place to be..... ;) It was, and always will be my first choice of forum!! I have my Buddha-folks livin' here!! :)

Comments

  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited May 2005
    Thanks for the link! Honestly, I've never heard of it, but I'll have to check it out.

    I also admin a forum that is much larger than this one, so I have some experience with "crowd control", as it were.. I've learned some strategies that can help keep the peace :)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2005
    It's not so much keeping the peace, but keeping the Ego under control.... and I don't mean to be critical, but you know ;) .... I speak as I find, but I try do do it nicely..... :)
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited May 2005
    federica wrote:
    Hello everyone...
    I just thought I would bring this other forum to your attention, seeing as I posted news of this one there.... www.e-sangha.com
    Is a bigger forum, with quite a huge range of topics under discussion, including one for every different school of Buddhism. I must also add, however, that I found it to be quite a bit more straight-laced and serious than this one and ( dare I say it? Yes, I dare!) some folks there seem to be a little bit 'up themselves' and don't seem to have a funny side..... :o
    There's a thread on different sexual persuasion, and feminism, and jokes (all clean, of course!!) and much more besides.... I think it may have been established quite a bit longer than this one. Brian may even know it....
    But as Dorothy said (and I wholeheartedly agree!) "There's no place like home!" To my mind, this is the place to be..... ;) It was, and always will be my first choice of forum!! I have my Buddha-folks livin' here!! :)

    Fed,

    I have never heard of it; thanks for the address. I will go and check it out. I am like you; I will stay here because people here are really nice.

    Adiana :lol::lol::lol:
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited June 2005
    Wow. I finally went to check out the e-sangha today. Many of the members here are also on there. I saw wolf, Mr. Fist, and Simon. There are a LOT of members and posts. I don't think I'll post much there myself. They argue and fight a little too much for my taste. Things get mildly warm here but I've seen out-right flames on their site. Maybe it's just too many people. I saw a monk and another member arguing. Here's the page.
    http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=14613&st=40&#entry214276
    I'm not putting them down at all, I actually wrote Bhikkhu Pesala to ask him something. I was just a little surprised since I'm use to our forum. I think we are definitly more lighthearted and civil. They do have a lot of very intelligent members though. I gave newbuddhist a shout out, so maybe a few of them will come and share some wisdom with us.
  • wolfscalissiwolfscalissi
    edited June 2005
    This is true Elohim. I ran into some abuse on my very first thread. It was the gratitude interdependance thread I posted here! I was amazed that I would be taken to task over this. A personal story about my experience. It is a board to challenge you wit to be sure but, my friends, THIS is home and where my heart and loyalty lie.

    ^gassho^
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited June 2005
    Yeah, I agree. I like this forum better because you can ask questions and get an answer without having to deal with people that want to be condescending or patronizing. I like that and that is the main reason I don't go to any other forum besides here anymore. People may disagree but I have yet to see any "flame wars" or any other such nonsense here.

    Adiana :):):lol::lol:
  • comicallyinsanecomicallyinsane Veteran
    edited June 2005
    Wow I didn't realize that forum was like that. I come here to not argue at all. On the DVD forum I admin for there are some heated arguments but here is the place where I can learn to be at peace. :bowdown:
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited June 2005
    I always tell people that E-sangha is very good if you want to ever learn the nitty-gritty, deeply detailed intensly studied aspects of Buddhism, but you have to wade through an awful lot of "No, listen to me, I think you'll find MY point of view is much more valid!!" *buff nails* - and then they have the temerity to end their posts with something like Deep ghasso to you' or 'Metta and respect' and I think to myself "Ah, yes, indeed, I'm glad you added that, or I might have started thinking you were angling for an argument, there...."!! :lol:

    THis forum to me is the most comfortable, welcoming, warm, generous and Love-ful I have ever visited. It's like the shawl grandma throws round your shoulders when you come in from the cold.... I describe it as my 'comfy-chair-cosy-slippers-and-mug-of-cocoa' Sangha... I can come 'home', sit down, be with my family, and know that whatever I say, someone will pick up on it, but always with True Metta, Compassion, and a good dollop of fun and laughter! Let's face it - this is just a jumble of letters, spelt out through electronic means whereby strangers from diverse origins, backgrounds and communities may interact and discuss topics of various types. But every post is the work of a human being, somewhere, and every word is heartfelt and instructive. A Sangha it may be, but it's the people who go to make it that are important. You guys Rock! :bigclap: :)
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited June 2005
    Yep. I agree. I enjoy everyone here. E-sangha is like going to a lecture hall filled with a few hundred professors and philosphers and high-minded individuals; not unlike going to a very popular, well known city temple. Being here is like the more intimate forest dwelling of a few like-minded and curious seekers coming together to sharing their ideas, experiences, and encouragements. I like it that we are all heard, even if we don't always agree.
  • comicallyinsanecomicallyinsane Veteran
    edited June 2005
    Makes one wonder if we were all meant to be here together. Fed you reminded me of my experience at work th eother night. One of the lights went out over where we cut the pizzas. It gave the store a cozy feel. Everyone said so. They said it felt like being at home. LOL :bowdown:
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited June 2005
    wolfscalissi wrote:
    This is true Elohim. I ran into some abuse on my very first thread. It was the gratitude interdependance thread I posted here! I was amazed that I would be taken to task over this. A personal story about my experience. It is a board to challenge you wit to be sure but, my friends, THIS is home and where my heart and loyalty lie.

    ^gassho^


    You weren't joking about that. Tealeaf was really having a hard time appreciating the story for what it was. The ego can be as subtle as air and strong as a rock all at the same time. We rarely ever notice it and in our delusion may think that it's gone. It's like the difference between a Yoda and a Palpatine. You get your strength from wisdom, or feelings of anger and hate. Come to the dark side if the Dhamma! Mwuhahaha!
  • comicallyinsanecomicallyinsane Veteran
    edited June 2005
    Man I have been watching tons of Star Wars lately. I can see the parralells. LOL
  • AnitaAnita
    edited June 2005
    Isn't being buddhist about being calm and understanding? Not patronizing and arguing.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited June 2005
    Absolutely, Anita, It's about many other things too; unfortunately, many folks in their haste to show just how far they have progressed with their Buddhism, merely illustrate just how far behind they are.
    I despise one-upmanship ans egotism; to my distress, they manifest in abundance in the hearts of those who should be detached from such illusions and frankly should know better. Not everyone is like that. there are some genuinely delicious folks around. but the bad apples ruin the apple pie....
    I very often post comments in an effort to diffuse situations and to inject a little humour when the discussion is apt to become heated (Wolfscalissi may bear me out on this.) more often than not though, I am completely ignored, or better yet - greeted, acknowleged - and then ignored....!! :lol: c'est la vie! We village idiots are used to this.... just you wait until we take over the playgorund.... ;)
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited June 2005
    I have been a member of E-Sangha for some 21 months. I did post at first but I had much the same experience as others here. There seems to be a deep need among some of the members there to be right. And to assert their correctness in less-than-jolly terms sometimes.

    It is, however, a great resource. Many of the members are very well-read in Buddhist texts, treatises and commentaries. I now restrain myself from posting because I do not like the idea that my poor ideas upset them so much.

    It is a thing we have to learn: Buddhists are not all saints, heroes or, even, nice people. We may experience (as did I) some surprise at this. Buddhism, being based in compassion, appears to us to encourage kindness in its practitioners. When I reflected on this apparent contradiction, I realised that I was committing the error of forgetting context! We are Buddhist practitioners in Christian or quasi-Christian cultures. We see, around us, Christians who are less than Christlike (don't we just!) In Buddhist cultures, we can meet less than Buddha-like Buddhists!

    This is a place blessed by genuine kindness. I have lit candles and incense before my thangka of Avalokiteshvara in thanksgiving for it!

    And, ComicFriend, why we have met here and found companionship in the dark forest? One day, I may share my most 'heretical' belief: that we are all 'volunteers' and among friends in samsara.
  • _BeautifulSpringtime_BeautifulSpringtime Veteran
    edited June 2005
    Thank you for saying so Simon.

    I agree - E sangha is a wonderful resource but with a bit of a Roman amphitheatre atmosphere!

    A deep bow to my sangha family...
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited June 2005
    Simon,

    You are so right!

    Adiana :):lol:
  • emmakemmak Veteran
    edited June 2005
    I just checked out e-sangha, I found it to be waaaaayyyy to big. I agree with what others have said too, bit snobby, bit too serious.
    Man, I love you guys.
  • PemaRangdolPemaRangdol
    edited May 2010
    Hi, federica!
    I used to frequent esangha as haikuhans and chrysalliszTN. I remember your posts from there. I used to be friendly acquaintances with Satori until we had a disagreement/falling out. :-( I only wish her the best. Anyways, Is lioncity.net aka esangha still shut down due to litigation between Soto Zen ppl and Leo, et.al.? I really miss esangha but I don't miss the animousity in some posts between ppl. I'm glad you're here. So, is forum tugboat kind of a mod, of sorts. Instead of ships, you guide egos, perhaps? LOL Anyways, hello.
    PemaRangdol
  • crazy-nowisdomcrazy-nowisdom
    edited May 2010
    Tried e sangha a while back and the atmosphere wasn't very welcoming - I just read through a few posts here and I knew I had found a place to hang out.

    ...this is my way of saying that I really love the vibe here.
  • PemaRangdolPemaRangdol
    edited May 2010
    Gene Wilder reincarnate can it be true?!?!?! LOL Yeah esangha soured but back in the day ut was cool, too much fussin' and fightin' can rule a good thing, I hope the admins can keep the vibes good here while building a similiar scope of categories, maybe a little less bigger. Perhaps I'll start a haiku thread, which was very popular annd lotsa fun at esangha, I wasn't a mod/admin/critic/purist so ppl just posted/wrote anything they wanted to within limits of good taste.
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