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Some questions
Hello All! It's great to be here. I am considering Buddhism and this seems the place to be to get your questions answered. I know the answers to these questions could likely be found anywhere within this forum but I feel it best to ask here so I have an easy place for reference. I should mention that I am Christian, Roman Catholic to be exact. I notice there are many former Romans Catholics who practice Buddhism. My questions are how do I reconcile these beliefs to Buddhism. I have found little to know enlightenment in Christianity, however I do believe in Christ. It's a little complicated. I think an evangelical upbringing, and stringent Catholic rules have nearly ruined me. Always worried that I'm doing something wrong and when I am someone is watching. Anyway, enough of the ramble. Here are the questions.
1. What does Buddhism teach about an afterlife?
2. What does Buddhism teach about creation? If Buddhism is non-theistic then how is creation explained? Everything seems to have to have a beginning.
3. Some accounts I've read and people I've spoken with have claimed that meditation and chanting has greatly improved there lives in all areas. Is this possible? Keep in mind I'm not looking for a quick fix, I'm just looking for peace.
4. How does one learn to let go of bad habits, through meditation, such as, smoking, drinking, etc?
I thank you all in advance for you replies.
1. What does Buddhism teach about an afterlife?
2. What does Buddhism teach about creation? If Buddhism is non-theistic then how is creation explained? Everything seems to have to have a beginning.
3. Some accounts I've read and people I've spoken with have claimed that meditation and chanting has greatly improved there lives in all areas. Is this possible? Keep in mind I'm not looking for a quick fix, I'm just looking for peace.
4. How does one learn to let go of bad habits, through meditation, such as, smoking, drinking, etc?
I thank you all in advance for you replies.
0
Comments
The short answer for me was "I can't"... I had to first realize my beliefs were just that - beliefs. Then, once I realized that they could be wrong, and I could be wrong, it was easy. Your mileage may vary, and what worked for me may not work for you.
I'll let some of the scholars answer those first two. The third, I can definitely say "yes". Meditation has improved my life. Your username says it all - you are seeking peace. You can easily remain a devout roman Catholic and incorporate meditation into your everyday life. Chanting in Pali or Japanese bothering you? Replace the word "chant" with "pray" and chant the Lord's prayer, or just do the rosary, and consider it chanting. Peace is found within, but you have to look for it. It won't just come to you.
Letting go of bad habits is purely force of will. Meditation helps you learn to control your mind, which increases your willpower. This is my opinion, and surely someone more knowledgeable than me will come in and lay it all out for you
Again, welcome to our site
Hi Seeking,
Also welcome. The first thing you need to learn is that Buddhism, despite what you may think, isn't really a religion, at least not in the way you probably grew up thinking about religions. It's more a way of life. The Buddha never taught theology. He refused to discuss whether god or gods exist or don't exist. He just explained that that was immaterial to what he taught, and what he taught was how to attain liberation from suffering. So whatever your views on supreme beings or whatever, it's not important when it comes to the practice of Buddhism.
To answer your questions as best I can:
1) According to the Buddha, we don't just live one little life; we've lived countless lives in every form imaginable. He taught that we constantly take rebirth all through the six realms of existence (hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, jealous god and god realms). Where we are born depends on the karma we have accumulated in the previous life as well as the store of karma we take from life to life. Karma is simply the law of cause and effect. If you plant an apple seed, you get an apple tree, not a peach tree. If you plant the seeds of happiness, the harvest will be of happiness, and if you plant the seeds of suffering, the harvest will be of sorrow and suffering. What keeps us locked to the wheel of existence is our inability to see what it takes to achieve true happiness and liberation. What he taught is the method to do that.
2) Again, the Buddha didn't go into such questions. They were outside of what he taught. The problem isn't how did it all begin but where are we now. And when you get to understand Buddhism better, you realize that our notions of time and space are delusions based on the root delusion of "self" being separate from "other". This root delusion is what gives rise to desire, the mistaken belief that we lack something (which of course you would if you consider yourself separate from everything else), and desire is the root of all suffering.
3) Meditation allows us to relax our minds and get beyond our usual state of constant conceptual thought which impedes true perception. You're right, it's not a quick fix, but it does work.
4) Breaking negative habitual tendencies is mainly what Buddhism is all about. You do that principally by examining your mind and learning to tame it. Your problems do not come from outside; they come from your own mind. Learning to deal with your mind is what it's all about. The methods used depend largely on which flavor of Buddhism you decide is right for you. The Buddha, in his infinite wisdom, taught different methods for different people. They're all basically the same teaching but they're tailored to fit different types of people. Too much to go into here, so I'll leave it at that.
Please feel free to ask anything here. We do our best...
Palzang
I was raised, I still am raised Catholic. Compared to many others, my parents were quite liberal when it came to the modern social issues surrounding Catholocism. My Dad supported gay marriage, evolution, and an almost cynnical view of hierarchy. This obviously conflicted with what I was being taught and lead me to 'see for myself' what was out there to learn and believe.
I was quickly disenchanted with my faith after the 04 elections here in the states. People were far more concerned with deciding who should marry than with the disastrous state of affairs in Iraq. And within the past year, I have become an Atheist and what many atheists call a Secular Buddhist.
But enough about me, unto your questions. I realize Palzang has answered them with many more years experience to support them, but I feel it would not hurt to offer a slightly younger (teenaged young) view on this.
1) Palzang answered this one better than I could, but keep in mind that many western teachers of Buddhism (Lama Surya Das, Steve Hagen, Steven Batchelor) feel that a literal belief in rebirth is not necessary. Rather, an inquiring mind, an open mind, and the desire for liberation and happiness were more important. I include myself among them holding no particular opinion on the afterlife. Such speculation will get us nowhere and only leaving us confused.
2) Buddhism is not concerned so much with the past, future, creation, or endings, but Buddhism is truly based in the present. That is the moment that really counts. Being raised Catholic, undoubtedly you were presented with a linear concept of time. In the beginning...On the last day.... Buddhism will often be understood as having a cyclic concept of time (or no concept at all depending who you may ask) Arising and cessation in the cyclic sense are key concepts to liberation of the mind.
3) You are displaying a very good mindset common amongst Buddhists when you say you want peace. At the root of all human needs and wants, this is truly paramount. Meditation I feel is an excellent way of doing so. It serves as a terrific building block for noble action in this world. Because we really can't have peace in the world unless we first have peace within ourselves. I will attest to this as well as science that meditation can have extremely positive effects on the mind and the body. It allows us to have a deeper, intimate, and more honest relationship with ourselves paving the way for introspection and change.
4) I can't say it better than what Palzang said, but I will just reitterate a few things. Our dissatisfaction; we tend to think that it is all dependent on external conditions. But we really have it all backwards. Happiness or Unhappiness starts in the mind. It is all about whether or not we see this. Meditation helps us with this. By truly observing what causes us grief inside, we can tame it and gain self-mastery liberating us from the plague of dissatisfaction.
1. What does Buddhism teach about an afterlife?
That that useless idea gets in the way of the only life there is.
2. What does Buddhism teach about creation? If Buddhism is non-theistic then how is creation explained? Everything seems to have to have a beginning.
Does it? Really look and see if you can find the exact moment in time when anything begins. You won't find it. There is no creation.
3. Some accounts I've read and people I've spoken with have claimed that meditation and chanting has greatly improved there lives in all areas. Is this possible? Keep in mind I'm not looking for a quick fix, I'm just looking for peace.
There are probably hundreds of studies showing the benefits of meditation. None of those benefits really have anything to do with why Buddhism places such an emphasis on meditation. As for chanting - good exercise, interesting to give yourself too but much overrated.
4. How does one learn to let go of bad habits, through meditation, such as, smoking, drinking, etc?
I'll let you know after I've had a beer and a cigarette and thought about that question a little more.
I thank you all in advance for you replies.
Polite but risky.
All that follows is just my personal response, to you. I do not, nor ever would, claim to be a spokesperson for others....
I had been a practising and adherent RC for around 40 years before (for me) common sense clanged in. I discovered there could be no reconciliation of beliefs per se, although the Christian fundamental Good and Virtuous teachings correspond with those of Buddhism....
I too still believe in Christ. That is to say,I think he existed, but I cannot now accept that he is - or was - God.
Afterlife, in Heaven, with Souls? I Think the Buddha referred to some imponderables....this may be one of them. But for me, Re-Birth is more logical....I'm keeping an open and non-inquisitive mind on this one, and concentrating on the Here and Now.
'Seems' being the operative word..... The question to ask yourself (with any puzzle) is:
How relevant to me is this knowledge? What major difference would it make to me right now, whether I have an answer or not? Do I need to definitively know, for sure?
Then proceed accordingly. Either continue researching, or let it go.....
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has worked for years, with Scientific Bodies in their research of certain activities known to Buddhism (and other disciplines) If they collectively think it's a good thing -which they do, for all manner of reasons - then I'm not inclined to contradict.....
" Either 'Do' or 'Do Not' -There is no 'Try' " Your Will-power is something only you have control over. "'Tis half of the Cure to WISH to be cured". Use whatever you need, but the desire to change must underpin it....
Many of us know what you are going through, because we recognise in you, the 'Us' we once were. It gets better, but be diligent, patient and curious. Things will follow, believe me.
What if one feels they are in an unhappy marriage and that that marriage is sucking the very life out of them? You see, I'm in that boat right now as well. My RC experience tells me to stick it out and not get divorced, but the self in me tells me that if I stay where I am there is no hope for any kind of enlightenment, only darkness. I'm sure that Buddhism doesn't have a teaching about divorce, but this is very real in my life, or at least the possibility of it exists. To put a WWJD spin on it, I also don't believe Jesus would want anyone to be unhappy according to his teachings, but it was on his word that the RC frowns on divorce and especially remarriage after the divorce.
Sorry, I didn't mean to go off on that tangent. I'm just really tired of being unhappy and so completely depressed that I can't even do the simple things. Again thank you all for the responses. Where might I visit on this forum to find out more about the flavors of Buddhism and can anyone recommend some good books?
First, and most important, have you got someone to whom you can talk? Many of us here have been through marriages that have become unhappy, some of us from a Catholic background. Nothing was more vital for me, during my separations and divorce than my "soul friend" to whom I can say anything and from whom I get total honesty and unconditional support. Over the decades, we have disagreed on just about everything - makes no difference. We have even argued against dearly-held beliefs and plans but, once a decision is reached, we support wholeheartedly. It does help that we have language in common, both being baptised and confirmed (if "roaming") Catholics.
On the topic of Buddhism and Catholicism, some of us have found a middle ground, a height from which the Christ and the Tathagata are both visible: two guiding stars above a troubled sea. There are some interesting writings by Thomas Merton and Brother David Steindl-Rath.
You don't say how widely and at what depth you have studied your Catholicism. There is a difference in how to integrate or dicard your old beliefs.
There are thousands of pages of threads here which have addressed all sorts of questions about both Buddhism and Christianity but it is usually better to ask the questions as they arise. Most of us welcome the chance to share our own belief patterns and experiences again - I know I do. It is just so good to meet more people who are genuine seekers, real pilgrims.
No, I do not have someone I can talk to.
I have "studied" Catholicism all my life, but I have not always been Catholic. I converted to the Church about 5 years ago, but I know much about Catholicism. Before that I was raised in an evangelical environment that put the focus on staying out of hell. I was looking for a place that didnt' do that. The RC, as you know, does not put the focus on hell, but instead views hell as only a possibility and at the time this seemed very fitting and it worked.
The problem I'm having now is the constant struggle with Church teaching that I simply cannot agree with and my personal life, for lack of a better word, is in the toilet. As I said before I'm just so tired of the unhappiness, in fact I believe it's taking a toll on my health. I came to this forum from a link on another one in the hope of finding something that was more in the middle ground. Thank you for the book suggestions and I'm sure I'll have more questions as time goes by.
I was received into the Church at university so I know a bit about becoming a Catholic and I taught at a Jesuit school and lived in an Irish parish so I encountered 'cradle Catholicism'. As I made Buddhism a more and more important part of my spiritual journey, I came to realise that the process had similarities with my journey to the Church.
Both arose from my deep sense of the meaninglessness of my life which seemed so messed up as to be irredeemable. In both cases, my interest was sparked by the statements, both by Jesus and the Buddha, that life is unsatisfactory but there is a way out. In Catholicism, I found the notion of reconciliation and communion allied to service. My problem was that more was asked of me than I was able to give: criticism, 'excommunication' and a voluntary abdication of the personal critical faculty in favour of Authority and the "teaching magisterium". For years, I was able to find some comfort in the marginal regions of the Church, where science was given its true place and intellectual honesty is still valued.
Coming across Thich Nhat Hanh's work sent me back to the books that I had read many years before and I began a new stage of the journey.
What I've learned over the years seems to echo what you've said here. I have a deep respect for the Church in the fact it has retained so much for so long, however in my conscious mind I realize that neither the Church and especially the magisterium can save me. I've also learned that what a priest will say before a parish congregation is often completely opposite of what he'll tell you in the privacy of his office. My priest supports divorce if one is unhappy and the marriage is irretrievably broken, but he would not be able to say that publically. He, like all of us, is just a person, with beliefs that don't always fall in line with what the Church teaches or possibly what anyone teaches.
I look forward to my new journey and hope that I can truly find peace.
Your story is much like most of ours. We for the most part came from Christian or Jewish backgrounds seeking something else because we weren't getting what we needed where we were. The way that most of us started out, and what I would recommend to you, is read a lot of books, if you're near any Buddhist centers or temples, visit them, try them out, see if they "fit" or not. Thich Nhat Hanh is a good place to start. I also have some favorites you might check out, like The Myth of Freedom by Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, What the Buddha Taught by Walpole Rahula, and The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. There are many more out there, some better than others, but most probably worth a read. Just follow your heart.
As for the different "flavors" of Buddhism, don't let that throw you. Just keep an open mind, try different styles and see what fits you. I started out in Zen but ended up in Tibetan Buddhism. It's what fit me the best, but it took a while to find that out. Just be patient. There is a saying in Buddhism that when you are ready to find your teacher, your teacher will appear. No need really to "push the river".
The various schools and lineages of Buddhism generally fall into three categories, although the lines of demarcation aren't that solid and the overlaps significant. As I said before, there is only one teaching and one teacher, but the form differs for the sake of sentient beings who may be able to hear the teachings better in one form than another.
- Theravadan Buddhism is characterized by moral discipline where you learn to tame your mind by following the moral discipline taught by the Buddha.
- Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Buddhism is characterized by the Bodhisattva way of life, that is, dedicating your life to the liberation of all sentient beings ahead of your own personal liberation.
- Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle), usually considered a subcategory of Mahayana, uses tantric methods to purify one's poisons into enlightened qualities in a direct, rapid manner.
- Zen is sort of a category all itself, a lineage "outside of the scriptures" as they describe themselves, which also employs a direct approach to cutting through discursive thought to arrive at realization directly. It mainly emphasizes meditation.
But as I said, this is an oversimplistic characterization intended solely to give you some feel for the way each approaches Buddhism. The best way for you to find out, again, is to experiment, try them on for size, and listen to your heart. It will tell you which way to go.Again, best wishes on your search!
Palzang
I came to Buddhism from a Christian background too. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever "left" the Christian background enitrely, it just looks rather different from the way I used to see it. Oddly, a lot of Jesus' teachings seem to have resonated more for me since starting to learn about Buddhism. I particularly enjoyed a book called Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit by Robert E Kennedy, who is a Catholic priest and a Zen teacher. It might be better to learn about what Buddhism teaches, first, I suppose, but coming from a Catholic background you might find his work as helpful as I did.
As for whether to divorce or not (and I've been through a painful divorce) my not very helpful view is that I don't think long term you can either stay in or leave a marriage becuase some religion or other authority tells you it's "moral" or "right" to do one or the other: I think you have to find the answer within yourself. And it won't be easy.
Martin.
You've come to Buddhism seeking the same thing I sought; peace and relief from suffering. I detached, with love, from my Catholicism many years ago, though, so I started down this path with a fairly clean slate. But your journey echoes that of so many others on this board and I hope you find some peace and comfort here.
There's not very much I can add to the responses you've already received except perhaps to point to the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, the foundation of the Buddha's teachings. You can look them up with Google to get a start right away if you haven't already purchased some books on Buddhism. Find out what the Noble Truths are and start from there. I've been studying and practicing for a few years now and I still find myself contemplating the First Noble Truth in new ways all the time. The First Noble Truth states that there is suffering (or dissatisfaction, incompleteness, etc.) in this world. Not continuously, of course. But it's there. It sounds like such a simple thing but every few weeks I discover another layer, another understanding, another angle to it. So start there and see how it goes.
I can hear a bit of desperation in your posts, a feeling of being trapped and a deep exhaustion. Sometimes, when we find ourselves at such a level of suffering, a good thing to do is to let go and let the gentle current carry you for a little while. Your feet are pointed in the right direction so you can relax a bit now and place all your worries and pain in a cradle of compassion and just let go. Everything is impermanent, even the suffering you're experiencing right now. You will find the peace you're seeking. It could be right around the next corner.
So feel welcome here. This is a good place to ask questions and to find answers, and it's a safe and soft place to fall.
Brigid
Christianity is full of ppl all expecting christianity to fit their personal expectations, the christian faith becomes little more than personal interpretation. A group of individuals trying to presume and dictate gods will.. What many people forget is that God belongs under no banner.. and this is the reason why i don't trust the judgement of anyone who claims to be a christian.
I do not comprehend many aspects associated with buddhism.. such as re-incarnation.
But this doesn't matter, Buddhism is just living.. theres no division.. it makes things easier
LOL!!!
Welcome to our site, by the way!
Well guess what? .....you do now......
i would like to ask questions of my own in this thread.a few days ago my friend asked me about afterlife in buddhism.he told me at first he was impressed by the reincarnation concept in buddhism,i told him that buddhism reincarnation is not soul transfer.he asked me if there's no soul in buddhism so who are in heaven or in hell. with my limited knowledge i couldnt answer what is transferred then.i know this topic has been discussed before in this forum,but please tell me once again.cause my friend impression is that buddhism is more or less nihilism.
he felt that buddhism less spiritual than catholic, cause in catholic once he felt so near with god, i told him maybe it's just a euphoria.and he also felt that buddhist teaching is 'shallow' cause it emphasize more on the 'now' or 'this life',i didnt answer that we cant change our past, and our future is depend on what we are doing now.
at last i told him if buddhism doesnt suit him,maybe he could find another one that would suit him. thank you all in advance.
mettacitena
Taking rebirth in (not reincarnation, rebirth) in the hell realms or the god realms is no different than taking birth in the human or the animal realm. The Buddha described six different realms of existence, and the nature of cyclic existence is that we constantly cycle through all the realms dependent on the karma we create for ourselves.
As for your friend's comment that Buddhism is nihilistic or shallow, obviously that's not the case. In Buddhism you find that you have complete control over your life. You don't have to depend on some mythical external god to solve all your problems or to blame your problems on. You're in control. Nobody else, just you. That's neither nihilistic or shallow. Rather it's extraordinarily empowering. Xianity, in comparison, is a weakling's religion because you give up all your power to external forces, god, Jesus, whatever you want to call it.
Palzang
Thanks for the respect, Palzang.
Palzang
well i mean, you can't know anything without realising it.. and i don't think you can believe in it without realising it.. As you said you can't answer his question's.
So do you believe in it? if so why?
i don't have much knowledge of it, so comprehending or saying i believe in it, would not be me speaking, but rather me trying to indentify myself as a 'buddhist'.
Buddhism is a label given to the teachings, there is no buddhism in reality.. Everyone can benefit from the teachings, nihilism is another label..
Someone who talks about being a catholic, has reached little realisation on any subject..
its like i can turn christian faith 'on and off' like a light bulb. Its so easy for me.. to temporarily become all jesus faithy...
the thing thats always important is not to attach yourself to things like this. Be yourself, thats something most cannot comprehend and your friend sounds at 1st glance like the classic person with an indentity problem. Hell and heaven lol.. these don't exist cept save your head.
There are no paths,.. no christian path, no islamic path, no buddhist path.. There is just your path
Albert Schweitzer
Mother Theresa
Dather Peter Damian
Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer
just four examples of weaklings from different Christian traditions.
True, Palzang, Christianity teaches that the Christ is to be found among the weak, the excluded, the rejected, the marginalised.
But that wasn't what you meant, was it?
I think it unlikely that an 'argument' based on insulting the opponent will achieve equanimity or agreement.
Demographically, "most" of those calling themselves Buddhist are probably also "really practicing magical thinking, not anything evenly remotely similar to what (the Buddha) taught." However this may be, it in no way changes the truths that the Buddha taught, any more than the literalist Christianity changes the truths of the Sermon on the Mount.
A poor debating position, I fear: no founder would also be a follower. Gotama was no Buddhist, Mahomet no Muslim and Jesus no Christian. It would be historical and contextual nonsense. It also runs away from the questions that Angulimala asks.
It has been my experience that we can only achieve dialogue if we find somewhere to start on which we agree, and the fact that we are out of control of our lives is a pretty good place. The dialogue stops, however, if we then go on with assertions of superiority. But you may not want dia;logue, Palzang. You may want to vent your own spleen against a local and recent variant of Christian faith.
On an entirely personal note, I would say that I find the tone and content of these recent comments by you, Palzang, to be calculatedly offensive. No amount of back-pedalling and appeals to distinctions between "Christianity" and the churches changes the words that you used.
Is it weak to go to the Buddha for Refuge?
Is it weak to go to the Dharma for Refuge?
Is it weak to go to the Sangha for Refuge?
Why comment on Christianity at all when you have such a derogatory view of it? The questions that were asked were not "how do I attack my Christian friend?" They appear to me more about "what do the Buddha and Buddhism teach on these points?" For cause, the Buddha had nothing to say about Christian, Muslim or, even, Jewish beliefs. His teachings stand on their own and need no bolstering by disrespect to others' faiths.
I can only imagine that you wrote these things when in a singularly uncomfortable place and I hope that you will consider the words that you posted, elsewhere, by the Dalai Lama, whose gift to me of a Christian diptych is among my most treasured possessions:
Palzang
Accepted, Palzang-la. It breaks my heart that people should have lied to you and used you. I hope that, some day, I can help to show you that all Christians are not the same as those.
It occurs to me, seeking, that you may be very interested in what the Buddha called the Brahmaviharas or divine abidings as a form of prayer to give a try. This serves partly as a bridge for you between your belief in Christ and the teachings of Buddhism. It certainly seemed to form a bridge between the Buddha and the theists of his time and place. Here's a link to a couple of discourses on the topic, which you may find also contains some little bit of the Buddha's teaching on the afterlife, also.
Sankha Sutta
Brahmavihara sutta
As for your pointed questions, I would like to contribute. Forgive me if it gets overly long or if I don't explain well:
1. The Buddha's teaching on the afterlife was twofold. Firstly, he agreed with the religious milieux who taught that we live more than this single life in our current form. He taught that beings come to be and pass on to the next life according to their morality, the nature of their deeds and mentality. The stock expression of this teachings goes like this: "'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are priests & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is the right view that has fermentations, sides with merit, & results in acquisitions."
This brings us to the second aspect of the afterlife that the Buddha taught. The emphasis of the teaching I just cited is on the cultivation of good acts in favor of a good, happy rebirth. But the Buddha's insight into the whole cycle of rebirth was an ultimately unfavorable one: all existence is ultimately suffering. He called the former view right view siding with fermentations, siding with merit, resulting in acquisitions. So he taught that there is a higher path, a path that transcends existence as this or that being (acquisitions), a path which puts an end to rebirth and wandering dissatisfied from here to there in existence.
2. Buddhism does not teach about creation, but rather about perpetuation. This is a practical matter. For the Buddha the round of existence is fraught with the problem of death. Our current situation is one of being right in the middle of this cycle, and one in which we are the principle actors in the perpetuation of it. A simile occurs to me, rough as it is. Let's say we're driving around in a noisy old car. The heater is broken and blasts hot air at us, the windows don't roll down and it is all very unpleasant after a while. It doesn't give us any relief to think about or even to know about how the car was made. If we want relief, we have to have some understanding about our role in perpetuating our own discomfort. Put simply, all we have to know is that we can take our foot off the gas, hit the brakes, and get out of the car for relief from the noise and the heat. When we put that into action, we have done more for our own welfare than any thoughts, however correct, about the origin of our vehicle would have accomplished. So the question is never how did this thing ultimately begin, but rather how do I stop this thing--a very practical approach, do you see?
3. You may encounter many different forms of and opinions about meditation. There is a strong following of people who want meditation to improve their lives, and actually this is ok. But it is not fully Buddhism. Remember the twofold teaching I mentioned in number 1? Can you see the resemblance in attitude to the "right view with fermentations, siding with merit, and resulting in acquisitions?" Buddhist meditation is mainly about improving your own mentality whether or not this has much of an affect on your life as it is--to want your life to be better, while it comes from what I would say is a wholesome ambition, is misguided. Buddhist meditation is more about detaching from wrong views, from attachments which cause you suffering both directly and indirectly, and ultimately about finding that higher place which you will find has nothing to do with this life or the next, but is transcendent and more truly at peace than anything you have ever known.
4. Mindfulness. One of the ways we define mindfulness is a poise of mind in which we do not forget our own wholesome nature. Indulgence in bad habits is a kind of forgetfulness, do you see that? Sometimes people say "remember not to forget". Since one of the meanings of the Buddhist word for "mindfulness" is memory, this is a good way to think about mindfulness. But, touching on what I just said in answer to 3, it is not just to "be good" that we try to dwell in mindfulness of our wholesome nature and remember not to fall into bad habits. That would be acquisitive, merit-making attitude--just wanting to have a perfect life. So, mindfulness has a higher purpose: mindfulness also happens to be the direct way to correct Buddhist meditation which has transcendence rather than nice living as its goal. One of the things we bear in mind as our mindfulness practice is the impermanence and unsatisfactoriness of everything we cling to as our life or the contents of our life (isn't a smoking and drinking habit about clinging to certain kinds of experiences), and yes, ultimately that even includes being a "good person"! It is intuitive and hard to teach...it's something one has to find on one's own! "Do not attach to anything in this world" is a good guide...
in friendliness,
V.
celebrin,
the answer is i dunno, but it seems it makes sense to me than the other theories.
Thank you for this wonderful information and the links Vacchagotta! I'm learning and seeing more everyday. I'll definitely check this out.
The Buddha often addressed topics such as these, but they must be properly understood within the context of suffering and its cessation. In other words, he did not address these issues in order to formulate them into a belief system, but he addressed them in order to reach the goal of Nibbana. For example, there is one Sutta where the Buddha tells a story about the beginning of life on this world (DN 27). Nevertheless, in the end, the story was used to illustrate how Dhamma is best in this world and the next, and that the way to liberation is beyond caste and lineage.
When people new to Buddhism discover the Buddha’s teachings, they are often confused as to the purpose of those teachings. As most religions deal with such topics as G_d, the creation of the world and the universe, the meaning of life, et cetera, when people become interested in the Dhamma the first thing they want to know is where the Buddha stood on these issues. Those people usually get disappointed when they learn that the Buddha considered such questions unskillful and not worth asking. Buddhism, as they soon come to discover, is something quite different from what they would normally expect from most religious institutions. The obvious question then would be, just what did the Buddha feel was skillful and worth asking?
The answer is complex, but the Buddha begins by starting out with an observation—there is suffering and stress present in our lives, and what exactly is it that is suffering—birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, despair, associating with the unloved, separation from the loved, and not getting what is wanted is suffering (SN 56.11).
Once this suffering and stress is known, one should then inquire as to their cause. The origination of this suffering and stress, we are told, is craving—the craving that makes for further becoming — accompanied by passion and delight, relishing now here and now there — i.e. craving for sensual pleasure, for becoming, for non-becoming (SN 56.11).
The next question that we are encouraged to ask is, is there and end to the suffering and stress that is present in our lives. Fortunately, the answer that the Buddha gives us is yes. Nibbana, the remainderless fading and cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, and letting go of that very craving, is the end to this suffering and stress (SN 56.11).
Finally, we must ask what the way leading to this end of suffering and stress is. To this question the Buddha gives us the prescription for the cure to the dis-ease of suffering—The Noble Eightfold Path, which is divided into Right View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration (SN 56.11).
Essentially, the question of suffering and its end is the foundation for the practice handed down to us by the Buddha. Specific teachings and practices are then integrated into the path in order to give us the necessary tools and understanding to reach this goal. At the beginning, however, all that needs to concern us is whether this sounds like a path worth traveling. If it does, then the right question to begin with is, “What when I do it will be for my long-term welfare and happiness?” The answers to that question will eventually lead one the subjects of what the Buddha called appropriate attention such as, “This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress...”
These are difficult questions to answer. For one reason, they would take forever to fully explain. All that I can say is that meditation, observing the precepts, studying the teachings of the Buddha, and attending retreats have greatly improved the quality of my life. I am a very different person than I was before beginning my practice approximately five years ago.
I went from drinking, smoking, abusing drugs, lying, stealing, et cetera to refraining from these things. It was not through magic, however, but through hard work and the arising of wisdom. Once I was able to see the harm these things were doing, that they did not relieve my suffering, and the possibility of something more worthwhile that could, I was able to slowly drop them one by one.
I have not perfected my morality (sila), but I have made great strides in that direction one step at a time. I firmly believe that anyone can do the same; nevertheless, it usually takes a great deal of guidance, motivation, and effort in order to make these changes. I still struggle with many, many things, but I have laid down smaller burdens, so I know it is possible.
Best wishes,
Jason