The Beauty of Buddhism (is it a state of mind or just the way things are)
mockeymind
Veteran
Practicing just last year gave rise to some questions. Why when we started to meditate, we begin just being "the observer", that judgement become less and less. And sometimes, I felt that my mind no longer thinks. It just sits there.
Another observation is that by practicing meditation, we begin to appreciate "silence" - I no longer enjoy in going to the mall and found parks are more attractive to me. Any place where I my mind find tranquility.
Lastly, I realized that my view of death is far different when I was a christian. The fear is gone, fear of a higher "Supreme Powerful God" will punish me for what I've done wrong, and send me to "eternal hell" My wife was a little "shocked" when I said - I no longer believe in a creator God, and that it is "we" that can determine our future existences. I am just being honest. I can no longer process that there is God capable of sending His own children to eternal damnation. If there is God who is compassion and merciful- I don't see any reason of condemnation just because we didn't just make it right this time.
Anybody who had the same experience?
Comments
That's good I think. As long as when it just sits there, there is still awareness and not a "zoning out". When I feel myself zoning out I still try to come back to whatever practice I'm doing.
I find that too.
There were a few reasons why none of that made any sense to me but it never did in the first place.
I'm not sure I want to go into that though.
Let's just say I don't see how a jealous and emotional deity could be considered enlightened, awakened or in any way supreme.
They lost me as soon as they let me feel compassion for the snake.
@mockeymind , it will probably come as no surprise to you, to know that many discussions on Christianity and the belief in God, have taken place here.
In a nutshell (I am understandably being brief) we don't appreciate strident proselytising on this board, by Christians who join with a view of arguing and conversion (very rare) and we don't always find it welcome or comfortable to encounter Christians in our day-to-day lives, who are similarly insistent, particularly those who make a point on knocking on our doors and 'intruding'.
Buddhists in general, do not preach or proselytise, on the basis that we need to get our 'own house' in order, before advising others their space needs a good spring clean....
All that said, if a person holds a particular Theistic belief, and they love their God, find comfort in their faith and hold onto those beliefs, that is their privilege, prerogative and fundamental right, no matter which religion they might follow.
Providing their practice does not subjugate, inhibit, coerce or impose on anyone else, maliciously or not, they are as much entitled to believe their dogma, as we have of following ours....
Your wife may find your current PoV surprising.
Do not attempt to sway her by reasoning and words.
Show her your new-found path is the one that works best for you, and demonstrate, through your living, how successfully you have adjusted to it.
Walk the talk, don't argue it.....
Hi @mockeymind. I think the beauty of Buddhism is the way we look at things while we're incarnated on this planet...it's impossible to see such beauty without looking at stuff from the 'right' angle and with proper perspective and attitude. Incidentally, did you really have to tell her you no longer 'believe' in the Christian God? I think the Buddha would've said or thought or quipped that it's not a contest and that the Christian 'God' was perhaps a man just like the Buddha with the same 'take' on things as the Buddha's but was misunderstood and had his words twisted. In the end, he wound up being considered 'a god' because people felt so strongly about what Christ did teach even without fully comprehending what he taught or was trying to teach the masses.
In essence, the Buddha once said it's no good to debate the theories and philosophies because there are many, each with their own faults.
@ourself @federica - my friend buddhist is a co-worker and he said the even those blissful experience should "go", not to be retained. I mean no need for a scoreboard tally. What happened now? I only know breathing and loving kindness meditation so far, how many meditation are there in buddhism? Is it recommend to find a teacher?
I have no Sangha and I found buddhism by just accident.
Ajahn Bram mentioned on one of his talks that believing or not (in God) is not that important. It is ones mind should be watched. It should be freed and should able to do investigation without fear.
Buddhism doesn't speak out is there any God or not. It's not that important. But Buddhists have those devas. I personally believe in God which is not combined to any religion. If someone gets a serious allergenic reaction of that God-word, it's not my problem.
I think some of the Bodhisattva or is it tantric vows say to not take refuge in a God.
Don't take a refuge in a God, nor in any religion! Follow your heart, which is the best and most honest way to live in this world. My worldview is based mostly in Buddhism, although that expression may sound wrong or weird.
(is it a state of mind or just the way things are)
-It seems to me when we practice we become aware of the way things "really are." It's as if a light (truth) is perpetually shining but we can only discern the truth if we choose/work/remember to open our eyes to it...
Wonderful!
Although I never subscribed to the idea of a creator god, mainly for the points you mentioned among others, practice has really helped me see a few things very clearly:
There are no gaps in space.
Everything is interconnected.
Perception is reality, and imbuing your state of mind with positive qualities improves everyone's life and depth of peace.
The universe is always making love.
Being able to simply sit with clear mind is so wonderful. It took me a long time to experience that even on a brief level, but with daily practice it really accumulates, so don't slack!
May goodness grow and grow, may insight deepen and deepen, and may all beings have the nutritive tastiness of deep meditation.
"The Beauty of Buddhism (is it a state of mind or just the way things are)"
Is there a difference ?
It can be either subjectively. What would it mean that it is the way things are? Isn't everything the way things are?
-I believe there is, and it's the reason why I practice. It seems to me if we don't take care we might find ourselves existing within an illusion. With respect to this point, Plato's Allegory of the Cave hits near the mark. To a lesser degree the film the Matrix touches on it, but of course it's a commercialistic rip-off of Plato's allegory...
So are you in or out of the illusion now @Will_Baker?
In this moment both (I still have work to do) but I am inclined to be out of it...
Don't we all.........................
"There was a young man who said though, it seems that I know that I know, what I would like to see is the "I" that knows me, when I know that I know that I know!"
Alan Watts
@mockeymind
I think.....
The beauty of Buddhism is it's illumination of how subjective all beauty really is and that the transcendence of such subjectivity is where sufferings cause really finds it's resolution.
And..
The Buddha did not interfere with anyone's religious doctrine or beliefs.
He simply taught 4 NT and the 8 FP as the truths that all were subject to.
What you trouble with, the Buddha did not seem to think was germane to his teaching.
My impression is not so much that I need silence, rather that I feel at ease both at the mall and in the park.
I can find tranquility in either.
Nirvana in Samsara.
I didn't really intend to fuel a fire (especially with your wife, lol) but to simply respond to your query. I'd recommend you keep on doing what you're doing how you're doing it.
If somebody asks me about my impression of Abraham and his deity they could very well get offended but that's just me. You did, after all, ask if we had similar experiences with being jaded.
Some people react the same way if asked about folks like Osho or Deepak Chopra and their ideas.
I have lived perfectly happy without a God, so if it was fine by the Buddha, to boot, it's fine by me.
Yes.
It is possible to take the peace and tranquility into bustle but that requires a maturing practice.
Here is what an Olde Codger famously said:
That's a good point @DhammaDragon ...Would meditation hold any real long term benefits if it could only be practised under certain conditions ie so called "Ideal conditions" in a tranquil idyllic setting... whereas on leaving this idyllic setting, all hell breaks loose again in the mind...One would just be creating a mental prison of sorts...
@Shoshin - I guess that is what Buddhism always trying to teach- To get in out in everyday life peacefully. No matter what our circumstances are, meditation teach us to look in a different way, enable us to end suffering or at least how to start dealing with them.
Prison seems broad in the practice. It is not necessarily mean physical but also mental or spiritual . Both Ajahn Chac and Bram perfectly illustrates that prison can be a state of mind- So it is the mind that defines what prison is.
It is possible to take the peace and tranquility into bustle but that requires a maturing practice.
Here is what an Olde Codger famously said:
Not so old....
Desiderata.
Yes, very similar. It's a fascinating journey.