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Dynamic or passive Buddhism ?
I've heard someone that Buddhism is a passive religion. I disagree with this opinion. I think Buddhism is dynamic religion, but it is just my thinking. I can't find any evidence support my argument. How about your opinions ? Can you support me ?
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We are in control of ourselves.
Other Theistic religions are more dynamic, because there is an element of Control and Power. An outside influence, governed and manipulated by Mouthpiece representatives who channel it in such a way as to organise followers into giving and offering a dynamic response.
And that - is just my view.
You said both, but can you present to me the dynamic position of the Buddhist ?
When I come to a pagoda, the monk there just tells me "calm down, sit here and relax,.." or "just breath, pay attention to your breath,.." or something like that.
Can I waste my life just for breath and sit down ? Can I do something ?
Dynamic/Passive, in comparison to what?
In what context?
To me, a dynamic Buddhist is one who leads an active and vigorous lifestyle, but incorporates the lessons of the Buddha, and his teachings and the Eightfold path in such a way as to evince comments from others that this person is commendable.
The Dalai lama to me is a Dynamic Buddhist. he has a high profile and is a shining example to others....
But simply because a Buddhist is 'passive', it does not make them ineffective.... does it?
You know the quotation, "They also serve who only stand and wait"?
Buddhism is certainly not "passive". Through our practice we are directly confronting and unraveling the very fabric of suffering in the world.
Dynamism does not require an outward show with lots of features flying to prove it is in motion. That would be shallow living, or simply skimming the surface of life. A good deal of what takes place in Buddhism, each Buddhist's heart, happens deeply within us, with an intensity that requires a lifetime of constant vigil. It is a quest.
Although the average person on the street may often appear to be continually busy, don’t be fooled. In good part, most people drift along seeking comfort, go along seeking to belong, and sleep walk through their lives of routine.
Buddhism takes our inner life by the horns, and requires answers, not just lip service or the comfortable jargon. We insist on ‘Waking Up,’ and thereby living more fully in touch with Reality.
And:
We require the only true freedom of Liberation. Is that not mentally dynamic?
At least that is my take,
S9
By its very nature, Buddhism is one of the most dynamic psycho/spiritual systems that exists in this world. There is nothing passive about it. It takes a hell of a lot of hard work, attention, courage, and sheer will, to practice this path to its fullest.
I understand the quotation, because in my language, I was taught how to wait.
But does "the seeker" mean who wait and stand ?
Dalai Lama is my the most idol. I love him because he's never give up teaching us.
We have happiness and we have to share it to others !
Will you love me if I never give up on teaching you? ; ^ )
Don’t you mean you love the Dalai Lama because he says all of the things you want to hear?
Both Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama are genuinely nice guys with a big dash of charm thrown in. Not everything you will come to see on your way to Liberation will be so easily digested, or understood, as what they tend to say.
Warm Regards,
S9
I have received traditional dharma teachings and empowerments from HHDL and can say that he is very serious, precise, and determined to give all his students the best chance for realization, and that certainly doesnt contain telling us the things we want to hear.
Please excuse me. : ^ )
I didn’t mean that the HHDL said things just because they sounded nice, or simply for Public consumption. What I meant to say is that, we often like certain leaders because they say things we agree with, and less frequently do we look into what people are saying that isn’t quite so agreeable, or so easily understood, as of yet.
I don’t believe that Buddhism should be all about seeking comfort in what we believe we already know, without any effort at stretching and growing.
We must not make any one person into an icon, no matter how charismatic or wise.
Respectfully,
S9
i agree with what you are saying. Many of us fall into the trap of taking what we like about the teachings and disregarding the things we dont. When we do this we end up with an incomplete practice and not much hope for real progress.
I think all of us are really hard to change (but we've changed ! Thanks to our Monks). I can imagine how difficult my instructor teach me. But Dalai Lama not only try hard, but also he have to face with Chinnese policy.
He's visited many countries and teach BuddhaDhama, he revised the active image of Buddha.
Ven. Nhat Hanh is ... adorable, but he is the same as my countries. When I relate to him, may be I make a bias.
I: I am quite stubborn, so it really hard to teach me!
S9: Not you are stubborn, Imnothere, but habits are stubborn and slow to change. This is surely true of all of us. I think it may be a good idea to stop identifying with these definitions.
I: If u could, and u do it very well, then I will love u too!
S9: We all teach each other. Every good teacher remains a student or he stops growing
I: I think all of us are really hard to change.
S9: Are we actually changing, or are we blooming like a beautiful rose? Does a seed change to a plant, and a plant change to a rose?
I: But Dalai Lama was not only trying hard, but also he had to face with Chinese policy.
S9: I think that it has been our great good fortune that Tibet was forced out of her isolation, and has spread her wings to fly away to every corner of this globe. We were thirsty for what She had.
I am only sorry that so many fine masters, sages, and their people had to suffer for this to come about.
I: Ven. Nhat Hanh is ... adorable, but he is the same as my countries. When I relate to him, may be I make a bias.
S9: Once I heard it explained that, in seeking love out in the world, we are not actually looking for another, but seeking ourselves in that other. Perhaps this is why we find agreement, so agreeable. ; ^ )
Warm Regards,
S9
Thanks a lot !
I dont know, but I imagine that the mindset of a Buddha is characterised by a position where such distinctions do not arise. There is simply stuff to do, and a clarity about how to do it.
I: I have an idea. Can you tell me that is just a dream or I can make it come true?
S9: Can you prove that it isn’t a dream or that I can’t make things happen?
Obviously, I can tell you that “pigs fly.” But would you believe me?
In the end, we must investigate for ourselves in order to change things for some guy’s opinion into personal experience.
Warm regards,
S9
C: Dynamic and passive are terms that grow out the language of dualism.
S9: All language is dualistic, and contained within the dualistic mind.
Liberation is ineffable and un-speak-able, or cannot be said.
C: I don’t know, but I imagine that the mindset of a Buddha is characterized by a position where such distinctions do not arise.
S9: I believe the Buddha saw beyond dualism, as you are saying. But He, like everyone, had a devil of a time relating what he knew to people who remained mind-bound.
Of course He was well spoken. But we, on the other hand, couldn't hear what He was relating.
I believe Buddha’s mind still knew the difference between up and down, and other dualistic distinctions. He simply (also) had more of an overview.
C: There is simply stuff to do, and a clarity about how to do it.
S9: Are you saying that he lived in a manner of seeing what was required from any one moment, and simply did it impeccably?
Respectfully,
S9
Before the Buddha, Moses taught the Torah (moral law, karma law).
Then came the Buddha, then Jesus, then Mohamed (PBOH).
If these beings could not create a perfect world, how can you?
And after Po finished his job, Shifu laid out and find out the real peacefulness.
I love this scene. I'm rather do it, finish it than just sit and wait for the fake peace !