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What has Buddhism done for you?

NirvanaNoobNirvanaNoob
edited October 2005 in Buddhism Today
What has Buddhism done for you? How has Buddhism influenced/changed your life?

Comments

  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited September 2005
    My typing has gotten much better.

    -bf
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Took me to India.
  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited September 2005
    Helped me become unafraid.

    Also, introduced me to the lovely Thai culture! :)
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Oh, and enlightenment, of course!
  • 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 September 2005
    It's made me think more, it's made me happier, and it's brought Reason to my madness...

    and a whole bunch of folks world-wide with whom to interact..... :)
  • KnightofBuddhaKnightofBuddha
    edited September 2005
    I think a little more reasonably now. Through meditation, I relieve strange anxiety attacks I have when I lose something. I have been more open to religious discussion and challenging things. Although my family doesn't like this much. I find myself in an overall better mood because of Buddhism.
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited September 2005
    What hasn't Buddhism done for me?

    I am an entirely different person today because of my practice. Without threats of punishment or bribes of rewards Buddhism has helped me to become a much happier and sober person. I do not need a reason to be kind, to live, to love, to help, to even exist. I just am. And for the first time in a long, long time I am content with that. It has also taught me that I do not need to be anything, to achieve anything, or be a slave to my desires.

    Buddhism is helping me to take off this metaphoric blindfold of ignorance so that I may see the world as it really is - Like waking up from a dream and realizing that it was only a dream, "Ah, so this is real. This is how it is. Just this thusness. What a scary dream, I thought I would never wake up!"

    Pretty soon I'll be able to look dukkha right in the eye and say, "You've been :PWNED: !"

    :)

    Jason
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited September 2005
    It has empowered me by making me realize that the choices I make (as well as the mistakes!) help me to learn and grow as a person. Also, I am finding that I am becoming more patient with others.

    Adiana :type: :mullet:
  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited September 2005
    I can vouch for Elohim - I've known him for years, and I will say that the person he is today is astoundingly and incredibly different from the person he was just ten short years ago. Today, I look up to him, respect his wisdom, and learn new things from him every day. He doesn't know it, but I consider him one of my teachers. Ten years ago? Well, let's just say "not so much" ;)
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited September 2005
    :lol: Thanks Brian. That means a great deal to me.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Well for me I have become the King of the Universe.
  • 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 September 2005
    So young... so impressionable.... so deposable.... *WEG*
  • 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 September 2005
    I'll tell you something Buddhism seems to have awoken in me; it's a paradox really....
    Here I am, practising to the best of my ability, trying to develop Univeral Compassion and Unconditional Love, and in doing this, I'm also trying to deepen mynunderstanding of the suffering ofmankind, his Blindness to what is 'Right' and his reluctance to reform...; it's distressing though.... and the more I try, the more I seem to become impatient with all the stupid, mindless, ignorant, pathetic, obstinate and stubborn Fellow Human Beings who just refuse to open their eyes and get a grip - !!
    Someone said the 'Humanity is infinitely teachable but very slow to learn'.... ain't that the truth!

    So I'm also working on my own intollerance now. (Kind of a mix between 'suffer the little children' and 'bah! Humbug!!')
    Anyone else find paradoxes in their Buddhism? Isn't this fun?
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Perhaps what you are experiencing, Fede., is the basic Buddhist paradox: a world of impermanence, stress and disorder arises from sunyatta, the emptiness that is filled with compassion.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited September 2005
    Actually what did the Buddha mean when he said that all forms of feelings are toxic except true joy that arises out of compassion? I know compassion is great of course... But what did he mean?
  • YogaMamaYogaMama
    edited September 2005
    Like others here, I will say "What hasn't Buddhism done for me?". So many wonderful things! I have only been studying Buddhism for a few months now, and I feel more "awake" than ever! I pay attention to things, I research things rather than just being a follower, I am just so much more mindful now in every way possible. It has made me more patient and just more loving to people I don't even know. And I care more about what is going on in this world. Before, I was the typical Ostrich - I just buried my head in the sand and pretended I did not know about all the bad things going on! I have so much more to learn, but Buddhism has just done so much for me already.
  • 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 September 2005
    Actually, I was thinking about this today, and I came to the conclusion that it's rather like when you first start to meditate - you become MORE aware of just how 'Monkey" the Mind is....before you meditate, it just doesn't figure - it's only when you sit back, notice and observe that you see just how manic the Mind is.... well, I figure that's the way it is with General Mindfulness and Practise.... before you become conscious of Right Everything, Life is unnoticed, and mundane.... it's only when you start watching yourself, and noticing the 'Rights & Wrongs' of yourSelf, that things become more Clear, more Evident....
    Still got work to do tho'.... and I still say it's fun...! ;):)
  • KBuckKBuck
    edited October 2005
    I would agree with Federica about the Monkey mind. I've found that when I'm alone, I often "script" confrontations, arguements and other unpleasant situations that aren't happening at that time, and may never happen. Just realizing that I'm doing that and stopping has saved me alot of grief. Just living in the present as it is, without thinking about past or future is a great benefit of buddhism I've realized.
  • harlanharlan
    edited October 2005
    Buddhism has given me a paradigm to understand who I am, and the world, and has brought some very lovely souls into my life.
  • TraceyLinMillerTraceyLinMiller
    edited October 2005
    Elohim, thats my script you're reading. My first great and wonderful benefit of chanting Nam myoho renge kyo was realizing that I am ok just as I am. I suffered a lot before than, was forever crying due to the tons of criticisms i got everywhere. Too tall, too smart, too everything. Now I am toooooooooooo glad to be me. Another thing is learning that everyone is the way they are to fulfill their particular purpose in this life time. They'll change when they get finished with that particular job.
  • TraceyLinMillerTraceyLinMiller
    edited October 2005
    Ajani, yeah that too. OOps I mean Queen of the Universe
  • TraceyLinMillerTraceyLinMiller
    edited October 2005
    Fredrica, lol yeah I think they were having lunch when brains, morals and common sense were issued. oops, damn my perfection slipped again!
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited October 2005
    Buddhism has brought Me Majesty to this wonderful forum! I hereby knight Brian as the Duke of NOTHINGham!!
  • CelebrianCelebrian
    edited October 2005
    Patience, happiness, compassion, things to think about, a way of life, clearer that what mine was before, friends, open-mindedness. I think patience is a big thing, and it leads to other things. I have learnt a lot, and discovered a love for eastern culture and places (especially Thailand!). Buddhist ideas, well, Buddhism itself has also helped me with my martial arts ^^. Oh, can't forget the interesting discussions at lunch time :D
  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited October 2005
    ajani_mgo wrote:
    Buddhism has brought Me Majesty to this wonderful forum! I hereby knight Brian as the Duke of NOTHINGham!!

    oh that's it! I'm honored! My new title is determined! :lol:
  • DharmaKittenDharmaKitten
    edited October 2005
    Buddhism has helped me put more balance in my life. Perhaps more importantly, it first taught me to aim for balance. As a Christian, I really got obsessed with being "perfect." I'm far from it, though, and that caused me to get very upset at myself. At times, I would even feel guilty for feeling happy. You might say that I equated "low-self-esteem" with being humble.

    Now, I'm much more comfortable with myself.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited October 2005
    I have a new discovery... I seem to be able to actually control my sense of perception by thinking in a certain way... I dunno if this is Buddhism but it's certainly dead useful.

    To feel sad when I'm happy, I just concentrate on "my life sucks"...
    To feel happy when I'm sad, I just concentrate on "my life rocks"...

    And I'm able to change the way I view things easily, a bonus for me as a computer programmer! :rockon:
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited October 2005
    'He insulted me,
    hit me,
    beat me,
    robbed me'
    — for those who brood on this,
    hostility isn't stilled.

    'He insulted me,
    hit me,
    beat me,
    robbed me' —
    for those who don't brood on this,
    hostility is stilled.

    Hostilities aren't stilled
    through hostility,
    regardless.
    Hostilities are stilled
    through non-hostility:
    this, an unending truth.

    Unlike those who don't realize
    that we're here on the verge
    of perishing,
    those who do.
    their quarrels are stilled.

    Dhammapada The Pairs

    Seems to me that this is a fairly common psychological insight.
    There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
    Shakespeare Hamlet

    It is an old argument, between the Classicists and the Romantics, in Europe: are we the owners or the slaves of our emotions? In the mercantile 20th Century, this simple fact (that we can change many of our emotions) has been turned into hundreds of 'self-help' books, to the enriching of publishers like Rupert Murdoch.

    The only really interesting aspect of the question is whether there is a limit to the possible alteration: can we change all and any emotion or are some 'hard-wired'?
  • AnahitaAnahita
    edited October 2005
    I was a kind of zealot about my ideas and opinions , it was how I had been taught , to not accept any new idea or even not let those pass my way but inside my heart I couldn’t avoid it . I wanted to see and know more about different realities and improving my POV in life by becoming more better in understanding ..but I wasn’t ready for facing with this truth .. I still don’t know what I will become in this new way or even I can be able to continue or not but I can say Buddhism helped me to open my eyes and realize the truth about life ..the one I was scared to see for years that caused me to feel more light hearted now .
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited October 2005
    "Lightness of heart", Anahita, is a gentle gift, to strengthen our resolve along the way. When fellow-pilgrims come to discuss their journeys with me, I always rejoice when they describe this part of the trek. There are so many dark moments and difficult times, but lightness of heart will get us through so much more than a heavy heart!
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