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A beginner's take on Buddhism.

sndymornsndymorn Veteran
edited February 2011 in Buddhism Basics
In my early exploration of Buddhism, I am developing certain opinions. I ask that you disabuse me of these random notions as you will.

1. Buddha was a man not a god.
2. Karma, while it may exist is not my concern and not worth a lot of my thinking.
3. Desire is a positive attribute, craving is negative.
4. Meditation is necessary for most people to progress in their practice.
5. Buddhism is not a religion, it is a practice.
6. Kindness is essential, contagious and is returned to the distributer.
7. Buddhists are not pacifists.


Comments

  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    The drift is about right. Just don't imagine you could be right. :)

    Best wishes.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    Sit lightly to all your opinions and spend time reflecting on the Noble Truths. Above all, trust that Third, that there is a way out of stress. Once you are prepared to trust that and to practise the Fourth, the Noble Eightfold Path, you may be surprised how little opinions matter.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited February 2011
    @sndymorn,

    Re 2. Well it does play an important role, if you're talking about the teachings on karma that deal with our our present karma (thoughts, speech and actions) which is what's responsible for where we end up mentally. Skillful karma now is what's required to awaken to reality.

    Re 5. It's good to view it that way, though really the Buddha's teachings are the truth and way to the truth... "Buddhism" is the religious form of those teachings taking root within culture and being propagated traditionally.

    Re 7. Advanced practitioners are in fact pacifists, and we are encouraged to practice non-violence (ahimsa) until through our practice this is natural to us.
  • sndymornsndymorn Veteran
    The drift is about right. Just don't imagine you could be right. :)

    Best wishes.
    This makes me smile
  • 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 February 2011
    1. yes
    2. whatever.
    3. possibly. Arguable.
    4. You think? Oops....
    5. Yes. And no.
    6. I'd go with that.
    7. depends.




  • sndymornsndymorn Veteran
    1. yes
    2. whatever.
    3. possibly. Arguable.
    4. You think? Oops....
    5. Yes. And no.
    6. I'd go with that.
    7. depends.




    In response to your response:
    1, and 3: O.K.
    2: I won't mention this anymore.
    4: I'll take that as a yes
    5: I'll take that as a "maybe you better go find out for yourself"
    6: even the" returned to the distributer " part?
    7: Pacifist... one who does not believe in committing violence of any sort. Can one commit violence without believing in it? On what does it , in your word, "depend"?
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Don't crave desire, nor desire craving :)
  • sndymornsndymorn Veteran
    1. yes
    2. whatever.
    3. possibly. Arguable.
    4. You think? Oops....
    5. Yes. And no.
    6. I'd go with that.
    7. depends.




    In response to your response:
    1, and 3: O.K.
    2: I won't mention this anymore.
    4: I'll take that as a yes
    5: I'll take that as a "maybe you better go find out for yourself"
    6: even the" returned to the distributer " part?
    7: Pacifist... one who does not believe in committing violence of any sort. Can one commit violence without believing in it? On what does it , in your word, "depend"?
    Oh, wait, I am slow... For #7 it is how the perpetrator feels about the act ,no? That is what it depends on. One can dispatch another without any feeling what so ever and it would therefore not be violent.

    Help me, I'm sinking

  • CloudCloud Veteran
    For #7 it's only "bad karma" if done intentionally.
  • 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 February 2011
    Buddhists are pacifists but self-defence is permissible. if someone's coming at you with a club-hammer, defending yourself - even if it means whacking them across the bridge of the nose with a handy broomstick - is acceptable.
    I deplore initiating violence. I applaud anyone who is brave enough to stand up to an aggressor.
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    In my early exploration of Buddhism, I am developing certain opinions. I ask that you disabuse me of these random notions as you will.

    1. Buddha was a man not a god.
    2. Karma, while it may exist is not my concern and not worth a lot of my thinking.
    3. Desire is a positive attribute, craving is negative.
    4. Meditation is necessary for most people to progress in their practice.
    5. Buddhism is not a religion, it is a practice.
    6. Kindness is essential, contagious and is returned to the distributer.
    7. Buddhists are not pacifists.
    1. True. But "god" is just a word. By some definitions, buddha was/is god. But buddhists don't generally view it that way. God implies superiority. The buddha is not superior.
    2. At least understand that if you do good things, good things will happen to you, and vice-versa.
    3. Desire is neither positive or negative. It is simply natural. Craving is "negative."
    4. Meditation is very helpful.
    5. "Religion," "practice." They're just words. Buddhism is just buddhism.
    6. Karma
    7. Buddhists can be anything. Ideally, a buddhist wouldn't go around looking for trouble.
  • sndymornsndymorn Veteran
    Buddhists are pacifists but self-defence is permissible. if someone's coming at you with a club-hammer, defending yourself - even if it means whacking them across the bridge of the nose with a handy broomstick - is acceptable.
    I deplore initiating violence. I applaud anyone who is brave enough to stand up to an aggressor.
    Would you give another example from the macro level... on the world stage?
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    I'd assume trying to save Jews from the Nazi war machine would be a noble cause.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    I'd assume trying to save Jews from the Nazi war machine would be a noble cause.
    If backward time travel were possible, yes. :)
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    Would you give another example from the macro level... on the world stage?

    ---

    Tried to be as literal as possible, Mountains.
  • 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

    Would you give another example from the macro level... on the world stage?
    No.
    Buddhists don't currently operate in this world on any significant macro level....
    But maybe the uprising in Tibet in an effort to protect it from the Chinese invasion in the 50's would be an apt comparison.

  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Saving 6 million Jews from the Nazis is no different at its core than moving an earthworm from the path of your shovel when you're planting flowers. It's just a matter of degrees. It's all good :)
  • sndymornsndymorn Veteran
    Thank you all..
    Fede, thank you

    On a side note, I believe the Chinese "empire " will not last much longer and Tibet will be free. I hope both these events occur in my lifetime.


  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    In my early exploration of Buddhism, I am developing certain opinions. I ask that you disabuse me of these random notions as you will.

    1. Buddha was a man not a god.
    2. Karma, while it may exist is not my concern and not worth a lot of my thinking.
    3. Desire is a positive attribute, craving is negative.
    4. Meditation is necessary for most people to progress in their practice.
    5. Buddhism is not a religion, it is a practice.
    6. Kindness is essential, contagious and is returned to the distributer.
    7. Buddhists are not pacifists.


    1. Buddha possessed the form of a man, As he was born into human existance, He was not a god as he arose in dependence upon causes and conditions that one can apply the label human rebirth to.
    2. One should be concerned with Karma as to the extent that one suffers and causes suffering for self and others because of the unskillfull actions created, One should be concerned with ceasing the creation of negative karma and purifying what negative karma we have, We should also always make it as our practise that we collect positive karma for the future by engaging in virtuous actions.
    3. Desire is an aspect of a uncontrolled mind, Desire is a mind that leads us toward suffering as it imputes qualities upon the objects it craves which the objects themselves do not really have.
    4. Meditation is single pointed concentration upon an object is we are to accomplish the path to liberation and enlightenment we definitly need to apply meditation.
    5. Buddhism has religious aspects to it, Its main aspect is taming the mind and ceasing suffering.
    6. Of sorts yes.
    7. Some are some arent, Buddha teaches that harming others is an unskillfull action that will not create the causes for happiness.



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