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Thanks, A big question how do you know which sect is for you? My cousin can only tell me of the Vajrayana traditions. I've meet others with who are in different sects. I am only reading the Dalai Lama books that is because he is well known and it was a recommendation by my cousin.
I think the only way to answer that question for yourself is to try out different flavors of Buddhism until you find the one that suits you. It is taught that the Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma three times, giving rise to many variations on the one teaching that he taught, so that sentient beings of different propensities could be able to find one form that suited their particular mindset. For example, I started out in Zen and later found that Vajrayana more suited my temperament (love the Crazy Wisdom stuff). Nanadhaja went from Vajrayana to Theravada. So sometimes it takes a while. But that's OK. That's exactly what the Buddha taught to do, take your time, check it out before you make a commitment.
It's ironic that while most religions lag way behind science and often teach counter to it (viz. Christine O'Donnell and evolution! :eek:), as you point out, with Buddhism it's quite the opposite. Science is way behind Buddhism! I was just reading the other day about the answer that the Buddha gave to some question (I forget exactly what the question was, but some very, very tiny measurement was involved), and the answer that he gave, if you multiply it out, gives a distance almost exactly equal to the diameter of a carbon atom! Plus his teachings on infinite universes and the nature of time and space were light years ahead of quantum mechanics. You might want to check this article out.
The Buddha was competing for the hand of a maiden against other suitors, and they were given different tests - physical and mental. One test was to determine the number of atoms (anu) in a lojana (a unit of distance).</O:p
Buddha’s discourse on metrology
“A hundred kotis is called ayuta;
100 ayutas=niyuta;
100 niyutas=kankara;
100 kankara=vivara;
100 vivaras=aksobhya;
100 aksobhyas=vivaha;
100 vivahas=utsanga;
100 utsanga=bahula;
100 bahula=nagabala;
100 nagabalas=titila;
100 titilas=vyavasthanaprajnapti;
100 vyavasthanaprajnaptis=hetuhila;
100 hetuhilas=karahu;
100 karahus=hetvindriya;
100 hetvindriyas=samaptalambha;
100 samaptalambhas=gananagati;
100 gananagatis=niravaravadya;
100 niravaravadyas=mudrabala;
100 mudrabalas=sarvabala;
100 sarvabalas=visamjnagati;
100 visamjnagatis=sarvasamjna;
100 sarvasamjnas=vibhutangama;
100 vibhutangamas=tallaksana”
<O:p
<O:p</O:p“Now with the numeration called tallaksana one could take even Meru, the king of mountains, as a subject of calculation and measure it. And next is the numeration called dvajagravati; with the help of this numeration, one could take all the sands of the river Ganges as a subject of calculation and measure them.
Above this is the numeration called dvajagranisamani; and above this is the numeration of vahanaprajnapti; next comes the numeration called inga; above this is the numeration of kuruta.
Again above this is the numeration called sarvaniksepa, with the help of which one could take the sands of ten Ganges rivers as a subject for calculation and measure them all.
And again above this is the numeration called agrasara, with the help of which one could take the sands of a hundred kotis of Ganges rivers as a subject of calculation and measure them all. And again above this is the highest numeration called uttaraparamanurajahpravesa, which is said to penetrate the most subtle atoms. Except for a Tathagata, or a Bodhisattva who has reached the purest essence of enlightenment…”
<O:p</O:p
Arjuna [the great mathematician further] said: “Young man, how must one proceed in the numeration which penetrates the dust of the most subtle atoms?”
(Bodhisattva discourse on sub-molecular metrology)
“Seven subtle atoms [molecules?] make a fine particle
7 fine parts=small part.
7 small parts=vatayanaraja
7 vatayanaraja=sasaraja
7 sasaraja=edakaraja
7 edakaraja=goraja
<O:p7 goraja=liksaraja [7 specks of dust stirred up by a cow=1 poppy seed]
7 liksaraja=sarsapa [7 poppy seeds=1 mustard seed]
7 sarsapa=adyava [7 mustard seeds=1 grain of barley]
7 adyava=anguli [7 grains of barley [must be determinable!]=1 phalange or digit or knuckle!]
12 anguli=parva [handspan or span or half cubit!=12 fingers]
2 parva=hasta [CUBIT=2 spans!] [Greek cubit was also composed of 24 fingers=2 spans]
4 hasta=dhanu [4 CUBITS=1 arc or 1 bow; similar to our fathom=about 2 meters]
1000 dhanu=krosa (of the country of Magadha) [4000 CUBITS =~about 1 mile]
4 krosas=yohana [16000 CUBITS; see Page 231!] ~3 miles? [How many “subtle atoms= 1 cubit?
(7^10) x (12 x 2) = 6,779,405,976. = 1 hasta = 1 cubit
A cubit divided by over 6 billion parts!
1 [span] = 3,389,702,988 subtle atoms!=1 parva
1 [finger or knuckle] anguli = 282,475,249 subtle atoms!
This is very close to the answer that modern science comes up with.
My name is Gerard from the Netherlands. My Buddhist interest has started a year or five ago and since then i have read a lot of internet articles and a couple of Buddhists books. I don't call myself a Buddhist. Its more that I use Buddhism to make life much more easier.
I came here because there are not a lot of active Dutch messages boards around to discuss Buddhist topics. So I'm hope to pimp my English writing and my Buddhist knowledge over here
Hi! Another newbie here. I've been lurking around for a while and thought I better actually post something.
Anyway, my name is Jennifer and I've been interested in Buddhism on and off for years (well, not that many years since I'm only just turning 21 now), but haven't really made any real efforts to apply it to my life until recently. I've also only just started meditating on a daily basis within the last month. (yeah... told you I was a newbie, to this forum, to Buddhism, and really, to life in general).
I never really know what to say in these introduction posts...
Hi! Another newbie here. I've been lurking around for a while and thought I better actually post something.
Anyway, my name is Jennifer and I've been interested in Buddhism on and off for years (well, not that many years since I'm only just turning 21 now), but haven't really made any real efforts to apply it to my life until recently. I've also only just started meditating on a daily basis within the last month. (yeah... told you I was a newbie, to this forum, to Buddhism, and really, to life in general).
I never really know what to say in these introduction posts...
I never know quite how to reply - so I guess we are equal.
My name is Gerard from the Netherlands. My Buddhist interest has started a year or five ago and since then i have read a lot of internet articles and a couple of Buddhists books. I don't call myself a Buddhist. Its more that I use Buddhism to make life much more easier.
I came here because there are not a lot of active Dutch messages boards around to discuss Buddhist topics. So I'm hope to pimp my English writing and my Buddhist knowledge over here
My name is Raymond. I live in Sydney. Firstly, Thank you to the people who contributed to the development of this website. The work you have done is wonderful. Also, thank you to the Buddha and the Sangha for your wisdom and compassion.
In 2008, I was introduced to Buddhism. I became interested in Buddhism and I started applying the teachings and my suffering has reduced. I would love to teach the Dharma to people, so that our individual and collective suffering will reduce. I hope I do not become too attached to Buddhism!
I look forward to reading the thoughts of other forum members and discussing the Dharma.
Hi everyone, I live in South East Asia, Singapore. I'm 16 and still studying. I've learned about Buddhism from books when I was young about 11. I've started to meditate when I was 15 and I'm still learning more. Hopefully I could learn from those more experienced in meditation here in this forum
Hi everyone, I live in South East Asia, Singapore. I'm 16 and still studying. I've learned about Buddhism from books when I was young about 11. I've started to meditate when I was 15 and I'm still learning more. Hopefully I could learn from those more experienced in meditation here in this forum
My name is Gerard from the Netherlands. My Buddhist interest has started a year or five ago and since then i have read a lot of internet articles and a couple of Buddhists books. I don't call myself a Buddhist. Its more that I use Buddhism to make life much more easier.
I came here because there are not a lot of active Dutch messages boards around to discuss Buddhist topics. So I'm hope to pimp my English writing and my Buddhist knowledge over here
Hello! I love the Dutch, I hope to learn the language one day We do French at school and I can't understand how some people can say anything and everything in several languages. Anyway, Welkom! Prettig met u kennis te maken!
Apart from that... Het spijt me, ik spreek geen Nederlands.
Hello! I love the Dutch, I hope to learn the language one day We do French at school and I can't understand how some people can say anything and everything in several languages. Anyway, Welkom! Prettig met u kennis te maken!
Apart from that... Het spijt me, ik spreek geen Nederlands.
Ha! The little Dutch you write is good so thats the first step
Indeed its amazing how some people can remember all those words in several different languages. I stick with Dutch and English thats more than enough for my mind
I'm Jen. I'm 39 and a grad student, and I've been studying Buddhism for about a decade, practicing more regularly and with a Soto Zen sangha for about a year. It amuses me that Buddhism was extremely helpful to me for a very long time - years! - and I wasn't even applying myself. Then, all hell broke loose and extreme pain motivated me to understand better, practice more fully. It has been an incredible gift.
This is such a nice board, I'm glad to have found it.
I'm Jen. I'm 39 and a grad student, and I've been studying Buddhism for about a decade, practicing more regularly and with a Soto Zen sangha for about a year. It amuses me that Buddhism was extremely helpful to me for a very long time - years! - and I wasn't even applying myself. Then, all hell broke loose and extreme pain motivated me to understand better, practice more fully. It has been an incredible gift.
This is such a nice board, I'm glad to have found it.
Ha! The little Dutch you write is good so thats the first step
Indeed its amazing how some people can remember all those words in several different languages. I stick with Dutch and English thats more than enough for my mind
So what's the Netherlands like? I'm always asking to go on holiday to places like the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Austria, but all my mum wants to go to is Spain and Greece (I don't like hot climates) :-/ When I'm old enough to take adult classes I'm going to learn first German (the closest language to English) then, if my brain can hold enough information Dutch (the closest language to German, according to BBC languages). For the minute I'm just going to try and remember the BBC key phrases, which should make me look multilingual enough for now Lovely to meet you,
Joe
Found the introduction thread, yay. I hope it isn't too lengthy but I'd rather put it all in one post, than multiple replies for people to read and get some insight to who I am.
My name is D, I am 20 years of age from England. I'm a student finishing my degree in computing and business. I study for fun, I plan on doing anthropology and photography when I am done. I love to carry a camera around and capture them moments only your memory can revisit. It's nice to have a physical reminder of a great time in my life. Anthropology interests me, cultures and different kinds of people, study of humanity is intriquing to say to least.
I'm a very quiet, mute most of the time and only speak if I absolutely must. I loathe my own voice and much prefer my mind's voice. I prefer to talk with actions and simple gestures. Having a speech problem since I was born is what led me to loathing my own voice.
I've had skin problems since as long as I can remember from being a kid, which led to my depression and a viscious circle of hatred for myself. Attempted suicide and self harmed for many years. Whenever I opened my mouth I'd be annoyed with my inability to speak, whenever I looked into the mirror I would be disgusted by what I saw. Which led to a spiralling reaction of depression.
My entire 5 years or so of highschool was a complete and utter waste, Was put into the lowest possible class for my inability to communicate via speech. My grades had nothing to do with it. I worked my ass off for years for a upgrade to a higher class. The one I was in was full of yobs, idiots and people who just quite frankly didn't want to learn.
So, I home schooled myself and thought "Fuck them, I'll do it for myself, and no-one else, I don't need a silly bit of paper to say I'm smart" I didn't even take my exams because I was put into a group which was limited to the grade of D as a maximum result. What was the point, I didn't need to prove I could do the test to myself, so I just didn't do them. I caught up on some sleep though, them desks were pretty comfy.
Eventually it was the love I had toward my family that saved me from myself, and saved my family from the pain of knowing I had taken my own life if it continued to go on for any longer. My older brother, training partner, mentor and best friend is the one who saved me.
In a good way and for a lack of a better choice of words, he kicked me up the ass and gave me the push I needed to get out of the funk I was in. Within 5 month I totally transformed both inside and out. Outside, fantastically, inside I got confident, found myself able to speak much easier and stringing actual sentances together without problems. I felt normal.
One thing I never had before then was a inflated ego because of how well I did with my training, I went from being 112KG to 60KG in under 5 month, was able to squat and bench more than I weighed and had a very good strength for weight ratio.
Everything changed for me, my skin cleared up due to a better lifestyle, activity, getting out more and food intake was much healthier. My speech improved as mentioned above. And my confidence to talk to people sky rocketed. I was out performing 90% of the people in my gym who just months ago made me feel insignificant.
I even had chicks asking me out, which well never happened before I got fit. This was at the beginning of college, I trained in my time off after high school. People who I knew from high school were flirting with me and hadn't the slightest knowledge of who it was they were flirting with. Shocked to find out I was that obese kid with a skin disease and a speech problem I told them were to shove their flirting and to stop being so dam shallow.
This, was my wake up call. I still had my old self inside my head, I wasn't going to cave into my principals and go out with these chicks. Sure they were nice on the outside, on the inside? Digusting and shallow.
I soon after begun my meditation, and search for some kind of teachings to practice. I don't believe in labeling things but if anything I'd say i'm now Buddhist. I to people who understand my saying of this, I say "I am nothing" when I am asked what I am.
I hope this wasn't too long of a introduction. And that I have given enough information of my past for you people to get a general idea of what I am like and the person I am.
Welcome Jen, Jennifer,Gerard, exonesion, Raymond and all the others who are new to the site...
Jen, I love your username "darjeeling"... It is my favorite tea.
Jellybean... Glad to see you take your Site Greeter duties seriously... Hope your still wearing the uniform though... LOL
I've not yet shown them my special uniform, it's the school holidays in a couple day- I'll prepare the costume, take a picture with my webcam- and go public! Mwahaha
Found the introduction thread, yay. I hope it isn't too lengthy but I'd rather put it all in one post, than multiple replies for people to read and get some insight to who I am.
My name is D, I am 20 years of age from England. I'm a student finishing my degree in computing and business. I study for fun, I plan on doing anthropology and photography when I am done. I love to carry a camera around and capture them moments only your memory can revisit. It's nice to have a physical reminder of a great time in my life. Anthropology interests me, cultures and different kinds of people, study of humanity is intriquing to say to least.
I'm a very quiet, mute most of the time and only speak if I absolutely must. I loathe my own voice and much prefer my mind's voice. I prefer to talk with actions and simple gestures. Having a speech problem since I was born is what led me to loathing my own voice.
I've had skin problems since as long as I can remember from being a kid, which led to my depression and a viscious circle of hatred for myself. Attempted suicide and self harmed for many years. Whenever I opened my mouth I'd be annoyed with my inability to speak, whenever I looked into the mirror I would be disgusted by what I saw. Which led to a spiralling reaction of depression.
My entire 5 years or so of highschool was a complete and utter waste, Was put into the lowest possible class for my inability to communicate via speech. My grades had nothing to do with it. I worked my ass off for years for a upgrade to a higher class. The one I was in was full of yobs, idiots and people who just quite frankly didn't want to learn.
So, I home schooled myself and thought "Fuck them, I'll do it for myself, and no-one else, I don't need a silly bit of paper to say I'm smart" I didn't even take my exams because I was put into a group which was limited to the grade of D as a maximum result. What was the point, I didn't need to prove I could do the test to myself, so I just didn't do them. I caught up on some sleep though, them desks were pretty comfy.
Eventually it was the love I had toward my family that saved me from myself, and saved my family from the pain of knowing I had taken my own life if it continued to go on for any longer. My older brother, training partner, mentor and best friend is the one who saved me.
In a good way and for a lack of a better choice of words, he kicked me up the ass and gave me the push I needed to get out of the funk I was in. Within 5 month I totally transformed both inside and out. Outside, fantastically, inside I got confident, found myself able to speak much easier and stringing actual sentances together without problems. I felt normal.
One thing I never had before then was a inflated ego because of how well I did with my training, I went from being 112KG to 60KG in under 5 month, was able to squat and bench more than I weighed and had a very good strength for weight ratio.
Everything changed for me, my skin cleared up due to a better lifestyle, activity, getting out more and food intake was much healthier. My speech improved as mentioned above. And my confidence to talk to people sky rocketed. I was out performing 90% of the people in my gym who just months ago made me feel insignificant.
I even had chicks asking me out, which well never happened before I got fit. This was at the beginning of college, I trained in my time off after high school. People who I knew from high school were flirting with me and hadn't the slightest knowledge of who it was they were flirting with. Shocked to find out I was that obese kid with a skin disease and a speech problem I told them were to shove their flirting and to stop being so dam shallow.
This, was my wake up call. I still had my old self inside my head, I wasn't going to cave into my principals and go out with these chicks. Sure they were nice on the outside, on the inside? Digusting and shallow.
I soon after begun my meditation, and search for some kind of teachings to practice. I don't believe in labeling things but if anything I'd say i'm now Buddhist. I to people who understand my saying of this, I say "I am nothing" when I am asked what I am.
I hope this wasn't too long of a introduction. And that I have given enough information of my past for you people to get a general idea of what I am like and the person I am.
Hello, my name is Darcie and I am trying to find a practicing Buddhist who could answer me a few questions for a research paper I am doing.
I need to document your personal involvement/understanding of worship, and I need to know if your personal beliefs correspond to formal religious doctrine.
If you could help with this I would really appreciate it :type:
I've been active on other sites for years now but took a couple years off. In the process I've discovered Zen Buddhism and have been studying and practicing that for about 3 years now after reading multiple works by Thich Nhat Hanh and finding a Zen Center nearby.
Hi! I am so happy to have found this site
I am "in transition" as far as spirituality is concerned. I grew up in a Christian home, tried very hard to make it "fit" me. I never felt it, so for the last 3 or 4 years I've gotten brave enough to quit trying and find something that has more meaning to ME instead of just going with the flow (so to speak). I have a friend who's Buddhist, another is Pagan, a few more who are Atheist alltogether, and knowing them has had me researching A LOT of different religions. I find most of them to be like mythological stories and can't buy into it. I took a test on Beliefnet.com and it told me I was 100% Mahayana Buddhist! Imagine my surprise that it defined me so completely! HA! Anyway, I have decided to check into it awhile back, am looking at the different forms of Buddhism, and have found that I love what little bit I know about it...so I come looking for more.:D
The symbol appears above the 'Nine Satanic Statements' in The Satanic Bible (25). From what I understand, it's an alchemic symbol for sulfur (i.e., brimstone), and was mostly like a humorous poke at Christianity.
I use it for a couple of reason. (1) I have it tattooed on my left arm. I was drawn to Satanism for most of my adolescence. I really dug the individualism and materialistic self-indulgence underlying LeVay's philosophy, and to me this symbol represented everything Satanism stood for. I also liked the way it looked, and being one of the alchemical symbols for sulfur, I thought it'd make a perfect tattoo.
(2) It's the symbol used by King Diamond. I've been a huge fan of his music (both Mercyful Fate and King Diamond) from the moment I first heard it, which was sometime around 1993-94 when I was first getting into occultism.
As for what it means to me in relation to my Buddhist practice, well, it doesn't really mean anything. Mostly it just reminds me to be a little rebellious once in a while.
Hi all. I've posted a few times in the beginner's forum so some of you may recognize me. My name is Bill. I'm a simple school teacher. I am currently doing research towards a dissertation/book on existentialism in the world's major religions and spiritual thought.
Welcome, Bill. Sounds like an interesting topic. To be honest, I don't know very much about existentialism, but you might find this older post of mine interesting.
Also, for my doctoral thesis I'm going to write a comparative analysis of the Joker's 19th century Russian nihilism vs. Lobo's Nietzscheanism in an effort to show that both are ultimately attempting to transcend their castration anxiety via rejecting/transcending traditional morality by 'castrating' society first. (No, not really. I just wanted to say that.)
This is the first ever Buddhism forum I've ever gone in search of and joined.
I was brought up as a casual Christian churchgoer, but ultimately could not defend a book that had suffered compound [mis]translations under numerous regimes over the last 2000 years, while promising obedience to an absentee deity. However I did have a brush with the charismatic movement, i.e. speaking in tongues while experiencing several deeply divine moments, which more than put me in touch with my innate spirituality. I remain committed to bringing about spiritual awakening and joy through my musical abilities, as far as I possibly can.
I am drawn to Buddhism's practical emphasis on working on one's self in order to realise the perfection of being, which we are all allegedly equipped with, but which remains buried beneath our conditioned minds. And I want to do this because it should have a beneficial effect on more than just me.
The burning questions at this moment for me are these:
How can we trust that the results of meditation (i.e. allowing the contents of the mind to settle) are more real or valid than our everyday experience through our 5 senses?
Is it that our senses, sense of self identity etc. are all an illusion? What is it that is *not* an illusion, then? How can this be verified?
Is it a goal of meditation practice to try to keep one's mind permanently in the peaceful space between the thoughts and phenomena?
Looking forward to talking and meeting... all the best,
Matt
PS. I'm hoping to start an inter-faith meditation group in my village, which will be great if the minister will let us use a quiet corner of the local church.
How can we trust that the results of meditation (i.e. allowing the contents of the mind to settle) are more real or valid than our everyday experience through our 5 senses?
In Buddhism, mind is included as one of the senses, and objects of the mind, while more subtle than visible objects, sounds, smells, flavours and tactile sensations, are, nonetheless, just as susceptible to observation and verification as those of the other five senses.
Is it that our senses, sense of self identity etc. are all an illusion? What is it that is *not* an illusion, then? How can this be verified?
Our sense of self is a real experience, but the basis of that experience is not as solid as we generally perceive it to be, and we can verify this by direct observation of the very things we cling to as 'me' and mine.' If you're interested, check out my thoughts on anatta, clinging and the five aggregates.
Is it a goal of meditation practice to try to keep one's mind permanently in the peaceful space between the thoughts and phenomena?
On one level, yes. Meditation can be used to help train the mind to stay calm, level and peaceful when confronted with the arising and passing away of phenomena, and I think that cultivating this kind of equanimity (upekkha) is not only beneficial but can lead to a permanent state of peace (nibbana,) as well. On another level, however, I'd say that the goal of meditation is to, in a manner of speaking, transcend phenomena altogether.
The way I see it, craving (tahna) is the cause of suffering (dukkha), and to end suffering its cause must be removed; the difficulty arises when it comes to how exactly this is done. My theory is that craving is a very subtle but powerful aspect of our psychology. It's there, latent in the mind, waiting to exert its influence through mental fabrications (sankhara) by directing or at the very least encouraging the mind to feed upon sensory experiences via the five clinging-aggregates (upadana-khandha) in an unhealthy way.
The problem is that these processes of subtle movement in the mind are so subtle that they are almost impossible to discern as they are taking place. That's where I believe meditation comes in: meditation helps to calm and still the mind so that these mental events become easier and easier to observe. One, in effect, uses conditionality in order to fabricate controlled states of mental absorption (jhana) until they're able to discern the presence of craving, its movement in the mind, and the fact that even these refined and subtle states of mental absorption are ultimately stressful and unsatisfactory.
This leads one to develop dispassion (viraga), and dispassion leads one to cease fabrication thus opening the doors to the deathless (amata) by ending the chain of causation (paticca-samuppada). For more about nibbana, I suggest taking the time to read "Nibbana for Everyone."
I think the only way to answer that question for yourself is to try out different flavors of Buddhism until you find the one that suits you. It is taught that the Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma three times, giving rise to many variations on the one teaching that he taught, so that sentient beings of different propensities could be able to find one form that suited their particular mindset. For example, I started out in Zen and later found that Vajrayana more suited my temperament (love the Crazy Wisdom stuff). Nanadhaja went from Vajrayana to Theravada. So sometimes it takes a while. But that's OK. That's exactly what the Buddha taught to do, take your time, check it out before you make a commitment.
It's ironic that while most religions lag way behind science and often teach counter to it (viz. Christine O'Donnell and evolution! :eek:), as you point out, with Buddhism it's quite the opposite. Science is way behind Buddhism! I was just reading the other day about the answer that the Buddha gave to some question (I forget exactly what the question was, but some very, very tiny measurement was involved), and the answer that he gave, if you multiply it out, gives a distance almost exactly equal to the diameter of a carbon atom! Plus his teachings on infinite universes and the nature of time and space were light years ahead of quantum mechanics. You might want to check this article out.
Palzang
Scientists are learning with Buddhists on how to do stuff like Tummo and Rainbow body to benefit humanity. The Buddhists are participating actively with science. It's good.
Hi, I hope it's ok if I post here and then post a question in the main forum. I am not new to Buddhism; I have long been interested in it. But I have begun - just begun! - to start reading more about it and practice some of its tenets.
Like many, I find some aspects of Buddhism frightening, especially the fear that I will "lose both worlds": that is, fail to become remotely enlightened yet also lose this one life (eg "lose" the fruits of the pursuit of worldly goods).
There is much beauty in Buddhism but there are difficulties as well.
Hi,
Nice to meet everyone. I am definitely a beginner.... I have been interested in Buddhism for many years but don't feel I have enough knowledge to fully "convert"
I don't think I ever made my introduction post! I've been checking in on the forum for a few months whenever I had a pressing question. I never get to post my questions because they've always been asked and answered multiple times lol. Anyways, I'm grateful for this forum, and glad to be a member.
Hello my name is Robert and you all are welcome to refer to me as Rob or humble. I am 29 and I am a student of psychology, sociology, Christianity, and Buddhism. My love for psychology and Buddhism go hand in hand. Many humanistic psychologists are heavily influenced by Buddhism and to me I see many ways in which they complement each other.
I live in California and am engaged to a wonderfully intelligent and assertive woman who will soon be a doctor of pharmacy. I sometimes question the wisdom of marrying someone who is so much smarter than me but I feel it is a good lesson. It allows me to keep my humility and forces me to have a sense of humor.
I am constantly discovering new things about myself and hope to someday write a book with a very practical and humanistic approach to everyday problems that focuses on a mixture of psychology and Buddhism. The next step in my master plan is to distribute this book at cost (meaning selling it for what it costs me to get each book made... not the smartest business plan ... I know but it is essential to convey the message that I am doing this out of love and not to make money) perhaps using hulu (a way to publish and get your books made to order online).
After this I want to form a community using a website like meetup.com that allows people to form groups and organize people. My ultimate goal is that this community will help people grow personally through relationships with friends of integrity. What the Buddha called "the whole of the holy life" I realize many communities like this already exist but my goal is a community that is not able to be easily categorized as religious. In other words simply a group of friends that encourages personal growth without being potentially limited to a specific type of individual or alienating people that do not follow a particular doctrine. I see the growing isolation among males in America as a serious problem. Being an avid gamer for many years myself I have experienced firsthand how games can come to gradually replace real relationships until finally you find yourself quite alone. I see this as an opportunity for myself to grow as well and if all goes according to plan I will likely make a few friends. The trick is of course to take baby steps and integrate these principals into my life before I encourage others to do so as well.
I mentioned the problem of isolation among males (especially gamers) because from my studies it seems that they are the ones suffering most from isolating themselves. I would like to say though that females and in fact people of all backgrounds would be welcome. One of the reasons males are at such a high risk for this isolation is how we raise our male children in America but to get into the problems associated with traditional male gender role socialization would be far too lengthy for an introductory post.
If you have read all this I thank you and hope I have not wasted too much of your time!
Hi everyone, I'm Artemis. *wave* I live in the United States, in the midwestern state of Ohio. I've been studying Buddhism on my own for a year and a half now, and I hope to go soon to my local dharma center for further instruction and guidance from the lamas there.
I have social anxiety disorder and some days, even leaving the house and/or meeting new people is difficult..but medication and meditation have been of great help and I am hopeful for the first time in years.
I work for a local family-and-friends business; we make natural soaps, bath oils, etc and sell our product at Renaissance Faires and the like.
Since I'm still quite new to Buddhism and shy to boot, I'll be mostly lurking. I'm just happy to be here, and read and learn and think. ^_^
Comments
I think the only way to answer that question for yourself is to try out different flavors of Buddhism until you find the one that suits you. It is taught that the Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma three times, giving rise to many variations on the one teaching that he taught, so that sentient beings of different propensities could be able to find one form that suited their particular mindset. For example, I started out in Zen and later found that Vajrayana more suited my temperament (love the Crazy Wisdom stuff). Nanadhaja went from Vajrayana to Theravada. So sometimes it takes a while. But that's OK. That's exactly what the Buddha taught to do, take your time, check it out before you make a commitment.
It's ironic that while most religions lag way behind science and often teach counter to it (viz. Christine O'Donnell and evolution! :eek:), as you point out, with Buddhism it's quite the opposite. Science is way behind Buddhism! I was just reading the other day about the answer that the Buddha gave to some question (I forget exactly what the question was, but some very, very tiny measurement was involved), and the answer that he gave, if you multiply it out, gives a distance almost exactly equal to the diameter of a carbon atom! Plus his teachings on infinite universes and the nature of time and space were light years ahead of quantum mechanics. You might want to check this article out.
Palzang
Buddha’s discourse on metrology
“A hundred kotis is called ayuta;
100 ayutas=niyuta;
100 niyutas=kankara;
100 kankara=vivara;
100 vivaras=aksobhya;
100 aksobhyas=vivaha;
100 vivahas=utsanga;
100 utsanga=bahula;
100 bahula=nagabala;
100 nagabalas=titila;
100 titilas=vyavasthanaprajnapti;
100 vyavasthanaprajnaptis=hetuhila;
100 hetuhilas=karahu;
100 karahus=hetvindriya;
100 hetvindriyas=samaptalambha;
100 samaptalambhas=gananagati;
100 gananagatis=niravaravadya;
100 niravaravadyas=mudrabala;
100 mudrabalas=sarvabala;
100 sarvabalas=visamjnagati;
100 visamjnagatis=sarvasamjna;
100 sarvasamjnas=vibhutangama;
100 vibhutangamas=tallaksana”
<O:p
<O:p</O:p“Now with the numeration called tallaksana one could take even Meru, the king of mountains, as a subject of calculation and measure it. And next is the numeration called dvajagravati; with the help of this numeration, one could take all the sands of the river Ganges as a subject of calculation and measure them.
Above this is the numeration called dvajagranisamani; and above this is the numeration of vahanaprajnapti; next comes the numeration called inga; above this is the numeration of kuruta.
Again above this is the numeration called sarvaniksepa, with the help of which one could take the sands of ten Ganges rivers as a subject for calculation and measure them all.
And again above this is the numeration called agrasara, with the help of which one could take the sands of a hundred kotis of Ganges rivers as a subject of calculation and measure them all. And again above this is the highest numeration called uttaraparamanurajahpravesa, which is said to penetrate the most subtle atoms. Except for a Tathagata, or a Bodhisattva who has reached the purest essence of enlightenment…”
<O:p</O:p
Arjuna [the great mathematician further] said: “Young man, how must one proceed in the numeration which penetrates the dust of the most subtle atoms?”
(Bodhisattva discourse on sub-molecular metrology)
“Seven subtle atoms [molecules?] make a fine particle
7 fine parts=small part.
7 small parts=vatayanaraja
7 vatayanaraja=sasaraja
7 sasaraja=edakaraja
7 edakaraja=goraja
<O:p7 goraja=liksaraja [7 specks of dust stirred up by a cow=1 poppy seed]
7 liksaraja=sarsapa [7 poppy seeds=1 mustard seed]
7 sarsapa=adyava [7 mustard seeds=1 grain of barley]
7 adyava=anguli [7 grains of barley [must be determinable!]=1 phalange or digit or knuckle!]
12 anguli=parva [handspan or span or half cubit!=12 fingers]
2 parva=hasta [CUBIT=2 spans!] [Greek cubit was also composed of 24 fingers=2 spans]
4 hasta=dhanu [4 CUBITS=1 arc or 1 bow; similar to our fathom=about 2 meters]
1000 dhanu=krosa (of the country of Magadha) [4000 CUBITS =~about 1 mile]
4 krosas=yohana [16000 CUBITS; see Page 231!] ~3 miles? [How many “subtle atoms= 1 cubit?
(7^10) x (12 x 2) = 6,779,405,976. = 1 hasta = 1 cubit
A cubit divided by over 6 billion parts!
1 [span] = 3,389,702,988 subtle atoms!=1 parva
1 [finger or knuckle] anguli = 282,475,249 subtle atoms!
This is very close to the answer that modern science comes up with.
Just an interesting tidbit.
Palzang
My name is Gerard from the Netherlands. My Buddhist interest has started a year or five ago and since then i have read a lot of internet articles and a couple of Buddhists books. I don't call myself a Buddhist. Its more that I use Buddhism to make life much more easier.
I came here because there are not a lot of active Dutch messages boards around to discuss Buddhist topics. So I'm hope to pimp my English writing and my Buddhist knowledge over here
Anyway, my name is Jennifer and I've been interested in Buddhism on and off for years (well, not that many years since I'm only just turning 21 now), but haven't really made any real efforts to apply it to my life until recently. I've also only just started meditating on a daily basis within the last month. (yeah... told you I was a newbie, to this forum, to Buddhism, and really, to life in general).
I never really know what to say in these introduction posts...
I never know quite how to reply - so I guess we are equal.
Welcome to the board.
Hi, and welcome. Good to see you here.
My name is Raymond. I live in Sydney. Firstly, Thank you to the people who contributed to the development of this website. The work you have done is wonderful. Also, thank you to the Buddha and the Sangha for your wisdom and compassion.
In 2008, I was introduced to Buddhism. I became interested in Buddhism and I started applying the teachings and my suffering has reduced. I would love to teach the Dharma to people, so that our individual and collective suffering will reduce. I hope I do not become too attached to Buddhism!
I look forward to reading the thoughts of other forum members and discussing the Dharma.
Apart from that... Het spijt me, ik spreek geen Nederlands.
Ha! The little Dutch you write is good so thats the first step
Indeed its amazing how some people can remember all those words in several different languages. I stick with Dutch and English thats more than enough for my mind
This is such a nice board, I'm glad to have found it.
Another local! Washingtonian?
So what's the Netherlands like? I'm always asking to go on holiday to places like the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Austria, but all my mum wants to go to is Spain and Greece (I don't like hot climates) :-/ When I'm old enough to take adult classes I'm going to learn first German (the closest language to English) then, if my brain can hold enough information
Joe
Jen, I love your username "darjeeling"... It is my favorite tea.
Jellybean... Glad to see you take your Site Greeter duties seriously... Hope your still wearing the uniform though... LOL
My name is D, I am 20 years of age from England. I'm a student finishing my degree in computing and business. I study for fun, I plan on doing anthropology and photography when I am done. I love to carry a camera around and capture them moments only your memory can revisit. It's nice to have a physical reminder of a great time in my life. Anthropology interests me, cultures and different kinds of people, study of humanity is intriquing to say to least.
I'm a very quiet, mute most of the time and only speak if I absolutely must. I loathe my own voice and much prefer my mind's voice. I prefer to talk with actions and simple gestures. Having a speech problem since I was born is what led me to loathing my own voice.
I've had skin problems since as long as I can remember from being a kid, which led to my depression and a viscious circle of hatred for myself. Attempted suicide and self harmed for many years. Whenever I opened my mouth I'd be annoyed with my inability to speak, whenever I looked into the mirror I would be disgusted by what I saw. Which led to a spiralling reaction of depression.
My entire 5 years or so of highschool was a complete and utter waste, Was put into the lowest possible class for my inability to communicate via speech. My grades had nothing to do with it. I worked my ass off for years for a upgrade to a higher class. The one I was in was full of yobs, idiots and people who just quite frankly didn't want to learn.
So, I home schooled myself and thought "Fuck them, I'll do it for myself, and no-one else, I don't need a silly bit of paper to say I'm smart" I didn't even take my exams because I was put into a group which was limited to the grade of D as a maximum result. What was the point, I didn't need to prove I could do the test to myself, so I just didn't do them. I caught up on some sleep though, them desks were pretty comfy.
Eventually it was the love I had toward my family that saved me from myself, and saved my family from the pain of knowing I had taken my own life if it continued to go on for any longer. My older brother, training partner, mentor and best friend is the one who saved me.
In a good way and for a lack of a better choice of words, he kicked me up the ass and gave me the push I needed to get out of the funk I was in. Within 5 month I totally transformed both inside and out. Outside, fantastically, inside I got confident, found myself able to speak much easier and stringing actual sentances together without problems. I felt normal.
One thing I never had before then was a inflated ego because of how well I did with my training, I went from being 112KG to 60KG in under 5 month, was able to squat and bench more than I weighed and had a very good strength for weight ratio.
Everything changed for me, my skin cleared up due to a better lifestyle, activity, getting out more and food intake was much healthier. My speech improved as mentioned above. And my confidence to talk to people sky rocketed. I was out performing 90% of the people in my gym who just months ago made me feel insignificant.
I even had chicks asking me out, which well never happened before I got fit. This was at the beginning of college, I trained in my time off after high school. People who I knew from high school were flirting with me and hadn't the slightest knowledge of who it was they were flirting with. Shocked to find out I was that obese kid with a skin disease and a speech problem I told them were to shove their flirting and to stop being so dam shallow.
This, was my wake up call. I still had my old self inside my head, I wasn't going to cave into my principals and go out with these chicks. Sure they were nice on the outside, on the inside? Digusting and shallow.
I soon after begun my meditation, and search for some kind of teachings to practice. I don't believe in labeling things but if anything I'd say i'm now Buddhist. I to people who understand my saying of this, I say "I am nothing" when I am asked what I am.
I hope this wasn't too long of a introduction. And that I have given enough information of my past for you people to get a general idea of what I am like and the person I am.
D
I've not yet shown them my special uniform, it's the school holidays in a couple day- I'll prepare the costume, take a picture with my webcam- and go public! Mwahaha
Velkom
I need to document your personal involvement/understanding of worship, and I need to know if your personal beliefs correspond to formal religious doctrine.
If you could help with this I would really appreciate it :type:
Thanks
I've been active on other sites for years now but took a couple years off. In the process I've discovered Zen Buddhism and have been studying and practicing that for about 3 years now after reading multiple works by Thich Nhat Hanh and finding a Zen Center nearby.
I am "in transition" as far as spirituality is concerned. I grew up in a Christian home, tried very hard to make it "fit" me. I never felt it, so for the last 3 or 4 years I've gotten brave enough to quit trying and find something that has more meaning to ME instead of just going with the flow (so to speak). I have a friend who's Buddhist, another is Pagan, a few more who are Atheist alltogether, and knowing them has had me researching A LOT of different religions. I find most of them to be like mythological stories and can't buy into it. I took a test on Beliefnet.com and it told me I was 100% Mahayana Buddhist! Imagine my surprise that it defined me so completely! HA! Anyway, I have decided to check into it awhile back, am looking at the different forms of Buddhism, and have found that I love what little bit I know about it...so I come looking for more.:D
Welcome, Kathryn.
The symbol appears above the 'Nine Satanic Statements' in The Satanic Bible (25). From what I understand, it's an alchemic symbol for sulfur (i.e., brimstone), and was mostly like a humorous poke at Christianity.
I use it for a couple of reason. (1) I have it tattooed on my left arm. I was drawn to Satanism for most of my adolescence. I really dug the individualism and materialistic self-indulgence underlying LeVay's philosophy, and to me this symbol represented everything Satanism stood for. I also liked the way it looked, and being one of the alchemical symbols for sulfur, I thought it'd make a perfect tattoo.
(2) It's the symbol used by King Diamond. I've been a huge fan of his music (both Mercyful Fate and King Diamond) from the moment I first heard it, which was sometime around 1993-94 when I was first getting into occultism.
As for what it means to me in relation to my Buddhist practice, well, it doesn't really mean anything. Mostly it just reminds me to be a little rebellious once in a while.
So there you go, the secret's out.
Also, for my doctoral thesis I'm going to write a comparative analysis of the Joker's 19th century Russian nihilism vs. Lobo's Nietzscheanism in an effort to show that both are ultimately attempting to transcend their castration anxiety via rejecting/transcending traditional morality by 'castrating' society first. (No, not really. I just wanted to say that.)
This is the first ever Buddhism forum I've ever gone in search of and joined.
I was brought up as a casual Christian churchgoer, but ultimately could not defend a book that had suffered compound [mis]translations under numerous regimes over the last 2000 years, while promising obedience to an absentee deity. However I did have a brush with the charismatic movement, i.e. speaking in tongues while experiencing several deeply divine moments, which more than put me in touch with my innate spirituality. I remain committed to bringing about spiritual awakening and joy through my musical abilities, as far as I possibly can.
I am drawn to Buddhism's practical emphasis on working on one's self in order to realise the perfection of being, which we are all allegedly equipped with, but which remains buried beneath our conditioned minds. And I want to do this because it should have a beneficial effect on more than just me.
The burning questions at this moment for me are these:
How can we trust that the results of meditation (i.e. allowing the contents of the mind to settle) are more real or valid than our everyday experience through our 5 senses?
Is it that our senses, sense of self identity etc. are all an illusion? What is it that is *not* an illusion, then? How can this be verified?
Is it a goal of meditation practice to try to keep one's mind permanently in the peaceful space between the thoughts and phenomena?
Looking forward to talking and meeting... all the best,
Matt
PS. I'm hoping to start an inter-faith meditation group in my village, which will be great if the minister will let us use a quiet corner of the local church.
In Buddhism, mind is included as one of the senses, and objects of the mind, while more subtle than visible objects, sounds, smells, flavours and tactile sensations, are, nonetheless, just as susceptible to observation and verification as those of the other five senses.
Our sense of self is a real experience, but the basis of that experience is not as solid as we generally perceive it to be, and we can verify this by direct observation of the very things we cling to as 'me' and mine.' If you're interested, check out my thoughts on anatta, clinging and the five aggregates.
On one level, yes. Meditation can be used to help train the mind to stay calm, level and peaceful when confronted with the arising and passing away of phenomena, and I think that cultivating this kind of equanimity (upekkha) is not only beneficial but can lead to a permanent state of peace (nibbana,) as well. On another level, however, I'd say that the goal of meditation is to, in a manner of speaking, transcend phenomena altogether.
The way I see it, craving (tahna) is the cause of suffering (dukkha), and to end suffering its cause must be removed; the difficulty arises when it comes to how exactly this is done. My theory is that craving is a very subtle but powerful aspect of our psychology. It's there, latent in the mind, waiting to exert its influence through mental fabrications (sankhara) by directing or at the very least encouraging the mind to feed upon sensory experiences via the five clinging-aggregates (upadana-khandha) in an unhealthy way.
The problem is that these processes of subtle movement in the mind are so subtle that they are almost impossible to discern as they are taking place. That's where I believe meditation comes in: meditation helps to calm and still the mind so that these mental events become easier and easier to observe. One, in effect, uses conditionality in order to fabricate controlled states of mental absorption (jhana) until they're able to discern the presence of craving, its movement in the mind, and the fact that even these refined and subtle states of mental absorption are ultimately stressful and unsatisfactory.
This leads one to develop dispassion (viraga), and dispassion leads one to cease fabrication thus opening the doors to the deathless (amata) by ending the chain of causation (paticca-samuppada). For more about nibbana, I suggest taking the time to read "Nibbana for Everyone."
Scientists are learning with Buddhists on how to do stuff like Tummo and Rainbow body to benefit humanity. The Buddhists are participating actively with science. It's good.
Like many, I find some aspects of Buddhism frightening, especially the fear that I will "lose both worlds": that is, fail to become remotely enlightened yet also lose this one life (eg "lose" the fruits of the pursuit of worldly goods).
There is much beauty in Buddhism but there are difficulties as well.
Anyway... hi!
Nice to meet everyone. I am definitely a beginner.... I have been interested in Buddhism for many years but don't feel I have enough knowledge to fully "convert"
I live in California and am engaged to a wonderfully intelligent and assertive woman who will soon be a doctor of pharmacy. I sometimes question the wisdom of marrying someone who is so much smarter than me but I feel it is a good lesson. It allows me to keep my humility and forces me to have a sense of humor.
I am constantly discovering new things about myself and hope to someday write a book with a very practical and humanistic approach to everyday problems that focuses on a mixture of psychology and Buddhism. The next step in my master plan is to distribute this book at cost (meaning selling it for what it costs me to get each book made... not the smartest business plan ... I know but it is essential to convey the message that I am doing this out of love and not to make money) perhaps using hulu (a way to publish and get your books made to order online).
After this I want to form a community using a website like meetup.com that allows people to form groups and organize people. My ultimate goal is that this community will help people grow personally through relationships with friends of integrity. What the Buddha called "the whole of the holy life" I realize many communities like this already exist but my goal is a community that is not able to be easily categorized as religious. In other words simply a group of friends that encourages personal growth without being potentially limited to a specific type of individual or alienating people that do not follow a particular doctrine. I see the growing isolation among males in America as a serious problem. Being an avid gamer for many years myself I have experienced firsthand how games can come to gradually replace real relationships until finally you find yourself quite alone. I see this as an opportunity for myself to grow as well and if all goes according to plan I will likely make a few friends. The trick is of course to take baby steps and integrate these principals into my life before I encourage others to do so as well.
I mentioned the problem of isolation among males (especially gamers) because from my studies it seems that they are the ones suffering most from isolating themselves. I would like to say though that females and in fact people of all backgrounds would be welcome. One of the reasons males are at such a high risk for this isolation is how we raise our male children in America but to get into the problems associated with traditional male gender role socialization would be far too lengthy for an introductory post.
If you have read all this I thank you and hope I have not wasted too much of your time!
Namaste
And you must have pasted your picture into your signature
I have social anxiety disorder and some days, even leaving the house and/or meeting new people is difficult..but medication and meditation have been of great help and I am hopeful for the first time in years.
I work for a local family-and-friends business; we make natural soaps, bath oils, etc and sell our product at Renaissance Faires and the like.
Since I'm still quite new to Buddhism and shy to boot, I'll be mostly lurking. I'm just happy to be here, and read and learn and think. ^_^