mercy Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 No dearest, I'm not.... I'm just relating what works for me - and if it resonates with others, it just means we're playing the same tune, more or less, in harmony.... Others will not agree with you. Primarily, because they don't agree with me, or my PoV. And that's fine, there's room enough for all of us.... My belief system has never been contingent on what others think or feel. Nor do I need any validation from others. To me, you are truly a gifted teacher. Even you don't have to believe the same as me. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
RickyLovesLucy Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 My belief system has never been contingent on what others think or feel. Nor do I need any validation from others. To me, you are truly a gifted teacher. Even you don't have to believe the same as me. Are you two actually arguing while you laud each other? 2 Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Mercy, I'm humbled and flattered by your kindness. opinions of others matter to me, in that on examination, there are always indicators on how best to behave.... Ricky - stop sh*t-stirring..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
mercy Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Are you two actually arguing while you laud each other? A teacher is simply one you learn from and I am learning from her. So there! Link to post Share on other sites
Forever Silent Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I have a good friend who is a praticing buddihist. He is an exceptional person. He has said that praticing buddishm has gave him a form of inner peace and happiness, something that he had been unable to find in his previous years. One day I will ask him about how he came to the point of being a buddhist. Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I believe people who follow Buddhism, are born Buddhists. They just need an "ahaaaah!" moment to 'shake and wake'....! Link to post Share on other sites
Forever Silent Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I believe people who follow Buddhism, are born Buddhists. They just need an "ahaaaah!" moment to 'shake and wake'....! So there is a buddah gene somewhere in some people lol. Perhaps so, he has always been a person who was of a postivie dispostion and out-going. Maybe he just needed to find the name for it to become educated about himself. I will consider this as a highly probable possibilty, thank you for your thoughts. Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 So there is a buddah gene somewhere in some people lol. well, yeah, you know what? All joking aside, I think that's a distinct possibility. Buddhism alone, amongst all religions, is the only one that neither connects with or recognises a Deity. There is no Omnipotent Eternal all-Powerful creator, so basically, it's a calling which philosophically, could fit 'all'. There are many people who follow a Christian path, who include and incorporate a buddhist Practice in their chosen worship, (Thomas Merton, Jim Pym) and a famous Buddhist monk (Thich Naht Hahn) wrote a book titled "Living Buddha Living Christ", which among other things, outlines precisely how one might follow a theistic religion, while still adhering to every Buddhist principle. Every great and good person actually follows Buddhism - without even knowing it! Perhaps so, he has always been a person who was of a postivie dispostion and out-going. Maybe he just needed to find the name for it to become educated about himself. I will consider this as a highly probable possibilty, thank you for your thoughts. I would never presume to dictate to others that what I say is fact, but merely a PoV... thanks for your input.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Forever Silent Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 well, yeah, you know what? All joking aside, I think that's a distinct possibility. Buddhism alone, amongst all religions, is the only one that neither connects with or recognises a Deity. There is no Omnipotent Eternal all-Powerful creator, so basically, it's a calling which philosophically, could fit 'all'. There are many people who follow a Christian path, who include and incorporate a buddhist Practice in their chosen worship, (Thomas Merton, Jim Pym) and a famous Buddhist monk (Thich Naht Hahn) wrote a book titled "Living Buddha Living Christ", which among other things, outlines precisely how one might follow a theistic religion, while still adhering to every Buddhist principle. Every great and good person actually follows Buddhism - without even knowing it! I would never presume to dictate to others that what I say is fact, but merely a PoV... thanks for your input.... No no, thank you. Learning from others is truly a blessing. I have learned a great deal from talking to my friend as well as reading your posts. As you have said, I am not taking your word as fact but I do heed your words because within them lies wisdom. I feel as if you are passionate about your walk of life and I have no reason to feel decieved or being lectured to by your comments. Once again I am truly appreciative of your comments. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Crusoe Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Every great and good person actually follows Buddhism - without even knowing it! Lot of truth in that. Many ways to learn to listen to the grass grow. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 No no, thank you. Learning from others is truly a blessing. I have learned a great deal from talking to my friend as well as reading your posts. As you have said, I am not taking your word as fact but I do heed your words because within them lies wisdom. I feel as if you are passionate about your walk of life and I have no reason to feel decieved or being lectured to by your comments. Once again I am truly appreciative of your comments. Namaste. which means, "The Sacred in me, salutes the Sacred in you." 2 Link to post Share on other sites
mercy Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 When I started practicing Zen meditation at 13 I can explain it no other way but I was home. Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I get that, completely. 30+ years - nearly 40 of Catholicism, never gave me the placid contentment and fulfilment I gain from my calling now. nothing fitted, until this fitted..... Link to post Share on other sites
mercy Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I get that, completely. 30+ years - nearly 40 of Catholicism, never gave me the placid contentment and fulfilment I gain from my calling now. nothing fitted, until this fitted..... Long long time for me too. Though I have never strayed from my core belief in God. I was raised in a progressive church. The pastors brother was a Zen master/Sufi teacher. His home was a temple. I was in awe of his peace. My parents were all for it when I asked to start practicing. They were ahead of their time in that finding your authentic self was very important to them. That first day, sitting there alone with him and his poetry, chanting and singing, I almost cried. It was overwhelming. Grace and love just covered me. Still to this day Kahlil Gibran's poem about children makes my heart sing. I love Rumi too. I named my dog Rumi. She does yoga with me. When it's right it's right. Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 "....Life's longing for itself." Dazzling. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
mercy Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 BetheButterfly, I found something for you! 10 Lessons Christians Can Learn From Zen Buddhism - Beliefnet.com xxxx 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author BetheButterfly Posted March 11, 2013 Author Share Posted March 11, 2013 BetheButterfly, I found something for you! 10 Lessons Christians Can Learn From Zen Buddhism - Beliefnet.com xxxx Hi Mercy! Sorry, I just saw this!!! Thanks for the link! I am going to read it right now! I miss you!!! Do you still read on Loveshack??? Love you Beautiful Lady Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpybutfun Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Bethebutterfly: Glad you brought this thread back to the top. I am reading and making notes on Buddhism. Meditating has become something I am slowly trying to incorporate also for a better sense of the world around me and to try to stay present. I have been studying different spiritual practices to get through some rough times in my life lately. I thought your questions very astute and it gives me a jumping off point to learn more. Grumps 1 Link to post Share on other sites
iKING Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 (edited) Tara has covered a lot here (as expected ) but I thought I'd throw my two cents in. Buddhism was the first religion/philosophy I studied, after it, zen, then christianity. You'd be surprised at the similarities I've found. I'm pretty sure Jesus studied Buddhism at some point in his 17 years of missing journey in the bible. So here's a quick over view, and just as a side note, the fat Buddha (laughing Buddha) is the Budai, he's a later Buddha minded individual in the Mahayana tradition. The 4 noble truths: 1. There is suffering (or dissatisfaction) 2. There is a cause for suffering 3. There is a solution to suffering 4. The eightfold noble path is the solution to suffering The eightfold path: Right view. See and understand the world (samsara) for what it is. Understand its illusory nature. Right intention. Intend to help and not to harm, to renounce worldly pleasures. Right speech. Not to lie or slander, and to use your words kindly. Right action. To abstain from harming living beings, not to steal, and not to commit sexual misconduct. Right livelihood. Not dealing in intoxicating substances, weapons, or living creatures. Right effort. To cultivate positive states of mind and to relinquish negative ones. Right mindfulness. Contemplation of temporary phenomena, the body, feelings, state of mind, and the world. Right concentration. One pointed thinking, staying 100% in the moment and present with the topic or task at hand. Meditation is good for practicing this. That's just right off hand, websites would go in to more detail on the 4NT and 8FNP. Zen ties into it as the art of nothingness. Being empty and obtaining the Buddha nature within each of us. The true self. Zen is primarily practiced through meditation, but makes life a lot easier once you get used to the state of mind. There are many great books out there on Zen and Buddhism. One of my personal favorites is The Book of Living and Dying by Segoyle Rinpoche, It's a remake of the book of the dead. Hope this helps. Much metta (loving-kindness) Edited March 17, 2013 by iKING Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Tara has covered a lot here (as expected ) but I thought I'd throw my two cents in. Buddhism was the first religion/philosophy I studied, after it, zen, then christianity. You'd be surprised at the similarities I've found. I'm pretty sure Jesus studied Buddhism at some point in his 17 years of missing journey in the bible. Zen IS Buddhism; it is a Branch of the Mahayana Vehicle. It arose in Japan and practised alongside Shinto-ism. So here's a quick over view, and just as a side note, the fat Buddha (laughing Buddha) is the Budai, he's a later Buddha minded individual in the Mahayana tradition. Not so. The podgy laughing Buddha, is not considered to be a 'true Buddha' at all, but a legendary figure, a laughing monk, called HoTei. He is a round Jolly fellow, carrying a sack, and is a benefactor of children. It is largely presumed by those who seem to have researched the subject, that our very own round jolly fellow carrying a sack, and is a benefactor of children (Father Christmas) may be loosely based on this figure. The 4 noble truths: 1. There is suffering (or dissatisfaction) 2. There is a cause for suffering 3. There is a solution to suffering 4. The eightfold noble path is the solution to suffering The eightfold path: Right view. See and understand the world (samsara) for what it is. Understand its illusory nature. Right intention. Intend to help and not to harm, to renounce worldly pleasures. Right speech. Not to lie or slander, and to use your words kindly. Right action. To abstain from harming living beings, not to steal, and not to commit sexual misconduct. Right livelihood. Not dealing in intoxicating substances, weapons, or living creatures. Right effort. To cultivate positive states of mind and to relinquish negative ones. Right mindfulness. Contemplation of temporary phenomena, the body, feelings, state of mind, and the world. Right concentration. One pointed thinking, staying 100% in the moment and present with the topic or task at hand. Meditation is good for practicing this.. The 4NT and the 8FP both appear to be simple edicts to adhere to, but are in fact extremely complex and convoluted to fully comprehend. Some scholars spend a lifetime discerning the inner workings of the Truth of the Noble path. There are so many layers of understanding, that complete comprehension is not always possible. For example, the Noble 8Fold Path is depicted, pictorially, as a wheel, because in reality, there is no number one, and there is no number 8; each one of the 8 'spokes of the wheel' are supported by, and in turn, supports the others. They are interdependent. While there is accuracy in the above interpretation, there seems to me to be a mix-up there, with the first 5 Precepts - a small set of Guidelines most lay Buddhists adhere to from day to day: Do no harm to any living sentient being Do not take that which is not freely given; Do not practice improper or immoral sexual conduct Do not indulge in false, idle or thoughtless speech; Do not indulge in products which have the potential to dull the mind and alter the thought process. These are what one might term 'immediately obvious recommendations'. The Noble 8Fold path is a set of guidelines which require contemplation, interpretation and understanding, and are an overall set of guidelines intended to be contemplated and implemented as life-changing signposts..... There are many great books out there on Zen and Buddhism. One of my personal favorites is The Book of Living and Dying by Segoyle Rinpoche, It's a remake of the book of the dead. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, is by Sogyal Rinpoche, and is NOT a remake of the Book of the Dead. That is a different work entirely. I know. I have studied both extensively, and it is Sogyal Rinpoche's book which transformed my own life and brought me to the Buddhist path, all those years ago. His book is a vast cornucopia of different ways and means by which one can approach life, alter one's view positively, and thus clear a better path towards a far more productive and satisfactory end. Tibetan Buddhism is not Zen Buddhism, although it too is part of the Mahayana vehicle. I hope I have not caused offence, but felt perhaps some modification or rectification would not be inappropriate.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
iKING Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 None taken. The Book of Living and Dying changed my life awhile back as well, afterward I studied Buddhism for quite awhile. It is in my opinion, an easier to understand for a first-timer, version of the book of the dead, however you are correct in saying they are not the same, it only incorporates the spirit. Spent a month or two doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and meditating. At the end I had a pretty profound experience that I wouldn't trade for the world. Refreshed my ability to get up in the morning and appreciate life. To just breath. Got tired of talking to people on the internet about it eventually so I stopped, but I used to spend a lot of time on the newbuddhist forum. Typically just stick with masters in my state now a days if I have questions. The noble eigthfold path is co-dependant, each is a support to the wheel. None are more important then the other and work in conjunction for a skillful way of life. Zen is meditation, that's the literal translation anyways. It was as you said, intertwined with Buddhism since its conception, however, it has its own model. The tradition of the elders doesn't recognise it as a valid form of practice. There are actually 10 precepts, but only 5 of which are used primarily, refined more recently by Thich Nhat Hanh. Thought I'd toss a quick over view from memory to any first time explorers, didn't mean to offend anyone. I'll stay out of your way. Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Don't for goodness' sake stay out of anyone's way..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites
pureinheart Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Well, here's more refreshment. I'm a pretty church-y Christian but I've always been interested in other religions, Buddhism in particular. I once took a class in Hinayana (lesser vehicle) Buddhism, which I think is the same as Therevada. (Please correct me if I am mistaken.) I remember one monk's summary of the two schools of thought: "greater vehicle, lesser vehicle, all vehicles will be towed away at the owner's expense". While searching delved in Buddhism and Hinduism, they are my favorite because I can learn and receive wisdom. I've read "Siddhartha". Truthfully of all eastern religion books I liked "The Wisdom of Laotse" the best. Lots of wisdom in there. C.S. Lewis would say that certain of these books definitely contain true philosophies--even if they don't contain complete truth in the sense of being God's full revelation in the person of Jesus Christ. Completely agree M30.... wisdom is everywhere. As I was "delving", Jesus got a hold of me (so supernaturally that I couldn't deny it) so quit really researching/searching different faiths and went directly into the Bible. Still get bits and pieces here and there, but this thread is extremely helpful, like Bethy said in a previous post, it answers questions and gets to the "meat":D Link to post Share on other sites
pureinheart Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Bethebutterfly: Glad you brought this thread back to the top. I am reading and making notes on Buddhism. Meditating has become something I am slowly trying to incorporate also for a better sense of the world around me and to try to stay present. I have been studying different spiritual practices to get through some rough times in my life lately. I thought your questions very astute and it gives me a jumping off point to learn more. Grumps IMO meditating is the key in any faith. Meditating releases the mind in order to gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding. I need to meditate more. I would like to encourage us both to meditate more...Grump, there was a time that I did little but meditate and will include fasting in this- went on a 3 yr partial fast also, and during this time ...wow 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpybutfun Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Meditation doesn't come easy for me...never has. I am a multi-tasker by birth and so I feel discombobulated just trying to stay still in the moment. One practice that does me a bit of good is listening to Native American chants. They speak to me and calm me and somehow I can get in the moment for a few seconds. For me that is a whole lot of time not to be focused on lots of things. I also find that arias, especially anything by Puccini, can get me quiet for a few moments. I love Celia Bartolli and listen to her for a few moments of clear peace. What draws me to Buddhism are the spiritual practices. Peace, hope, grace, being present, forgiveness, etc. Grumps 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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