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Thread: Buddhism

  1. #1
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Buddhism

    I checked the forum rules before posting and didn't see any mention of religion being a forbidden subject, and my intention is NOT to start anything bad here, so...

    Are there any buddhists here? I was raised a catholic and still am, but I've been reading a bit about Buddhism and it seems to be quite an interesting and mind opening philosophy of life, besides being a religion per se.

  2. #2
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    what is the sound of one hand clapping?

    we have a buddhist temple open up down the street from me. my mom was all in a huff about it "what do we need one of those for, anyway?" heh, I wanted to go just out of curiosity. Actually quite a few tenets of buddhism that I recall from reading Siddhartha resonated with me but not enough that I actively sought it out.

  3. #3
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    I especially like how Buddhism establishes the concept of dukkha and how its understanding can help relieving pain and suffering.

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    I’m not religious, but I’ve heard that even an atheist like me can find something tangible in Buddhism. What little I know about it interests me. If nothing else I’m interested in it academically—I’ve enjoyed getting to know something about a lot of religions. Recently, I dug into Hinduism in order to teach Indian works in my world literature courses.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  5. #5
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    ... Actually quite a few tenets of buddhism that I recall from reading Siddhartha resonated with me but not enough that I actively sought it out.
    It’s been 30 years since I read it. I need to read it and some of Hesse’s other books. I’ve got a thing for German Lit at the moment.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  6. #6
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    while I read Siddhartha for school, I used to read a lot for pleasure. I miss reading. It is an arduous activity now and wears me out after only a half dozen pages. I used to devour entire paperbacks at night. If I had known what was lying ahead for me vision wise, I would have kept going.

  7. #7
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    while I read Siddhartha for school, I used to read a lot for pleasure. I miss reading. It is an arduous activity now and wears me out after only a half dozen pages. I used to devour entire paperbacks at night. If I had known what was lying ahead for me vision wise, I would have kept going.
    Man, I’m sorry about your vision problems. I read so much—English prof, go figure. For about 20 years I had trouble concentrating because I was such a heavy toker. I ain’t agin the weed, but I abused the stuff. 7 months down the road and now my concentration is strong and I’m more creative than in two decades.

    That’s one reason Buddhism is interesting to me. I used to calm myself with a good spliff, but I can’t do that anymore. Meditation may hold the key for me, non-religious meditation. I’ve read that Buddhism has elements adaptable to the non-believers.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  8. #8
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    while I read Siddhartha for school, I used to read a lot for pleasure. I miss reading. It is an arduous activity now and wears me out after only a half dozen pages. I used to devour entire paperbacks at night. If I had known what was lying ahead for me vision wise, I would have kept going.
    Have you tried reading on an iPad or a Kindle? These devices have allowed my wife to continue reading.

  9. #9
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    Man, I’m sorry about your vision problems. I read so much—English prof, go figure. For about 20 years I had trouble concentrating because I was such a heavy toker. I ain’t agin the weed, but I abused the stuff. 7 months down the road and now my concentration is strong and I’m more creative than in two decades.

    That’s one reason Buddhism is interesting to me. I used to calm myself with a good spliff, but I can’t do that anymore. Meditation may hold the key for me, non-religious meditation. I’ve read that Buddhism has elements adaptable to the non-believers.
    Yes, that's another aspect that I found very interesting. You can, for instance, be a Christian and yet take several philosophic lessons from Buddhism

  10. #10
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    Quote Originally Posted by Sérgio View Post
    Yes, that's another aspect that I found very interesting. You can, for instance, be a Christian and yet take several philosophic lessons from Buddhism

    The pastor at my (Christian) church says that all religions are merely "franchises of the same organization."

  11. #11
    Forum Member VibroCount's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    I'm Buddhist.

    I lost my faith as I entered junior high school... I was raised Protestant... baptized in the Episcopal church, attended Congregational, Presbyterian, etc. I read a few Alan Watts books and thought Zen sounded interesting. I married a Lutheran, so our kids attended Lutheran churches. Son seems like an atheist, daughter's oldest son is at the Lutheran school in St. Louis to become a Lutheran minister. Second wife, like me, is an atheist, but whose family is Buddhist.

    When our daughter was three, my sister-in-law asked to take her to Dharma School at the local Buddhist church. Each year in April, on Hanamatsuri, the Dharma School puts on a play with the students playing roles or classes performing to a piece of pop music worked into the script. I became the sound guy, mixing the mikes of the voice actors (on stage actors pantomime to their off-stage voices) and cuing up the music cuts. Eventually, I became the adult supervisor over the student directors. Now, I also write the scripts.

    Twenty years ago, I became the editor of the church's monthly newsletter. I still do this (I'm putting the February issue together now).

    There are as many sects within Buddhism as there are within Christianity, Islam, and all other religions founded more recently than Buddhism. Buddha was raised Hindu. The part I belong to is Jodo Shinshu, founded by Shinran Shonen.

    These are some of the things I believe:
    Everything is impermanent.
    Everything is interdependent.
    A person must see with Dharma Eyes, seeing reality, not a false view of things according to one's wishes, but as they truly are.
    Being grateful is the noblest act.

    There are many aspects to Buddhism I understand. There is a tale (perhaps true, but it does not matter) of someone trying to live a life totally following the Buddha's teachings. Buddha told him to think for himself; to experience everything and then choose for himself. The follower wanted more help. The Buddha spoke of journeying through a forest or a jungle with no path. Along the journey, a river needs to be crossed. It is too deep to walk across, too swift to swim. You build a raft to cross and once across, you contemplate keeping the raft in case you encounter another river. The raft is like the Buddha's teachings. Use it to cross an obstacle, but once the obstacle is passed, the raft becomes a hindrance to continuing your journey through the jungle on the other side. If you encounter another river, build another raft.

    I found (through the Dharma School plays) a great teaching of fundamental Buddhism is in the stories of the first four Pete the Cat books (I Love My White Shoes, Rocking in My School Shoes, And His Four Groovy Buttons, And His Magic Sunglasses). After those first four, few Dharma messages seem to exist. They became the basis of the script for the 2015 Hanamatsuri play. (This year's will be Horton Hears a Who.)

    If you have other questions, I might be able to help. I don't check in every day (as my response here would have been closer to when this thread started), but I will come back and check in.

    There is no path to happiness; happiness is the path.
    Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't. -- Pete Seeger

  12. #12
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    VibroCount--thanks for the explanation. Very interesting stuff indeed.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    Quote Originally Posted by VibroCount View Post
    There is no path to happiness; happiness is the path.
    Man, I loved you whole your whole post, but this really struck me! Words to live by!

  14. #14
    Forum Member Tubes 'n Wood's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    I agree with Don... great quote.
    T 'n W

  15. #15
    Forum Member VibroCount's Avatar
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    Re: Buddhism

    "There is no path to happiness; happiness is the path" is perhaps the best translation of an actual quote from the historical Buddha. There are a few variations of it, using slightly different words, but none (to me) express the idea of the journey being more important than the destination. Our lives are a journey. None of us know our destination. But how we get there is the most important act we can make.

    Jodo Shinshu is weird. It relies on each of us saying the Buddha's name. Without that, we cannot move ahead. But only by Buddha's grace do we advance. The idea is that if we say his name in a way which affects our behavior, making us thankful, grateful, and giving, then Buddha will grant us grace.

    Buddhism is based on the Four Noble Truths:
    We live in pain.
    Pain comes from being unsatisfied.
    Only by relinquishing want can we relieve suffering.
    By following the Eightfold Path, we can relieve suffering.

    The Eightfold Path is:
    Right View. I shall see things as they are.
    Right Thought. I shall have pure thoughts.
    Right Speech. I shall speak truthfully.
    Right Conduct. I shall act unselfishly.
    Right Livelihood. I shall live honestly.
    Right Effort. I shall follow the teachings of the Buddha.
    Right Mindfullness. I shall reflect upon my actions.
    Right Meditation. I shall live a life of Nembutsu. (Nembutsu is being thankful to be aware of the teachings of Buddha.)

    There is a part of a recitation we chant every service (the entire piece is called The Golden Chain) which I like: "I will be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than myself. I will think pure and beautiful thoughts, say pure and beautiful words, and do pure and beautiful deeds."

    Best to all.
    Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't. -- Pete Seeger

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