Collarspace Discussion Forums


Home  Login  Search 

RE: Buddhism


View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest
 
All Forums >> [Community Discussions] >> Dungeon of Political and Religious Discussion >> RE: Buddhism Page: <<   < prev  1 2 3 [4] 5   next >   >>
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:19:09 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline
quote:

MM, you seem quite knowledgeable. Are there any specific books you might recommend?


"The World's Religions," by Huston Smith, is an excellent overview, quite readable, readily available in paperback, and a good place to start.

From there, if you're interested, there's a wealth of Buddhist scripture and commentary. Perhaps start with the Dhammapada.

Most New Age book stores will have a Buddhist section where you can browse. Many religious book stores will too, unless strictly devoted to Christianity.

(in reply to LaTigresse)
Profile   Post #: 61
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:28:29 AM   
Mercnbeth


Posts: 11766
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse

I am going to go out on a limb and guess.......perhaps intent plays a big part in that.


If the "intent" is enlightenment is the path or consideration of kindness relevant? What is the ultimate Buddhist priority; the goal of enlightenment or kindness?

(in reply to LaTigresse)
Profile   Post #: 62
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:36:40 AM   
Icarys


Posts: 5757
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse

I am going to go out on a limb and guess.......perhaps intent plays a big part in that.


If the "intent" is enlightenment is the path or consideration of kindness relevant? What is the ultimate Buddhist priority; the goal of enlightenment or kindness?



I think a multitude of things play a part in "enlightenment"..Kindness is only one of them..Without a well balanced meal you lose out no matter how much of a good thing you choose to eat.

I for one have a little Buddha going on so I haven't been good with my diet as much as I need to.


_____________________________

submission - the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness - the state of being submissive or compliant; meekness.

Alaska Bound-The Official Countdown Has Started!
http://tinyurl.com/872mcu3
http://alturl.com/mog7m

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 63
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:38:57 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline
quote:

What is the ultimate Buddhist priority; the goal of enlightenment or kindness?


Merc, two main branches of Buddhism, the Theravada and the The Mahayana, pursue opposite answers to this question. Universal compassion and the bodhisattva belong to the second one.

[ETA: This is not as different as it may seem. The Mahayana school also seeks enlightenment, but for all beings. The Theravada pursues enlightenment person by person. These are sometimes referred to as the Little Ferryboat and the Big Ferryboat. Different paths to the same ultimate end.]

< Message edited by Musicmystery -- 4/9/2010 9:43:53 AM >

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 64
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:40:52 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline
quote:

I like the Original 4 nobel truths better

1.Life as we know it ultimately is or leads to suffering/uneasiness (dukkha) in one way or another.
2.Suffering is caused by craving. This is often expressed as a deluded clinging to a certain sense of existence, to selfhood, or to the things or phenomena that we consider the cause of happiness or unhappiness. Craving also has its negative aspect, i.e. one craves that a certain state of affairs not exist.
3.Suffering ends when craving ends. This is achieved by eliminating delusion, thereby reaching a liberated state of Enlightenment (bodhi);
4.Reaching this liberated state is achieved by following the path laid out by the Buddha.


Yes, me too. It clarifies the connection and the reasoning for Buddha's approach.

(in reply to luckydawg)
Profile   Post #: 65
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:49:42 AM   
Mercnbeth


Posts: 11766
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery
quote:

What is the ultimate Buddhist priority; the goal of enlightenment or kindness?


Merc, two main branches of Buddhism, the Theravada and the The Mahayana, pursue opposite answers to this question. Universal compassion and the bodhisattva belong to the second one.
Which then generates the next issue - agreeing upon "universal compassion".

Thank you for pointing me to a couple of references. I look forward to learning more when I have the time this weekend to look up the 'Theravada' and 'Mahayana' branches. Coming from a zero knowledge base - is this similar to different branches of 'Christianity'? If so - does Buddhism get stuck on similar human need and argue what is the 'one true way'?

(in reply to Musicmystery)
Profile   Post #: 66
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:59:19 AM   
Icarys


Posts: 5757
Status: offline 		Where's the love...

_____________________________

submission - the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness - the state of being submissive or compliant; meekness.

Alaska Bound-The Official Countdown Has Started!
http://tinyurl.com/872mcu3
http://alturl.com/mog7m

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 67
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 10:29:17 AM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline
quote:

Thank you for pointing me to a couple of references. I look forward to learning more when I have the time this weekend to look up the 'Theravada' and 'Mahayana' branches. Coming from a zero knowledge base - is this similar to different branches of 'Christianity'?

Not exactly. Christianity evolved mainly through dissenting voices. Buddhism is more of a traveling in different directions as it meets different countries. Thus, Tibetan Buddhism, for example, is unique compared to, say, Zen Buddhism. But it's not that the two sects are ideologically at war, as in Christianity and Islamic sects. They are, more truly, just branches growing in various directions.

quote:

If so - does Buddhism get stuck on similar human need and argue what is the 'one true way'?

I'm not going to claim that never happens--but not in the Christianity/Islamic sense you mean.

It's not even, really, at odds with Hinduism, the culture from which it evolved. Buddha just found a way to step off the wheel of Karma.

The question, too, comes from a different cultural mindset than Buddhism. When impermanence is a key concept, one true way carries little meaning. It's more of an experiential message--others have done this, here's how you can too. But there are many paths up the mountain.

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 68
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 10:32:42 AM   
Mercnbeth


Posts: 11766
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Icarys

Where's the love...


The "love" of knowledge supersedes all other distractions to obtaining it.

(in reply to Icarys)
Profile   Post #: 69
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 10:44:52 AM   
Icarys


Posts: 5757
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

quote:

ORIGINAL: Icarys

Where's the love...


The "love" of knowledge supersedes all other distractions to obtaining it.



Relax...Just interjecting a little humor in a room full of stogies.

My brand of humor that is.

I'll leave you to the discussion.


_____________________________

submission - the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness - the state of being submissive or compliant; meekness.

Alaska Bound-The Official Countdown Has Started!
http://tinyurl.com/872mcu3
http://alturl.com/mog7m

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 70
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 11:04:43 AM   
Kirata


Posts: 15477
Joined: 2/11/2006
From: USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Buddha just found a way to step off the wheel of Karma.

I think it would be perhaps more accurate to say that he forged a new path...

Gautama was disturbed by the way the uneducated worshipped the iconography of their traditions as if those figures were real gods and goddesses, instead of understanding what they represented (e.g., Shiva and Shakti, consciousness and energy), and also by the way intellectuals debated abstruse details of bijas and nadis and cakras while missing the essence of the teachings.

It is a sentiment that reaches its peak in Zen, where koans deliberately defy rational understanding and the only practice is "no-practice" (Zazen).

K.

< Message edited by Kirata -- 4/9/2010 11:32:36 AM >

(in reply to Musicmystery)
Profile   Post #: 71
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 12:22:34 PM   
Mercnbeth


Posts: 11766
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Icarys

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

quote:

ORIGINAL: Icarys

Where's the love...


The "love" of knowledge supersedes all other distractions to obtaining it.



Relax...Just interjecting a little humor in a room full of stogies.

My brand of humor that is.



Damn - and I used "my brand" in the response; which (OBVIOUSLY!) doesn't translate well in the written form!

(in reply to Icarys)
Profile   Post #: 72
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 12:41:11 PM   
Icarys


Posts: 5757
Status: offline 		Mine doesn't either...

I get your humor..It's sarcastic..I like it or I wouldn't have invited you and beth to my home.
Not that I expected you to drop everything for little ole me..




_____________________________

submission - the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness - the state of being submissive or compliant; meekness.

Alaska Bound-The Official Countdown Has Started!
http://tinyurl.com/872mcu3
http://alturl.com/mog7m

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 73
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 1:32:23 PM   
Mercnbeth


Posts: 11766
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Icarys
Mine doesn't either...

I get your humor..It's sarcastic..I like it or I wouldn't have invited you and beth to my home.
Not that I expected you to drop everything for little ole me..


Next time we get there to visit the 'salt water cowboys' we'll try and make some time!

(in reply to Icarys)
Profile   Post #: 74
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 1:55:32 PM   
Icarys


Posts: 5757
Status: offline 		WooHoo

_____________________________

submission - the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness - the state of being submissive or compliant; meekness.

Alaska Bound-The Official Countdown Has Started!
http://tinyurl.com/872mcu3
http://alturl.com/mog7m

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
Profile   Post #: 75
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 3:12:27 PM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Kirata


quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Buddha just found a way to step off the wheel of Karma.

I think it would be perhaps more accurate to say that he forged a new path...

Gautama was disturbed by the way the uneducated worshipped the iconography of their traditions as if those figures were real gods and goddesses, instead of understanding what they represented (e.g., Shiva and Shakti, consciousness and energy), and also by the way intellectuals debated abstruse details of bijas and nadis and cakras while missing the essence of the teachings.

It is a sentiment that reaches its peak in Zen, where koans deliberately defy rational understanding and the only practice is "no-practice" (Zazen).

K.


Thanks, Kirata.

Btw, for those interested in looking into Zen, "Zen in the Art of Archery" is another classic, easy to find inexpensively.

(in reply to Kirata)
Profile   Post #: 76
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 8:45:01 PM   
Dubbelganger


Posts: 200
Joined: 4/9/2010
Status: offline 		You have it backwards, Bay-beeeee. It's MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. MOOOOOOOOOOOOO Got it now?
quote:

ORIGINAL: subtee

Interesting. Let's investigate that.

Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


(in reply to subtee)
Profile   Post #: 77
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 8:52:12 PM   
jlf1961


Posts: 14840
Joined: 6/10/2008
From: Somewhere Texas
Status: offline 		Yeah, but you still cant be a liberal and be a Buddhist.

_____________________________

Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control which airlock you throw them out of.

Paranoid Paramilitary Gun Loving Conspiracy Theorist AND EQUAL OPPORTUNI

(in reply to Dubbelganger)
Profile   Post #: 78
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:04:11 PM   
Musicmystery


Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline 		Nor a conservative--the impermanence thing...

(in reply to jlf1961)
Profile   Post #: 79
RE: Buddhism - 4/9/2010 9:09:56 PM   
jlf1961


Posts: 14840
Joined: 6/10/2008
From: Somewhere Texas
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

Nor a conservative--the impermanence thing...



Musicmystery, you have to be a conservative to be a Buddhist, look at all the rights you got to do:

1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

< Message edited by jlf1961 -- 4/9/2010 9:10:10 PM >

_____________________________

Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?

You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control which airlock you throw them out of.

Paranoid Paramilitary Gun Loving Conspiracy Theorist AND EQUAL OPPORTUNI

(in reply to Musicmystery)
Profile   Post #: 80
Page:   <<   < prev  1 2 3 [4] 5   next >   >>
All Forums >> [Community Discussions] >> Dungeon of Political and Religious Discussion >> RE: Buddhism Page: <<   < prev  1 2 3 [4] 5   next >   >>
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts




Collarchat.com © 2025
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Spam Policy

0.094