Buddhism

[DIONYSUS]

Ive recently started going to my local Buddhist centre its been about 2months now and im finding it really interesting. Before i went to this i was quite against organised religion as i viewed it as a crutch that weak people used to get through life cause they wernt strong enought to make their own decisions or make their own way in life, but i think Buddhism is different. Also we did some chanting the other day, which i was initially very skeptical about, what with my possibly narrow minded view of hare krishnas, but it was actually really moving stuff (Green Tara's mantra i think it was called...). Just wondering if anybodys got any expereinces they want to share or tips or stuff i should read etc

[DaftFader]

if i had to belive in a religon .. it would be budism ..:love: .. mby spritualism .. but thats some thing else imo .. i can't explain it atm .. but you got the right idea i think m8

[jmt10110]

here you go dj, http://www.aboutbuddhism.org/
this is one i looked at when i was studying various religions/beliefs. not for my own practice, don't care for that scene, just to know more about them.

[Raj]

I have [somewhere] a friend whois a lay buddhist preacher and he is always a great person to chat to.

Have spent a lot of time meditating on Zen buddhism - find thats my favourite part of buddhism:love:

[globalloon]

Buddha's teachings are all about finding your own path to enlightenment, whereas all forms of Buddhism claim to know the right way to live by those teachings.

to me it seems like any other major religion; people claiming that the way they interpret the divine is the right one.

find your own path!

[Raj]

Right enough - never done the buddhism with other people; usually alone so it worked for me.

[MisterDuck]

study buddha without others tellin you how to interpret it? sounds quite good

in fact that could work for many religions to an extent, but probly buddhism most

[JonnyQuest]

buddism is religioin, no place in the modern world if u ask me

[jmt10110]

buddism is religioin, no place in the modern world if u ask me

buddhism is actually a philosophy. what does the second part mean?

[DJCliffy]

buddhism is actually a philosophy. what does the second part mean?

Think he means religion has no place in the modern world. I agree with ya Jonny! Myself i believe in some higher being but not mankinds religions! :wink:

[MrAHC]

Buddha's teachings are all about finding your own path to enlightenment, whereas all forms of Buddhism claim to know the right way to live by those teachings.

to me it seems like any other major religion; people claiming that the way they interpret the divine is the right one.

find your own path!
Got to agree with GB on this. I did some work for a NKT temple a few years ago and hung about to find out abit more.

They was lovely people but abit full on for me with there ideas on life and buddism. ~It seems more split that the protestant church to me...

[DIONYSUS]

Got to agree with GB on this. I did some work for a NKT temple a few years ago and hung about to find out abit more.

They was lovely people but abit full on for me with there ideas on life and buddism. ~It seems more split that the protestant church to me...
fuckin hell id have never thought it would be religion that you two would agree on!:wink:

[MrAHC]

fuckin hell id have never thought it would be religion that you two would agree on!:wink:
well thats the teachings of budda for you...

[Heavy]

I did a little reading on the subject, and what I liked was that Buddha recommended people only take from his teachings what they found useful to lead a better life, and that they could leave what they did not agree with or need.

When I looked further into it and went to a meeting I found that this attitude was not followed. It was back to the all or nothing stance of most religion.

So my experience has been that reading about it, and maybe discussing it with someone who is not too set on one view, can be a very useful tool for looking at and maybe improving life.

[DIONYSUS]

I did a little reading on the subject, and what I liked was that Buddha recommended people only take from his teachings what they found useful to lead a better life, and that they could leave what they did not agree with or need.

When I looked further into it and went to a meeting I found that this attitude was not followed. It was back to the all or nothing stance of most religion.

So my experience has been that reading about it, and maybe discussing it with someone who is not too set on one view, can be a very useful tool for looking at and maybe improving life.

at the moment im still at the first stage. if it does get to the second 'all or nothing' stage ill probably sack it off as i dont really do too well with people telling me what to do.

[globalloon]

fuckin hell id have never thought it would be religion that you two would agree on!:wink:

we both cut through the bullshit on the big stuff

[DIONYSUS]

does buddihism have a extremist faction like most other religions? (whether buddhism is a religion or a philosophy is another debate btw) cause i know buddhists are all against violence and killing animals/humans, but most other religions are supposed to be as well arent they?
id be interested to hear what people have got to say...

[JulesDogg]

Ive recently started going to my local Buddhist centre its been about 2months now and im finding it really interesting. Before i went to this i was quite against organised religion as i viewed it as a crutch that weak people used to get through life cause they wernt strong enought to make their own decisions or make their own way in life, but i think Buddhism is different. Also we did some chanting the other day, which i was initially very skeptical about, what with my possibly narrow minded view of hare krishnas, but it was actually really moving stuff (Green Tara's mantra i think it was called...). Just wondering if anybodys got any expereinces they want to share or tips or stuff i should read etc

Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion. There are some very interesting parallels with Buddhist philosophy and modern physics.

Buddhism co-exists well with other belief systems and also seems to provide fertile ground for a strong sense of integrity and harmony in the communities where it is practiced, something that is sadly lacking in our consumer oriented secular society.

Chanting like prayer is a very powerful tool whether practiced as a group or alone.

[MisterDuck]

there's a very interesting thread about tibet on SJ here
http://squatjuice.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=140722

in the third page liaphine talks about how the dalai lama is perhaps fascist and not peaceful in his views... worth a read.

[spark]

there's a very interesting thread about tibet on SJ here
http://squatjuice.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=140722

in the third page liaphine talks about how the dalai lama is perhaps fascist and not peaceful in his views... worth a read.

She is right with everything... all can be found in the history books for those willing to read up on it... I only heard about this side of it recently too... now am confused about how I feel about things I used to believe was right on.. Of course western media leave this part out... which is why we are all just pawns in the game of politics...

Its an interesting read through her links...
If you are intersted in tibet and china and the dali lama then its a must.
Some of the things will mmost likely challenge what you have been brought up to belive....

[JulesDogg]

I will need a lot of convincing before I believe that the Dalai Lama is some sort of fascist.

[globalloon]

I will need a lot of convincing before I believe that the Dalai Lama is some sort of fascist.

probably closer to an oppressive theocracy, like saudi arabia, than a fascist regime

healthcare by shamanism, taxes paid to the monastery, women 2nd class, feudal economy, legal recourse available only through monasteries, racist bigotry underpins the concept of self determination, dynasty by birth vs democratic rights, no freedom of individual expression as this opposes tibetan bhuddism, poverty wages set by monasteries

saying that, there are clear parallels with fascism such as the oppression of individual expression

[JulesDogg]

probably closer to an oppressive theocracy, like saudi arabia, than a fascist regime

healthcare by shamanism, taxes paid to the monastery, women 2nd class, feudal economy, legal recourse available only through monasteries, racist bigotry underpins the concept of self determination, dynasty by birth vs democratic rights, no freedom of individual expression as this opposes tibetan bhuddism, poverty wages set by monasteries

saying that, there are clear parallels with fascism such as the oppression of individual expression

Glo, interesting response. How would you sum up the political situation in the UK today ?

[globalloon]

Glo, interesting response. How would you sum up the political situation in the UK today ?

tokenist democratic façade

[JulesDogg]

tokenist democratic façade

Well said, my feeling entirely.

And what lurks behind the facade?

[globalloon]

Well said, my feeling entirely.

And what lurks behind the facade?

arms, oil and banking

[JulesDogg]

Glo, do you subscribe to the 'New World Order/Illuminati' theories ?

[globalloon]

Glo, do you subscribe to the 'New World Order/Illuminati' theories ?

i don't think it's that spooky. corporate power is clearly visible. when corporations represent larger economies than most nations, it's clear who we are acting up to

[JulesDogg]

I agree that the power-mongers are visible, but I often wonder about a hidden 'elite' that moves behind the scenes and is based on the same bloodlines down the centuries. You buy into any of that?

[marysometimes]

I found this while doing some research for a class debate about the relationship between politics and religion. I'm not very fond of the article tone, but it still makes an interesting read.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/117810/page/1

links to other articles
http://www.cfr.org/publication/15969/buddhism_and_politics.html?breadcrumb=%2F

[JulesDogg]

Tendzin Choegyal is the Dalai Lama’s youngest brother. Aside from being related to one of the holiest persons alive, TC is a rebellious soul who dropped out of college, spent a couple of years as a paratrooper in the Tibetan contingency of the Indian army, survived alcoholism,and found peace through a blend of Buddhism, lithium, and reading the news on the Internet. When I met him at his home in Dharamsala, India—the Himalayan town that houses the Tibetan government-in-exile—we talked about reincarnation, war movies, Steven Seagal’s crazy outfits, and the preservation of Tibetan culture.
The following is a reprint of my interview with Choegyal, published in Issue 52 of Giant Robot magazine (http://giantrobot.com/). A feature-length profile will be in the Fall issue of Buddhadharma (http://www.thebuddhadharma.com/index.php), which goes to press in July.

GR: At a young age, you, too, were recognized as a reincarnate of an important man, right?

TC: Oh, that’s bullshit. I don’t believe it. From a Buddhist perspective, we are all reborn. But choosing a particular person as someone special and saying he’s a reincarnation of so-and-so is bullshit. I don’t consider myself special. I’m just like you. I want happiness, and I don’t want suffering. I think it’s just a sheer accident that I was chosen.

GR: What about your brother?

TC: Ah, that’s different. He is on a completely different level—a much higher caliber, and a lot of tests were done. It may be true for others, but as far as I’m concerned, this is the greatest mistake of the century.

GR: Are you and your brother similar?

TC: His Holiness’ voice and my voice are similar, and we also look alike. I also share his philosophy of life. I share his views wholeheartedly. I mean, the guy cares, you know?

GR: Are you a practicing Buddhist?

TC: How do you define “practicing Buddhist”? Going to the temple every morning is nothing. We ourselves are temples. Even a dog can go to a temple. And as long as you have a little bit of money, you can always make an offering. I do subscribe to basic Buddhist beliefs, and the tenets of the teachings. I believe in taking refuge in the Buddha, in his teachings, and in his spiritual community. But I have to actualize all three within myself and enjoy the fruit of that development.

GR: What are your hobbies?

TC: I used to take photographs, and I used to like editing movies. But right now, my hobby is reading. I’m reading a book in English right now on Buddhism and world history. I don’t read fiction—my time is mostly spent reading about Buddhism and inner transformation. I also read The New York Times, The Herald Tribune, and the BBC on the Internet. Oh, and People’s Daily. I want to know what the Chinese are saying!

GR: Anything else you’re really into?

TC: I like useful tools. Until a few years ago, I used to fix my own car—I was a good mechanic. I used to drive an old Land Rover; now I drive a Suzuki station wagon. I used to wash my car every day, and my friends used to say, “Don’t do that, the paint’s going to come off.” When I’m doing something, I do it whole-heartedly. And then when I leave it, I just leave it. Just this evening my son called me an eccentric. I think he’s right. We all have our extreme sides. I used to take an interest in anything that was mechanical, but now, I don’t think these material things are all that important. I’m interested in human beings now.

GR: Do you like movies?

TC: Yes. This is going to shock you, but I like war movies, like Saving Private Ryan. Like any kid or person who doesn’t really think, I used to like them just for the action. But Saving Private Ryan shows how devastating and bad war is, and I think there should be more movies like that. Entertainment plays a big role in the world. Movies produced today with sex, violence, and drugs practically teach youngsters how to do things the wrong way. I think the entertainment industry holds a lot of responsibility.

GR: Have you met a lot of the celebrities who stop through Dharamsala to meet the Dalai Lama?

TC: Celebrities? They’re all human beings, what’s the big deal? You sit down with them, you start talking, and it’s the same thing. Richard Gere is a wonderful person—very simple, modest, and natural with whomever he meets. He’s done a lot for the Tibetan community. And then, on the other side of the scale, there’s Steven Seagal. Oh my god. I met him when he came here. He was wearing a funny coat, a Chinese brocade, funny trousers, and funny shoes with that ponytail. I asked him, “Why do you dress in such a peculiar manner?” He didn’t say anything. He’s arrogant, and pretends to be a Tibetan reincarnate. But why? He’s a strange man.

GR: What do you think about the preservation of Tibetan culture in Dharamsala?

TC: I think we’re losing it. Culture is not about dancing; it’s not about the songs you sing. I think we are starting to go mainstream here—people are wearing baseball caps and baggy pants. Human culture keeps on changing—it’s constantly being modified. There’s no such thing as the “original culture”—we are always in a state of flux. So it depends on how you look at it. But no matter how you dress or what kind of song you sing, as long as you can relate with other people, I think it’s okay. Any trend that is based on the mistaken view that freedom under democracy is a license to do anything is dangerous. You’ll destroy yourself, your family, and your community, because it’s based on selfishness. Say somebody is very angry, and he just can’t listen to reason. That person’s reason for not restraining himself is, I’m free.I can to whatever I want. The restraining factor is becoming smaller and smaller. We are becoming noble savages.

GR: Do you think a part of Tibetan culture is threatened by things moving forward?

TC: I really love Tibetans. I really wish success to our cause and our people. But I’m very concerned with the direction in which we are heading. Young people are not taking interest in Buddhism as an internal science. They see that Buddhism dispensed in the name of religion by various institutions is not up to the mark. A good example is the number of monks we have. Firstly, we have too many of them. And then they’re in monks’ robes, but they behave in funny ways. Whatever you do in life, you have to love it or leave it. If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. If you want to do it, do it because you love it. Find meaning in it. Otherwise, you’re tricking yourself. You’re tricking everybody.


From here..

http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/2008/06/my-interview-wi.html