Buddhist Discussion Thread

[Call to power]

Something that has always bugged me about Buddhism: If life is suffering then surely your duty is to wipe out as much life as possible. If a Buddhist got himself some sort of bomb that would destroy the Universe, would he detonate it? Also how do you feel about Steven Seagal

Yeah there is an egocentric answer in reducing this suffering in only yourself but that seems a little selfish and incompatible with human nature (i.e. you want to cross a bridge that cannot be crossed).

[The De Danann Nation]

Something that has always bugged me about Buddhism: If life is suffering then surely your duty is to wipe out as much life as possible. If a Buddhist got himself some sort of bomb that would destroy the Universe, would he detonate it? Also how do you feel about Steven Seagal

Yeah there is an egocentric answer in reducing this suffering in only yourself but that seems a little selfish and incompatible with human nature.

Dukkha can be translated into suffering, but it can also be translated into dissatisfaction, desire, etc.
That would depend on the Buddhist, not Buddhism.
Onto the last bit, I don't know that much about him. I am not a Tibetan Buddhist, so the Tibetan lamas' decisions don't really affect me and my spirituality. It's like asking a Protestant how they feel about someone the Pope elected bishop.
Dude, that pretty much what Buddha taught. You are your own savior, the Buddhas and Bodhisattva can only help you so much.

[Call to power]

Dukkha can be translated into suffering, but it can also be translated into dissatisfaction, desire, etc.

Which is suffering. Tragedy needs hope (desire) and what-not.

Nice little hand-wave you got going there.

It's like asking a Protestant how they feel about someone the Pope elected bishop.

How would this be a problem? 'He is a cunt' would suffice but what I am doing here is illuminating that Buddhism is not some special snowflake religion but something that has exactly the same problems as Christianity and more or less the same message of piety.

Dude, that pretty much what Buddha taught. You are your own savior, the Buddhas and Bodhisattva can only help you so much.

If I see a starving man by the road then I would be a sociopath to not help him. If I see a cow suffering then I will help it even if it means a coup de grâce.

As to my final point. Unless you're willing to make a leap of faith in that we can jump completely outside of our natural condition then this all starts to fall apart.

[The De Danann Nation]

what I am doing here is illuminating that Buddhism is not some special snowflake religion but something that has exactly the same problems as Christianity and more or less the same message of piety.

Yeah, all you are going to do is make yourself look like a jerk. Buddhism isn't a "special snowflake religion," I'm not claiming it is. I'm trying to make a thread where Buddhist can talk about our faith. I live in the Bible Belt so I don't meet much Buddhist.

[The USOT]

In Buddhism, the cause of suffering is basically desire, ignorance, and impermanence. While living on the material world, aging, sickness, and death will come to all of us. Buddhism is based around trying to reduce suffering. Liberation from suffering and the material world is a goal in many religions. For example, salvation in Christianity. In a way, suffering is a good thing in Buddhism. If there was no suffering, Buddhism would not exist. I've explained this the best I can, my knowledge of Buddhism comes from the Internet.

Its not so much of opposition to suffering. In buddhism, one pursues the path to end it for themselves. Buddhism makes a person look more inward and accept the things as they are and draw happiness from ever little detail. As said, It may rain and storm, but in the end, crops will strive. To try and end suffering involves one acknowledging faults within people and being able to look past those and seek the goodness and happiness from it. It eventually makes one wiser, and more peaceful at mind. Sure, I could die, but I know that in doing so, I give up one less mouth to feed, in my death I remind others around me how valuable life is, My body will decay and return the nutrients and essence back into the soil of which plants can use to grow, which could produce food for a poor family. Things like that, you learn how to turn something horrible into something more harmonic (: We don't hate suffering, as we're taught not to hate anything. We simply try to look past it and find one thing that one can cherish. You avoid looking at material to make you happy and more of just the ideas and beauty around you.

Thanks for the explanation. I dont like the explanation but at least now I understand

[Pravengria]

Its not so much of opposition to suffering. In buddhism, one pursues the path to end it for themselves. Buddhism makes a person look more inward and accept the things as they are and draw happiness from ever little detail. As said, It may rain and storm, but in the end, crops will strive. To try and end suffering involves one acknowledging faults within people and being able to look past those and seek the goodness and happiness from it. It eventually makes one wiser, and more peaceful at mind. Sure, I could die, but I know that in doing so, I give up one less mouth to feed, in my death I remind others around me how valuable life is, My body will decay and return the nutrients and essence back into the soil of which plants can use to grow, which could produce food for a poor family. Things like that, you learn how to turn something horrible into something more harmonic (: We don't hate suffering, as we're taught not to hate anything. We simply try to look past it and find one thing that one can cherish. You avoid looking at material to make you happy and more of just the ideas and beauty around you.

Thanks for the explanation. I dont like the explanation but at least now I understand

Comes down to that old thing that, sure you could have all the money in the world. But still not be happy. Glad I could help ^^

[Pravengria]

Out of it all, I believe in a possible happiness after death. Not so much of gods or god, but that eventually you reach an eternal peace. I believe in karma, and Yin and Yang, as well as Chi. I believe that one should not so much as dwell in their past but more so look for happiness in the present, and enjoy life. Me personally, I'd love to live in a little cottage in the middle of a forest, and go out and see coi and drink tea all day, feel the sun and see the natural beauty of things. That'd be the greatest pleasure I could ever enjoy. Simply put, Buddhism helps me stay at ease and try to become humble, it helps me understand things better and know that life sometimes deserves to be slowed down. That despite everything around, it's always good to enjoy little things and find happiness where you can. That is how I plan on reaching enlightenment simply trying to live humbly, and in an open-minded manner away from desire for materialistic things.

[The De Danann Nation]

Out of it all, I believe in a possible happiness after death. Not so much of gods or god, but that eventually you reach an eternal peace. I believe in karma, and Yin and Yang, as well as Chi. I believe that one should not so much as dwell in their past but more so look for happiness in the present, and enjoy life. Me personally, I'd love to live in a little cottage in the middle of a forest, and go out and see coi and drink tea all day, feel the sun and see the natural beauty of things. That'd be the greatest pleasure I could ever enjoy. Simply put, Buddhism helps me stay at ease and try to become humble, it helps me understand things better and know that life sometimes deserves to be slowed down. That despite everything around, it's always good to enjoy little things and find happiness where you can. That is how I plan on reaching enlightenment simply trying to live humbly, and in an open-minded manner away from desire for materialistic things.

That's the best kind of Buddhism.

[Pravengria]

Out of it all, I believe in a possible happiness after death. Not so much of gods or god, but that eventually you reach an eternal peace. I believe in karma, and Yin and Yang, as well as Chi. I believe that one should not so much as dwell in their past but more so look for happiness in the present, and enjoy life. Me personally, I'd love to live in a little cottage in the middle of a forest, and go out and see coi and drink tea all day, feel the sun and see the natural beauty of things. That'd be the greatest pleasure I could ever enjoy. Simply put, Buddhism helps me stay at ease and try to become humble, it helps me understand things better and know that life sometimes deserves to be slowed down. That despite everything around, it's always good to enjoy little things and find happiness where you can. That is how I plan on reaching enlightenment simply trying to live humbly, and in an open-minded manner away from desire for materialistic things.

That's the best kind of Buddhism.

Mia via everyday ^^

[Samonaemia]

Do Buddhists worship Buddha as a deity?

[Jinwoy]

Do Buddhists worship Buddha as a deity?

Depends.

EDIT: He's more of a teacher rather than a deity, god, prophet etc etc etc.

EDIT 2:

(( What a great way to quote Wikipedia ))

[Cill Airne]

What do other people think about Humanistic Buddhism (人間佛教)? It incorporates Humanism as "the Buddha was neither a spirit--coming and going without leaving a trace-- nor a figment of one’s imagination. The Buddha was a living human being. Just like the rest of us, he had parents, a family, and he lived a life. It was through his human existence that he showed his supreme wisdom of compassion, ethical responsibility, and prajna-wisdom. Thus, he is a Buddha who was also (in the past) a human being." It also places an emphasis on daily life, altruism, joyfulness, timelessness, and universality.

[Samonaemia]

Do Buddhists worship Buddha as a deity?

Depends.

EDIT: He's more of a teacher rather than a deity, god, prophet etc etc etc.

EDIT 2:

(( What a great way to quote Wikipedia ))

Thanks, that really explained a lot. It is a very common misconception in the Muslim world that Buddhists worship Buddha.

[Krishnalia]

I'm a Hindu, but I do have several Buddhas around my house. Ater all, Buddhism did come from Hinduism.

[Chulainan]

Well, I'm Shinto and therefore have no choice but to at least scratch the surface of Buddhism if I'm going to look at the history of my faith and it's influences.

Found it quite interesting, at least what I read was at the very least.

[Dakini Femina]

"Happiness through non-attachment and identity through negation of the self/non-identity", as I am fond of putting it.

Dukka/Dukkha can just refer to the fact that one of life's major characteristics is that it is, by nature, unsatisfactory - greatly due to the fact that people just love to become attached to problems, and always assume that there is an "I" (ego) in everything. Gautama basically said that there is happiness in letting go, and that with practice and diligence, you can attain it too. When one realizes that people are generally made up of aggregates, they also realize that there is no "I". If there is no "I", there is no one to suffer from whatever people usually suffer from. It's a mindset, really, albeit a really all-encapsulating one called 'enlightenment'. The sutra on the heart of wisdom puts it nicely.

.... realized that the five skhandas (aggregates) were empty, and he was alleviated of all pain and suffering

Life will always disappoint you, whether you attain your next goal or not. If you don't, that is unsatisfactory. If you do, nothing is permanent, and soon you will lose that thing/person and you'll find yourself in an unsatisfactory state again. That simple wheel/cycle is life in a nutshell, and was a very profound observation on Gautama's part at the time. That was what he noticed when we went out of the castle right? That there was this vicious cycle, and the realization that at some point, all the luxuries he enjoyed, the people he loved, even life itself, would be taken from him by hunger, sickness, old age and death.

[Call to power]

Yeah, all you are going to do is make yourself look like a jerk. Buddhism isn't a "special snowflake religion," I'm not claiming it is. I'm trying to make a thread where Buddhist can talk about our faith. I live in the Bible Belt so I don't meet much Buddhist.

And I'm providing criticism that you apparently can't seem to answer. If you want to provide a thread in which only Buddhist can participate then there are other forums to be an edgy 14 year old.

in an open-minded manner away from desire for materialistic things.

Yet you have a completely unrealistic dream about a cottage in a forest that will almost certainly cause you problems.

What do other people think about Humanistic Buddhism (人間佛教)? It incorporates Humanism as "the Buddha was neither a spirit--coming and going without leaving a trace-- nor a figment of one’s imagination. The Buddha was a living human being. Just like the rest of us, he had parents, a family, and he lived a life. It was through his human existence that he showed his supreme wisdom of compassion, ethical responsibility, and prajna-wisdom. Thus, he is a Buddha who was also (in the past) a human being." It also places an emphasis on daily life, altruism, joyfulness, timelessness, and universality.

It ignores some very important stories like the one about him turning into a Bird and the subsequent lesson that ex-wives are greedy monsters.

That there was this vicious cycle, and the realization that at some point, all the luxuries he enjoyed, the people he loved, even life itself, would be taken from him by hunger, sickness, old age and death.

Ergo it is fatalist. Please see my previous comments..

[Steskaya]

I like the philosophy, but I'm not a buddhist, however

/follow

[Arumdaum]

How would this be a problem? 'He is a cunt' would suffice but what I am doing here is illuminating that Buddhism is not some special snowflake religion but something that has exactly the same problems as Christianity and more or less the same message of piety.

The same message of piety? Explain.

Both Buddhism and Christianity have undergone different problems (minus the splitting into sects thing that happens for all major religions), unique to how they developed, spread, and the areas into which they spread.

Unlike Christianity, Buddhism did not develop any religious hierarchy. While Christianity developed things such as the Pope, bishops, and the Patriarch, such things didn't develop in Buddhism, save for Tibetan Buddhism, which has one due to the influx of Tibetan traditional beliefs into the their Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhists also only make up only around 1 - 2% of Buddhists worldwide, being famous only due to the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Unlike Christianity, wars did not happen due to differences in belief.

[Arumdaum]

What do other people think about Humanistic Buddhism (人間佛教)? It incorporates Humanism as "the Buddha was neither a spirit--coming and going without leaving a trace-- nor a figment of one’s imagination. The Buddha was a living human being. Just like the rest of us, he had parents, a family, and he lived a life. It was through his human existence that he showed his supreme wisdom of compassion, ethical responsibility, and prajna-wisdom. Thus, he is a Buddha who was also (in the past) a human being." It also places an emphasis on daily life, altruism, joyfulness, timelessness, and universality.

Isn't the Buddha being a normal human being the original Buddhist belief, with it also being the belief of Theravada Buddhists?

[Chopo Rarru]

It ignores some very important stories like the one about him turning into a Bird and the subsequent lesson that ex-wives are greedy monsters.

At this point you are talking about folk stories that surrounded the popular Buddhist faiths that eventually got tied up with the philosophy itself. They are negligible when considering the core values that Buddhism teachs, such as selflessness or the concept of nothingness, Śūnyatā.

That there was this vicious cycle, and the realization that at some point, all the luxuries he enjoyed, the people he loved, even life itself, would be taken from him by hunger, sickness, old age and death.

Ergo it is fatalist. Please see my previous comments..

No, one can realise that one is mortal and not be a fatalist.

[Ikigain]

I'm a vajrayana buddhist of the nyingmapa school.

[Leonische]

Unlike Christianity, Buddhism did not develop any religious hierarchy. While Christianity developed things such as the Pope, bishops, and the Patriarch, such things didn't develop in Buddhism, save for Tibetan Buddhism, which has one due to the influx of Tibetan traditional beliefs into the their Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhists also only make up only around 1 - 2% of Buddhists worldwide, being famous only due to the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Unlike Christianity, wars did not happen due to differences in belief.

Not really, I'm not sure about Buddhism in East Asia but Thailand, Cambodia and Burma have religious hierarchy. Thailand and Cambodia still have supreme patriarch, Burmese one had just abolish a mere century ago.

[Call to power]

The same message of piety? Explain.

They both call for a rejection of worldly things and what-not.

Unlike Christianity, wars did not happen due to differences in belief.

The ongoing genocide in Burma tells me otherwise.

BTW what is it like believing the Crusades and the Thirty Years War were religious in nature?

At this point you are talking about folk stories that surrounded the popular Buddhist faiths that eventually got tied up with the philosophy itself. They are negligible when considering the core values that Buddhism teachs, such as selflessness or the concept of nothingness, Śūnyatā.

However they are a widespread part of Buddhism to such a degree that it is a bit like claiming Jesus was just a man. So it is something done by white middle class westerners.

No, one can realise that one is mortal and not be a fatalist.

Yes but that does not describe Buddhisms take on the matter.

[Chopo Rarru]

At this point you are talking about folk stories that surrounded the popular Buddhist faiths that eventually got tied up with the philosophy itself. They are negligible when considering the core values that Buddhism teachs, such as selflessness or the concept of nothingness, Śūnyatā.

However they are a widespread part of Buddhism to such a degree that it is a bit like claiming Jesus was just a man. So it is something done by white middle class westerners.

Source? Read this as well.

No, one can realise that one is mortal and not be a fatalist.

Yes but that does not describe Buddhisms take on the matter.

What do you mean?