Buddhism Discussion

[Guest Fan Ren]

Am trying to live happier and hope to develop  a broader world view.

Tibet Buddhism here.

Any Buddhist in BW?

School?

[ndbt]

[fab]

3 hours ago, Guest Fan Ren said:

Am trying to live happier and hope to develop  a broader world view.

Tibet Buddhism here.

Any Buddhist in BW?

School?

 

If u hope to get something from Buddhism, u r in a wrong religion.

 

The dharma advocates nothing.

[Guest Something]

54 minutes ago, fab said:

 

If u hope to get something from Buddhism, u r in a wrong religion.

 

The dharma advocates nothing.

 

Nothing is Something.  Something is Nothing. 

 

So Buddhism is NOT absolutely nothing. 

[Guest Amin]

Anyone here want my nepal buddha statue @ no charge?  I am shifting out.

 

 

[Gary Changg]

Buddhist Here. 

密教 修持者

[Guest Temple]

Tomorrow is Kwan Yin Dan. Anyone here make offerings?

[Gary Changg]

5 minutes ago, Guest Temple said:

Tomorrow is Kwan Yin Dan. Anyone here make offerings?

Am going to and perform prayer. 

[Guest Temple]

1 minute ago, Gary Changg said:

Am going to and perform prayer. 

I saw well-decorated peach buns everywhere today. 

[Guest Temple]

In case foreigners dind't know what is Kwan Yin Dan.  It is the birthday of Goddess of Mercy.  All the Goddess temples will be packed with prayers and joss offerings. Neighbours will be burning Golden lotus notes, offer fresh flowers, peach buns and incense. That is all I knew.

[Gary Changg]

4 minutes ago, Guest Temple said:

I saw well-decorated peach buns everywhere today. 

Owh. By right, it's Guan Yin's Leaving Home Day today. 

So, any form of offerings will do. It's all about the [heart] of devotees. 

[Guest 仙丹佬]

 

17 minutes ago, Gary Changg said:

Owh. By right, it's Guan Yin's Leaving Home Day today. 

So, any form of offerings will do. It's all about the [heart] of devotees. 

 

马虎不得! 马虎不得啊! 虽讲心也的有个表现才对。

[Gary Changg]

9 minutes ago, Guest 仙丹佬 said:

 

 

马虎不得! 马虎不得啊! 虽讲心也的有个表现才对。

菩萨在心为一。

无菩萨在心，光表现，[无所得]。

万法为心所造。

[Guest Guest]

Anyone else from Soka? Lol

[Guest Guest]

5 hours ago, Gary Changg said:

Owh. By right, it's Guan Yin's “Leaving Home Day” today. 

So, any form of offerings will do. It's all about the [heart] of devotees. 

 

观世音菩萨“ ”出家日“，

[Salt&Pepper]

20 hours ago, fab said:

 

If u hope to get something from Buddhism, u r in a wrong religion.

 

The dharma advocates nothing.

 

I believe you have misunderstood the dharma.

 

The dharma does not advocate "nothing". The dharma hopes to help awaken us to see the the impermanence of ALL things, not to crave and be attached to them and thus deliver us from suffering.

 

There is so much to gain from Buddhism, just to name a few....wisdom, freedom, contentment, compassion and patience etc. It teaches us how to be a better person in our lifetime by dealing with our greed, anger and ignorance. How to deal with life, aging, sickness and death positively. Eventually, it helps us regain our full potential and attain absolute perfection of our true being with everlasting life.

 

This is just my superficial understanding of my faith and what I can convey in English. I will be grateful if others can provide a better introduction in English.

 

Namo Amitabha

 

 

 

[ndbt]

On 10/18/2016 at 3:16 AM, Guest Fan Ren said:

Am trying to live happier and hope to develop  a broader world view.

Tibet Buddhism here.

Any Buddhist in BW?

School?

hello Fan Ren, i dont really know what Tibet Buddhism focus about, care to tell us more? and who knows someone might give ur more knowledge to a happier and broader wiew with life.

[Guest So Kopi]

Was having a chat with this person who appears to be very religious and he went on talking about Buddhist movement in Jakarta. When asked which was the prevalent school there, he gave a general narrative about  history of Buddhism there instead. 

Then when he was asked which school he believes in, he proudly proclaimed all 3 major sects, ... just like 3 in 1 IndoKopi. 

[Guest Blue Sky]

23 hours ago, fab said:

 

If u hope to get something from Buddhism, u r in a wrong religion.

 

The dharma advocates nothing.

We have the power to activate our inherent Buddha nature.

Buddhahood exists in everyone us. 

 

Truth is Myoho-renge-kyo

to absolute happiness

[fab]

1 hour ago, Salt&Pepper said:

 

I believe you have misunderstood the dharma.

 

The dharma does not advocate "nothing". The dharma hopes to help awaken us to see the the impermanence of ALL things, not to crave and be attached to them and thus deliver us from suffering.

 

There is so much to gain from Buddhism, just to name a few....wisdom, freedom, contentment, compassion and patience etc. It teaches us how to be a better person in our lifetime by dealing with our greed, anger and ignorance. How to deal with life, aging, sickness and death positively. Eventually, it helps us regain our full potential and attain absolute perfection of our true being with everlasting life.

 

This is just my superficial understanding of my faith and what I can convey in English. I will be grateful if others can provide a better introduction in English.

 

Namo Amitabha

 

 

 

 

I know where u r coming from..

 

Perhaps nothingness is a better word i should 've used.

[fxsims]

Nothingness is still an attachment you holding to

[Gary Changg]

4 hours ago, Salt&Pepper said:

 

I believe you have misunderstood the dharma.

 

The dharma does not advocate "nothing". The dharma hopes to help awaken us to see the the impermanence of ALL things, not to crave and be attached to them and thus deliver us from suffering.

 

There is so much to gain from Buddhism, just to name a few....wisdom, freedom, contentment, compassion and patience etc. It teaches us how to be a better person in our lifetime by dealing with our greed, anger and ignorance. How to deal with life, aging, sickness and death positively. Eventually, it helps us regain our full potential and attain absolute perfection of our true being with everlasting life.

 

This is just my superficial understanding of my faith and what I can convey in English. I will be grateful if others can provide a better introduction in English.

 

Namo Amitabha

 

 

 

Agree with what you've said. 

 

[fab]

To add on, advocate nothing does not mean teach nothing.

[Gary Changg]

[无所得，以无所得故]

般若般若密多心经就是[心要口诀]

[Guest Fuwar]

Christianity and Islam advocate attachment to a God, anda permanent existence afterlife. This sounds like a more attractive option to most people. I am curious what atttacted you to Buddhism when it is about nothing.

[Guest Tibetan Buddhist]

Buddhanature . Emptiness .

[thorzguy]

I believe in affinity to any religion. As long as one feels comfortable to their own religion, go and practice. 

Be devoted as much as you can; but never obsessed.

Ambitabha.

[Guest Teatree]

There used to be a BW Buddhist Group.  It didn't turn up well, as most members were debating over the Dharma, trying to showcase who has more knowledge and wisdom than the others.  

 

I believe most views are fundamentally correct but only different interpretation. The Buddha did not say there is only ONE way to nirvana.  So, let generate more positive karma here by sharing what you know without debunking others belief and practice as wrong.  

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I am buddhist but i do not subscribe to this theory about emptiness or nothingness. I suspect this concept is peculiar to mahayanan buddhists. As far as i know, i have not heard theravada buddhists talking about this concept. They say everything is VR but I couldn't agree with this concept because as far as i am concerned whatever i experience now, whether pleasant or suffering, to me is real and i cannot figure out why is it considered VR

 

[Coolbriz]

perhaps the group can benefit if the discussion is centered upon how one interprets the teachings of buddhism and benefits from them. when i first got to learn about the four noble truths and the noble eight fold paths, it somehow spurs some deep thoughts in me. subsequently, things that i act upon, i will try to use them as guidance as well as motivation to overcome challenges in life. 

[Guest Guest]

16 hours ago, Guest guest said:

I am buddhist but i do not subscribe to this theory about emptiness or nothingness. I suspect this concept is peculiar to mahayanan buddhists. As far as i know, i have not heard theravada buddhists talking about this concept. They say everything is VR but I couldn't agree with this concept because as far as i am concerned whatever i experience now, whether pleasant or suffering, to me is real and i cannot figure out why is it considered VR

 

Because it looks 'real' to unelightened humans.

[Guest Find the real Dhamma]

Fundamental Buddhist means having an understanding of 'annata'. Not only this, the abandonment of sensual pleasures and absolute celibacy do not certainly go down very well with the fun loving crowd in plu communities, after having fought and fighting so hard for their lifestyle to be accepted. These sexual restraints are also applicable to straight women and men too, if anyone is serious about practising it. 

So, along the way, the unfaithful disciples begin compromising 'to suit modern times' of powerful politicians, wealthy tais tais, rich guilty businessmen and eager LGBT searching for social validation,  in exchange for support and spreading their form of belief, much like the Crossover Project. 

So you can see and hear in many of the 'Budhhist' groups and organizations, episodes and stories of never ending suffering or dukkha, which is the only thing the Buddha taught how to extinguish. 

But the road to ultimate happiness requires a lot of effort to change old bad habits,  as so wisely encapsulated in a poem within Dream of Red Chamber 

 

世人都晓神仙好，惟有功名忘不了！

古今将相在何方？荒冢一堆草没了。

世人都晓神仙好，只有金银忘不了！

终朝只恨聚无多，及到多时眼闭了。

世人都晓神仙好，只有娇妻忘不了！

君生日日说恩情，君死又随人去了。

世人都晓神仙好，只有儿孙忘不了！

痴心父母古来多，孝顺儿孙谁见了？

 

[fab]

Indulgence in pleasure is like a lamp burning ;the oil gets less and less. 
Accumulating merits is like adding oil; the lamp gets brighter and brighter. 

人生只管現在享福 
則如點燈，愈點愈枯竭 
人生能為將來積福 
則如添油，越添燈越明

~ By 星雲大師

[Guest Guest]

I wonder what Buddhism says about vengeance?

 

Confucionism advocates 先礼后兵。You try to be as courtesous as possible first before you take up arms to fight. Christianity is the dumbest: If someone slap you on one side of the face, you should turn the other cheek for him to slap. (But usually, they are the ones who do the most slapping around). 

 

 But what about Buddhism? Anyone with any insights? We cannot just keep allowing ourselves to be meek victim sheeps used as punching bags all the time, right? 

 

And please... Dun give me that "everything is nothing including all the evil things done to you", or "you have to suffer in the hands of your bully because this is what you owed him in your past life" kind of shit. 

[Gary Changg]

10 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

I wonder what Buddhism says about vengeance?

 

Confucionism advocates 先礼后兵。You try to be as courtesous as possible first before you take up arms to fight. Christianity is the dumbest: If someone slap you on one side of the face, you should turn the other cheek for him to slap. (But usually, they are the ones who do the most slapping around). 

 

 But what about Buddhism? Anyone with any insights? We cannot just keep allowing ourselves to be meek victim sheeps used as punching bags all the time, right? 

 

And please... Dun give me that "everything is nothing including all the evil things done to you", or "you have to suffer in the hands of your bully because this is what you owed him in your past life" kind of shit. 

首先，我们不去批评其他的教。

 

佛教中的[菩萨戒]， 除了五戒（杀、盗、淫、妄、酒）要守之外，还必须做到六度：忍辱、布施、精进、禅定、般若。

为什么 [忍辱]？ 这是要让一个人学习去除每一个人的三毒，其一：瞋。其六度都是来降伏自身的 [贪、瞋、痴、疑、慢]。前三度，就是[地狱] 显现的原因。何谓何处是[地狱]？[地狱]由[心]所化现。简单说明，在佛教六道轮回中，[贪]的代表就是 饿鬼道； [瞋]的代表就是[地狱]；[痴]的代表则是 畜牲道。当你能够[忍辱]，一个人就能够控制、遏制、压制自己的情绪，这样一来就慢慢灭了 [瞋] 念之火 。

 

好，那么你会问如果某某对你做了什么什么，就不必还手吗？。这时你就要用 [般若]、[禅定]、[精进] 的功夫；其三是修内。[禅定]让一个人守住他的心，来产生[定]，有了[定]；你的心不动再由[般若] 来产生智慧。这时，用[智慧] 来 警惕自己。想想，以前中国的历代朝代现在都已经成为过去，不存在了。过去已是过去，[现在]会变成[过去]，[未来]会变成[现在]，[现在]再变成[过去]。一个人还执着什么恩怨。要把一切看成 [空]；这就是[禅定]而来的功夫。

 

以上只是略说。

 

[Guest Guest]

29 minutes ago, Gary Changg said:

好，那么你会问如果某某对你做了什么什么，就不必还手吗？。这时你就要用 [般若]、[禅定]、[精进] 的功夫；其三是修内。[禅定]让一个人守住他的心，来产生[定]，有了[定]；你的心不动再由[般若] 来产生智慧。这时，用[智慧] 来 警惕自己。想想，以前中国的历代朝代现在都已经成为过去，不存在了。过去已是过去，[现在]会变成[过去]，[未来]会变成[现在]，[现在]再变成[过去]。一个人还执着什么恩怨。要把一切看成 [空]；这就是[禅定]而来的功夫。

 

以上只是略说。

 

 

In short, Buddhist should bear all forms of victimization quietly and meekly,  任刀刮，仁人挂。Is that what you are saying?

[Gary Changg]

12 minutes ago, Guest Guest said:

 

In short, Buddhist should bear all forms of victimization quietly and meekly,  任刀刮，仁人挂。Is that what you are saying?

忍辱是一種「受念處」，是痛苦的，佛陀曾經告訴所有的行者，關於痛苦的覺受，行者要清楚明白這是「觀受是苦」．如果［強忍］，［痛苦］不消失，只好勉強改換　［姿勢］．

 

 

[ndbt]

On 10/21/2016 at 7:34 AM, Guest Guest said:

I wonder what Buddhism says about vengeance?

 

Confucionism advocates 先礼后兵。You try to be as courtesous as possible first before you take up arms to fight. Christianity is the dumbest: If someone slap you on one side of the face, you should turn the other cheek for him to slap. (But usually, they are the ones who do the most slapping around). 

 

 But what about Buddhism? Anyone with any insights? We cannot just keep allowing ourselves to be meek victim sheeps used as punching bags all the time, right? 

 

And please... Dun give me that "everything is nothing including all the evil things done to you", or "you have to suffer in the hands of your bully because this is what you owed him in your past life" kind of shit. 

 

On 10/21/2016 at 6:55 PM, Gary Changg said:

 

 

On 10/21/2016 at 7:28 PM, Guest Guest said:

 

 

On 10/21/2016 at 7:41 PM, Gary Changg said:

 

In Buddhism, we believe in karma. Karma is the core teaching of Buddhism. (although we believe in karma, that doesn't mean we should wish other's to suffer retribution too.)

And in teachings, u can choose to be a normal human or u can choose to be a bodhisattva. If u want to achieve Buddhahood, then  任火烧，任刀刮，任拉扯，任君玩弄 is something to be expected. it also depends on individual point of view. if u can endure, then that is cultivation.

[fab]

3 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

 

In short, Buddhist should bear all forms of victimization quietly and meekly,  任刀刮，仁人挂。Is that what you are saying?

 

The Dharma advocates using wisdom n compassion to resolve all conflicts.

[Guest Meditate on]

If there is no self, then where is the victim? 

Look at the situation in Sg; can you stop retrenchment or an evil boss or a backstabbing colleague being nasty to you?. 

When they harm you and you react negatively, you are harming yourself twice. When they TRY to harm you and you find an appropriate moral response, they alone bear the full consequences of their bad actions. 

Just this year an evil doer got his  full newspaper page of just desserts, wiping out his years of earnings and savings at an organization, where he was notorious for spying and abusing others because the management blindly trusted him and other evil doers connived his misdeeds,  after he was found to have stealthily poisoned the water of a co-worker. 

 

[Guest Guest]

3 hours ago, ndbt said:

In Buddhism, we believe in karma. Karma is the core teaching of Buddhism. (although we believe in karma, that doesn't mean we should wish other's to suffer retribution too.)

And in teachings, u can choose to be a normal human or u can choose to be a bodhisattva. If u want to achieve Buddhahood, then  任火烧，任刀刮，任拉扯，任君玩弄 is something to be expected. it also depends on individual point of view. if u can endure, then that is cultivation.

 

"Cultivation" at what and whose expense? Evil doers will just continue their misdeeds until karma strikes, and nobody will know when karma will strike. If they are not stopped in their tracks, the evil deeds will just keep going on. If even management or the authorities turn blind eyes to such atrocities, who will suffer? If a serial rapist goes around raping women blindly in some third world countries where law enforcement is blind and/or on the side of the rapists, will you remain silent? If management blindly trust someone and allow him to mismanage the company, who will suffer?

 

39 minutes ago, Guest Meditate on said:

If there is no self, then where is the victim? 

Look at the situation in Sg; can you stop retrenchment or an evil boss or a backstabbing colleague being nasty to you?. 

When they harm you and you react negatively, you are harming yourself twice. When they TRY to harm you and you find an appropriate moral response, they alone bear the full consequences of their bad actions. 

Just this year an evil doer got his  full newspaper page of just desserts, wiping out his years of earnings and savings at an organization, where he was notorious for spying and abusing others because the management blindly trusted him and other evil doers connived his misdeeds,  after he was found to have stealthily poisoned the water of a co-worker. 

 

 

What you mentioned was a perfect example of what I had just said. If this evil doer has been stopped in his tracks long before, would anyone have been poisoned? The management blindly trusted him for a long time. Do you want to wait till someone dies? Karma will act, but how many will die in between? If someone do not do the deed of punishing him, who will?

[ndbt]

On 10/22/2016 at 1:56 AM, Guest Guest said:

 

"Cultivation" at what and whose expense? Evil doers will just continue their misdeeds until karma strikes, and nobody will know when karma will strike. If they are not stopped in their tracks, the evil deeds will just keep going on. If even management or the authorities turn blind eyes to such atrocities, who will suffer? If a serial rapist goes around raping women blindly in some third world countries where law enforcement is blind and/or on the side of the rapists, will you remain silent? If management blindly trust someone and allow him to mismanage the company, who will suffer?

 

 

What you mentioned was a perfect example of what I had just said. If this evil doer has been stopped in his tracks long before, would anyone have been poisoned? The management blindly trusted him for a long time. Do you want to wait till someone dies? Karma will act, but how many will die in between? If someone do not do the deed of punishing him, who will?

im not good with words, and we all have our own opinions. what u said now have become worldly debates. if you can bring justice and bring peace, im sure many people would be happy.

Edited October 22, 2016 by ndbt
grammar

[fxsims]

6 hours ago, fab said:

 

The Dharma advocates using wisdom n compassion to resolve all conflicts.

 

Compassion without wisdom is merely sympathy. When wisdom comes in hand you will be able resolve problem in a amicable way. 悲智双运

[Salt&Pepper]

So much anger.....I understand where u r coming from and I guess many people feel the same. I used to feel this anger too, now I feel this overwhelming sadness when I'm occasionally "lucid".

 

The premise of this anger is that we crave for a better world and is attached to the notion that the world can be a better place. Likewise, we crave for a world without injustice and are attached to the notion that no injustice should be done unto us or others without consequences. We don't see or feel that happening, so we get angry and suffer. This suffering arise because we are ignorant as we don't see the bigger and real picture, i.e. this precisely is part of the nature of what Samsara is all about and not a desirable place to exist! The truth is, it's going to get much worse!

 

The world is putting emphasis on knowledge more that wisdom. We are constantly being encouraged to consume more than what we require year on year, so that companies have increasing revenue growth. Then people then can have increasing salary increments/bonuses and can buy more & bigger stuff. Governments get more GDP growth and be re-elected. The world population is increasing. Our world resources are scarce and depleting. As people compete increasingly over the limited & depleting resources as well as distribution of resources becomes even more unequal, don't expect them to be nice to each other.

 

Let's assume you get to see every retribution for every injustice. Does that mean injustice will stop happening?

 

And this is just the tip of the iceberg...what about natural calamities? Earthquakes, floods and forest fires that kill or cause suffering for uncountable number of lives, besides humans, like animals and insects. What justice is available to them all?

 

Samsara...where we can have no ownership of anything (even our identities); every single thing is of conditional existence and impermanent. Good will end and bad will end; zero sum game.

 

The Buddha told us that more than 2,500 years ago and has been trying to help us see Samsara for what it is and come to the realization to reject it. To cease this vicious cycle of imperfect existence and suffering. He teaches and shows us there is an alternative i.e. absolute perfect and everlasting existence without suffering.

 

You asked ""Cultivation" at what and whose expense?". It is why all Buddha and Bodhisattva encourages us to do NOW, don't waste time and be vigilant in cultivating ourselves to quickly become Buddha ourselves! So that we can come back to help show the way and deliver all sentient beings out of Samsara. There is no greater justice for all than that.

 

Namo Amitabha

 

 

Edited October 22, 2016 by Salt&Pepper

[Guest Guest]

12 hours ago, Salt&Pepper said:

So much anger.....I understand where u r coming from and I guess many people feel the same. I used to feel this anger too, now I feel this overwhelming sadness when I'm occasionally "lucid".

 

The premise of this anger is that we crave for a better world and is attached to the notion that the world can be a better place. Likewise, we crave for a world without injustice and are attached to the notion that no injustice should be done unto us or others without consequences. We don't see or feel that happening, so we get angry and suffer. This suffering arise because we are ignorant as we don't see the bigger and real picture, i.e. this precisely is part of the nature of what Samsara is all about and not a desirable place to exist! The truth is, it's going to get much worse!

 

The world is putting emphasis on knowledge more that wisdom. We are constantly being encouraged to consume more than what we require year on year, so that companies have increasing revenue growth. Then people then can have increasing salary increments/bonuses and can buy more & bigger stuff. Governments get more GDP growth and be re-elected. The world population is increasing. Our world resources are scarce and depleting. As people compete increasingly over the limited & depleting resources as well as distribution of resources becomes even more unequal, don't expect them to be nice to each other.

 

Let's assume you get to see every retribution for every injustice. Does that mean injustice will stop happening?

 

And this is just the tip of the iceberg...what about natural calamities? Earthquakes, floods and forest fires that kill or cause suffering for uncountable number of lives, besides humans, like animals and insects. What justice is available to them all?

 

Samsara...where we can have no ownership of anything (even our identities); every single thing is of conditional existence and impermanent. Good will end and bad will end; zero sum game.

 

The Buddha told us that more than 2,500 years ago and has been trying to help us see Samsara for what it is and come to the realization to reject it. To cease this vicious cycle of imperfect existence and suffering. He teaches and shows us there is an alternative i.e. absolute perfect and everlasting existence without suffering.

 

You asked ""Cultivation" at what and whose expense?". It is why all Buddha and Bodhisattva encourages us to do NOW, don't waste time and be vigilant in cultivating ourselves to quickly become Buddha ourselves! So that we can come back to help show the way and deliver all sentient beings out of Samsara. There is no greater justice for all than that.

 

Namo Amitabha

 

In short, remain meek and silent in the face of abuse from anyone and everyone for this entire lifetime, just "so that we can come back to help show the way and deliver all sentient beings out of Samsara" which, incidentally, may not happen over your next few lifetimes too? (By the way, just sidetracking a bit from this discussion, what if the abuser is of a different religion which claims that they all go to heavens just by believing in that higher being? LOL!)

 

And yes, even if it is a zero sum game, why should others get a +1 point while the Buddhists gets the -1 point by silently and taking in all the abuse? I hope subscription to Buddhism doesn't mean that you have voluntarily became another person's (or religion's) punching bag.

 

 

[Salt&Pepper]

Buddhists do not "voluntarily became another person's (or religion's) punching bag" if it achieves nothing or bad karmic outcomes. For a religion that emphasize wisdom at the heart of its teaching, doing that will be plain silliness.

 

Buddhists have to develop and tap into their wisdom to deal with the abuse and generating positive karmic outcomes. The wisdom will also arouse our compassion for the abuser. We will again tap into the wisdom and find a positive and practical way to help the abuser accept that abusing others is wrong and help him stop abusing others. Contrary to belief, Buddhists have very high standards in dealing with problems and matters! Not anyhow wan u know.  Karma is after all cause and effect, if we have the wisdom to eliminate the correct cause of abuse, why will we suffer abuse in the 1st place?! This can be be put into practice and achieve in one's lifetime, no need to wait until one becomes a Buddha or Bodhisattva.

 

Let me give you real case study. When Master Da Mo, the founder of Zen Buddhism in China, arrived at Shaolin Temple, he saw that the temple had been constantly robbed and monks beaten up by the gangs in the nearby mountains. He didn't go to the robbers and preach to them that they are wrong or go sit and meditate to do nothing, instead he taught the monks kungfu on how to defend themselves as well as the villagers against the robbers. The robbers since then were unsuccessful in bullying the people and instead captured by the monks. Master Da Mo didn't beat them up or kill them but instead converted them to Buddhism. If I'm not wrong one of the leaders of the gang became a close disciple of Master Da Mo.

 

The sad thing is we do see lay people or even Buddhist being a punching bag for others, but that is because they do not know the dharma or have not gained adequate understanding to the teachings. That's is precisely why Buddha or Bodhisattva come back to show the way...so much work to do!

 

So don't think for a moment that Buddhist are weaklings. For example, if you see my build with my foundation in martial arts and recent practice in kickboxing and my life experience in dealing with all sorts of people all over the world, I'm nobody's punching bag both physically and mentally. There is no need to bully people into believing or accepting what you do, if you have the truth, wisdom, compassion and patience etc.

 

BTW, in Buddhist teachings on the Universe (not science's universe), the heavens are also part of Samsara; just one of the realms of conditional existence. So it is not the end game for Buddhists to get there. We acknowledge their existence, but it is not part of our path.

 

I see that you have very limited knowledge of what Buddhism is all about and have much misunderstanding. I will give you a recommendation I have given many friends in the past, rather than adopting a challenging stance from the start, instead I invite you to read and research more with an open heart. Question what you learn and practice to see if what the teaching is true. Then you will begin to see and understand the foundation of our faith.

 

Namo Amitabha.

 

P.S. Forgot to address this...."incidentally, may not happen over your next few lifetimes too?". Time did not begin when u wrote that statement. It has been 2,500 years since the Buddha turned the wheel of the dharma and many have achieved nirvana since then. So they have been returning to continue the Buddha's work even as we speak. I will one day pick up the baton too, but I still have much to learn for I still know so little.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Salt&Pepper

[fab]

Add on.

 

According to the dharma, condoning wrong doings is unwholesome. It promotes win win situations for both parties.

 

As for the amicably solution, always use wisdom first. Use compassion when wisdom alone can't solve the problem.

[Drivendale]

On 20/10/2016 at 11:16 PM, Guest guest said:

I am buddhist but i do not subscribe to this theory about emptiness or nothingness. I suspect this concept is peculiar to mahayanan buddhists. As far as i know, i have not heard theravada buddhists talking about this concept. They say everything is VR but I couldn't agree with this concept because as far as i am concerned whatever i experience now, whether pleasant or suffering, to me is real and i cannot figure out why is it considered VR

 

The concept of 'nothingness' or 'emptiness' to me could be understood within the context of the Theravada teachings of the 3 marks of existence, namely 'dukkha' (unsatisfactoriness), 'anicca' (impermanence), and 'anatta' (no abiding self or soul) , that is, there is no entity that exists forever, unchanging and independent of external conditions. Since worldly beings cannot always get what they want or need, existence is unsatisfactory to worldly beings.  All of us who are unenlightened are worldly beings.  When everything changes depending on changing conditions and are not permanently fixed, then the world is seen as 'empty' of any inherent nature.  We live in a real world not VR, in so far as all our senses prove to us, our joy is real... our sadness is real... 

Lord Buddha teaches us not to be attached to all these things, good or bad, for they are bound to change. Practitioners learn not to wallow in sorrow or dwell in conceit.

Whatever you experience in life is real not VR, but from the Buddhist perspective, this 'realness' has no inherent nature... it is bound to change... hence 'empty'.

 

 

[fab]

On 18/10/2016 at 6:16 PM, Guest Fan Ren said:

Am trying to live happier and hope to develop  a broader world view.

Tibet Buddhism here.

Any Buddhist in BW?

School?

 

My nothingness means letting go or non-attachment.

 

Hoping for happiness constitue as a form of greed, 1 of the 3 poisons, the other 2 being anger n ignorance.

 

A buddhist should only hope for enlightenment, wisdom and compassion. With these, he will achieve happiness n be free from suffering.

Edited October 26, 2016 by fab

[ndbt]

On 10/22/2016 at 7:08 PM, Guest Guest said:

 

In short, remain meek and silent in the face of abuse from anyone and everyone for this entire lifetime, just "so that we can come back to help show the way and deliver all sentient beings out of Samsara" which, incidentally, may not happen over your next few lifetimes too? (By the way, just sidetracking a bit from this discussion, what if the abuser is of a different religion which claims that they all go to heavens just by believing in that higher being? LOL!)

 

And yes, even if it is a zero sum game, why should others get a +1 point while the Buddhists gets the -1 point by silently and taking in all the abuse? I hope subscription to Buddhism doesn't mean that you have voluntarily became another person's (or religion's) punching bag.

 

 

 

On 10/22/2016 at 9:15 PM, Salt&Pepper said:

-snip-

 

and imma add on to Salt&pepper.

 

 

translation 

 

 

now lets not be too attached with things, victims, bullies, punching bags, and words. think about Saha, and u reincarnate into Saha again.

 

 and this is a conversation between HanShan and ShiDe.

 

总而言之， 别搞什么冤亲债主，六道轮回啦 guest guest 师兄。

Edited October 23, 2016 by ndbt