Are there any Buddhists here?

[BabyRider]

danmoran wrote: I'm not much for labels, but what I learn about Buddhism resonates with me. The teachings about impermenance and suffering and most especially, mindfullness. When I find myself in "bad space", if I remember to be "here", it disappears. Illusions fade and priorities re-align. So, I guess I would say, I'm on the Path.

I won't pretend to know anything about Buddhism, but I will say it sounds intriguing, the way you put it. Welcome to FG, Dan! Hope you hang out for a while. :yh_peace

[Bez]

Hi Dan and welcome. There are threads where you can introduce yourself and get to know everyone.



I have only been practising buddhism for 4 months...no expert...YET....I do know that no wars have ever been started by the followers of Buddhism...that should tell the world something



Enjoy your time in the garden...have fun.

[Tariki]

I've recently registered on Forum Garden..................and practice Buddhism. I've read about the various faiths for over 35 years and began to practice Buddhism about 17years ago just after a two year bout of depression laid me low. Meditation helped me at the time and a book by the Theravada Elder Nyanaponika Thera "The Vision of Dhamma" inspired me to continue to explore the way of the Buddha.

After a lot of reading and "tooings" and "frowings" I have moved on to the Pure Land expression of the Dharma, which centres around Amida, the Buddha of infinite compassion......................perhaps best understood as a personification of Ultimate Reality.

While Theravada Buddhism - and most other forms - can be distinguished by the phrase "Buddha's can only point the way, each has to walk the path themselves"............i.e. a "self-power" path where each strives to gain wisdom and attain enlightenment, the Pure Land path is one of "Other" power where each "returns to the foolish self to be saved by Amida". Enlightenment is given as "gift" and all that is lived is a life of gratitude.

One significant expression of Pure Land Buddhism is the statue found in one of the large temples in Japan...................."Amida Looking Back". Amida is seen with her hands raised in the normal gestures (mudras) of teaching, yet she does not face the front but looks back..................her first concern being for those who fall behind, those without the strength - or perhaps the karmic good fortune - to practice successfully.

Pure Land is lay based rather than monastic based, and also very egalitarian............no "masters"! Its "dogo" - training ground - is lay life as lived and experienced each day rather than the meditation hall.

Anyway, thats enough!

:)

[Bez]

Practising Buddhism has changed my life..I practise the Buddhism of Nicherin Daishonin....I posted some links a few posts back.....welcome to FG.....good to have some Buddhist back up....and my age group !

[Tariki]

Bez wrote: ...and my age group !

Golden Oldies?

:)

[Accountable]

How come when you're just getting old enough to know better you're silver-haired, as you get older you're golden, but the really valuable metal is reserved for platimum blondes?





We now return to our thread already in progress.

[Bez]

Accountable wrote: How come when you're just getting old enough to know better you're silver-haired, as you get older you're golden, but the really valuable metal is reserved for platimum blondes?





We now return to our thread already in progress.

Well I am / have been all 3.....lucky me.....anyway ...I have spent a great day with my daughter. We went to a Kosen-rufu Buddhist meeting this morning.... about 50 people attended. There were several activities'...experiences, QA sessions and a video of Daisaku ikeda speaking at a meeting in Japan where there are 10 million people following the Buddhism of Nicherin Daishonin. He is an inspirational speaker and president of the SGI which is one of the most dynamic and diverse Buddhist organisations in the world.

(Kosen-rufu means widely declare and spread Buddhism....in other words to teach and introduce people to Buddhists view of life)



My daughter Sarah is a district leader and looks after the book stall at these events.



We went back to her place and she made spaghetti bolognese...she know it's my favourite.....I should really have posted this in 'Happy stuff only' as I have really had a wonderful day.

"When all the people chant

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,

the wind will no longer buffet the branches,

and the rain will no longer

break the clods of soil.

The world will become as it was

in the ages of Fu Hsi and Shen Nung.

In their present existence

the people will be freed from

misfortune and disasters

and learn the art of living long."

Nicherin Daishonin

[jenw]

Yes, I am a Buddhist! Hard to find us in Maine. I truly believe in the teachings of the Buddha. I don't see it as a religion as much as a spiritual journey.

I do have one question, though. Can one believe in a creator when Buddhist? If there is none, how did we get here?

The Dalai Llama speaks of 7 heavens and 7 hells. Who/what created these?

Perhaps these questions are too heavy...but have been wondering others' opinions on this.

Thanks, and have a healthy and happy start to the new year!

Namaste

Jenw

[Bez]

jenw wrote: Yes, I am a Buddhist! Hard to find us in Maine. I truly believe in the teachings of the Buddha. I don't see it as a religion as much as a spiritual journey.

I do have one question, though. Can one believe in a creator when Buddhist? If there is none, how did we get here?

The Dalai Llama speaks of 7 heavens and 7 hells. Who/what created these?

Perhaps these questions are too heavy...but have been wondering others' opinions on this.

Thanks, and have a healthy and happy start to the new year!

Namaste

Jenw


HI Jen...I belong to a Buddhist organisation that follows the teachings of Nicherin Daishonin (The SGI) There are thousands of Groups in the US. Try this link for a group near you www.sgi-usa.org (go to 'Find Us' link)



I don't know about the issue of the 'creation', but I do know several people that can help. I'll make some enquiries. Regarding the 7 heavens and 7 hells.....we study the 10 states of life and hell is 1 of these and may be heaven is represented by 'Rapture'. I guess there are many forms of buddhism, but as far as I know it all started with Shakyumani Buddha who is claimed to be the first of many.

I'll be interested to know what you think of the SGI link....good luck. xxxx

[jenw]

Bez,

Thank you so much! I went to the website and there is a lot of good information. It sounds much like the Tibetan Buddhism I've been studying on my own. I will use the mantra in my meditations (resolution: become more vigilant).

It is interesting to have come from a Baptist background (a warped version, unfortunately) and to end up where I am today. Alot of people around here look at me like I have my head on backwards when I say I am a Buddhist...at least it gives me a chance to talk to people about it that otherwise wouldn't know. Everyone has their own spiritual journey to take...

Namaste,

JenW

[Bez]

jenw wrote: Bez,



Thank you so much! I went to the website and there is a lot of good information. It sounds much like the Tibetan Buddhism I've been studying on my own. I will use the mantra in my meditations (resolution: become more vigilant).

It is interesting to have come from a Baptist background (a warped version, unfortunately) and to end up where I am today. Alot of people around here look at me like I have my head on backwards when I say I am a Buddhist...at least it gives me a chance to talk to people about it that otherwise wouldn't know. Everyone has their own spiritual journey to take...

Namaste,

JenW


Know what you mean...might as well be an Alien. I must say that most people want to ask a lot of questions, but they think we shave our heads and wear orange robes.....I wish...HE HE he !!!

[Accountable]

Well, 're then, you both in good company here. Several of us don't have our heads on straight, and I'm pretty sure more than one of us has an odd number of nipples.

[Tariki]

jenw wrote: Yes, I am a Buddhist! Hard to find us in Maine. I truly believe in the teachings of the Buddha. I don't see it as a religion as much as a spiritual journey.

I do have one question, though. Can one believe in a creator when Buddhist? If there is none, how did we get here?

The Dalai Llama speaks of 7 heavens and 7 hells. Who/what created these?

Perhaps these questions are too heavy...but have been wondering others' opinions on this.

Thanks, and have a healthy and happy start to the new year!

Namaste

Jenw


JenW,

There is no creator God in Buddhism. There are "gods", but these remain as "beings" within samsara. They are not "almighty", and belong firmly beneath the status of a Buddha - or "awakened one".......awakened to reality as it is.

Yet according to the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism - the expression of Buddhism found in Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand, and mainly known in the West via Vipassana meditation centres - there is " a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned. If there were no not-born, not-brought-to-being, not-made, not-conditioned, no escape would be discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned." (Udana)

There is, at least to my understanding, correspondences between this form of expression and the writings of various Christian mystics such as St John of the Cross and Meister Eckhart. Eckhart has spoken of God..............."Nothing that knowledge can grasp or desire can want, is God. When knowledge and desire end, there is darkness. And there God shines." Such expressions and understanding have led to some Buddhists seeing Eckhart -and many like him - as a "dharma brother" (See the works of D.T.Suzuki) Yet there is a lot more study and understanding to be developed with all this................who knows how the "spirit that blows where it will" will eventually lead Christianity? Or for that matter, Buddhism....the Dharma?

Yet Buddhism remains with its own "strategies of perception". Not to speculate on "beginnings" or whatever, but only upon "suffering and the ending of suffering". It seeks to concentrate not on how the arrow of suffering struck us - who fired it or whatever - but on how to pull it out!

[shabbychic]

koan;14588 wrote: Just wondering if we have Buddhists in the Garden and how you came to the religion if not raised in it.


i too beleive in the basic teachings of buddhism, although i didnt intentionally follow any of them, i had it asked of me on many occasions was i a buddhist, i got myself a couple of books on buddhism, and it fitted me perfectly.

but all i realy try to do is live for today, treat everyone with the respect i wish to be treated with, and will help anyone if i can, even a perfect stranger.

i am also very very careful with what words i use, as i am a true beleiver words causea huge ripple,and will not just impact the person you say them to.

i also am not a huge lover of technonlogy, it stresses me out too much :wah: my internet abilitys are very limited as you'll be able to tell LOL!

i am also a firm beleiver, that nobody can make you feel sad or upset unless YOU allow it, as you are in control of how you feel.

so really it just a simple life for me, but always beng ware of how my actions affect others around me

[Benjamin]

Hi. My name is Benjamin and I am a Buddhist.

There... I said it. I am a Buddhist. I was born Jewish but now follow the path of Buddhism. That makes me a JuBu. (of the Theravada tradition)

I also like to listen to the talks by Gil Fronsdal of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center.

[WonderWendy3]

Philadelphia Eagle;47945 wrote: I was born into Christianity but became a Buddhist while living in a buddhist country (Thailand). My wife is Thai and so has been a Buddhist since birth. Buddhism is a very compassionate religion and never attempts to convert or otherwise influence people of other persuasions. It seems to be the only major religion not to have conflicts fought over it. With its peaceful and tolerant outlook on life many think of it as the exact opposite of Islam.


I was looking for this.....great quote. I am going to meet someone from the Buddha religion tomorrow for a school assignment and a little nervous because of my lack of knowledge of their beliefs, I've just began reading about the religion and I have to admit, that it is very interesting to me.

[Nomad]

Im listening to an audio book on Buddhism now and so far Ive got to tell you Im not impressed.



"The mind cannot be identified as real unless in conjunction with the I in the body which may or not be real. To say the I is real without first identifying the outer and inner I is absurd because while the I may seem real it is impossible to prove on the molecular level but is proveable on a coarser scale. The I is real and unreal simultaneously while the I in body is not real or unreal"

Someone just douse me in gasoline and set me on fire please !

[Liling]

I am a Buddhist and Daoist

[K.Snyder]

Liling;1262229 wrote: I am a Buddhist and Daoist


Are you from China Liling?

[Josh]

Hi,

I'm a Shingon Buddhist monk living in Nara, Japan, but moving back to the states this winter. There is a video of the temple and garden that I'm affiliated with here if you are interested: Japanese Temples And Their Serene Gardens . Someone mentioned it earlier, but it really is just a journey. It think it is also quite difficult to lump all of the Buddhists into one category. Each sect, country, and individual teacher have their own beliefs and ways of doing things.

Having passion for something is great, but fanaticism in any religion is naive and often close-minded.

[littleCJelkton]

Bez;203655 wrote: HI Jen...I belong to a Buddhist organisation that follows the teachings of Nicherin Daishonin (The SGI) There are thousands of Groups in the US. Try this link for a group near you www.sgi-usa.org (go to 'Find Us' link)



I don't know about the issue of the 'creation', but I do know several people that can help. I'll make some enquiries. Regarding the 7 heavens and 7 hells.....we study the 10 states of life and hell is 1 of these and may be heaven is represented by 'Rapture'. I guess there are many forms of buddhism, but as far as I know it all started with Shakyumani Buddha who is claimed to be the first of many.

I'll be interested to know what you think of the SGI link....good luck. xxxx


I was raised in to a mosh of catholicism (uncle), and SGI Buddhism (grandmother from japan). Both of which i am glad prayed/chanted for me while I battled and survived cancer at the age of 5. As I read about these religions as and traced them back to how they originated, I found that being Buddihsm started long enough before christianity for its philosophy, and theology to reach the mideast, as I see that many christian beliefs are adopted from older religions ( Easter, Christmas, The idea of resurrection.) the Golden rule, some of the ten commandments, turning the other cheed, and keeping your enemies closer are very similar to Buddihst beliefs. Me personaly though I still chant every night to my dai gohonzon (dont attend regular chapel meetings for there are no SGI centers close enough to wher I live now). I believe that more importantly that I chant every day, pay respects to Ikeda, or promote buddhism, is that I treatiothers as a buddhist respectably, and help others become better people as best I can, as I believe if I help them better them they being a better person will only better myself.