Buddhists

1…4567810»

Comments

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 1,699
    edited November 2012

    couldn't find it with a quick look:  self-identified buddhists:  I'd describe myself as such, I've never taken any public vows though am affiliated loosley with a monastary.  would be interested in the self-identified buddhists info, the other:  buddists in america, & american cities I would think are mostly asian immigrants

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Wren44
    Wren44 Member Posts: 8,585
    edited November 2012

    Abigail48,

    I got it by googling buddhists in cities. Mine is the 4th on the list. At least here, lots of the buddhists are not Asian or of Asian descent. We have 5 or 6 different sects from zen to Tibetan.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ananda8
    ananda8 Member Posts: 2,755
    edited November 2012

    Here is an interesting article on Buddhism, under-counting, non-denominational identification.

    http://bdtest1.squarespace.com/web-archive/2011/8/4/the-face-of-western-buddhism.html

    I think it would be just fine if Buddhism never had a "face".  It does not need to be identified with any group to have a positive influence on people.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 1,699
    edited November 2012

    yes interesting article, & more of us all the time.  & I think the world numbers are very underestimated

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ananda8
    ananda8 Member Posts: 2,755
    edited March 2013

    Amazing the effect that even a partial sculpture of the Buddha can have on people.

    http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/2013/0301/Indira-Johnson-places-intriguing-sculptures-to-create-dialogues-on-peace?nav=87-frontpage-entryInsideMonitor

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited March 2013

    very interesting article, notself.  Thank you for sharing.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited April 2013

    bump.

    happy spring!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited August 2013

    Hoping that notself will see this as she is such a fount of information.

    My Oldest Monster has a lot of compassion in him, in a way that can be hard for a 15 year old boy. Mind you, its nothing new---He has ALWAYS been this way.  So I just got a call from him and he was angry and upset because he is working in a community garde for a school deal and some fellow student stomped a garden spider.  And this being Oldest, he was upset about the pointless loss of life.

    We talked about the other student doing this out of ignorence and fear--not understanding the interconnectedness of the universe, not understanding spiders, etc--and how there is hope that person can become educated and learn that stomping spiders is an unneccessary and indeed, negative thing.  And I reminded him that his little sister was once a spider stomper and that she has advanced on to a live and let live attitude (and i still remember him coming to me at the age of 6 wailing because his beloved sister was stomping an ant colony).

    But Oldest needs still something for himself, something to say for what he perceives as the spirit of the now dead spider.  I'm guess I'm looking for the Buddhist equal to "rest in peace" or "may god have mercy on their soul," if that makes sense.

    Any thoughts at all will be appreciated.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ananda8
    ananda8 Member Posts: 2,755
    edited September 2013

    What a wonderful story of compassion! I have three ideas for your son. 

    First regarding the spider: Your son can wish the spider a favorable rebirth and dedicate his merit to the spider.  Any words will do.

    Second regarding the spider stomper and your son's frustration: I recommend the study of the following essay by the monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu regarding the four Sublime Attitudes.  http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheart.html  Equanimity is the key to this particular situation.

    Also regarding the spider stomper and others of his sort: A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; who — whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and live dependent on their actions. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.' -AN5.57 http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kamma.html

    The young spider stomper has his own actions and will have the results of those actions.

    The last idea is regarding anger: The Ghatva Sutta http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn01/sn01.071.than.html

    As she was standing to one side, a devata recited this verse to the Blessed One:

    Having killed what do you sleep in ease? Having killed what do you not grieve? Of the slaying of what one thing does Gotama approve?

    [The Buddha:]

    Having killed anger you sleep in ease. Having killed anger you do not grieve. The noble ones praise the slaying of anger — with its honeyed crest & poison root — for having killed it you do not grieve.

     

    I hope something in the above will help. 

     

    I haven't been practicing for the past 6 months or so.  It's difficult to practice in solitary.  Answering your post has stirred me up.  I think I'll meditate tonight.  Thanks
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited September 2013

    bumping this up in case anyone has thoughts. . . notself, I see you posted but I missed the post---so much going on these days. . .

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ananda8
    ananda8 Member Posts: 2,755
    edited September 2013

    I've been on vacation visiting my DH's family.  Great fun.

    I think your son should read the following essay on the four sublime attitudes.  It appears that your son had great compassion for the spider but less compassion for the student who crushed the spider.

    http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/headandheart.html

    A little more equanimity might help.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ananda8
    ananda8 Member Posts: 2,755
    edited October 2013
    Thought I would bump the thread with a little something, or perhaps a little nothing.

    "Mere suffering is, not any sufferer is found
    The deeds exist, but no performer of the deeds.
    Nibbana is, but not the one who enters it,
    The path is, but no wanderer is to be seen.

    No doer of the deeds is found,
    No one who ever reaps their fruits,
    Empty phenomena roll on,
    This view alone is right and true.

    No god, no Brahma, may be called,
    The maker of this wheel of life,
    Empty phenomena roll on,
    Dependent on conditions all."

    - Visuddhimagga XIX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 984
    edited December 2013

    Bump! I'm giving this a little bump for a couple reasons. There's someone newly dx having a hard time, wanted her to know there's a buddhist thread. And, have been reading Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism and have just read Chogyam Trungpa's explanation of how the 5 skandhas build ego & it's the first time I've ever had a clue - amazing. also was unaware of his behaviour & all the controversy but it's very old news - but still, interesting to me, it even cropped up in my dreams!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 1,699
    edited December 2013

    I used to have a book on the poetry scandal  so much not important compared to the scandals in most religions, big deal! mostly.  love that stuff though being such a gossip, even knowing its a sin.  just read going clear about scientology, very scholarly

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories