Search found 943 matches

by Prasadachitta
Sun Sep 22, 2013 3:45 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How do you take "materialism"?
Replies: 13
Views: 4002

Re: How do you take "materialism"?

Hi CLW, This seems like an extension of the rebirth thread and I expect this discourse may belong there. I have been thinking about this issue of late though. Not because it is an important aspect of my own personal contemplation but because it seems to come up for friends of mine who tend to think ...
by Prasadachitta
Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:22 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: There is neither atta nor anatta?
Replies: 18
Views: 4970

Re: There is neither atta nor anatta?

Hi all, I am very taken with the Achaan Cha quote which was posted twice in this thread. What I would like to contribute is that I think the "not self" teaching clearly puts our experience and our views into an appropriate perspective so that we can develop the conditions which bring an en...
by Prasadachitta
Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:57 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: karma question
Replies: 17
Views: 4129

Re: karma question

Hello jakartaguytebet, Here is how I understand karma. Karma is action which is tinged by the ignorance of separateness of self in beings and things. The way we understand existence and non existence is directly informed by our ignorance and it is very hard to discern this. There are effects which k...
by Prasadachitta
Mon Jul 01, 2013 12:54 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Help with Basic Buddhism, please? :)
Replies: 5
Views: 2708

Re: Help with Basic Buddhism, please? :)

One other thing I noticed was this. o Buddhists allow negative thoughts to flow, but are mindful not to act on them so as to break bad habits and increase good karma. This is not necessarily the case. Buddhist also make an effort to avoid and stop "negative" thinking. Allowing negative tho...
by Prasadachitta
Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:33 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Help with Basic Buddhism, please? :)
Replies: 5
Views: 2708

Re: Help with Basic Buddhism, please? :)

Hi Annie, I have two thoughts on what you have put together. 1)You Refer to "Clergy" as only monks and Nuns. This is not correct. There are a wide variety of official designations within the various traditions of Buddhism even within the Theravada which this chat board is aligned with. 2) ...
by Prasadachitta
Sun Jun 30, 2013 8:47 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Nietzsche and Buddhism
Replies: 0
Views: 1319

Nietzsche and Buddhism

A freind of mine wrote this book and I avoided reading it for quite a while. I have tended to be averse to Nietzche for completely uninformed and rather ignorant reasons. I have enjoyed it a lot and I think anyone who is interested in a comparative analysis of this philosopher and early Buddhist tea...
by Prasadachitta
Thu Jun 27, 2013 11:05 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Is there a real world out there?...
Replies: 124
Views: 22028

Re: Is there a real world out there?...

The question of whether or not there is a real world out there requires us to have a working definition of "real". To be honest I'm not clear on how I understand it. If we look at the translated quote "This, monks, is called the All. Anyone who would say, 'Repudiating this All, I will...
by Prasadachitta
Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:45 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Why the emphasis on voidness and passing away?
Replies: 19
Views: 6414

Re: Why the emphasis on voidness and passing away?

And of course there is "transcendental dependent arising": http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=11701 :anjali: Mike Hi Mike, I read that thread and I don't know if this is the right place to bring this up. That thread was closed. I have always been interested in the Canki s...
by Prasadachitta
Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:30 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ghosts, devas, and brahmās?
Replies: 27
Views: 8418

Re: Ghosts, devas, and brahmās?

Hello all How many of you guys believe in ghosts, devas, and brahmas? Do you think it's a must to believe in these supernatural deities in order to be a practitioner of Buddhism? Can it hinders the progress in meditation? Hello Past is Dead, It depends on what you mean by "believe". I bel...
by Prasadachitta
Sat Apr 20, 2013 2:45 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: FRIENDLINESS
Replies: 10
Views: 6536

Re: FRIENDLINESS

"This is to be done by one skilled in aims who wants to break through to the state of peace:" ... "Be capable, upright, & straightforward, easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited," ... "Think: Happy, at rest, may all beings be happy at heart. Whatever beings there ...
by Prasadachitta
Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:12 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Buddhism, Hinduism and the caste system
Replies: 43
Views: 15016

Re: Buddhism, Hinduism and the caste system

Please note that the people live in western countries have the legal protection against discrimination. Third world countries such as India and Sri Lanka do not have legal protection for discrimination. The Outcast people of India have extensive legal protections on paper thanks to Ambedker who wro...
by Prasadachitta
Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:02 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Buddhism, Hinduism and the caste system
Replies: 43
Views: 15016

Re: Buddhism, Hinduism and the caste system

Ambedkerite Buddhists in India do not accept that a persons cast is the result of Karma. They see Karma as only one of many possible forces as play in a result coming about. They see good Karma as tending to support good results and bad Karma bad results but only in relationship to a number of other...
by Prasadachitta
Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:38 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Buddha can't help
Replies: 26
Views: 6845

Re: Buddha can't help

When I need help I speak to a friend, one I trust who is kind and perhaps a bit wiser than I am. If I need advise about practice I read scriptures stories and commentaries from Buddhist tradition. If I need specific practice advise I find someone who's practice is more mature than my own and enter i...
by Prasadachitta
Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:59 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Mahayanists and the historical record
Replies: 73
Views: 19098

Re: Mahayanists and the historical record

For me Historical accuracy is but one factor in confidence. Another factor is that the Buddhist Tradition as a whole Mahayana or Theravada has given rise to Awakened beings Like: Tsong kappa, Nagarjuna, Dipa Ma, Milarepa, Sariputra, Achaan Cha, Padmasambahava, Pema Chodron, Buddhadasa, Atisha, Buddh...
by Prasadachitta
Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:03 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: A Critique of the Hardcore Dharma Movement.
Replies: 113
Views: 28354

Re: A Critique of the Hardcore Dharma Movement.

I think that while anger and dislike are similar in some degree ( both push away or reject something ), dislike is less harmful than anger. So in the sense of gradual path, isn't it possible to use dislike of defilements and laziness in a positive way? Hi Alex, It is possible that using the word &q...