Search found 640 matches

by waterchan
Mon Aug 31, 2015 12:03 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: is a fetus a human?
Replies: 54
Views: 9305

Re: is a fetus a human?

An embryo is definitely not a human because you can chuck it in the freezer and preserve it for many years.

Can you do that to a fetus, though? Hmm...

Ice ice ice baby...
by waterchan
Sun Aug 23, 2015 7:28 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Does the Tathagata have uncondtional sympathy for all beings?
Replies: 12
Views: 2849

Re: Does the Tathagata have uncondtional sympathy for all beings?

Coyote wrote: even to the point of cutting bad people off.
From that sutta:
"If a tamable person doesn't submit either to a mild training or to a harsh training or to a mild & harsh training, then I kill him, Kesi."
And they say the Buddha didn't have a sense of humor. :tongue:
by waterchan
Sun Aug 23, 2015 4:48 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: If anicca is anicca?
Replies: 27
Views: 5305

Re: If anicca is anicca?

This was asked by a student in a class I was attending back in 1999. He asked, "if everything is impermanent, then impermanence is also impermanent." .... I believe the stock phrase in the suttas is "All conditioned phenomena are impermanent." Impermanence is not a "conditi...
by waterchan
Sun Aug 23, 2015 1:41 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Lumbini, Kapilavastu, Kusinara sites now in doubt.
Replies: 36
Views: 8201

Re: Lumbini, Kapilavastu, Kusinara sites now in doubt.

diptych4 wrote:The sites of the Buddha's birth (Lumbini) hometown (Kapilavastu) and death (Kusinara) have now been seriously called into question...
I never cared much about those sites anyway. Their historical authenticity, or proposed lack thereof, makes not one iota of difference to my practice.
by waterchan
Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:52 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Triratna
Replies: 15
Views: 4241

Re: Triratna

There's this thread about the Triratna Buddhist Order.

And according to Wikipedia they had a few controversies, though none in recent years.

Sounds a bit cultish to me.
by waterchan
Wed Aug 19, 2015 11:48 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Kamma is an amoral teaching?
Replies: 64
Views: 12328

Re: Kamma is an amoral teaching?

I think I remember reading somewhere that the Buddha said that refraining from unethical actions, even for completely selfish reasons, is still better than engaging in them. Can't recall where atm, but it makes sense to say abstinence from unethical action will always be better than non-abstinence ...
by waterchan
Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:52 pm
Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
Topic: Do you think I'm crazy for thinking about monastic life at 16?
Replies: 24
Views: 6215

Re: Do you think I'm crazy for thinking about monastic life at 16?

What do you think? What do you think, and why do you think it? Have you had a taste of the monastic life, perhaps by going on an extended retreat for a month or more? Or do you merely picture it as ideal in your head? When I started thinking about being a monk I thought I was going crazy. After res...
by waterchan
Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:14 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Are plants intelligent? A new book says Yes
Replies: 14
Views: 4330

Re: Are plants intelligent? A new book says Yes

Herbie wrote:Hmh ... are books intelligent?
No, they're processed dead plants :(

But seriously, they've been going on about this plant sentience thing this since the 80's. The science behind it is rather sketchy. I wouldn't worry about it.
by waterchan
Fri Aug 14, 2015 8:13 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Are plants intelligent? A new book says Yes
Replies: 14
Views: 4330

Re: Research Shows Plants Are Sentient

They said this back in the 80's as well. But the science behind it is still rather sketchy.
by waterchan
Wed Aug 12, 2015 9:28 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How to deal with intense mind racing?
Replies: 20
Views: 3947

Re: How to deal with intense mind racing?

You might try this audio guided meditation from Ajahn Sucitto. http://www.cittaviveka.org/index.php/teaching/audio-talks/259-ajahn-sucitto-guided-meditation-utilise-the-questioning-mind :thumbsup: Guided meditations are the best way to meditate when your mind is really racing uncontrollably. What r...
by waterchan
Wed Aug 12, 2015 1:09 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Best Format And Software For Digitizing Dhamma?
Replies: 2
Views: 1582

Re: Best Format And Software For Digitizing Dhamma?

PDF is the most suitable format and the industry standard for searchable, read-only professional documents. It guarantees that the document will have the same appearance across all platforms that have a PDF reader installed. Most current word processing software can save to PDF format, but Acrobat i...
by waterchan
Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:34 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: The Buddha's suicide
Replies: 104
Views: 22929

Re: The Buddha's suicide

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:. . .
Bhante, what is the classical view on the Buddha's "suicide"?
by waterchan
Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:56 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: What's after the end
Replies: 25
Views: 7346

Re: What's after the end

Mawkish1983 wrote:
waterchan wrote:He went "poof".
Erm, that can have a different meaning.
He went poof for good.
by waterchan
Tue Aug 11, 2015 12:07 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: The Buddha's suicide
Replies: 104
Views: 22929

Re: The Buddha's suicide

It was a helpful tip to those who don't wish to waste their time arguing about nothing of any benefit. If someone makes a silly comment about Buddha being crochety only a crochety old man would take the bait. I repeat, refute it. If no less a scholar than Vallee-Poussin refers to the Buddha's 'volu...
by waterchan
Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:11 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: What's after the end
Replies: 25
Views: 7346

Re: What's after the end

starphlo wrote: After Buddha's enlightenment and subsequent death, where did he go?
He went "poof". That's probably as close as we can get with words.