Search found 107 matches

by KonstantKarma
Fri Dec 24, 2010 6:52 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: The legitimacy of western psychiatry?
Replies: 40
Views: 7653

Re: The legitimacy of western psychiatry?

http://shop.fpmt.org/Becoming-Your-Own-Therapist-Make-Your-Mind-an-Ocean-Free_p_1288.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I highly recommend this...and it's free. "Perhaps of greatest interest is the lecture entitled "A Buddhist Approach to Mental Illness." La...
by KonstantKarma
Wed Dec 22, 2010 1:01 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

I think we should just respectfully understand that many people are at a place in their path where they need the historical Buddha for their practice; same as Christians with Jesus, Muslims with Mohammad, and so on, forever. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just a point on the journey. For me, ...
by KonstantKarma
Tue Dec 21, 2010 7:31 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

It is my opinion the Buddha would encourage a healthy skepticism (keyword: healthy) for people in our day regarding his historical existence. I don't think he would want us to accept anything as blind fact, as religion is so prone to do that to us over and over again. He encouraged us to be skeptica...
by KonstantKarma
Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:15 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Meditation Gone Bad
Replies: 9
Views: 2529

Re: Meditation Gone Bad

Okay, I guess in reality there can be bad things that happen during meditation, although I did a lot of meditational experimentation with no teacher and never had anything really adverse happen.

This is just what I sort of envisioned after the slapping/cold water reply.
by KonstantKarma
Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:08 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Meditation Gone Bad
Replies: 9
Views: 2529

Re: Meditation Gone Bad

Image

If their head starts spinning around and they look like Linda Blair you've got problems.
by KonstantKarma
Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:46 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Don't you have any pride?
Replies: 28
Views: 4529

Re: Don't you have any pride?

That's definitely nothing I have a say in!

However, I would love to find a good and active Buddhist facebook group... I have yet to, so if anybody sees one let me know.
by KonstantKarma
Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:21 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Don't you have any pride?
Replies: 28
Views: 4529

Re: Don't you have any pride?

Yeah, insane asylum. We are just talking about sports here. We left out war, crime, religious fanatics, etc etc etc. I'm not saying absolutely everyone is crazy, but there is a lot more crazy than you would like to think. If you think I am wrong, you just need to meet my wife's family. That will ch...
by KonstantKarma
Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:04 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

however if it was somehow proved that this wasnt the case it wouldnt change my practice at all The thing is, if several people got together and ascribed the Dhamma to one person, invented this character called the Buddha, then they told a pretty big lie. If a practice founded upon truth is contradi...
by KonstantKarma
Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:22 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

Let's not forget that we see results of the teachings today, with ourselves and with others.
by KonstantKarma
Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:46 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

however if it was somehow proved that this wasnt the case it wouldnt change my practice at all The thing is, if several people got together and ascribed the Dhamma to one person, invented this character called the Buddha, then they told a pretty big lie. If a practice founded upon truth is contradi...
by KonstantKarma
Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:52 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

I think the question raised here in the OP is how much do we need to cling to the notion of the historical Buddha to appreciate the path? How much is it okay to revere him as the teacher and when do we reach the point that we have to let the poor dead man rest? He is dead. There is nothing to cling...
by KonstantKarma
Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:43 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Don't you have any pride?
Replies: 28
Views: 4529

Re: Don't you have any pride?

Individual wrote:Reality is led by mind, made by mind.

Depressed\depressing states of mind create depressing realities. (Nothing to smile about!)
As a consistently manically depressed individual I experience the dhamma in profound ways... which I've no idea if that's a good thing or bad thing in the end.
by KonstantKarma
Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:36 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

I think the question raised here in the OP is how much do we need to cling to the notion of the historical Buddha to appreciate the path? How much is it okay to revere him as the teacher and when do we reach the point that we have to let the poor dead man rest?
by KonstantKarma
Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:15 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?
Replies: 115
Views: 18884

Re: How important is The Buddha to Buddhism?

Thanks Anicca - I do have a hard time seeing the Buddha standing on a platform shouting "Me! Me! Look at me! Adore me! Me me me!" As long as there are buddhas and buddhists and the like who achieve results from the dhamma the exact identity of the teacher of the teachings is not all that n...
by KonstantKarma
Sun Dec 19, 2010 10:41 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Don't you have any pride?
Replies: 28
Views: 4529

Re: Don't you have any pride?

Individual wrote:Insane asylum sounds depressing.

I look at it like a really big cartoon.
Reality is, frankly, very depressing. You can hide from it mentally but that's only effective for so far. As Marvin the Paranoid Android said.. "Life. Loathe it or ignore it. You can't like it." ;)