Buddhism for Tough Guys

[Bodhisurfer]

I hope that you are right Tilt. I suspect that you may not be.
Or it might simply be humour that doesnt travel...
This side of the Atlantic just the use of the word " dude" means that many readers assume that the user has to use their forefinger to read.

I'm in Cornwall the surfing capital of the Uk. the use of 'Dude' is compulsory around these parts

Welcome Gerry The world needs 'Tough Guys' -and gals for that matter

[Sanghamitta]

I hope that you are right Tilt. I suspect that you may not be.
Or it might simply be humour that doesnt travel...
This side of the Atlantic just the use of the word " dude" means that many readers assume that the user has to use their forefinger to read.

I'm in Cornwall the surfing capital of the Uk. the use of 'Dude' is compulsory around these parts

Welcome Gerry The world needs 'Tough Guys' -and gals for that matter

Yes.....rather proves my point.

[m0rl0ck]

My mission for the rest of my life is to make the Dhamma accessible to the average "guy" who lives in the real world. To this end, I wrote "Buddhism for Dudes" (available through The Kindle Store and amazon.com) and am writing a blog called "Buddhism for Tough Guys" at http://www.buddhismfordudes.blog.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I hardly think I have all the answers, but I am a serious Buddhist practitioner and have reaped the benefits of my practice, particularly in the professional world: I am in human services and have provided case management to homeless people and guys being released from prison for many years. Buddhism, I believe, is about embracing life rather than hiding from elements of life that takes us out of our comfort zones.

A quote from "BFD": "Compassion is not about freeing the mosquito in your bedroom. It's about getting sh*t on your hands when you reach into the gutter to try to pull someone out."

This sounds like an excellent idea. Most of the people I have met at various buddhist functions and organiizations over the past 15+ years seem to have been over educated white middle class and up and college / high school students either writing papers or having a fling. I would love to see that change. Good luck on your mission and welcome

[andre9999]

Yes.....rather proves my point.

Probably not.

[Sanghamitta]

It certainly proves my point that humour doesnt always travel.

[octathlon]

Welcome to DhammaWheel, Gerry.

I see you are quickly becoming familiar with some of the personalities we have here.

[Sanghamitta]

Yup....... lots of tough guys.

[daverupa]

Lots who aren't.

[altar]

i have been freeing the flies in our house, especially when they pang on the windows...............
but the idea still intrigues me...

buddhism for all.

[Planet_Mu]

Great stuff! Welcome.

[tilted_wheel]

Yup....... lots of tough guys.

liberally seasoned with condescending (but surely compassionate) sarcasm

[Monkey Mind]

I can't get the link for the BFD blog to work. Anyone else having this problem?

[Bodhisurfer]

I can't get the link for the BFD blog to work. Anyone else having this problem?

it worked the other week but i cant make it work now either

[alan]

I don't think "tough" guys can ever get the Dhamma. They seem mutually incompatible.

[manas]

Welcome, buddhismfordudes.

I've seen some baffling things in the Buddhist world, so I can relate to your mosquito analogy. There was one Buddhist center i visited where there was a sign up in the bathroom, reading: 'please close the lid of the toilet shut, to prevent insects from drowning'. A very nice thought, yes. But then I noticed the meat consumption at that place (bought and prepared by the laypeople there)...it was considerable. But since they were not the slaughterers, it did not seem to concern them...the 'it's not my kamma' justification. Ok...so we should care for insects drowning in the toilet, but not for mammals being totured and brutally butchered in slaughterhouses...hmm. If your point is that compassion involves going out of our way, inconveniencing ourselves a bit, for the sake of helping others, rather than doing only what is relatively easy and convenient, just so we can get a warm buzz that we are 'compassionate' after all - then I see your point, and I like the analogy.