Search found 55 matches
- Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:08 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Moving in a rut
- Replies: 13
- Views: 3183
Moving in a rut
I try to meditate. Thoughts 'ambush' me, catch myself, sigh, return to breath. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It feels like I am going in circles. Does this even have any benefit? I am not sure what I must do for a breakthrough.
- Wed Dec 26, 2012 6:54 pm
- Forum: Lounge
- Topic: A Hare Krishna view of Buddhist practice in Bhutan
- Replies: 17
- Views: 8888
Re: A Hare Krishna view of Buddhist practice in Bhutan
Iskconites are plain weird, not to mention vulgar and antagonistic toward anyone who doesn't acknowledge their perverted version of reality. There may be a few good iskconites like indrymya swami, but that's for PR more than anything else.
- Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:31 pm
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: "No Seeking" teaching of Linchi (Rinzai)
- Replies: 26
- Views: 7268
Re: "No Seeking" teaching of Linchi (Rinzai)
This is a dangerous teaching. There is so much to do - the mind is a mess, and it needs cleaning up. Doing nothing changes nothing.
- Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:46 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Leg pain
- Replies: 12
- Views: 3393
Re: Leg pain
The point is to tame the mind, not reconfigure your legs. :rolling: Exactly so. If it is not your custom or inclination, there is no benefit to sado masochistic contortions. You may get increased endomorphin to counter pain production and bliss out. Not really meditative at all . . . Hi lobster, re...
- Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:05 pm
- Forum: Lounge
- Topic: Eating cats in China (not a joke).
- Replies: 28
- Views: 7925
Re: Eating cats in China (not a joke).
I am a vegetarian, but is it wrong for a buddhist to eat all this? Even a buddhit has to eat to survive.
- Sat Oct 13, 2012 5:47 pm
- Forum: Mahamudra
- Topic: Being in the Present
- Replies: 43
- Views: 16991
Re: Being in the Present
I am still confused about watcher and watching. When I am watching, isn't the watcher already there? It is only the watcher who controls the mind, or else the mind starts daydreaming, getting distracted. Nope, basic underlying awareness has no need of the watcher, the watcher is constructed later. ...
- Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:02 pm
- Forum: Lounge
- Topic: Being spiritual but not religious is a cop-out
- Replies: 13
- Views: 3520
Re: Being spiritual but not religious is a cop-out
Religions in general encourage superstition, mindless worship of deities or gurus, blind following of traditions, and rituals. Plus they're usually politically motivated. No wonder people want to be spiritual without the baggage of religion. Why can't I just practice meditation without calling mysel...
- Thu Oct 04, 2012 6:28 pm
- Forum: Mahamudra
- Topic: Being in the Present
- Replies: 43
- Views: 16991
Re: Being in the Present
I am still confused about watcher and watching. When I am watching, isn't the watcher already there? It is only the watcher who controls the mind, or else the mind starts daydreaming, getting distracted.
- Thu Sep 27, 2012 3:39 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Breath
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1681
Re: Breath
May I ask what are you practising when you observed that? Meditation? Zen practice? Breath-counting contemplation? Recitation of Buddha's name? I am practicing mindfulness of breath to attain the first jhana. But I don't just stay with the breath, thoughts are also floating in the background. Unles...
- Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:34 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Breath
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1681
Breath
When I observe, i tend to breathe in slowly and deeply in order to keep my focus on the breath. Is that okay? And while observing the breath, thoughts are present in the background. Am I assume that they will vanish with practice?
- Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:42 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Body scan
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2497
Re: Body scan
It doesn't have to be head to toe, it can be any order as long as every part of the body is included. It is important to include every part, even if at first there appears to be no sensation. If you only focus on the parts of the body where you feel sensation, you will not develop awareness of the ...
- Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:02 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Body scan
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2497
Re: Body scan
Actually I was taught to do it toe-to-head! But it doesn't matter so long as the scan covers all the bits. You'll want to be thorough and maybe even try to include the brain and internal organs. My aim is to experience what vipasana students call dissolution of body, namely experiencing the body no...
- Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:37 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Body scan
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2497
Body scan
In vipasana, the body scan has to proceed in a certain order, head to toe. Is that necessary, or can we just focus wherever the sensation occurs? Could we just sit down and wait for sensations to occur, after which we observe them?
- Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:24 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Tremors
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2546
Re: Tremors
Buddhism is not very common where I live, so finding a teacher may not be possible. My sister is a doctor, but even she doesn't find anything wrong. She says it's mostly stress, but I am worried if it would be the onset of Parkinson's or something else.
- Sun Sep 16, 2012 7:14 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Tremors
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2546
Tremors
I am getting mild tremors, not in specific areas .. They occur in many areas like knees, thighs, even lips or eyebrows.
What could it be?
What could it be?
- Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:43 pm
- Forum: Gelug
- Topic: How long for actual Meditation...?
- Replies: 25
- Views: 7527
Re: How long for actual Meditation...?
Hmm, see I cannot help but think that there is no substitue for silent meditation (for want of a better description). Mantra, Yantra, Bells and Mudras seem to give me more to think abut rather than the opportunity to experience my mind. It feels a little like putting more furniture in the prison ce...
- Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:47 am
- Forum: Dharma Stories
- Topic: If the Buddha is real, what have you lost?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 4606
Re: If the Buddha is real, what have you lost?
Pascal's wager can only apply to abrahamic faiths because they believe in one life, no second chances. So if you die and find out Allah alone is real, you will be in trouble. Buddhism wouldn't have this problem, because if you die and find out Buddha is real, you are still going to get a second chan...
- Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:33 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Why is dependent origination so important?
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2452
Why is dependent origination so important?
Why is it important to know? What does it mean to know, anyway? We all know that everything is connected with everything else ...
- Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:50 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: Will Buddhism become redundant?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 9624
Re: Will Buddhism become redundant?
Thanks for the replies.
Before science gave us the washing machine, we had to depend on our arms and legs ... involved a lot of effort and sweat to get things done.
Now we have to depend on our will ... expend a lot of effort to be mindful. But once technology ... well, you get the idea.
Before science gave us the washing machine, we had to depend on our arms and legs ... involved a lot of effort and sweat to get things done.
Now we have to depend on our will ... expend a lot of effort to be mindful. But once technology ... well, you get the idea.
- Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:56 pm
- Forum: Pure Land
- Topic: Pure Land thoughts
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2509
Re: Pure Land thoughts
What does it mean to focus on amitabha, just reciting his name?