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by Aemilius
Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:06 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?
Replies: 46
Views: 2277

Re: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?

1) Issues with Madhyamaka's usage of an 'infinite chain of casualty' as a concept The point of the cosmological argument is that an infinite chain of causes is impossible as this would lead to an infinite regression of causes, which is considered impossible. I have heard Buddhists say that infinite...
by Aemilius
Mon Apr 08, 2024 9:37 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Ten Bhumis in Mahavastu
Replies: 3
Views: 86

Ten Bhumis in Mahavastu

In Mahavastu, which is an early sutra considered to be proto-mahayana and which belongs to the Lokottaravada school of Indian Buddhism, the funeral pyre for the rupakaya of Shakyamuni Buddha cannot be ignited before Mahakashyapa has arrived to the place. Once he has come he asks the elder Katyayanan...
by Aemilius
Sun Apr 07, 2024 8:46 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?
Replies: 46
Views: 2277

Re: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?

Bit of a long and philosophically complex set of questions here. I have a friend who is a deist and they know some arguments for why a God-like first cause of the universe exists, and I have ran into some issues with aspects of the Madhyamaka view on the subject of these arguments. It would be grea...
by Aemilius
Sat Apr 06, 2024 7:57 pm
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: Women involved in the early transmission of Buddhism to the West?
Replies: 9
Views: 381

Re: Women involved in the early transmission of Buddhism to the West?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/02/Isaline-Blew_Horner_roi_low_resolution.tif/lossy-page1-270px-Isaline-Blew_Horner_roi_low_resolution.tif.jpg "On 30 March 1896 Isaline Blew Horner was born in Walthamstow in Essex, England. Horner was a first cousin once removed of the Britis...
by Aemilius
Sat Apr 06, 2024 4:27 pm
Forum: Chan
Topic: Sutra/Shastra in China?
Replies: 2
Views: 188

Re: Sutra/Shastra in China?

Two excerpts from the above mentioned paper, page 6: "Seminaries thus occupy a central place in monasticism and yet still have ambiguous roles in Chinese Buddhism. Graduation from seminary is now one important route to authority within the sangha, and according to documents released by the Budd...
by Aemilius
Sat Apr 06, 2024 10:20 am
Forum: Chan
Topic: Sutra/Shastra in China?
Replies: 2
Views: 188

Re: Sutra/Shastra in China?

This seems really interesting, I have read some of it, :

BUDDHIST MONASTIC EDUCATION: SEMINARIES, ACADEMIA, AND THE STATE IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA; Gildow, Douglas, Princeton University, 2016 https://dataspace.princeton.edu/handle/ ... 1hd76s2540
by Aemilius
Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:12 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: 21 st century
Replies: 7
Views: 303

Re: 21 st century

War is necessary and useful for the state religion. No war is true. (my words) I'm not sure what you want to say. The primary meaning of word true is "being in accordance with the actual state of affairs" (in Merriam-Webster dictionary). Wars actually take place. This is a truthful senten...
by Aemilius
Fri Apr 05, 2024 11:49 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: 21 st century
Replies: 7
Views: 303

Re: 21 st century

You are out of touch with reality. Human beings are part of the evolution on planet earth. Individuals are part of populations which are the more truly existing entities (than individuals). Populations have their own goals and their own ideas. They are not similar. They are in conflict with each oth...
by Aemilius
Thu Apr 04, 2024 7:03 pm
Forum: Discovering Mahayana Buddhism
Topic: Form and emptiness
Replies: 12
Views: 855

Re: Form and emptiness

How is it when you are in a state free of concepts? The relationship between emptiness, you, and concepts is akin to the Chinese philosophy where everything has two aspects, namely yin and yang. As the old saying states, “Yin creates Yang and Yang activates Yin”. To put it differently, by preparing...
by Aemilius
Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:15 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?
Replies: 46
Views: 2277

Re: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?

5) Karma's apparent perfection without an intelligent mind behind it Karma can create things and manifest results based on moral actions and intentions, and it works perfectly. Some Buddhists compare it to gravity, as in it is just a natural law like the laws of physics. But its workings often have...
by Aemilius
Thu Apr 04, 2024 8:47 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?
Replies: 46
Views: 2277

Re: How to respond to theistic/deistic arguments from a Madhyamaka point of view?

5) Karma's apparent perfection without an intelligent mind behind it Karma can create things and manifest results based on moral actions and intentions, and it works perfectly. Some Buddhists compare it to gravity, as in it is just a natural law like the laws of physics. But its workings often have...
by Aemilius
Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:26 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Is it Beneficial to Use Dharma Names in Daily Life?
Replies: 17
Views: 1162

Re: Is it Beneficial to Use Dharma Names in Daily Life?

"Furthermore, when they reach the ocean, all the great rivers—that is, the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—lose their names and clans and are simply considered ‘the ocean’. In the same way, when they go forth from the lay life to homelessness, all four castes—aristocrats, brahmins,...
by Aemilius
Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:05 am
Forum: Discovering Mahayana Buddhism
Topic: Form and emptiness
Replies: 12
Views: 855

Re: Form and emptiness

takso wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 6:47 am Emptiness is form, meaning that it is the primary source of perceptible realities. Emptiness is necessary for an object to exist; without it, the object would be impossible.
How is it when you are in a state free of concepts?
by Aemilius
Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:00 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Worship of Ganesha in Buddhism
Replies: 15
Views: 647

Re: Worship of Ganesha in Buddhism

White Mahakala is quite popular in some schools of Tantric Buddhism (Shangpa Kagyu for an example). White Mahakala is standing on two forms of Ganesha that are lying under his feet and are holding radishes in their hands.

Image
by Aemilius
Tue Apr 02, 2024 8:34 am
Forum: East Asian Buddhism
Topic: East Asian Buddhism - any what-is-what (each school) overview?
Replies: 39
Views: 1442

Re: East Asian Buddhism - any what-is-what (each school) overview?

I agree. It's also precisely the medicine needed to address the ailments of modern secular society. Its also difficult for people whose brains are wired for modern secular society, I'm inclined to agree more-or-less consistent cushion-time meditating is essential, however I've personally seen that ...
by Aemilius
Mon Apr 01, 2024 11:11 am
Forum: East Asian Buddhism
Topic: East Asian Buddhism - any what-is-what (each school) overview?
Replies: 39
Views: 1442

Re: East Asian Buddhism - any what-is-what (each school) overview?

There are a lot of books that present a survey of Japanese Buddhism. Foundations of Japanese Buddhism is a good one. Very quickly - I think a few of the original 6 Nara schools still exists - Kegon (Flower Garland centric) and Hosso (Yogacara). Tendai is a mix of ordinary Mahayana of the Tiantai va...
by Aemilius
Sat Mar 30, 2024 4:07 pm
Forum: Discovering Mahayana Buddhism
Topic: Form and emptiness
Replies: 12
Views: 855

Re: Form and emptiness

Or are there exceptions, non-empty or form-less phenomena? There are exceptions. For instance, space and cessations are both phenomena which lack form (unconditioned dharmas). In the Ratnagotravibhāga, and related version of (Mahā)Madhyamaka, there are buddha qualities more numerous than the grains...
by Aemilius
Sat Mar 30, 2024 11:54 am
Forum: East Asian Buddhism
Topic: East Asian Buddhism - any what-is-what (each school) overview?
Replies: 39
Views: 1442

Re: East Asian Buddhism - any what-is-what (each school) overview?

There are a lot of books that present a survey of Japanese Buddhism. Foundations of Japanese Buddhism is a good one. Very quickly - I think a few of the original 6 Nara schools still exists - Kegon (Flower Garland centric) and Hosso (Yogacara). Tendai is a mix of ordinary Mahayana of the Tiantai va...
by Aemilius
Fri Mar 29, 2024 9:35 am
Forum: Discovering Mahayana Buddhism
Topic: Form and emptiness
Replies: 12
Views: 855

Re: Form and emptiness

Or are there exceptions, non-empty or form-less phenomena? There are exceptions. For instance, space and cessations are both phenomena which lack form (unconditioned dharmas). In the Ratnagotravibhāga, and related version of (Mahā)Madhyamaka, there are buddha qualities more numerous than the grains...
by Aemilius
Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:04 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Happy Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's Birthday!
Replies: 3
Views: 272

Happy Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's Birthday!

Today is the 19th day of the second lunar month, which marks the commemoration of the birthday of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/434325690_826917436149366_6396164152880574120_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p526x296&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&...

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