Search found 1027 matches

by Anders
Sun Mar 03, 2024 12:27 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Yogacara and the Twelve Nidanas
Replies: 14
Views: 736

Re: Yogacara and the Twelve Nidanas

Hi Anders, I have some time now, so I will try to answer, as briefly as possible. I see that you have heard of and may have even read J. Bronkhorst's books on Greater Magadha. However, you must be aware of the fact that the major (if not most) part of Bronkhorst's theory is not supported by and, in...
by Anders
Mon Feb 12, 2024 9:31 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Yogacara and the Twelve Nidanas
Replies: 14
Views: 736

Re: Yogacara and the Twelve Nidanas

Because in the ancient Indian context "non-dual" is intimately associated with the teaching on Ātman , a Self, which is often non-dual, the same as Brahman , and encompasses the whole world. Therefore, the Buddha was very cautious not to follow that road. That's a rather anachronistic tak...
by Anders
Tue Jan 16, 2024 8:01 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Hawai‘i’s Japanese Buddhist Temples Are Struggling to Keep Ancient Traditions Alive
Replies: 15
Views: 1244

Re: Hawai‘i’s Japanese Buddhist Temples Are Struggling to Keep Ancient Traditions Alive

I would hardly characterise Soto and Rinzai as reactionary sects the way nichiren and jodo shinshu are. they have elements of it, but fundamentally they are schools imported from another country with centuries of historical baggage in that country and this baggage goes a long way towards defining th...
by Anders
Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:44 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3251

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

I think atman is easier to refute soteriologically than ontologically. If you have anything at all that can be be conceived to exist, no matter how pure or refined, then that is itself a basis for grasping, and thus a basis for suffering. Most of the ontological refutations run into trouble the mome...
by Anders
Thu Dec 14, 2023 10:33 am
Forum: Dying and Death
Topic: Reincarnation cases not following the Buddhist model
Replies: 230
Views: 13399

Re: Reincarnation cases not following the Buddhist model

Where Stevendon’s theory doesn’t seem to ‘follow the Buddhist model’ is that, in Buddhism, there is no ‘self’ that reincarnates, and Stevenson’s theory seems to suggest that there is. So, when we say conventionally that Mr. Fred died from a bullet in the head, and a child who has a birthmark at the...
by Anders
Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:53 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: “My mind isn’t like that”
Replies: 32
Views: 1724

Re: “My mind isn’t like that”

I’ve had this happen in conversations about Buddhism with family members, and sometimes even when teaching aspects of mindfulness as a mental health skill: Often the person claims their mind does not suffer with the issue a given practice addresses. Some examples would be: “Oh I’m not bothered by i...
by Anders
Wed Nov 01, 2023 10:09 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Roger Penrose and consciousness
Replies: 22
Views: 1262

Re: Roger Penrose and consciousness

I think the whole 'mysticism' angle can be consigned to the dustbin for modern physics. Given the range of fantastical propositions many prevalent theories posit, I think it is clear by now that the physics community more or less accept that it is quite plausible that reality is in fact utterly fant...
by Anders
Sun Oct 29, 2023 12:03 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Roger Penrose and consciousness
Replies: 22
Views: 1262

Re: Roger Penrose and consciousness

I've speculated thus - I'll take the example of a quartz crystal, but really any phenomena that exhibits patterns can be used. No one forms quartz crystals. Under heat and pressure, molecules of silicon dioxide spontaneously order themselves, because that's the way the molecules "fit" tog...
by Anders
Mon Oct 09, 2023 7:53 am
Forum: Dzogchen
Topic: Is Dzogchen less intense than Zen?
Replies: 28
Views: 2205

Re: Is Dzogchen less intense than Zen?

A sense of humor is a useful thing too. But: I have encountered many Zen practitioners with a strong masochistic streak. I have seen people proudly request the stick during meditation sessions. So obviously I'm being a little facetious about both traditions, but there is an element of truth in both...
by Anders
Tue Oct 03, 2023 7:45 am
Forum: Zen
Topic: New to zen, Question on Tao
Replies: 19
Views: 1105

Re: New to zen, Question on Tao

This comes up every so often. Here's my latest take from a previous discussion. it perhaps reflects a light counter to the notion that there is no relation at all between the two and if there were, it's daoism that absorbed from Buddhism (which also happened but that's a different topic). There is o...
by Anders
Thu Sep 28, 2023 8:58 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: Non-retrogression in Soto Zen?
Replies: 24
Views: 2495

Re: Non-retrogression in Soto Zen?

I am a Shin Buddhist, but am thinking of attending a local Soto meditation group to explore this tradition. I have read a few things about Zen, but I am pretty much a complete beginner. This question may be very Pure-Landy, but it's a major concern restraining me from really going into Zen whole-ho...
by Anders
Sat Sep 02, 2023 7:56 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Grand Slam tennis events
Replies: 17
Views: 1065

Re: Grand Slam tennis events

Djokovic survives the third round to advance to round of 16; barely. He was down 2 sets and managed to win the next three in a 5 set match. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/38310127/novak-djokovic-roars-back-2-set-hole-tops-laslo-djere-us-open He's done that so many times though. If I were a ...
by Anders
Fri Jul 28, 2023 1:54 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

There is also the possibility of /C authentic soto zen that does not emphasise the importance of realisation, employ koans to any notable extent, but nonetheless train, study and teach in a manner that produces similar result to /B So do you refer to the C point, which was not touched yet? do I und...
by Anders
Fri Jul 28, 2023 12:52 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

Anders, I'm willing to entertain this, and recognize that my exposure to Western Soto Zen is perhaps not sufficiently broad. But what you've described as a pole or fringe has been, in my experience, the majority view. By and large, the Soto teachers I've met seem at a loss regarding the subject of ...
by Anders
Fri Jul 28, 2023 12:40 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

I am not saying that Dogen argued against kensho, just that it was not the pivot for him and there are no signs, that I know of of, of any distinction between pre- and post-kensho training in his writing, the way there is in Hakuin's teaching, for example. In this sense, he was radically subitist.
by Anders
Fri Jul 28, 2023 9:15 am
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

Hakuin and Dogen just appear to be discussing different issues in those quotes. Dogen is saying that enlightenment isn’t found outside of practice and Hakuin that enlightenment is crucial to Zen. This doesn’t seem like any major difference at all. Unless Hakuin says somewhere enlightenment is separ...
by Anders
Thu Jul 27, 2023 4:27 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

But my point remains that a spectrum also exists (whether mainstream in Japan and/or the west or not) that your, and Meido's analysis fails to capture. Please forgive me my lack of response, but could you please point out what I did not respond to? Of course I cannot take responsibility for Rev. Me...
by Anders
Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:26 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

That said, to the extent that such a thing exists in soto zen, it is deplorable. Besides the onboarding issue genjo mentioned, I am also concerned regarding my impression that it is a whole lot easier to get dharma transmission in soto than in rinzai (I know, different terms, processes, etc. but I a...
by Anders
Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:02 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

Where I think Meido and Matylda tend to shoot past the mark somewhat is their seeming obliviousness to this mainstream range within soto, in favour of approving or rejecting the polarities on the edges of it. Well so called mainstream of soto appeared just a little bit more than 100 years ago and c...
by Anders
Thu Jul 27, 2023 12:06 pm
Forum: Soto
Topic: American Soto Zen
Replies: 293
Views: 18752

Re: American Soto Zen

I think part of the tension in this debate is the failure to acknowledge, or at least put proper words to, the spectrum of views concerning kensho/satori etc. in Soto. When I see Meido approve of someone like Dosho it strikes me, as a reader rather than participant, as being because Dosho basically ...

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