Search found 843 matches

by Bristollad
Mon Mar 25, 2024 5:00 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: POLL: What type of mango-practitioner are you (as per "Letter to a friend" verse 20)?
Replies: 37
Views: 1113

Re: POLL: What type of mango-practitioner are you (as per "Letter to a friend" verse 20)?

Rather than mango, I feel more like the curate's egg: some parts are excellent! Yeah unfortunately Nagarjuna focused on mangos. But I feel you, practice has so many components, and each of them has its own level of development. I am very happy to hear that you are confident about some parts of your...
by Bristollad
Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:38 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: POLL: What type of mango-practitioner are you (as per "Letter to a friend" verse 20)?
Replies: 37
Views: 1113

Re: POLL: What type of mango-practitioner are you (as per "Letter to a friend" verse 20)?

Rather than mango, I feel more like the curate's egg: some parts are excellent!

Image
by Bristollad
Sat Mar 23, 2024 8:21 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Act- and Rule-Consequentialism: The Mahayana Debate About Ethics
Replies: 20
Views: 581

Re: Act- and Rule-Consequentialism: The Mahayana Debate About Ethics

So, those activities are less important than ethics, study, and meditation on the Dharma. Yes, I agree. But my point is, it's more important than our small good deeds in our daily lives. Voting for good/bad politician creates much greater amount of good/bad karma. I don't mean judging who is out of...
by Bristollad
Sat Mar 23, 2024 5:59 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Act- and Rule-Consequentialism: The Mahayana Debate About Ethics
Replies: 20
Views: 581

Re: Act- and Rule-Consequentialism: The Mahayana Debate About Ethics

So voting for such politicians is worse than having a bad conduct, likewise studying politics (so one can vote for the objectively least bad politician/good politician) is more important than studying how to make our behavior better. No, because we shouldn't seek answers to samsara outside of ourse...
by Bristollad
Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:37 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Act- and Rule-Consequentialism: The Mahayana Debate About Ethics
Replies: 20
Views: 581

Re: Act- and Rule-Consequentialism: The Mahayana Debate About Ethics

Buddhism takes for granted which actions are bad, and further explains that the consequences of said actions are bad because those actions are bad. I disagree. In my studies of Buddhist ethics and systems of rules, particularly in the Vinaya, I have found that every rule is accompanied by an origin...
by Bristollad
Wed Mar 20, 2024 1:41 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Emptiness as "insignificance" and as "spatial vacuity"
Replies: 44
Views: 1200

Re: Emptiness as "insignificance" and as "spatial vacuity"

No.

Based on what I’ve understood from the teachings I’ve received and what I’ve read, both a and b statements are not explanations of what is meant by emptiness in Buddhism. So it follows your statement c also falls outside of Buddhist teachings.
by Bristollad
Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:52 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Poll (ANONYMOUS): Are you Male / Female / Other?
Replies: 19
Views: 932

Re: Poll (ANONYMOUS): Are you Male / Female / Other?

serenitykv wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 2:09 pm “Does not apply” would be more respectful wording than “Other”, at least.
Would it? To me, both are equally neutral in tone. In what way do you find other less respectful?
by Bristollad
Sun Feb 25, 2024 9:29 am
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Amitabha Phowa and faith
Replies: 9
Views: 471

Re: Amitabha Phowa and faith

Hello, I have a question regarding Amitabha Phowa (that Phowa practice which goal is a rebirth in Amitabha's Pure Land). How do faith and vow to be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land, affect rebirth using Phowa? In Tibetan Buddhism, teachings on Sukhavati and Buddha Amitabha don't speak much about fait...
by Bristollad
Wed Feb 21, 2024 3:51 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Politics in dharma center - article
Replies: 202
Views: 8133

Re: Politics in dharma center - article

This reminds me of my first year at University: my friends who were studying with the Geography faculty were told, "Everything is Geography!" my friends who were studying with the Physics faculty were told, "Everything is Physics!" my friends who were studying with the Chemistry ...
by Bristollad
Sun Feb 04, 2024 11:14 am
Forum: Wellness, Diet and Fitness
Topic: Please tell me how a meditator is supposed to sleep
Replies: 15
Views: 2038

Re: Please tell me how a meditator is supposed to sleep

When I can’t sleep, I drink a cup of espresso coffee and then I can sleep. Obviously this is not a remedy for most people. Hah! Me too. I quickly learned at University, trying to complete essays due the next morning, that coffee acts like sleeping tablets to me! If I need to stay awake, I'm far bet...
by Bristollad
Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:16 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Relationship Between Mahayana Sutras And Abhidharma
Replies: 19
Views: 1734

Re: Relationship Between Mahayana Sutras And Abhidharma

It's clear that Madhyamaka and Yogacara are reactionary responses to Abhidharma. okay, so it's your idea. What is strange is that some Mahayana monks adopt Abhidharma concepts. I just saw a Tibetan monk using the Abhidharma to explain karma. It's only strange if you think Madhyamika and Yogacara ar...
by Bristollad
Sat Jan 20, 2024 8:43 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Relationship Between Mahayana Sutras And Abhidharma
Replies: 19
Views: 1734

Re: Relationship Between Mahayana Sutras And Abhidharma

Mahayana was a counteraction to the doctrines of the Abhidharma scriptures. Is this your own idea or one you have read? From a scholarly point of view, there are several competing theories about the origin of the Mahayana but as yet, no definitive evidence. Most experts suggest that rather than bei...
by Bristollad
Sat Jan 20, 2024 10:46 am
Forum: Ethical Conduct
Topic: Which of the following activities do you consider sexual misconduct? (continued)
Replies: 33
Views: 2616

Re: Which of the following activities do you consider sexual misconduct? (continued)

First they cite Buddha who was rather vague and thus they are vague. Or they cite shastras and especially Gampopa and Tsongkhapa who enjoyed the topic a bit too much and forbid orificies, times of day, etc etc. Or they ignore that its even a question thus evading controvers but not helping the dial...
by Bristollad
Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:47 am
Forum: Dying and Death
Topic: tombstones
Replies: 4
Views: 555

Re: tombstones

Perhaps, rather than leaving a virtual flower online somewhere, you can sponsor some prayers for their good rebirth with a temple you know and trust.
:namaste:
When my mother and father both died, I asked Kopan Monastery for prayers on their behalf.
by Bristollad
Fri Jan 12, 2024 5:57 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Where do ETs/NHI fit into Tibetan Buddhist cosmology?
Replies: 12
Views: 801

Re: Where do ETs/NHI fit into Tibetan Buddhist cosmology?

Whatever this UAP/USO phenomena are, Pentagon whistleblowers, if accurate/honest, say these things are interacting with humans regularly in observable and tangible ways. It might make them more relevant to us than some of the beings regularly discussed in Buddhist cosmology. If such beings are not ...
by Bristollad
Sun Jan 07, 2024 12:17 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Luminosity and Reflexive Awareness in Ratnākaraśānti’s Teachings
Replies: 17
Views: 1234

Re: Luminosity and Reflexive Awareness in Ratnākaraśānti’s Teachings

In dependence on “mind only,” External objects become unintelligible. Having focused on suchness, One should also pass beyond “mind only.” Having passed beyond “mere mind,” One should pass into non-appearance. The yogi who abides in non-appearance Sees the Great Vehicle. from Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra Can ...
by Bristollad
Thu Jan 04, 2024 6:19 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Luminosity and Reflexive Awareness in Ratnākaraśānti’s Teachings
Replies: 17
Views: 1234

Re: Luminosity and Reflexive Awareness in Ratnākaraśānti’s Teachings

Vajrasvapna wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2024 3:36 pm If there are dharmas that are originated dependently, therefore empty of inherent existence, it makes sense that their opposite exists.
In what way does it make sense to you? In what way would dharmas originate independently and, therefore, inherently exist?
by Bristollad
Mon Jan 01, 2024 4:51 pm
Forum: Wellness, Diet and Fitness
Topic: Exercise - Rucking
Replies: 13
Views: 892

Re: Exercise - Rucking

This does just sound like doing any hike or hill walk properly, i.e. carrying the proper safety supplies and appropriate spare clothing with maybe a camera and a couple of lenses. I guess it's a way of easing those who only walk in city parks or on treadmills into going somewhere more strenuous. The...
by Bristollad
Sat Dec 23, 2023 5:31 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

what about a monad which eternally generates(as a natural consequence of it's undivided one act of being) the world of conditioned things and composites,that indeed does not interact with things,it is unchanging, How can something eternally generate the world of conditioned things AND be unchanging...
by Bristollad
Thu Dec 07, 2023 10:04 am
Forum: Gelug
Topic: Appearing and Empty and a million knowers!
Replies: 4
Views: 1027

Re: Appearing and Empty and a million knowers!

I think you might find it's not as unfamiliar as it seems - just new phraseology/translation choice. I think this is mostly referring to the seven types of awareness from lorig: THE SEVEN TYPES OF AWARENESS – these are: 1. direct perceivers 2. inferential cognizers 3. subsequent cognizers 4. correct...

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