Dharma Wheel

Tobes: Something that East Asian/Mahayana and Vajrayana practitioners can share alike is best (given the mix here): both your practices fit the bill, I'll join you. Do you chant the Kannon/Avalokiteshvara dharani ? Amitabha name/mantra also spreads across the traditions. I have been doing this a bi...

Agree. That's actually why I chimed in on this thread. It would be cool to do collective Dharmawheel-corona practice. And for sure Norwegian, will be thinking of your sister and boyfriend... That is a fine idea Tobes, how about Heart Sutra chanting? I pray to Kannon (Avalokitesvara) every day. Toda...

Just an hour ago, I found out that it's very likely that my sister has become infected with COVID-19. She's 10 years younger than me, and yet she's feeling this so much worse than a flu would be for her (pain in chest, difficulty breathing, etc.), and she may require hospitalization soon. Her boyfr...

With the spread of COVID-19, now is the time to practice. If you have cancelled your meetings, chant Nembutsu, if you have cancelled your social event - chant Nembutsu, if you are home feeling frightened - chant Nembutsu. Use this opportunity to reflect on impermanence, interdependence and make your...

Here is Nassim Nicholas Taleb ( Black Swan professor of probability and Yaneer Bar-Yam (physicist dealing in complex systems) talking clearly about corona and explaining in easily understood language why it's not the same as the flu, the rapid rate of increase and why it's better to be proactive (pa...

I have students in Wuhan, which is why I'm so prepared. My Chinese friends from the PRC in the US are being cautious too. Here is the live Johns Hopkins map that covers worldwide cases of COVID-19 in real time: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b...

How many times do I have to say this. Unlike the flu, the spread of COVID-19 is exponential. 10% of those afflicted in Wuhan needed to go to the ICU. We don't have enough beds. Everyone here needs to practice 1.social distancing, 2.rigorous hand-washing, 3. get a mask - any mask (the big deal about...

It is contagious, but the regular flu kills tens of thousands and COVID 19 is a feeble version. It seems objectively worse than seasonal the flu in a number of ways, it's new, and seems to cause pneumonia like symptoms more often among them. Only those over 70 or with existing serious medical condi...

They are simultaneous, but Malcolm, don't start criticizing Zhiyi if you cannot read Chinese, haven't studied Maka Shikan or early intellectual currents in Chinese Buddhism it is foolish... gassho Rory Hi Rory, Fine, then don't defend Zhiyi unless you can read Chinese, etc. You know what they say, ...

Read this link to Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the trader and probability expert who wrote the bestseller Black Swan , predicted the 2008 financial crisis and make his fortune from it. https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1235663235573067777/photo/1 He is an expert on predicting that unforseen occurrances/d...

This is removed from practice, but read Brook Ziporyn's H-net book review of Paul Swanson's translation of Zhiyi's great work Maka Shikan , Mohe Zhiguan Clear Serenity; Quiet Insight Below is an extract: This way of reading the section shows us all the more how right Zhanran was to think that this ...

This is removed from practice, but read Brook Ziporyn's H-net book review of Paul Swanson's translation of Zhiyi's great work Maka Shikan , Mohe Zhiguan Clear Serenity; Quiet Insight Below is an extract: This way of reading the section shows us all the more how right Zhanran was to think that this i...

My housebound mother is 86, in the target group, but fortunately I work at our home which is quite separate from other houses. If necessary I have enough food (tofu, beans, grains, frozen veg) to self-quarantine for 2 weeks. I wear gloves all the time when I go out, am careful not to touch my face, ...

I've been practicing Pure Land for approximately 20 years and the best method for me was to count nembutsu on beads: a classic Chinese mala or Japanese Ojuzu. One round is plenty and actually when I began it was rather like agony to finish. Seeing the beads reminds you to do it, and when you have c...

Maybe you need a bit of a break? Why not visit a Vietnamese or Chinese temple around you.They're basically Chan/Zen-Pure Land: meditation and chanting. Pretty straight-forward, plus the visuals are less intense and you're around more laid-back born Buddhists.
gassho
Rory

I am a devoted Tendai Pure Land practitioner this quote is from the Robert F. Rhodes's book on Genshin: Genshin's Ojoyoshu and the Construction of Pure Land Discourse in Heian Japan Genshin was the famous Pure Land Master in the Tendai sect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genshin Even while remaining...

layme, not a Zen practitioner but it sounds to me like Jodo Shinshu would be a good fit for you; it's like the flip side of Zen - a radical letting go.In your circumstances the emphasis on radical reliance on other-power of Shin might be beneficial. The famous D. T. Suzuki wrote a book all about thi...

1.If you don't believe in reincarnation and don't believe that the Buddha is the axis of Buddhism you should be posting in Open Dharma this is really not the place. 2. If you want to understand Buddhist philosophy you have to do the work. I suggest you go to the library and read something like this:...

I'm glad you feel better. One thing that I do know that will help you is to find a teacher, whether Jodo Shu or Jodo Shinshu. I know from experience as 22 years ago a Jodo Shu monk was my teacher ( we were in different cities and I telephoned and we wrote letters) he helped me to understand and shar...

Perhaps my Zen background also plays some role in all of that, but I am most certain that what I am looking for is some sort of mystical union with Infinite Light and I don't really feel that there is much emphasis on that aspect in Jodo Shu and Shinshu. You might consider schools beyond Jodoshu an...