Search found 3379 matches

by Huseng
Tue May 03, 2016 10:46 pm
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: Historical Buddhist economic thought
Replies: 16
Views: 4440

Re: Historical Buddhist economic thought

Anyway, some might see it as an ethical problem with monks managing finances but I don't think so at all. It just means that monastic institutions made themselves economically viable not only through ritual work and merit-making but in terms of actually providing services like loans and investments...
by Huseng
Tue May 03, 2016 3:08 am
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: Historical Buddhist economic thought
Replies: 16
Views: 4440

Re: Historical Buddhist economic thought

This might be of interest (my article): http://huayanzang.blogspot.com/2013/07/rome-persia-china-and-indian-buddhism.html In addition to Schopen's work, I recommend the following: Jacques Gernet, Buddhism in Chinese society : an economic history from the fifth to the tenth centuries , translated by ...
by Huseng
Tue Mar 15, 2016 3:22 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures
Replies: 19
Views: 4057

Re: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures

I don't disagree, but I notice that you didn't really address my second question: do you think maintaining a sexless marriage--or any other kind of emotional tie--corresponds to a systematic practice of renunciation? What do you mean by renunciation exactly? If you mean abstaining from physical and...
by Huseng
Tue Mar 15, 2016 3:03 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures
Replies: 19
Views: 4057

Re: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures

Sure, but do you think this is in keeping with the spirit of the vinaya? The 'spirit of the vinaya' is an expression that gets tossed around a lot, especially in modern works by authors trying to justify being firm on some rules while being relaxed about others. Some think the spirit of the vinaya ...
by Huseng
Tue Mar 15, 2016 1:56 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures
Replies: 19
Views: 4057

Re: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures

I'm trying to get at this question of whether it makes sense for someone to be simultaneously a renunciant and married. Technically speaking you can have bhikṣu precepts and be married. You're just not supposed to have any sex or touch the opposite sex. As long as you maintain celibacy the status o...
by Huseng
Tue Mar 15, 2016 1:53 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures
Replies: 19
Views: 4057

Re: Marriage in Buddhist Cultures

Historically in most Asian cultures polygamy was the norm (one man and one or more wives and/or female partners). Married men were under no obligation to be faithful to one wife. Prostitution was quite normal in India, China and Japan. Sexual misconduct in one instance (I think Tsong Khapa even cite...
by Huseng
Tue Mar 15, 2016 1:32 pm
Forum: Shrine Room
Topic: Gandharan Sculptures
Replies: 4
Views: 2622

Gandharan Sculptures

Some photos of sculptures from Gandhara (Pakistan) dating to the 1st to 3rd centuries on display at the Tokyo National Museum. http://i.imgur.com/UruRMKg.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/OQHkFEf.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/PBSrdg3.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/jOHY7AE.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/UyAcWov.jpg?1
by Huseng
Fri Mar 11, 2016 1:16 pm
Forum: Rinzai
Topic: Zazen
Replies: 9
Views: 9793

Re: Zazen

The saying in Japan is, I am told, that Rinzai is 'warrior Zen' and Soto is 'farmer Zen'. This is based on the fact that Rinzai is associated much more with martial arts training, the 'way of the warrior', the practice of koans and the forceful and even alarming character of its founder. Soto, by c...
by Huseng
Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:18 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Nalanda on Google Streetview
Replies: 0
Views: 705

Nalanda on Google Streetview

You can now move around Nalanda in 360 degrees in Google Streetview:

See here.

Image

You can also move around some of the areas normally off limits to visitors.
by Huseng
Sun Feb 14, 2016 1:25 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Places to visit near Osaka and Kyoto?
Replies: 10
Views: 2812

Re: Places to visit near Osaka and Kyoto?

Nara and nearby Horyu-ji: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dry%C5%AB-ji Horyu-ji is my favorite temple in Japan. The museum attached to it is one of a kind in the world, hosting authentic art and other pieces from the Asuka period (around the year 600 CE). It also has a few major specimens of Pae...
by Huseng
Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:19 pm
Forum: Introductions
Topic: Hello from Japan
Replies: 17
Views: 4425

Re: Hello from Japan

I haven't attended any Dharma events in Tokyo lately. I know there's zazenkai at Ryuun-ji near Komazawa University, but that was a number of years ago when I attended. There's also Ajikan (Shingon) at the Shingon Betsuin near Shinagawa (or at least there was several years ago). Yes, Tokyo is lovely....
by Huseng
Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:59 am
Forum: Introductions
Topic: Hello from Japan
Replies: 17
Views: 4425

Re: Hello from Japan

Hi Marcus, Have you seen the Tamagawa Daishi 玉川大師? It is near Futakotamagawa station on the Den'entoshi-sen. It is a Shingon temple, on the surface, but beneath is a long labyrinth of Buddhist images. It isn't so well known, but quite worth visiting. I'm in Tokyo too until later next month (at unive...
by Huseng
Sat Nov 28, 2015 5:56 pm
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: Mahayana origins and provenance of Mayahana sutras
Replies: 40
Views: 12978

Re: Mahayana origins and provenance of Mayahana sutras

You almost wonder if this is the same figure, if this is a symbolic representation of an interpretation influenced by the Upanishads (esp the Brihadaranyaka), or if this symbolizes something else entirely that I'm just not aware of. Have you come across any mention of ideas like this? I don't think...
by Huseng
Thu Nov 26, 2015 6:05 am
Forum: Academic Discussion
Topic: Mahayana origins and provenance of Mayahana sutras
Replies: 40
Views: 12978

Re: Mahayana origins and provenance of Mayahana sutras

I'm curious to know, however, if there are any academic scholars who argue that some or all of the Mahayana sutras actually date from the time of the historical Buddha, and if so, what is the basis for their argument? Nobody in present academia in the Anglosphere or East Asia would argue this. For ...
by Huseng
Thu Sep 10, 2015 3:32 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Non-human primates burying dead.
Replies: 4
Views: 1432

Re: Non-human primates burying dead.

I stand corrected. :cheers:

Yes, it is quite remarkable. I hope they can date the skeletons and site soon. If they buried their dead they presumably engaged in other learned symbolic acts.
by Huseng
Thu Sep 10, 2015 1:38 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Non-human primates burying dead.
Replies: 4
Views: 1432

Non-human primates burying dead.

A new species has been discovered that apparently buried its dead:

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34192447

Fascinating to consider how in the past there were other species capable of symbolic behavior.
by Huseng
Tue Sep 01, 2015 9:26 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Why Buddhism over Vedanta?
Replies: 122
Views: 25755

Re: Why Buddhism over Vedanta?

Interesting, why do you say 90%. Why if its 'outside my control' Why not 99% or 100%. Indeed it's a fascinating, philosophical line of insight into the nature of 'how come' and life itself. It is just a figurative number. We don't have any direct control over most of what we experience in daily lif...
by Huseng
Tue Sep 01, 2015 1:04 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Why Buddhism over Vedanta?
Replies: 122
Views: 25755

Re: Why Buddhism over Vedanta?

This struck a cord and its really the way I feel. In addition the only way out of the tyranny of the mind is to let go. Just drop it. Stop the brooding, stop the I should have done this or I could have done that and LET GO! To let go of something you need to understand the nature of it. To understa...
by Huseng
Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:00 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Why Buddhism over Vedanta?
Replies: 122
Views: 25755

Re: Why Buddhism over Vedanta?

Liberation, in Buddhadharma, is strictly the elimination of afflictions that cause rebirth in the three realms. It really does not matter what school one belongs to. Chan and Zen can often be nebulous with respect to what liberation is and what happens afterwards (the laundry?). There's also Pure L...

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