Obtaining a specific rebirth as a transgender

[Agdistis]

Hi! So, I've thought within a Buddhist worldview since 1999, but I've never taken refuge in the three jewels. By that I mean I've never felt mature enough to be able to make such a decision.

So ever since I was very young, the notion of reincarnation has infatuated me because it's a way to becoming female. As soon as I had an internet connection, I began reading about Buddhism, which led to me actually reading the Diamond sutra.

During my research, I discovered that a contention of Buddhism was that a person is born in a specific place, among a certain people, and this birth defines your Dharma - the proper behavior of a person of your nation.

As a westerner, this meant Christianity. However, after talking to various Christians, I came across an issue which seems insurmountable; I don't want to spend eternity as a man. They tell me that God won't give me a female body. Moreover, whether I could even receive the sacrements is a matter of dispute.

At which point, I have to pretend to go along with it. It makes me so sad to have to abandon Christianity, but my entire interest in it was in having a community and fulfilling my Dharma. Leaving your culture like this is bad Dharma, but it doesn't have room for my wishes. I should note that I feel alienated from both 'White' America and modern 'Woke' America for entirely non-political reasons, but I feel more of a connection to White America than Woke America. Thus, I feel more of a connection to Christianity than to the politics which support my rights.

Being a transgender isn't supposed to be a good thing in Buddhism - I've never found a good citation, but it seems as if transgender people are caused by adultery or excess-sexuality? I know my situation on Earth is the result of my behavior and attachments in past lifes. I must have ruined everything for this to have happened to me.

How can assure that I'm reincarnated as a particular type of person? I know this is an ego-centric desire, that my ego is an illusion, and that this desire will bring me Dhukka in the form of disappointment among other things.

[Könchok Thrinley]

Hi,

first of all welcome, second of all do not worry too much. Just like homosexuality, transgender situation can be quite hardly found in buddhist scriptures. However, if I remember correctly in one book an academic cited a sutra where Buddha on some occassion told male monk to go to a female monastery after he became she. So there is really no problem. Your situation is just a result. Just like me being bald is just a result. It's not bad by itself, or morally corruptive. No. It is just a result of some causes which I'd call unwholesome as they did not lead to happiness (although you can be happy trans person, just like I am a happy bald gay guy, lets be honest the real problems very often come from the "normal others"). So how do you gain a favourable rebirth? Do good (wholesome) deeds.

Also where you are born does not really define "your dharma". Yes, you are more likely to be a christian if you are born in a christian family. But if you want to be buddhist go forth really. But if you want to be christian well then be like Mr. Rogers and practice "loving your neighbour" to the best of your capabilities. Because that is in many ways the root of all happiness. Your past karma may define your present conditions, but you are still free to shape your future.

[Grigoris]

Being a transgender isn't supposed to be a good thing in Buddhism - I've never found a good citation, but it seems as if transgender people are caused by adultery or excess-sexuality?

The Buddha makes no real mention of transgender people in any of his teachings, Buddhists on the other hand say all sorts of nonsense.

[Matt J]

I can say that Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is fully supportive of LGBTQ students.

I can also say that Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo has taken a vow to seek her future rebirths as a woman and to obtain Buddhahood in a woman's body. So there may be a lesson there.

Having said those things, I feel compelled to point out that the statement about "white America" gives me some pause. In the US over the past few years, some people have become more comfortable in expressing racists views (along with homophobic, anti-transgender, etc.). Often this is done in thinly veiled statements that allow the user to publicly deny the racism in their comments and mock others who find them problematic while allowing racism to proliferate in our culture. By definition, "white America" is racially exclusive--- if it were open to other races, it would not be white America it would be America. I am not saying this is the case here, but I wanted to make clear I do not think that racism or racial exclusion has any place in Buddhadharma. I would invite the OP to clarify the comments as they may be poorly worded and not properly capturing the intent.

[Agdistis]

>first of all welcome

Thank you!

>Just like homosexuality, transgender situation can be quite hardly found in buddhist scriptures. However, if I remember correctly in one book an academic cited a sutra where Buddha on some occassion told male monk to go to a female monastery after he became she. So there is really no problem

Well, I wanted to become Christian because of tradition, but they didn't have theological room for a transgender even if they said they accepted me. I've studied Buddhism for 19 years, so in a way I'm more comfortable with Buddhism than Christianity.

If it doesn't matter where I was born, and I can safely abandon western culture, than I'll stay Buddhist.

>Your situation is just a result. Just like me being bald is just a result. It's not bad by itself, or morally corruptive. No. It is just a result of some causes which I'd call unwholesome as they did not lead to happiness (although you can be happy trans person, just like I am a happy bald gay guy, lets be honest the real problems very often come from the "normal others")

So what is the cause of being transgender?

>So how do you gain a favourable rebirth? Do good (wholesome) deeds

Which would mean the 8 fold path? For perspective, my one major problem was masturbation, and since 2015 I've slowly weaned myself off of it. In fact, one of the reasons I wanted to become Christian was sexual self-control.

>Also where you are born does not really define "your dharma". Yes, you are more likely to be a christian if you are born in a christian family. But if you want to be buddhist go forth really. But if you want to be christian well then be like Mr. Rogers and practice "loving your neighbour" to the best of your capabilities
>Your past karma may define your present conditions, but you are still free to shape your future

If your birth doesn't define your correct path, a person is free to shape your future, and the Buddha said that attachment is the cause of rebirth - than does that mean my attachment to being a woman might cause me to be reborn as a woman?

>The Buddha makes no real mention of transgender people in any of his teachings, Buddhists on the other hand say all sorts of nonsense

I actually prefer Buddhism. If a person's culture doesn't define their Dharma, than I'd rather stick with Buddhism than become a Christian.

>I can also say that Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo has taken a vow to seek her future rebirths as a woman and to obtain Buddhahood in a woman's body. So there may be a lesson there

So a vow of some sort would be the way to go?

>Often this is done in thinly veiled statements that allow the user to publicly deny the racism in their comments and mock others who find them problematic while allowing racism to proliferate in our culture. By definition, "white America" is racially exclusive--- if it were open to other races, it would not be white America it would be America. I am not saying this is the case here, but I wanted to make clear I do not think that racism or racial exclusion has any place in Buddhadharma. I would invite the OP to clarify the comments as they may be poorly worded and not properly capturing the intent

I'll admit two things;

1: I'm very attached to being a white person,
2: I've said very racist things.

In my defense, people have called me conflicted - I've said racist things, but I'll give money to Hispanic panhandlers after the police harass them. I've never been rude to people of other races.

To be honest, I idealize white women with blue eyes and blond/red hair. These same women *tend* to be very liberal, politically and socially, and everything about them seems admirable. I've said racist things mostly out of frustation that I can't be them.

Also remember how I mentioned this - despite idealizing white women, I don't feel like a part of 'White America,' and by that I simply meant the cultural-demographic era when white people composed most of the American population, and these white people determined the culture of America. I referenced it solely to mention how I never felt like a part of 'White America' either, but I felt slightly more of a connection to it than modern America.

[justsit]

[tkp67]

Release from attachments is a benefit of Buddhist practice, perhaps holding a world view is not robust enough.

[明安 Myoan]

From Thubten Chodron on the drawbacks of samsara:

That view of really looking out to the happiness of this life in particular and then striving to get a future rebirth with even more pleasure, that’s totally a dead end. This is because all of samsara is permeated by impermanence, and is in the nature of suffering. So we never quite succeed in making our samsara perfect and wind up feeling very disappointed. As long as we still have this mind of trying to improve samsara then we never really get to Dharma practice because we’re always so busy trying to fix samsara that we never really turn our mind to virtue.

We can see this so clearly when we are trying to fix samsara. What are we doing? We become so involved in personal relationships. It’s, “Who said this and who said that.” And, “Do they like me?” And, “Do they accept me?” And, “Do I feel good?” Or, “Do they talk nice about me?” We become all involved in our pleasures. “Does my room look okay?” And, “Is the temperature right here?” “It’s so hot now in Missouri, I wish it was cooler.” And a few months from now is so cold and, “I wish it was warmer.” And, “How can I make it warmer?” And, “How can I make the landscape around where I live really nice?” And, “I’ve got to take care of my cat.” And, “Make my desk look perfect—I’ve got to get the right desk, and the right computer.” Fix the car, and take care of the tractor and do all these things.

It never ends because we are always taking care of everything around us with the motivation that, “Oh, as long as this gets done then everything will function well, it will be beautiful, and I’ll be happy.” But that work never ends. It just continues on, and on, and on, and on. You finish one thing and there is another thing to do. You finish that thing and there is another thing to do.
 Isn’t it? It is like email: you write one and you get five back. There’s just never any end. We’re walking down there, and we had cut the grass—now the grass is back, got to cut it again. There is never any end to this kind of stuff.

I’m not saying don’t cut the grass and don’t respond to your email. What I’m talking about is the mind that thinks that happiness will come just from organizing the world around us and making it right. We never succeed, and in the process of doing that we ignore our spiritual potential. All the potential we have to practice and especially with the precious human body. Being able to attain not just single pointed concentration, but to understand the nature of reality, to generate impartial love and compassion and bodhicitta towards everybody—we never do that. We never meditate on those things. We don’t have time because we are too busy making things good for this lifetime, trying to get our pleasure. Then at the end of the life all we have is negative karma to show because our motivation was always with attachment. Then we just cycle round and around in cyclic existence.

The whole talk is worth reading, especially "the six sufferings of cyclic existence" further down the page.

[Nicholas Weeks]

If I understand Agdistis - which I may not - you would rather be in a female body next rebirth. If that is so, recall Bodhisattva Tara's vow.

Here is our Dalai Lama on the subject:

Following her cultivation of bodhicitta, the bodhisattva's motivation, she [Tara] looked upon the situation of those striving towards full awakening and she felt that there were too few people who attained Buddhahood as women. So she vowed, "I have developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be a woman."

Thus focus on Tara & bodhicitta motivation. She will be happy to get another female helper. Pray to her for you to be always in a female body.

[Matt J]

So a vow of some sort would be the way to go?

Possibly. But I wouldn't necessarily rush into it--- such a vow is a big commitment. Although this is coming from some one who, after very carefully deliberating for many years about taking refuge, rushed into the Bodhisattva vow fairly quickly, almost impulsively. She may have more answers about that in her speeches or writings.

I'll admit two things;

1: I'm very attached to being a white person,
2: I've said very racist things.

Thank you for your honesty. That is gutsy. And also it is a good sign that you recognize that you may have unwholesome propensities (which, incidentally, we all have--- the specific type varies from person to person). I have been taught that all of our unwholesome thoughts and deeds stem from our confusion. If you continue to practice Buddhism, then these propensities will certainly diminish as empathy and compassion increase.

As Mingyur Rinpoche puts it:

But, the best part of all is that no matter how long you meditate, or what technique you use, every technique of Buddhist meditation, ultimately, generates compassion, whether we're aware of it or not. Whenever you look at your mind, you can't help but recognize your similarity to those around you. When you see your own desire to be happy, you can't avoid seeing the same desire in others, and when you look clearly at your own fear, anger, or aversion, you can't help but see that everyone around you feels the same fear, anger, and aversion. When you look at your own mind, all the imaginary differences between yourself and others automatically dissolve, and the ancient prayer of the Four Immeasurables becomes as natural and persistent as your own heartbeat.

[Agdistis]

>Release from attachments is a benefit of Buddhist practice, perhaps holding a world view is not robust enough

I've stopped drinking alcohol and masturbating, so I've received some benefits from Buddhism and Christianity - despite trying to become a Christian, I never thought Heaven could be that much better than Earth. There's no special feeling that God can give you that makes all the pain (Dhukka) go away. I've done drugs, and the sensation of weariness never goes away.

The Buddha said that your actions and words should be socially benign. I can enthusiastically agree that alcohol and masturbation don't produce good fruit - but Christianity says transsexualism is a sin that prevents a good rebirth in Heaven.

I believe in reincarnation based not only on a desire for it to be true, but because I think I can defend the idea;

>https://www.nature.com/news/fearful-mem ... ts-1.14272
>Fearful memories haunt mouse descendants
>Genetic imprint from traumatic experiences carries through at least two generations

>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270066/
>These results point to the nucleus of neurons as the potential locus of the engram in Aplysia

>http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/201 ... 38-18.2018
>Thus, the behavioral, and a subset of the cellular, modifications characteristic of a form of nonassociative long-term memory in Aplysia can be transferred by RNA

This implies, of course, that you incarnate as your descendents. Which is why I think your place of birth has something to do with your behaviors as the ancestors who made your country.

I've said racist things, but I would never commit wrongs against other races because I fear that I or my descendents would be (Rightfully) attacked in revenge. Currently, the white race is facing retribution for it's past wrongs. The continued genetic purity of the white race - which means the ability to incarnate as a white person - is threatened by their own behavior.

I believe firmly in genetic memory and reincarnation, and so this is why I feel connected to 'White America.' However, I never felt very connected to white people until I gained the ability to perceive my past lifes - which I've documented to a degree here;

>http://reincarnationforum.com/threads/a ... a-mu.8862/

I can actually remember lifes where I wasn't white - but I can see in these lifes the roots of white people. My ancestors came from Sundaland as Y-haplogroup K2, and migrated to the Philippines where they evolved into Y-haplogroup P*. Y-P then migrated to Siberia, and became Malta1, who defines the 'Ancient Northern Eurasian' (ANE) genetic grouping.

ANE proceeded to colonize the Americas, continental Asia and eventually Anatolia, the Levant, Africa and Europe. They looked like Amarna art, not like European white people;

>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... rna_01.JPG
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 21245).JPG
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... Berlin.png
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 19387).jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... en)_01.jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... en)_02.jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... incess.png
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 345BC).jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... incess.jpg

These Sundalanders had red hair, clay-red skin, and brown eyes;

>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1288200/
>For the European red hair–associated Arg151Cys and Arg160Trp variants, we estimate an age of ∼80,000 years

rs1805007-T = Arg151Cys, 80kya
rs1805008-T = Arg160Trp, 80kya

-

>That view of really looking out to the happiness of this life in particular and then striving to get a future rebirth with even more pleasure, that’s totally a dead end. This is because all of samsara is permeated by impermanence, and is in the nature of suffering. So we never quite succeed in making our samsara perfect and wind up feeling very disappointed
>It never ends because we are always taking care of everything around us with the motivation that, “Oh, as long as this gets done then everything will function well, it will be beautiful, and I’ll be happy.” But that work never ends. It just continues on, and on, and on, and on. You finish one thing and there is another thing to do. You finish that thing and there is another thing to do.
>Isn’t it? It is like email: you write one and you get five back. There’s just never any end. We’re walking down there, and we had cut the grass—now the grass is back, got to cut it again. There is never any end to this kind of stuff

In my first post I specifically mentioned disappointment. Also, I've had visions where everything was composed of video game sprites doing the same simple actions over and over again. I felt a vitalizing energy - motivated to participate in this endless movement.

If I have no innate identity, than when I die, nothing is lost. The actions of my body have no specific cause like an ego - rather, my body intakes the environment and outputs behavior. Yet, I perceive existance. My will doesn't make my ego and body exist - both are the products of prior events in the universe. I didn't have to will myself into existance, and I presume I won't have to again.

I don't think that even Buddhahood is eternal. Eventually, I'll find myself incarnated as a being again. How would I stop myself from incarnating if I have no will? Considering that the last time I lacked will (Before this life) I somehow incarnated into this life.

The Buddha tells us that we incarnate based on attachments, and this suggests that if we give them up, we won't have incarnation. However he also describes how attachment forms spontaneously from the void, and how the universe was shaped by the Brahma's delusion that he was God and his formation of a retinue. Members of this retinue, and even Brahma himself, have fallen into the lower heavens, and eventually to Earth.

I don't feel as if there's any eternal escape from Samsara. It's like attached water evaporating up into the air, and accumulating at the top as a Buddha - eventually, the drop falls back down into the Sea of Milk.

A given incarnation has a karmic cost - the behavior required to 'earn' the incarnation. Human incarnation is said to be precious, because we can suffer, unlike the Deva who have an easier time distacting themselves from the innate pain of existance. Even Deva die after they exhaust their karmic stores. A more modest life - or rather, series of lifes - can be obtained for a smaller karmic price. Rather than an excuse to lower my standards, to me this is a way of assuring the smallest amount of pain by 'buying' comfortable lifes with good behavior.

Moreover, I consider my future lifes in terms of other planets and solar systems. I think other humans exist in the universe, and I might obtain birth as something resembling a white woman there.

-

If I understand Agdistis - which I may not - you would rather be in a female body next rebirth. If that is so, recall Bodhisattva Tara's vow.

Yes! You understand correctly!

>Thus focus on Tara & bodhicitta motivation. She will be happy to get another female helper. Pray to her for you to be always in a female body

Thank you! I'd heard of Tara before, but I wasn't sure if my understanding was correct.

>Possibly. But I wouldn't necessarily rush into it--- such a vow is a big commitment. Although this is coming from some one who, after very carefully deliberating for many years about taking refuge, rushed into the Bodhisattva vow fairly quickly, almost impulsively. She may have more answers about that in her speeches or writings

Well, as I mentioned, I've been studying Buddhism for 19 years, the whole duration of which I've refrained from taking refuge because I didn't think I had the maturity.

>Thank you for your honesty. That is gutsy. And also it is a good sign that you recognize that you may have unwholesome propensities (which, incidentally, we all have--- the specific type varies from person to person). I have been taught that all of our unwholesome thoughts and deeds stem from our confusion. If you continue to practice Buddhism, then these propensities will certainly diminish as empathy and compassion increase

You're very welcome! I was exposed to Buddhism at age 12. I sometimes wonder how bad I would feel if I had never heard of it.

>When you look at your own mind, all the imaginary differences between yourself and others automatically dissolve

I've felt this before, and it's a wonderously addictive feeling. Yet, I always fall back into myself after a split second. I've also seen a shimmering white fluid that seemed to contain everything.

[Grigoris]

>Release from attachments is a benefit of Buddhist practice, perhaps holding a world view is not robust enough

I've stopped drinking alcohol and masturbating, so I've received some benefits from Buddhism and Christianity - despite trying to become a Christian, I never thought Heaven could be that much better than Earth. There's no special feeling that God can give you that makes all the pain (Dhukka) go away. I've done drugs, and the sensation of weariness never goes away.

The Buddha said that your actions and words should be socially benign. I can enthusiastically agree that alcohol and masturbation don't produce good fruit - but Christianity says transsexualism is a sin that prevents a good rebirth in Heaven.

I believe in reincarnation based not only on a desire for it to be true, but because I think I can defend the idea;

>https://www.nature.com/news/fearful-mem ... ts-1.14272
>Fearful memories haunt mouse descendants
>Genetic imprint from traumatic experiences carries through at least two generations

>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270066/
>These results point to the nucleus of neurons as the potential locus of the engram in Aplysia

>http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/201 ... 38-18.2018
>Thus, the behavioral, and a subset of the cellular, modifications characteristic of a form of nonassociative long-term memory in Aplysia can be transferred by RNA

This implies, of course, that you incarnate as your descendents. Which is why I think your place of birth has something to do with your behaviors as the ancestors who made your country.

I've said racist things, but I would never commit wrongs against other races because I fear that I or my descendents would be (Rightfully) attacked in revenge. Currently, the white race is facing retribution for it's past wrongs. The continued genetic purity of the white race - which means the ability to incarnate as a white person - is threatened by their own behavior.

I believe firmly in genetic memory and reincarnation, and so this is why I feel connected to 'White America.' However, I never felt very connected to white people until I gained the ability to perceive my past lifes - which I've documented to a degree here;

>http://reincarnationforum.com/threads/a ... a-mu.8862/

I can actually remember lifes where I wasn't white - but I can see in these lifes the roots of white people. My ancestors came from Sundaland as Y-haplogroup K2, and migrated to the Philippines where they evolved into Y-haplogroup P*. Y-P then migrated to Siberia, and became Malta1, who defines the 'Ancient Northern Eurasian' (ANE) genetic grouping.

ANE proceeded to colonize the Americas, continental Asia and eventually Anatolia, the Levant, Africa and Europe. They looked like Amarna art, not like European white people;

>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... rna_01.JPG
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 21245).JPG
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... Berlin.png
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 19387).jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... en)_01.jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... en)_02.jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... incess.png
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 345BC).jpg
>https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... incess.jpg

These Sundalanders had red hair, clay-red skin, and brown eyes;

>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1288200/
>For the European red hair–associated Arg151Cys and Arg160Trp variants, we estimate an age of ∼80,000 years

rs1805007-T = Arg151Cys, 80kya
rs1805008-T = Arg160Trp, 80kya

-

>That view of really looking out to the happiness of this life in particular and then striving to get a future rebirth with even more pleasure, that’s totally a dead end. This is because all of samsara is permeated by impermanence, and is in the nature of suffering. So we never quite succeed in making our samsara perfect and wind up feeling very disappointed
>It never ends because we are always taking care of everything around us with the motivation that, “Oh, as long as this gets done then everything will function well, it will be beautiful, and I’ll be happy.” But that work never ends. It just continues on, and on, and on, and on. You finish one thing and there is another thing to do. You finish that thing and there is another thing to do.
>Isn’t it? It is like email: you write one and you get five back. There’s just never any end. We’re walking down there, and we had cut the grass—now the grass is back, got to cut it again. There is never any end to this kind of stuff

In my first post I specifically mentioned disappointment. Also, I've had visions where everything was composed of video game sprites doing the same simple actions over and over again. I felt a vitalizing energy - motivated to participate in this endless movement.

If I have no innate identity, than when I die, nothing is lost. The actions of my body have no specific cause like an ego - rather, my body intakes the environment and outputs behavior. Yet, I perceive existance. My will doesn't make my ego and body exist - both are the products of prior events in the universe. I didn't have to will myself into existance, and I presume I won't have to again.

I don't think that even Buddhahood is eternal. Eventually, I'll find myself incarnated as a being again. How would I stop myself from incarnating if I have no will? Considering that the last time I lacked will (Before this life) I somehow incarnated into this life.

The Buddha tells us that we incarnate based on attachments, and this suggests that if we give them up, we won't have incarnation. However he also describes how attachment forms spontaneously from the void, and how the universe was shaped by the Brahma's delusion that he was God and his formation of a retinue. Members of this retinue, and even Brahma himself, have fallen into the lower heavens, and eventually to Earth.

I don't feel as if there's any eternal escape from Samsara. It's like attached water evaporating up into the air, and accumulating at the top as a Buddha - eventually, the drop falls back down into the Sea of Milk.

A given incarnation has a karmic cost - the behavior required to 'earn' the incarnation. Human incarnation is said to be precious, because we can suffer, unlike the Deva who have an easier time distacting themselves from the innate pain of existance. Even Deva die after they exhaust their karmic stores. A more modest life - or rather, series of lifes - can be obtained for a smaller karmic price. Rather than an excuse to lower my standards, to me this is a way of assuring the smallest amount of pain by 'buying' comfortable lifes with good behavior.

Moreover, I consider my future lifes in terms of other planets and solar systems. I think other humans exist in the universe, and I might obtain birth as something resembling a white woman there.

-

If I understand Agdistis - which I may not - you would rather be in a female body next rebirth. If that is so, recall Bodhisattva Tara's vow.

Yes! You understand correctly!

>Thus focus on Tara & bodhicitta motivation. She will be happy to get another female helper. Pray to her for you to be always in a female body

Thank you! I'd heard of Tara before, but I wasn't sure if my understanding was correct.

>Possibly. But I wouldn't necessarily rush into it--- such a vow is a big commitment. Although this is coming from some one who, after very carefully deliberating for many years about taking refuge, rushed into the Bodhisattva vow fairly quickly, almost impulsively. She may have more answers about that in her speeches or writings

Well, as I mentioned, I've been studying Buddhism for 19 years, the whole duration of which I've refrained from taking refuge because I didn't think I had the maturity.

>Thank you for your honesty. That is gutsy. And also it is a good sign that you recognize that you may have unwholesome propensities (which, incidentally, we all have--- the specific type varies from person to person). I have been taught that all of our unwholesome thoughts and deeds stem from our confusion. If you continue to practice Buddhism, then these propensities will certainly diminish as empathy and compassion increase

You're very welcome! I was exposed to Buddhism at age 12. I sometimes wonder how bad I would feel if I had never heard of it.

>When you look at your own mind, all the imaginary differences between yourself and others automatically dissolve

I've felt this before, and it's a wonderously addictive feeling. Yet, I always fall back into myself after a split second. I've also seen a shimmering white fluid that seemed to contain everything.

You are just trying to take on too much at the same time.

I am sure you can see connections between all this, but from the outside it looks like a completely garbled mess.

Break it down (for yourself) into constituent components and work through each issue separately. That way you will find that you can actually make progress. If you try to deal with it all at once, you will fail on all fronts and it will only cause you more anguish.

[Fortyeightvows]

I can say that Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is fully supportive of LGBTQ students.

Citation or specifics please

[justsit]

I can say that Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is fully supportive of LGBTQ students.

Citation or specifics please

From the Tergar (Mingyur Rinpoche's organization) website in "Guidance on Tergar Code of Conduct" section:

"Tergar is committed to making the teachings and community accessible to all. Acknowledge and seek to reduce barriers to participation, especially those that may arise from the social marginalization of groups of people. Depending on country, marginalization may occur (even inadvertently) based on race, ethnicity, economic class, gender, LGBTQI status, educational
background, language, and/or other factors. Actively engage in equity and inclusion efforts, including learning more about the shared biases and behavioral habits, seen and unseen, that you may hold. Actively and sensitively cultivate input, engagement, and leadership of people from socially marginalized groups when appropriate."

More here https://tergar.app.box.com/s/xyvd7g82um ... nesric2hvm.

I think it's safe to assume Mingyur Rinpoche agrees with these statements. There are some other resources that I'll check to see if I can find a direct quote.

[LastLegend]

Focus on your Buddha nature and practicing compassion and wisdom. Buddha nature is genderless.

[明安 Myoan]

Compassion and wisdom are natural qualities we have, with an unlimited potential to reveal and nurture them.
The Buddha is so optimistic about our potential and our value that he taught the Dharma for 45 years for our benefit.

[KathyLauren]

Hi, Agdistis.

First of all, let me say that I am transgender. I started my transition three years ago, at age 61. I have been a Buddhist for over 40 years.

I know of nothing contradictory between being Buddhist and being transgender. People are born transgender, so it is like any other birth condition: it is karma. What matters in life is how well you live by the Eightfold Path. As noted above, compassion and wisdom are what matter.

In the latest issue of Buddhadharma magazine, one of the articles mentions an incident in which the Buddha accepted a transgender monk and a transgender nun into his order,according to their identified gender. I do not have a citation handy, but I will look it up and post it here tomorrow.

Attaining a favourable rebirth is a result of practising merit in this life. To choose a specific rebirth would, I think, require rather a lot of merit.

Om mani padme hum
Kathy

[Kim O'Hara]

...Attaining a favourable rebirth is a result of practising merit in this life. To choose a specific rebirth would, I think, require rather a lot of merit.

Yes, indeed.
If this sutta https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html gives a realistic idea of anyone's chances of a human rebirth, the mountain of merit required for a specific rebirth would be bigger than Mount Meru.
And the sutta does advise listeners as to a better course of action in this life than wishing for a particular future life, given how lucky they are to be human now and listening to the dharma.
It's short, so here's the whole thing:

SN 56.48 PTS: S v 456 CDB ii 1872
Chiggala Sutta: The Hole
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1998

"Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would push it north. And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?"

"It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole."

"It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world. Now, this human state has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, has arisen in the world. A doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.

"Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"

Kim

[KathyLauren]

In the latest issue of Buddhadharma magazine, one of the articles mentions an incident in which the Buddha accepted a transgender monk and a transgender nun into his order,according to their identified gender. I do not have a citation handy, but I will look it up and post it here tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the reference wasn't in the article I thought it was. So now, I have to re-read the whole magazine ti find it. Give me a couple of days.

So ever since I was very young, the notion of reincarnation has infatuated me because it's a way to becoming female.

There are easier and more reliable ways, you know.

Om mani padme hum
Kathy

[Matt J]

He specifically said he supports his LGBTQ+ students and wants to find ways to be more inclusive. Why would that be difficult to believe?

I can say that Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is fully supportive of LGBTQ students.

Citation or specifics please