New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

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DNS
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New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by DNS »

Hello everyone,

There is a new Dharma forum, affiliated with Dhamma Wheel and Dharma Wheel:

www.DharmaPaths.com

Dharma Paths Practice Community is a new forum, using V-bulletin software and is not a competition to DW (Theravada) nor DW (Mahayana) nor any other Dharma website or forum. It is a pan-Buddhist practice based forum. Whereas, the DWs and other Buddhist forums are more for discussion and debate and doctrinal issues, the Dharma Paths site is more for the discussion and encouragement of our Dharma Paths.

One of the requests of membership is that you use your real name and an avatar with your photo.

Founders are Mike Rickicki, Michael F., Paul Davy, and myself. Mike Rickicki had already started the structure of this new forum at his facebook site and now it is going independent with its own domain name and forum. You might recall a few years back that we were trying to transfer the database from here to the v-bulletin software. It never took hold, but the software was still available to be used if we ever started another forum from scratch. Now that time has come.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by 明安 Myoan »

David, I'm intrigued. Could you please explain a little further of the kind of posts and content that one could expect/contribute on this site?
Namu Amida Butsu
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Rick »

DWT DWM DP ... it's the Triple Jewel!
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily ...
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by DNS »

"With regard to external factors, I don't envision any other single factor like friendship with admirable people as doing so much for a monk in training, who has not attained the heart's goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A monk who is a friend with admirable people abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillful."
— Iti 17.

"Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, "This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie."
"Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, & comrades, he can be expected to develop & pursue the noble eightfold path."

SN 45.2

The new forum is for placing practitioners front and centre in the Dharma Practice Community forum, and base the mode of the engagement principally around the notion of kalyana-mittata (spiritual friendship). As Michael notes on the Parisa Abhaya Dana Facebook group he envisages a forum that is “committed to providing kalyanamittata (admirable friendship) for its membership to allow each member to realize the Dharma in their lives according to their disposition, desires and ability.” On the Kalyana Mittata Facebook group Mike R. created, he wrote. “a place for spiritual aspirants to engage in valuable Dharma dialogue, founded on the principles of openness, learning, authenticity, trust, and respect. Feel free to invite spiritual friends who share these values and wish to explore the Dharma together in the presence of like-minded individuals.” Seeing the alignment of our intentions and ideals, we have decided to work together and collaborate on making these principles the foundation of an online Dharma Practice Community forum. It is a place to discuss and share anything practice related.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by joy&peace »

Simply reading this thread ought to be extremely wholesome to the heart of anyone who comes by.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Jake.

Good, heart-whole stuff; glad to see it, as it affects everyone beneficially.
Om Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate bodhi svaha
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Ayu »

David N. Snyder wrote:...
One of the requests of membership is that you use your real name and an avatar with your photo.
...
I'm curious how this will function practically (if the members will be really willing to give their real name and photo to the public).
My best wishes are with your project! May it be a fruitful place for flourishing Dharma.
:namaste:
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Admin_PC »

Forgive me for being "that guy," but I really don't see the "pan-Buddhist" aspect to it. The structure, terminology, and definitions appear to be fairly limited to Theravada. Maybe I'll check back in after it develops, but as it is, there's no spot for me over there.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Karma Dondrup Tashi »

PorkChop wrote:... terminology, and definitions ...
Pali sure. However - Eightfold Path, Paramis, Brahma Viharas ... all renunciation yana ideas.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Thomas Amundsen »

PorkChop wrote:Forgive me for being "that guy," but I really don't see the "pan-Buddhist" aspect to it. The structure, terminology, and definitions appear to be fairly limited to Theravada. Maybe I'll check back in after it develops, but as it is, there's no spot for me over there.
I agree. Looks very Theravada.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Urgyen Dorje »

*shrug*

The Tibetan presentation of the Eightfold Path is really the same. The only thing (other than Pali terminology) that makes it clear that it's Theravadan and not Mahayana/Vajrayana in scope is the Brahma Viharas, which are similar to, but different than, the Four Immeasurables.

I think it will be as pan-Buddhist as people make it...
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Thomas Amundsen »

Urgyen Dorje wrote:*shrug*

The Tibetan presentation of the Eightfold Path is really the same. The only thing (other than Pali terminology) that makes it clear that it's Theravadan and not Mahayana/Vajrayana in scope is the Brahma Viharas, which are similar to, but different than, the Four Immeasurables.

I think it will be as pan-Buddhist as people make it...
Four Brahmaviharas are used in Mahayana as well. They are part of Longchen Nyingthig ngondro, for example.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Admin_PC »

Karma Dondrup Tashi wrote:
PorkChop wrote:... terminology, and definitions ...
Pali sure. However - Eightfold Path, Paramis, Brahma Viharas ... all renunciation yana ideas.

Not sure if you're agreeing or disagreeing, as renunciation yana isn't the only form of Buddhism.
To be frank, it seems designed to suit a certain interpretation(s), not even so much a specific school.
I don't see Buddha Remembrance (an actual pan-Buddhist practice) fitting in any of their 8FP section descriptions.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by krodha »

As it is right now it seems like it should all be relegated to one section that focuses on Theravadin practice. And then perhaps have two other sections for Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna. That may defeat the idea of a "pan-buddhist" forum to have those different sections, but as it stands right now it does not cater to Mahāyāna or Vajrayāna so well.

All in all I can't really see renunciant paths and tantric transformative paths mixing very well, to say nothing of the path of self-liberation, so I suspect this new site in its current trajectory will really just turn into a Dhammawheel part 2.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Urgyen Dorje »

As I was taught, and I think this is also outlined in Longchen Yeshe Dorje's Treasury of Precious Qualities, the Four Brahma Viharas and the Four Immeasurables are differentiated not by the content of their meditations, which is identical, but the lack or presence of aspirational bodhicitta as a motivation. I've seen the Tibetan tshad-med bzhi used only in the mahayana context.
tomamundsen wrote:
Urgyen Dorje wrote:*shrug*

The Tibetan presentation of the Eightfold Path is really the same. The only thing (other than Pali terminology) that makes it clear that it's Theravadan and not Mahayana/Vajrayana in scope is the Brahma Viharas, which are similar to, but different than, the Four Immeasurables.

I think it will be as pan-Buddhist as people make it...
Four Brahmaviharas are used in Mahayana as well. They are part of Longchen Nyingthig ngondro, for example.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Urgyen Dorje »

I really don't see mahayana and vajrayana practice being outside the scope of this forum. There's only one dharma. I've seen the four visions of togal related to the four noble truths. It's as compatible as we make it and understand it.
asunthatneversets wrote:As it is right now it seems like it should all be relegated to one section that focuses on Theravadin practice. And then perhaps have two other sections for Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna. That may defeat the idea of a "pan-buddhist" forum to have those different sections, but as it stands right now it does not cater to Mahāyāna or Vajrayāna so well.

All in all I can't really see renunciant paths and tantric transformative paths mixing very well, to say nothing of the path of self-liberation, so I suspect this new site in its current trajectory will really just turn into a Dhammawheel part 2.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by krodha »

Urgyen Dorje wrote:I really don't see mahayana and vajrayana practice being outside the scope of this forum. There's only one dharma. I've seen the four visions of togal related to the four noble truths. It's as compatible as we make it and understand it.
Right, but no practitioner in their right mind is going to discuss that in a public forum. That's one of the other reasons it won't work out well for Vajrayāna practitioners, samaya. No one is going to openly broadcast their practices and activities to strangers and practitioners of other yānas who have no connection to Secret Mantra. Discussing view (within reason) is one thing, that occurs daily here on Dharma Wheel and elsewhere, but practice is something entirely different.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Urgyen Dorje »

That applies to DharmaWheel as well.

I stand with my assessment that it will be as pan-Buddhist as people make it. Or don't. And it will be fine either way. Or not.
asunthatneversets wrote:
Urgyen Dorje wrote:I really don't see mahayana and vajrayana practice being outside the scope of this forum. There's only one dharma. I've seen the four visions of togal related to the four noble truths. It's as compatible as we make it and understand it.
Right, but no practitioner in their right mind is going to discuss that in a public forum. That's one of the other reasons it won't work out well for Vajrayāna practitioners, samaya. No one is going to openly broadcast their practices and activities to strangers and practitioners of other yānas who have no connection to Secret Mantra. Discussing view (within reason) is one thing, that occurs daily here on Dharma Wheel and elsewhere, but practice is something entirely different.
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Paul »

asunthatneversets wrote:
Urgyen Dorje wrote:I really don't see mahayana and vajrayana practice being outside the scope of this forum. There's only one dharma. I've seen the four visions of togal related to the four noble truths. It's as compatible as we make it and understand it.
Right, but no practitioner in their right mind is going to discuss that in a public forum. That's one of the other reasons it won't work out well for Vajrayāna practitioners, samaya. No one is going to openly broadcast their practices and activities to strangers and practitioners of other yānas who have no connection to Secret Mantra. Discussing view (within reason) is one thing, that occurs daily here on Dharma Wheel and elsewhere, but practice is something entirely different.
It's certainly not suitable for vajrayana practice for the reasons you mention. Seems that this forum's going to be mainly for hinayana types. Its structure pretty much guarantees that.
Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumal
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Urgyen Dorje »

As one of the DharmaPaths administrators said to somebody today: "I haven't had too much contact with Vajrayana buddhism, so i'm looking forward to hearing more about your practice." If that's not seen as a welcoming gesture, I don't know what might.

A place can be as open and ecumenical as one wants it to be, and as how one approaches it.

"Samaya" is a bogus response to DharmaPaths. One, this place is full of practitioners from Theravadan to sutra Mahayana to Pure Land to Chan/Zen to Vajrayana, including people who seem to make up their own dharma as they go-- and the vajrayana forums are some of the most active. In terms of "samaya", if any of us have had new people who don't have samaya in our sanghas, we know how to talk about our practices in mixed compay. And even if we're with "official vajrayana practitioners", unless we know them personally, we really have no idea if they have good relationships with their lamas and dharma siblings.

As for "practice" as opposed to generally talking about the view-- my same comment stands. If you've ever been in mixed company, as a vajrayana practitioner, you know how to talk about your practice in a meaningful way, and I'd say, a meaningful way that could include non-vajrayana practitioners, and even non-Buddhists *gasp*

Personally, I don't talk about my *practice* with anyone except a couple of lamas and maybe two or four very very very close dharma siblings. This is why I spend all my time here smoking cigarettes on the back porch of DW... I got no business inside...
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Re: New forum: Dharma Paths Practice Community

Post by Thomas Amundsen »

Urgyen Dorje wrote:As I was taught, and I think this is also outlined in Longchen Yeshe Dorje's Treasury of Precious Qualities, the Four Brahma Viharas and the Four Immeasurables are differentiated not by the content of their meditations, which is identical, but the lack or presence of aspirational bodhicitta as a motivation. I've seen the Tibetan tshad-med bzhi used only in the mahayana context.
tomamundsen wrote:
Urgyen Dorje wrote:*shrug*

The Tibetan presentation of the Eightfold Path is really the same. The only thing (other than Pali terminology) that makes it clear that it's Theravadan and not Mahayana/Vajrayana in scope is the Brahma Viharas, which are similar to, but different than, the Four Immeasurables.

I think it will be as pan-Buddhist as people make it...
Four Brahmaviharas are used in Mahayana as well. They are part of Longchen Nyingthig ngondro, for example.

Thanks for the correction. That makes perfect sense. Thanks!
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