Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[chaoticag]

My criticism of Theravada versus Mahayana had more to do with the amount of people that can be saved, but go for it. I do have a copy of the Dhammapada (or however it is spelled, Firefox spell check has failed me) that I should get to finishing. Regardless, have fun as a monk, and may your suffering cease.

[PTTG??]

...The Buddha also said, "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."...

Now that, I really like.
 
It's a facinating philosophy/religion/lifestyle, and one that I think I could greatly respect. Until reading your posts, the most I'd ever really heard about it- aside from an armchair anthropology class or two (Ok, maybe inspecting the wikipedia page on it, too)- was this:
 

A man is about to go skydiving; he is very nervous. Just before he jumps, he asks the instructor one last time what to do if his main shoot fails. The instructor says, "pull the reserve shoot."
"What if that doesn't work?"
The instructor, who's put up with this enough, says, "Well then, put your hands together and yell 'Buddah, oh Buddah, save me, oh Buddah'!"
With that, the instructor shoves the man out the door.
First the man pulls the main rip cord.
 
Nothing happens.
 
Then he pulls the secondary cord...
 
Nothing happens.
 
Finally, with nothing better to try, he calls out "Buddah, oh Buddah, save me, oh Buddah!"
 
And glorious golden hands appear out of nowhere, ten feet across the palm. The sweep him up out of the air gently and start lowering him down to safety.
 
The man says, "Oh, thank God!"
 
And the hands... wave good-bye...

I know it's not terribly PC and definitely quite inaccurate... but it's funny. I hope.

[KaelGotDwarves]

@chaotag: Personally, I do not think most people want to be saved. Not that it's a really a "saving" anyhow People are delighted to continue their lives the way they are. That's not a criticism, but rather my reflection on how society operates. Society has no need for an endless supply of enlightened ones simply fading away.

I haven't fully explored my feelings towards Mahayana or other religions but I can say if they bring happiness to individuals while not imposing hate/prejudice on others, then they are of worth.

@PTTG: A different translation is given on the wiki as well, with parts left out- The actual sermon, as I recall, is quite long:

Theravada promotes the concept of vibhajjavada (Pāli, literally "Teaching of Analysis") to non-Buddhists. This doctrine says that insight must come from the aspirant's experience, critical investigation, and reasoning instead of by blind faith. As the Buddha said according to the canonical scriptures:[68]
"Do not accept anything by mere tradition ... Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures ... Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions ... But when you know for yourselves—these things are moral, these things are blameless, these things are praised by the wise, these things, when performed and undertaken, conduce to well-being and happiness—then do you live acting accordingly."

[Armok]

The problem is really the assumption of reincarnation, the rest works out pretty well to normal negative utilitarianism.

[Siquo]

...The Buddha also said, "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."...

Now that, I really like.

Funny thing, most people already do that. And it didn't make the world a better place

[Willfor]

The problem is really the assumption of reincarnation, the rest works out pretty well to normal negative utilitarianism.

Not all Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and instead believe that it was tacked on by Hindu tradition over its long exposure.

[Kagus]

I have no desire to claim being an expert on the subject, and I certainly don't have the credibility to do so, but I have read a couple things on generic Buddhism and the life of prince Gautama, so I at least have some minor base of knowledge.

I find the concept of attempting to remove desire rather than fulfill it a rather intriguing one, and one that I can agree is often far more effective than trying to satisfy every whim.  I'm also more interested in contemplation of the self than contemplation of The Other (as in a god).

However, for as much as I can admire the true monks and be interested by their way of living, I can't really see myself becoming a Buddhist.  I can't imagine having contentment as a life goal, simply because my personality is entirely too curious about the ways of the world to devote my life towards attaining total acceptance and calmness.  I see nothing wrong with it, I just know that it's not for me.  Scientist?  Maybe.  Philosopher?  Quite possibly.  Monk?  ...doesn't seem to fit.

And as far as religions go, I've always been more forgiving of monks than priests.  Monks at least are people who truly believe in the teachings and who devote their lives towards following them, as they feel it is the correct path for who they are.  Priests get on my nerves because they try to encourage others to live their lives according to the same teachings.

I can't stand preachers.


Also, I find it hilarious that Gautama really liked pork.

[chaoticag]

There is some debate about that,  it could have been a mushroom.

[Armok]

My main reason for not doing something like that is that there are way to many people hurting and dieing and suffering beyond imagination to spend your time on anything but trying to fix that as efficiently as possible. Satori and nirvana and stuff is fun, but you can have fun AFTER you save people, and in the current world it is better to just scramble for it then trying to become perfect and THEN try to help.

[Josephus]

GOD DAMMIT I WAS TRYING NOT TO BE ANGRY AT YOU BUT YOU HARSHED MY CHILL, MAN.

Armok, please, please, please do not bring that shit up again, because then everyone will probably yell at you.

[Dasleah]

My main reason for not doing something like that is that there are way to many people hurting and dieing and suffering beyond imagination to spend your time on anything but trying to fix that as efficiently as possible. Satori and nirvana and stuff is fun, but you can have fun AFTER you save people, and in the current world it is better to just scramble for it then trying to become perfect and THEN try to help.

If I didn't know quantum mechanics, computer science, evolutionary psychology, and a bunch of other things most people don't really know about

there are way to many people hurting and dieing and suffering beyond imagination to spend your time on anything but trying to fix that as efficiently as possible

quantum mechanics, computer science, evolutionary psychology, and a bunch of other things

[Cthulhu]

My main reason for not doing something like that is that there are way to many people hurting and dieing and suffering beyond imagination to spend your time on anything but trying to fix that as efficiently as possible. Satori and nirvana and stuff is fun, but you can have fun AFTER you save people, and in the current world it is better to just scramble for it then trying to become perfect and THEN try to help.

So you contribute to the greater good of society by sitting on this forum all day and telling people to save people?

[Aqizzar]

It's a dirty job, but somebody has to be holier than thou.  God bless you Armok, for having the guts to sit down and tell everyone how it should be.

[Chutney]

My main reason for not doing something like that is that there are way to many people hurting and dieing and suffering beyond imagination to spend your time on anything but trying to fix that as efficiently as possible. Satori and nirvana and stuff is fun, but you can have fun AFTER you save people, and in the current world it is better to just scramble for it then trying to become perfect and THEN try to help.

So you contribute to the greater good of society by sitting on this forum all day and telling people to save people?

what the f*** have YOU done for society recently?

[Vertigon]

My main reason for not doing something like that is that there are way to many people hurting and dieing and suffering beyond imagination to spend your time on anything but trying to fix that as efficiently as possible. Satori and nirvana and stuff is fun, but you can have fun AFTER you save people, and in the current world it is better to just scramble for it then trying to become perfect and THEN try to help.

So you contribute to the greater good of society by sitting on this forum all day and telling people to save people?

what the f*** have YOU done for society recently?

I'm not sure who that was directed at, but it's definitely a valid question for everyone here, including me and you.