Buddhists and Intrigued Non-Buddhist Laymen, CONVERGE HERE

Yama you blue skinned many armed fuck tell me how far back my wanting hot monk on fox spirit action will send me!!

Also inform me how much the sentence above will send me.

edited 12th Feb '11 10:59:50 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

I'm sure Yama understands such matters just fine. If not, you could always join me and convert to Lovecraftianism.

I WANT HOT BHIKKHUNI ON BHIKKHUNI ACTION.

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Naughty Nuns, Buddhist style?

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

Yes, Tzetze. Yes.

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Can you clear up what Buddha-nature is for me?

Kill all math nerds

All right. I'm no expert on Mahayana and haven't read much about it, but here we go. First a definition. "Buddha-nature or Buddha Principle (Buddha-dhātu), is taught, within Mahayana Buddhism, to be an intrinsic, immortal potential for reaching enlightenment that exists within the mind of every sentient being."

Now what this basically means is that we all have inherent potential and that we all have at all times. Our Buddha-nature just hasn't had the opportunity to fully grow to fruition yet. We have to take care of it and help it blossom and be set free. It cannot be destroyed, it is not created, and it cannot be tainted. It is unchanging and there because it is. The nature itself isn't tainted. It's just hidden behind all the stupid fucking shit we do and therefore we cannot truly realize it at the moment. That takes time and work.

At least this is what I am able to gather from reading the other wiki.

edited 12th Feb '11 6:31:41 PM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Thanks, that contributes towards some stuff I've been reading and thinking about for a while now.

One more question. Is Buddhism one of those deals where humanity originally had enlightenment and then fucked up and lost it, or is it something different?

Kill all math nerds

That I am not sure about. The texts I've read haven't spoken much about how the problem came about or the origin of humanity. In fact it's largely said "The origin of how this came about or how the world started or why isn't important. What is important is knowing the causes, the effects, the solution, and the treatment".

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Buddha-natures are things that dogs don't have.

Or Do They

edited 12th Feb '11 7:08:24 PM by Tzetze

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

Oh Tzetze. How do you feel knowing that you will become a slug in your next life?

^Well everything has one so...

edited 12th Feb '11 7:09:15 PM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

Feel pretty good about it. It must be faster to enlightenment if I have less worries. and like

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

I hope you become a cute slug.

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

A slug? Wait, isn't reincarnation more of a Hindu thing?

I will be the cutest slug there ever was!

Buddhism, having grown out of Hinduism, has a heavy emphasis on reincarnation as well.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

Interesting! I didn't know there was any connection between the two, aside from coming from similar cultures. Do you have me pegged as anything in particular? If I'm good, do you think I'll come back as a tree?

If you're good, you're more likely to become human again or a deva.

If anything, you should be bad if you want to come back as a tree.

Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.

Yeah, the thing about me becoming a slug is a joke. A Buddhist insulted me that way once is all.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

This is actually an interesting question in that I’m not sure how one gets reincarnated as a tree. Now, there are Sixth levels of existence in Buddhism  ^*

. Only two, human and animal, will actually land you as sort of “normal” creature on the earth.

Oddly, plants aren’t addressed, however (as Aondeug mentioned) even blades of grass have a Buddha nature, so one would imagine it’s possible to end up as a plant. I’ve searched around and the general consensus is that one can reincarnate as a plant, but I can’t find any cannon confirming this. The most informed looking source I can find on this is a Hindu source, but the concept of karma is very close in Buddhism and Hinduism, so it likely applies.

Possibly, it’s a sub-category of animal…at least, that would be my “best guess”.

That being said, a rather random link I found points out carne (meat) as a possible root of “reincarnation,” though I couldn’t confirm this except through maybe checking OTHER root words down to this. So maybe it only works for things that have flesh, or at least, metaphysical flesh.

That being said, I think there’s more “solid” evidence that souls can be reincarnated as plants than otherwise. Hypothetically, if one decided being a tree was REALLY what they wanted, I guess they should be a particularly lousy human. Though, not so lousy that they end up in Hell or a hungry ghost (almost most assuredly worse than a tree, as I believe both realms last for thousands of years and are categorized by various aspects of unpleasantness).

However, not being lousy enough could make you an Asura or possible an Animal, if that is indeed better than being a tree.

Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.

Hurrah for a Buddhism thread. I'm a Humanistic Buddhist myself.

At least one branch of Buddhism believes in this. I can't recall the name specifically - I'll have to look in one of my books again. It's not a popular theory, from what I remember.

"Doctor Who means never having to say you're kidding." - Bocaj

So, as sort of a continuation of what we were talking about before, just how prominent in Buddhism is the idea of reincarnation? I'm assuming different sects have different beliefs regarding it?

Reincarnation, or LEAVING the cycle of death and rebirth is pretty much the primary focus of Buddhism.

Probably the primary difference in sects is what is considered the best way to leave the cycle and who exactly can.

The idea of reincarnation itself and how it functions seems to be pretty similar between the different sects. At least, I keep on finding evidence that the ideas are similar.

The details seem to vary a bit. The link I posted illustrates that a basic idea is followed between the two sects, however there are some slight difference on what exactly a “hungry ghost” is.

There’s other differences as well, consider The Other Wiki’s depiction of the six realm, this one and the one I posted earlier.

They’re all very similar, except the order is a bit different in each one. The about.com one looks to be sort of arbitrary, though I think there’s some logic to the other two.

The Other Wiki link depicts an order used in the “Wheel of Life◊”. The “Japanese” one, I believe, is reflecting that some think being reborn as an Asura is unfortunate (see “Asura” entry).

Some sects simply combine the Deva and Asura realm and are happy with five realms of existence.

Though, I’d still consider these differences rather minor when compared to how the different sects thing Enlightenment should be reached.

edited 17th Feb '11 12:25:44 PM by Justice4243

Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.

Wow, so interesting! I had no idea Buddhism had such complex teachins regarding reincarnation. Also, I just borrowed a book on Hinduism from a friend. Would it be inappropriate to share some of what I learn from it in this thread, and maybe talk about some of the ways Hinduism and Buddhism contrast? I know it probably wouldn't be something I should talk about at length, since this thread isn't "Hinduists unite!" or anything, but we might be able to gain some useful information from Buddhism's spiritual predecessor.

I personally welcome the opportunity to explore Hinduism as it compares to Buddhism, but I love exploring aspects of Religion in general.

Considering the nature in which the information is likely to be presented, I don’t really see the harm (Unless anyone else has any major objections?).

edited 20th Feb '11 12:44:18 PM by Justice4243

Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.Proverbs21:15 FimFiction account.

Perhaps we should just wait for Aon's permission if/when she returns. What do you say, Aon (assuming you'll read this)?

The book, by the way, is titled Introducing Hinduism, by Hillary Rodrigues.