IMChris

Buddhas teachings are just a guide or hint on how your mind works. If I took 100 people and told them that this high tech pill Im going to give them will have some side effects, one of the side effects is that it will make you feel very good, and I also said that some of you will get very sick. The pill of course is just a sugar pill and there will be a percent of people saying that after they took the pill thet felt great and also some of them would report that the pill made them sick. Is this MAGIC ?

I have and collected magic amulets and the old guys around the Temple will show and campare amulets even to the point of examing said amulet with a magnifying glass, some are very big some are small. Some give you luck some keep you safe ect. ect. There are many people that would swear that thier amulets saved them or gave them a Boy baby ect. ect. Do they give you MAGIC ?

Thank you , now Im a BORN AGAIN BUDDHIST

Oh hel_l, and I thaught I would be the only farang there.

It is better to understand where you came from so that you get a clearer picture of where you are going, not withstanding the need to be aware of the present.. Buddhism is disparate to some degree and the vast array of Indian philiosophies cover everything and are often contracdictory. But one thing is true - There is unity in diversity, everyone has to find there own way. Don't forget also that Buddhism is an Indian philosophy.

Ok then. I've got a birth defect, I'm short sighted. Where did it come from? Both of my parents are short sighted so I think that's more than coincidental don't you. Is that Kamma? Who knows? Who cares? Knowing whether it is or isn't won't help me see a clearer picture of where I'm going... spectacles will.

So I'd be interested in someone explaining an example of how knowing the kammic causes of something you were born with you would get a clearer picture of where you are going, and how you could prove that was not merely speculation.

Cause and effect Sutra......." To understand your previous life, look at what you have in your present life. To have a preview of your next life, examine yout daily act in this life".

As the OP I did find something on this it's called the CAUSE AND EFFECT SUTURA

This is not of the Theravada but the Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism and does talk about this very topic. A little heavy for my taste but very intresting.

http://www.gracioushearts.com/ebooks/san-s...n-guo/index.htm

I explored Buddhism "slightly" last year. I found it rather confusing and contradictory and definitly yet another "convenient" religion in the world

. However I have since read a book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. It is hands down the best spirituality book I have ever read, and it has helped me

understand the basis of all the major religions and belief systems in the world

. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone if they are looking for a clear and conscise guide to achieving enlightenment. That is not to say it is easy to achieve but I feel this book describes enlightenment/salvation/nirvana far better than any other scripture or writings.

"Know Thyself" is broken down to explain exactly what that means, as in behind the "I" which is purely the ego lies the source of our true selves.

Having dinner one night the topic came up about birth defects and Karma. If a women has a child with a birth defect ie: downs syndrom (I have seen so many of them in Thailand). Is this related to Karma and are both mother, father, child a part of this karma. How is this explained . Thank you for your input

I was dressed modestly- I always do anyway, except outside the temples I bare my arms...No this man appeared to be of European ancestry.... Maybe his screaming in the temple is what agitated the monk. I think from the comments, I was lying down and pointing my feet either at Buddha or the monk. I get it now. There was no problem with taking pictures at this particular temple, you just were supposed to kneel. Thanks. On my next trip, which is going to be within the next year and might be to move... I will do better now that I know!

At our wat there are many chairs on the side wall. these are for the elders and others who are unable to sit long periods on a marble floor. My other advise is to use a telephoto and goto the back and stand. Next time someone yells at you, just smile, dont say anything and give a Wai you save face and he well most likely yell even louder

Wow, hearing stories like this really makes me count my lucky stars. I'm married to a wonderful Thai woman who can certainly drive me crazy at times. The cultural differences aree brutal at times, but hearing stories like these really puts things in perspective. If I had a dime to my name I might be worried, I get by ok but truth be told I ain't got sh$t. Thats the key guys; if you haven't got anything to take then nobody can take anything from you. I purchased the gold for the sin sot (100 k baht worth) which we kept. Her mom and dad paid for the party (another 100 k) got 50 back and we'll pay it back with a couple of thousand a month.

Its easy to fall under the spell; I spent six years here messing around until I met my wife; in any case there is a difference between being trusting and being foolish.

Always put things in perspective

He shots HE SCORES !!!!!! Holly cow someone finally knows what they are talkin about. You ROCK dude.

Good one,

I could go on and on but will try to limit myself.

This is a foreign country for any non-Thai nationality. Thais have been doing things their way for centuries, who are we to try to change that, have we done such a great job in our own countries? Are there no prostitutes, pickpockets, gangsters, pimps, drunks, smokers, bad taxi drivers, scammers, rapists, etc. etc. in our home countries. What makes people say that Thailand is uncivilized ? Is it so much better in the west? I for one read my local western newspaper online everyday. Wow, makes Pattaya look like heaven on earth.

Enough said I love my life here in Thailand (19 years already).

cheers

onzestan

Perhaps these miserable people should try a change in lifestyle and location. Thailand is a wonderful country with lots of loving and friendly people. 2 cities within the kingdom in particular that remind me of a human sesspit are Bangkok and Pattaya, For me there is nothing nice about these 2 places, they are rife with crime and the dregs of the worlds societies. No wonder your all so grumpy. Break outta there chaps!

GOOD POST But gee where would they go to find easy pickings ? Since all they how to do is drink and have sex. Lord forbide that they take a Thai women on a date without trying to get into her pants.

You guys crack me up I have been two 3 weddings one was mine. My father inlaw and I had a long man to man chat. Here is what we came up with. 500,000 baht a little over 15,000 USA. Since I was going to stay with my wife in Thailand and not take her away, the deal was I was going to buy a new pickup truck ( I was going to anyway ) . As you know or dont know that the SidSod is displayed for all to see with gold braclets and gold bars so forth. Nearing the end of the ceremony the mother imlaw grabs the money and runs off. Lots of laughing going on. In my case since I had bought my Truck or should I say the Family truck and the money somehow ( my wife ) was deposited back into our banking account. My father inlaw also gave us 20 rai of his farm to get us started. By the way do you know how much a wedding cost here in the USA? Heck just the wedding dress cost about 3,000 grand, unless the brides father is a cheap charlie. I it sounds like some of you would not give 1 penny for your dauthers wedding.

Idiot who stated that Thai's dont like farangs, maybe some do, but I have not seen this, maybe because I respect Thai culture, Buddhism, and speek some Thai .

I just opened the thread as I assumed it was a female's question...

Actually when we had our house blessed, one of the older Thais told us to buy some alcohol (rice wine) and cigarettes to offer to the spirit as part of the ceremony. In a similar context I was a bit surprised these should be part of the offerings.

Thanks Im not a women but I am a Nurse for 38 years. Im not so worried about the Monks as Im the Children who see this behavior and then of course if it's good for the Monks then it is OK for children to follow their example. I have seen frist hand as what smoking does to you. In the US over 600,000 people die each year from smoking related deaths and it's not a quick death they suffer. Not to mention health costs. We cant stop it because there is BIG money in Tobaco and since the USA in comming around to having some laws that prevent you from smoking just about anywhere, they now make big bucks from the Asain market. Sick huh?

I too have seen the Monks smoke in the Temple grounds.

Everytime I see a Monk smoke it bothers me for some reason. I know for a fact that nicotine is a very addictive drug on par with Heroin. In fact it is easier to get someone off heroin then is smoking. It appears that almost every male Thai is smoking and the older women chew beetlenut. Im just curious as to how others view this problem. As a Nurse in the States I see frist hand as to what smoking has done to people and thier familys.

Pie warmer..............Thats a good one.

When you are there dont forget to goto the BIG MALL. It has a very nice water park. You can see it using google maps, just look for the big swimming pool. Read up on it's history and then you will understand who is the real HERO of Khorat is.

Direct Dependent Origination (Patitjasamupbat)

Dependent on lgnorance (avitsha) arise Kamma-Formations (sangkala)

Dependent on Kamma-Formations (sangkala) arise Consciousness (winyan)

Dependent on Consciousness (winyan) arise Mind and Matter (nam and roop)

Dependent on Mind and Matter (nam and roop) arise the Six Sense-Bases. (ayatana)

Dependent on the Six Sense-Bases (ayatana) arises Contact (passa)

Dependent on Contact (passa) arise Feeling (wetana)

Dependent on Feeling (wetana) arise Craving (tanha)

Dependent on Craving (tanha) arises Clinging (upatan, attachment)

Dependent on Clinging (upatan) arises Becoming (pob)

Dependent on Becoming (pob) arises Birth (chati)

Dependent on Birth arise Decay and Death (chara and morana)

There also arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.

Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.

5 causes in the past (avitsha, sangkala, tanha, upatan, pob) cause 5 effects in present (vinyan, nam & roop, ayatana, passa and wetana)

5 causes in the present (avitsha, sangkala, tanha, upatan, pob) cause 5 effects in the future (vinyan, nam & roop, ayatana, passa and wetana)

Those factors continue driving the wheel of existence.

That's the core of buddhism. It's the law of nature (suffering of beings in this case) discovered by lord buddha 2500 years ago. Its principle is based on iddhappajayata which is the megalaw which cover just about everything in the nature. It's the law which seperate science and pseudo-science and it's the same principle of today's science.

To start on buddhism, you need to start with this law so that you won't get lost on what foreign to the original teaching of Lord Buddha.

Is this in the THERAVADA tradition ? Because when I Googled Patitjasamupbat

It brought back to this page. Hmmmmm Could you tell me where to look for this.

Every now and then I come across some ex-Buddhist or atheist on the net who claims that the problem with Buddhism is it turns people into "doormats." In other words, Right Speech, conflict avoidance and getting control of the ego means that Buddhists let others take advantage of them. But this hasn't been my experience. One can still be assertive without getting angry or self-centred.

What do you think?

Are you talking about Pride ? Because that can be hurt. A buddist nevers subscribes to this. Your dignety cant be hurt or taken away from. I dont understand how one could get the advantage of me unless Im willing to give it.

Ah,the BIG BOYS with the CASH. So now we know where the FAT CATS lived all we have to do is drive down the road and your house sticks out like nothing else. You guys must hate Thai culture and could not care a rats ass how the Thai people see you. Some of that respect you think your getting from your nieghbors, think again. We have a manson house in our village, he is not well liked. Its like rubbing our nose in it " my house is bigger then yours" you poor stupid farmers.

Look Im not trying to BASH you,but this is they way it looks. I feel sorry for you that you could not live comfortable in a average THAI STYLE house.

Please excuse me I live in a concreat Thai style 2 bedroom house.

there's no reason to be sorry for us "big boys" Chris. to each his own, live and let live! our home has presently 465m² airconditioned living area and soon (in about a week's time) a bit more than 600m².

would you believe me if i tell you that it is one of the (area wise) smallest, but not cheapest, home in our community? i don't respect a neighbour whose home is triple the size of mine and i don't expect respect from a neighbour who's home is smaller than mine. that applies perhaps to Beverly Hills but not to Thailand.

what i do respect is that you can live comfortably in your two-bedroom home... but i don't envy you.

I dont care what you think......... just pointing out a fact SIR.

well long story short she cheated then we divorced.

I'm in a relationship with a beautiful Fillapina for about eight months.

Don't think I can trust again.

I guess the issue here is trust.

The beautiful lady you are now dating is not the lady that cheated on you.

Now the lady you are dating may or may not cheat on you but thats not the issue.

If you see every lady you date as the same as the cheating lady then its not fair to the lady.

If you cannot let go of the victimisation of being cheated then you are not being fair to yourself!

You got cheated by one lady so you got cheated once, keep thinking about how you were cheated over and over again in your mind and you get cheated over and over again!

Maybe its better to forget the not so happy past so that you can have a happier future?

You got cheated by someone else in the past (beyond your control), best that you don't cheat yourself of a happy future (fully in your control).

Best of luck Pepe!

-------------------------

Your 100% correct.

However right now, for me, easier said than done...

Just try the science of Buddhism! It works everytime!

Anyway don't think too much about it.

Here is a nice story from Ajahn Brahm.

There were 2 men who farm chickens. The first man wasn't a very good farmer and everyday he when to the chicken shed and collected all the chicken manure in his basket and took it home to his kitchen.

That manure just stanked up the whole house up and made a big pile of mess in his home.

The second man was a better farmer and collected the eggs with his basket from the shed. His wife cooked the eggs and fed the whole family.

The basket is your mind and the eggs are your memories. So be careful what memories you wish to collect in your basket. Good memories or bad memories!

Why waste energy collecting the manure? Just collect the eggs!

Hope that helps!

GOOD ONE thanks...............

Ah,the BIG BOYS with the CASH. So now we know where the FAT CATS lived all we have to do is drive down the road and your house sticks out like nothing else. You guys must hate Thai culture and could not care a rats ass how the Thai people see you. Some of that respect you think your getting from your nieghbors, think again. We have a manson house in our village, he is not well liked. Its like rubbing our nose in it " my house is bigger then yours" you poor stupid farmers.

Look Im not trying to BASH you,but this is they way it looks. I feel sorry for you that you could not live comfortable in a average THAI STYLE house.

Please excuse me I live in a concreat Thai style 2 bedroom house.

Last year on my work rotation in the States I had a Dental problem, well it was no problem for the Dentist, the problem was 6,000 USD estament to have it all fixed . Holly Sh*t batman. When I came back to Thailand, I was going to get my dental work done in Bangkok. No No my wife says, in Kohrat much cheaper. Oh hel_l, I had spent hours on the internet looking for the best Dentist in Bangkok. I was a little worried at frist when we headed to Kohrat as to what kind of care I was going to get. Gosh I hope they have novacaine !!!! . We headed for the Catholic Hospital in Kohrat which has a small dental clinic frist floor. My dentist was a very nice, a Thai women that spoke fairly good english. I told her my problems and she went to work. Well to keep the story short after 6 days in a row seeing the Dentist she did 2 root cannals 2 crowns, 1 tooth she rebuilt and fixed 1 cavity for. Total cost...........895.00 USD. I paid cash. I work as a nurse in the states and this hospital service was the best I have ever seen. I did survive the whole ordeal and will always have my dental work done here in the future.

Anybody help? Im visiting Issan in a couple of months and trying to find any information on Baan Poon Suk Phlapplachai.

I could not find it on the maps and ask wife and my PA-inlaw, they never heard of it. We live about 2 hours outside of Korat. Good Luck

Yes I remember my last visit to PATTAYA........2 dead Russian women sitting on the beach.

I started a small resturant and internet cafe that my wife runs

Any plans to expand into, oh I don't know, perhaps a beauty salon, motorbike rental or laundry? And you're worried about how the Brits think!

Sorry your point is? It's keps a roof over my head and food on the table any other questions?

I guees my beer joke hit to close to home.

You think with the wrong head Your only concern at this time is YOUR CHILD and only your child and forget the rest. If sex is the only thing you want then keep in the bars and dingy hotels.