True and Proper Buddhist teaching

[jamesc2000]

Happy and serene by accepting things as they are is enlightened and awakened.

 

Are there not different paths to reach a goal? 

Or;

Are there "higways" and "secondary ways" to reach the goal? 

 

Yes many highways and many secondary ways.

 

Good luck all. 

 

 

 

[jamesc2000]

Karma is kindness and compassion.

 

Here is the proof.

 

Kindness and compassion made replies to my "rubbish" posts.

 

So that Lucky will chime in with the truth of Buddhism.

 

Thank you everybody and to karma.

 

Karma is not only good, it works so elegantly.

 

We all benefited.

 

????

[VincentRJ]

5 hours ago, luckyluke said:

In the "Do you believe in God" topic there is one poster claiming that the only way to find happiness and serenety is by medidating.

 

That is opinion about the matter has more value because he is practising daily and thus know about what he is speaking. 

 

At 71+ I am happy and serene by accepting things as they are, not trying to find an explanation for everything, enjoying the terrestrial pleasure. 

 

It seems for him that this can not be the right way. 

 

Are there not different paths to reach a goal? 

Or;

Are there "higways" and "secondary ways" to reach the goal? 

I think it's significant to understand the context and the environment in which Gautama decided to seek enlightenment. His main purpose appears to have been to discover how to reduce and even eliminate all types of suffering, such as pain, dissatisfaction, discontent, anxiety, depression, and so on.

 

It's unfortunate that we have nothing in the form of written texts that date back to the times of the Buddha, that could describe in detail the general conditions that prevailed outside the 'Palace' where Gautama was brought up. All knowledge appears to have been in the form of memory which was passed down from generation to generation, until a couple of centuries after the life of the Buddha, during the reign of Emperor Ashoke, when the Brahmi script first appeared on stone monuments.

 

We can only imagine how awful life must have been in those days. Even prince Gautama's mother died soon after giving birth to him. The Buddha was raised by his mother's sister and presumably would have been informed much later that his real mother died about a week after his birth. I can find no comments in the scriptures about how Gautama felt about this, but it must have had a profound effect on his thoughts about life and suffering.

 

When he later traveled outside the Palace walls and witnessed first hand the awful conditions of the common folk, it must have been horrifying. Our modern, developed, democratic societies with good health care and social services, would seem like paradise by comparison.

 

Nevertheless, there are still certain societies today where conditions are absolutely awful, and the Buddha's teachings are still very relevant for many people who are needlessly suffering for the reasons which are explained in the Buddhist Sutras.

 

However, some of us are more fortunate, live in peaceful surroundings, have little stress, and perhaps little need or motivation to sit down cross-legged for long periods of time doing 'essentially' nothing. ????

[jamesc2000]

Please have an open mind that sitting meditation will always bring enlightenment

 

but in a way that maybe very unexpected. It maybe disappointing that you don't come out of meditation with an ah ha moment and see the answers to everything and can see into the future.

 

I never read any Buddhist sutras so I am guessing that Buddhism never promise people become superman that can fly and walk on water or be psychic and see the future and know the answer to every problem.

 

My limited understanding is that it teaches us to accept death, disease and old age with peace and serenity or even better with great happiness and serenity.

 

Someone gave a big hint to this when they said - enlightenment is easy but the hard bit is to see the world through the eyes of a child. With that freshness and wonderment.

 

????

Edited March 1, 2020 by jamesc2000

[jamesc2000]

Yes if my leg has gangrene and has to chopped off then Buddhist sutras isn't going heal my leg and make it good again.

 

Instead if I have anxiety about being a one legged man then Buddhism can help with the anxiety.

 

Is Buddhism relevant today with great healthcare?

 

I think more than ever. Imagine with the corona virus people are going out of their mind buying up all the mask they can find and every last roll of toilet paper and living in fear and anxiety.

 

True Buddhist practice can give people peace and serenity in these anxious and frightening moments.

 

????

 

Another side benefit of Buddhism is with meditation people will have clearer minds and researchers with clear minds will get break through into the cures faster.

 

Also with clear minds they may see better prevention methods but all these is just secondary. 

Edited March 1, 2020 by jamesc2000

[jamesc2000]

Rich countries with their great healthcare and wealth, are rich people enjoying happiness, peace and serenity?

 

Or do they suffer from boredom, anxiety, stress, addictions, greed, malice, hate, loneliness, depression . . . . . .  and also death, disease and old age? 

 

????

Edited March 1, 2020 by jamesc2000

[jamesc2000]

Oscar Wilde is not a Buddhist but he made a very Buddhist observation.

 

There are only 2 tragedies in life. Not getting what you want and getting what you want.

 

People are not happy if they don't get what they want and people are also unhappy after getting it. 

 

We fantasize about things that we want and after we get it we find it wasn't what we thought it was. That even applies to enlightenment. 

 

Even desire for enlightenment bring suffering.

 

Because we will only be happy if we get enlightened. 

 

Then we cannot be happy until we get enlightened.  

Edited March 1, 2020 by jamesc2000

[jamesc2000]

The answer to life is not fulfilling all our desires.

 

It is to be free from desires. 

 

Enlightenment is being free from desires and to not want for anything.

 

This leads to peace and contentment.

 

If you are so content and want for nothing you don't need to seek enlightenment.

 

You are already enlightened. 

 

????

 

Just like Lucky. Lucky by name. lucky by nature.

[jamesc2000]

Peace is the highest happiness.

 

Contentment is the greatest wealth.

[jamesc2000]

Why does Nirvana gets translated to enlightenment?

 

I don't know if its just me but enlightenment to me seems like an enlightened person sees and knows everything.

 

But Nirvana comes from nabbana and that's supposed to be a common word for a flame on an oil or wax candle going out.

 

If a flame goes out and its the only source of light in the home then there must be darkness.

 

So enlightenment don't seem to be the most appropriate word.

 

But I can guess it means insight. That we are like the flame and we also extinguish when we die.

 

If the flame will go out one day, is there any point making the flame a better or richer flame?

 

So is there any point me being richer, wiser, more knowledgeable, more famous and have more possessions?

 

Or is it better to have peace and contentment so we don't suffer and also share that people that suffer can end their suffering if they also had that peace and contentment? 

[jamesc2000]

The phrase that is stuck in my head is

 

where we are going there is nothing there.

 

I take comfort in that but it must be really frightening to some people.

 

What if people don't want to die? Or they don't mind dying if they have an after life.

 

Obviously an after life in heaven and not the other place down below.

 

Or people if they had a choice would want a long life and then an after life in heaven and if they had to go to the place below will choose a long life and no after life down below.

 

Anyway haven and hell are right here right now.

 

Peace and contentment and endless suffering from desires and aversions. And that's suffering from not getting things we desire and getting thing we desire and its not we thought it would be.

 

Not to forget aversions - getting things we really don't want.

 

So contentment is not only not wanting things its also happily accepting things and people we don't want. Losing the not liking of things.

 

????

[rockyysdt]

6 hours ago, luckyluke said:

That's very fine for you, each of us is doing the best he think is for him, in a way which suit him the best.

 

The important thing being, although in my opinion,  is to do good as much as possible, and not bad intentionally. 

 

I am Belgian and  sometimes think in Flemish or French and than translate it.

 

"Rescent" is a wrong translation of the French word "ressentir", the right translation is "feeling/perceive".

 

 

 

Thanks Lucky.

 

Now I understand.

 

Yes, we all "rescent", "ressentir", or "feel/perceive" uniquely.

 

How we "rescent" is due to our conditioning.

 

Conditioning is impermanent.

We are all conditioned differently due to our environment and our genetics.

 

The Buddhas teachings are aimed at detaching from that which is impermanent & conditioned, towards that which is permanent and unconditioned.

 

Everyone will live their lives the way they choose.

 

The unfortunate thing is that none of us are truly free to choose.

All of our conditioning was inherited by those who nurtured us and by our environment, and life experience.

We are simply following our habits, beliefs and the feelings which they generate.

Beliefs and habits which we inherited.

 

If we were raised by parents of another culture, in another continent, our beliefs and habits would be completely different.

 

We live our lives in the belief that our personality is us.

A personality shaped by habits, beliefs, and the resulting feelings.

 

Awareness allows us to see beyond Ego.

 

 

 

[rockyysdt]

26 minutes ago, jamesc2000 said:

Why does Nirvana gets translated to enlightenment?

 

I don't know if its just me but enlightenment to me seems like an enlightened person sees and knows everything.

 

But Nirvana comes from nabbana and that's supposed to be a common word for a flame on an oil or wax candle going out.

 

If a flame goes out and its the only source of light in the home then there must be darkness.

 

So enlightenment don't seem to be the most appropriate word.

 

But I can guess it means insight. That we are like the flame and we also extinguish when we die.

 

If the flame will go out one day, is there any point making the flame a better or richer flame?

 

So is there any point me being richer, wiser, more knowledgeable, more famous and have more possessions?

 

Or is it better to have peace and contentment so we don't suffer and also share that people that suffer can end their suffering if they also had that peace and contentment? 

The Buddha never coined the phrase Enlightenment.

 

Enlightenment is a 19th century word.

 

The correct word is to "Awaken".

 

When one enters the state of Nirvana they have Awakened.

 

Enlightenment seems to have taken over in Buddhist lexicon and is an example of the traps waiting for us in studying scripture.

 

Much better to follow the 4 Noble Truths and Eightfold Path to practice.

 

Awakening is about experience rather than intellectual pursuit.

 

Thinking, & feeling are things anchored in Samsara.

 

That of Nirvana is beyond thought.

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by rockyysdt

[rockyysdt]

17 minutes ago, jamesc2000 said:

The phrase that is stuck in my head is

 

where we are going there is nothing there.

 

I take comfort in that but it must be really frightening to some people.

 

What if people don't want to die? Or they don't mind dying if they have an after life.

 

Obviously an after life in heaven and not the other place down below.

 

Or people if they had a choice would want a long life and then an after life in heaven and if they had to go to the place below will choose a long life and no after life down below.

 

Anyway haven and hell are right here right now.

 

Peace and contentment and endless suffering from desires and aversions. And that's suffering from not getting things we desire and getting thing we desire and its not we thought it would be.

 

Not to forget aversions - getting things we really don't want.

 

So contentment is not only not wanting things its also happily accepting things and people we don't want. Losing the not liking of things.

 

????

No one UnAwakened can ever know. 

The only way to know is to become Awakened.

 

That which is born will die.

That which is impermanent and conditioned will eventually cease.

 

Conversely that which was never born is deathless.

 

 

[rockyysdt]

2 hours ago, jamesc2000 said:

Even desire for enlightenment bring suffering.

 

Because we will only be happy if we get enlightened. 

 

Then we cannot be happy until we get enlightened.  

The trick is to practice Mindfulness without attachment.

 

Your Mindful Observer observes the conditioned and impermanet.

Observes the breath, the body, the feelings, the thoughts, & the world around us.

But the Observer remains neutral.

The observed may be happy, sad, depressed, hurt, and many other things, but the Observer remains neutral.

With practice the Observer will become stronger than that which is observed.

[rockyysdt]

3 hours ago, VincentRJ said:

However, some of us are more fortunate, live in peaceful surroundings, have little stress, and perhaps little need or motivation to sit down cross-legged for long periods of time doing 'essentially' nothing. 

Touche Vincent.  ????

[jamesc2000]

19 minutes ago, rockyysdt said:

The Buddha never coined the phrase Enlightenment.

 

Enlightenment is a 19th century word.

 

The correct word is to "Awaken".

 

When one enters the state of Nirvana they have Awakened.

 

Enlightenment seems to have taken over in Buddhist lexicon and is an example of the traps waiting for us in studying scripture.

 

Much better to follow the 4 Noble Truths and Eightfold Path to practice.

 

Awakening is about experience rather than intellectual pursuit.

 

Thinking, & feeling are things anchored in Samsara.

 

That of Nirvana is beyond thought.

 

Right on ????

 

 

 

[Orton Rd]

I have yet to meet a Thai who knew what the 4 noble truths or the 8 fold path to enlightenment are

Edited March 1, 2020 by Orton Rd

[jamesc2000]

[Orton Rd]

Thai noble truths

 

Bribe god with 100 baht

Buy amulet to protect

Get fortune from monk

Dump your unwanted dog at Wat

[Rancid]

Buddha taught a system of ethics, as knowledge of what is commonly referred to as the occult was already widely known back then, particularly in India. What he taught his adepts however was very different to the masses. Even Jesus says the same thing in that his followers were taught very different to that of the crowds.

 

For those interested in Buddhism some reading on Tsong-Kha-pa might also be of interest. This great Tibetan Reformer (Tibetan Buddhism also has issues) of the fourteenth century was said to be a direct incarnation of Amita Buddha.

[jamesc2000]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Thai noble truths

 

Bribe god with 100 baht

Buy amulet to protect

Get fortune from monk

Dump your unwanted dog at Wat

How does no 3 work?

 

The monk will give you gold from the temple 

or they will bless you with good luck and you win the lottery?

 

????

[jamesc2000]

7 hours ago, rockyysdt said:

The trick is to practice Mindfulness without attachment.

 

Your Mindful Observer observes the conditioned and impermanet.

Observes the breath, the body, the feelings, the thoughts, & the world around us.

But the Observer remains neutral.

The observed may be happy, sad, depressed, hurt, and many other things, but the Observer remains neutral.

With practice the Observer will become stronger than that which is observed.

Love all your posts.

 

Great insights.

 

And all very very helpful.

[rockyysdt]

On 3/1/2020 at 3:09 PM, VincentRJ said:

 

However, some of us are more fortunate, live in peaceful surroundings, have little stress, and perhaps little need or motivation to sit down cross-legged for long periods of time doing 'essentially' nothing. ????

Hi Vincent.

 

If one discards the part of Buddhism which leads to Awakening, does that mean "that which is left virtually offers nothing more than what Ethical lifestyle can offer"?  ????

 

R

Edited March 8, 2020 by rockyysdt

[jamesc2000]

This might answer some of the important questions here.

 

 

[VincentRJ]

On 3/8/2020 at 12:04 PM, rockyysdt said:

Hi Vincent.

 

If one discards the part of Buddhism which leads to Awakening, does that mean "that which is left virtually offers nothing more than what Ethical lifestyle can offer"?  ????

 

R

Touche, Rocky. ????

[VincentRJ]

21 hours ago, jamesc2000 said:

This might answer some of the important questions here.

 

 

That's a long video, James. I haven't watched all of it yet, but I'm impressed with the advice so far, such as: "Don't set yourself any goals, because if you do, you'll get frustrated. You'll never get peaceful by wanting."

[jamesc2000]

If you could choose only one.

 

Would it be awakening or a life of peace, kindness, compassion and forgiveness?

 

????

[rockyysdt]

16 hours ago, jamesc2000 said:

If you could choose only one.

 

Would it be awakening or a life of peace, kindness, compassion and forgiveness?

 

????

Awakening.

 

Peace, kindness, compassion and forgiveness are temporary as you would remain in Samsara.

It is a constant battle to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving.

Anything we do which differs from ones conditioning, and from ones beliefs, is temporary.

You can achieve it for temporary periods, but without a lot of effort, these states will subside and ones original conditioning will return.

Simply to be in a state of Samsara is to suffer.

 

The hallmark of Samsara is Impermanence & Conditioning.

 

 

The State of Nirvana (Awakened) however, is Permanent and Unconditioned.

No striving, no trying, no forcing, no wanting, no Ego.

 

 

Edited March 11, 2020 by rockyysdt

[VincentRJ]

3 hours ago, rockyysdt said:

The State of Nirvana (Awakened) however, is Permanent and Unconditioned.

No striving, no trying, no forcing, no wanting, no Ego.

 

And possibly no existence? ????

 

I'm currently in my fifth day of fasting, eating no food of any type, just drinking water. I feel very relaxed and calm. I'm doing it for the claimed health benefits, not to lose weight, because I'm not overweight according to the BMI calculation.

 

However, I will resume eating soon, in order to have the energy to do some physical work which requires striving and exertion. ????