rex

There was a thread on this a while back:Winning Brownie Points

Not sure if Taoists have the same ideas on merit as Buddhists but why not? As long as the practices work for the benefit of self and other and includes somewhere a vast attitude there is merit from the Buddhist point of view irrespective of whether you're a card carrying Buddhist or not. It is said that if you genuinely rejoice in the merit, good works and accomplishments of others then you also get to share in the merit. What a generous universe we live in!

I've been to some ancient sites in the UK and it felt like my blood was having a dialogue with the place quite apart from my rational mind and in one country graveyard it felt like the bones of the village ancestors were transmitting something through the ground as the soil had a certain sentience to it. Brings to mind the pagan belief that our bodies are an extension of the land.

At a simple level compassion is the wish for everyone to be free from suffering while love is the wish for everyone to be happy. This thread has the potential for people of different traditions to share the ontological status of compassion in their respective systems and the ways it is utilised in spiritual and worldly life.

As to what bodhisattvas aren't allowed to do there's a list so they're supposed to do the opposite of the vow's root and secondary downfalls: http://www.bodhicitt...ISATTVAVOWS.htm As usual with lists they're open to interpretation but it's about skillful means and wisdom according to capacity applied to circumstances. The skillful means and wisdom of an ordinary practitioner will be different to that of a master of crazy wisdom. As Jetsun alluded earlier using no deterrence may in some cases be a secondary downfall (number 45) of the bodhisattva vows. Geshi Tashi taken from here.

The one and only Benjamin Zephaniah says:

Anything claiming to bestow that power and authority on anyone has gotta be having a laugh and is looking for a sucker/dupe for its own nefarious ends.

You're welcome Scott - your contributions to the forum and honest question inspired the response. I've downloaded and listened to a couple of Ken McLeod's podcasts in the past and they were sheer quality. Looking at his background it augurs well for your inquiry. All the best

Tibetan Buddhism has such an array of practices and perspectives that there is something for everyone. If one likes ritual then there's plenty of ritual. If ritual is eschewed then that's OK too as there's mind training and contemplation. In my experience philosophical and doctrinal debate is more evident in monasteries, academia and online forums than in Western sanghas though structured and detailed philosophical enquiry is available at shedras, formal instruction courses and specialised teaching sessions. When one turns up at a sangha the teachings will be grounded implicitly in a particular Buddhist philosophical perspective that may not be explicitly stated but will become apparent over time or if specific questions are asked. A lot of the philosophical and metaphysical tenets can be discerned in the various practice liturgies but this comes with experience. It took me six years to find out that my first sangha's official viewpoint was Rantong Madhyamika. The information was not deliberately hidden but I was too involved in applying the teachings to relieve personal suffering and engage in altruistic practices to concern myself with what I considered to be an irrelevance. My reasoning went something like 'so what if one school says this or another says that, when it comes to actual practice they all recite the same mantras, they all do similar compassion practices and Tara and Chenrezig feature across the board'. The utility of Tibetan Buddhism can be seen in its ability to accommodate practitioners of different capacities and understanding, so that the faithful and unsophisticated can practice alongside the sceptical and sophisticated with each finding something that engages and benefits. Some elements may in all probability grate with a 'Buddhism without Beliefs' orientation, namely Refuge, Guru Yoga, Initiations, Deities, Protector practices and rituals that take the existence of spirits – the Eight Classes – as self-evident. All I can say is tread lightly, cautiously and don't commit to anything unless you are really sure and willing to make long term commitments. It may take a bit of leg work, literally and metaphorically, to find out which areas of the Tibetan teachings satisfy your aspirations and aesthetics, that don't require initiation, commitment and/or belief in what modern folk would see as medieval ideas. So if my previous assertion on the utility of Tibetan Buddhism holds any water then the relevant teachings must be there. Undoubtedly there are vajrayana practitioners and teachers, the bridge builders, who engage meaningfully and productively with psychologists and ecologists without having to bring up the more faith based aspects of their tradition. From my particular and possibly limited perspective the Tibetans were able to know intuitively and experientially what ecologists currently observe because they acknowledged, in their philosophy and practice, the living intelligences of the environment and the spirits of the land. Arguments of emptiness notwithstanding they are as real as you and I. Sanghas can be funny places and like any human institution can exhibit foibles and petty politics. As long as you're not socially and spiritually ambitious it's relatively easy to avoid the politics. I've had good and bad experiences with sanghas, one in particular had a strong patronising and controlling element (in stark contrast to the teacher) while others have been and are a delight to associate with. Always take the word of the main teacher i.e. lineage holder over the dharma gossip and well meaning misinformation/superstition of some sangha members. Like the old saying that when the Bible is being quoted the devil is never far away, beware when someone starts off a sentence with 'Rinpoche says ...'. Sanghas are practice based so you'll need to be clear with yourself and them about what you're looking for to see if an association would be beneficial, though any good sangha will let you attend to find what relieves suffering without any obligation on your part. While acknowledging that we can deceive ourselves and be our own worst enemy you'll also need to be true to yourself and what inspires and find that it takes contact with more than one sangha to find something that suits. Edit: Tpyos corercted

In his own words, at the age 100, Wang Ji Wu Describes his principles of living a healthy life: The heart is calm, quiet as still water/Live an enthusiastic life, serve the public good This is pure class and taken from the book Xing Yi Nei Gong.

This guy has some interesting things to say on the matter: Should you be spirit friendly?

You're welcome Ryan. I haven't started the second excellence but intend to along with the third. I'm making haste slowly. Along with other buddhist practices this has been my main practice though I also have some non-buddhist teachers whose practices and outlook I value. C T expressed it well so no need to elaborate really apart from that with some practices and approaches it matters more how you are then what is subscribed to intellectually. The third excellence is the vajrayana so at some point an initiation will be necessary but from reading the book I'd wager that it will be comprehensive. The only advice I can give is to follow your heart and see where it leads you. This is what I did when signing up with no expectations of ever meeting the teacher but six months later he visited the UK and gave a days teaching on Tara which I was able to attend in spite of considerable practical problems. Each course can be studied on it's own with no absolute requirement to go on to the next so this will suit a variety of circumstances and inspirations. You never know, If you decide to take the plunge you may find your perspective changes. All the best.

I did this and found it well worth it. There were videos of contemplation interspersed with meditation and chanting and supplications at the start of each session. Couldn't download the videos though the mp3 versions of the contemplations were available for download. Lots of supporting material like PDF summaries of the different topics, chant book with mp3s of the chants and videos of practice seminars. The material given was for two daily sessions of around 30 mins each. Often, but not always, the evening session was identical to the morning session. The whole course radiated love and I genuinely felt touched when doing the contemplations.

Not a worthy contribution - post deleted ...

Not a worthy contribution - post deleted ...

This is pure speculation but Christian and Buddhist political propaganda notwithstanding faith in Christ and Buddha isn't necessarily an incompatibility. The kabbalistic concepts of the three Negative Veils of Existence , Ain, Ain Sof and Ain Sof Aur, bear some similarity to the Dzogchen concepts of Essence, Nature and Energy. edited - for what's it worth - for clarity

Fascinating subject! Spirit Pots, Spirit Bottles, Spirit Houses, etc. Naga Vase Curse Methods in giving offerings to God/Spirit Entities? edit: amended last link to relevant post

Nice choices from everyone. There seems to be a bit of a Tibetan bias and with the exception of two books will add to this but won't repeat what's already been cited Entry Into The Realm of Reality - The Guide, Li Tongxuan (translated by Thomas Cleary) for the sheer clarity of language and breadth of coverage and vision. The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodal) - deep, profound and practical. Bardo Teachings, The Way of Death and Rebirth, Lama Lodo - oral teachings and question and answers on the Bardo Thodal. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Sogyal Rinpoche - inspiring. Abhidhamma Papers, Mark Rowlands (ed) - short and concise introduction to mental factors, their categories, and the thought process. Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso - An explanation of the different approaches to emptiness in the different Buddhist schools. A Spacious Path to Freedom, and Naked Awareness, Practical instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga both by Karma Chagme - scholarly, detailed and practical. Wisdom Nectar, Dudjom Rinpoche's Heart Advice (Translated by Ron Garry) - like as the main title says! Guru Yoga; The Wish Fulfilling Jewel; and The Excellent Path to Enlightenment, all three by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Eloquent and elegantly detailed (for short books). Advice From The Lotus-Born; Dakini Teachings; and Treasures from Juniper Ridge, all three recorded and concealed by Yeshe Tsogyal. Instructions and teachings for practitioners of all levels as given by Padmasambhava. The Smile Of Sun and Moon, A Commentary on The Praise to the Twenty-One Taras, by Khenchen Palden and Sherab Rinpoche. Teachings on Tara illustrating how the Twenty-One Praises contain four levels of meaning. Also beautiful colour plates of the Twenty-One Taras (see here). It's Up to You, The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path by Dzigar Kontrul. Something I don't do enough of, this book is replete with observation, wisdom and experience. Beyond Words, Dzogchen Made Simple by Julia Lawless and Judith Allan. Clear readable and informative introduction. Books are wonderful but try to see a teacher if you can too.

This is from the Greek Orthodox Tradition though is germane to any meditator or aspirant: Logismoi or Assaultive Thoughts

I think taking refuge acknowledges the acute precariousness of our situation and the trouble caused by hope and fear. It is usually predicated with at least a cursory understanding of the Four Noble Truths which presents particular viewpoints on suffering, the causes of suffering, the possibility of the end of suffering, and finally the cessation of suffering. As Milarepa said "In horror of death, I took to the mountains, Again and again I meditated on the uncertainty of the hour of death, Capturing the fortress of the deathless unending nature of mind. Now all fear of death is over and done." IMHO Milarepa's quote demonstrates a combination of irreservable faith and innermost secret refuge - the nature of mind itself.

Mumbo jumbo and head realisations? For sure! This is all perfectly normal for those on the path of aspiration who find themselves inspired by the teachings. It's nothing to be alarmed about, and is part of the process of working through the four stages of faith - vivid faith, eager faith, confident faith, and irreservisble faith. As the saying goes: Do not mistake understanding for realisation and do not mistake realisation for liberation. Having a calmer mind and increased sense of inner freedom are all good pointers that something is going on and working. This should be a cause for rejoicing and confident faith and at the very least indicates that a good foundation is being laid. Realisation? That must come with time and application of at three of the six paramitas - diligence, wisdom, and meditation. [link to nice article ] Edit: Punctuation

Well I'm a bit more committed to Buddhism than my last statement would imply - it's just that I like to stress commonalties instead of differences. Thanks for sharing your approach too Serene, it's good to see how you're covering body, speech and mind

Refuge is a statement of trust and intent. In the Mahayana it's accompanied by bodichitta in its aspirational and actional aspects. Refuge can have outer, inner, secret, and innermost secret meanings: In the Three Jewels, and their essence, the sugatas, In the three roots: lama, yidam and khandro, In the channels, inner air, and tiklés, and their nature, the bodhichitta, In the mandala of essence, nature and compassion, I take refuge until enlightenment is fully realized. [Taken from here]

Neat! Never knew the four immeasurables were also called the four brahmaviharas. In the context of integration of Buddhism into everyday life I see them as a set of conducts, informing principles and litmus tests for whatever path is engaged in, whether it be renunciation (sutra), transformation (tantra) or self-liberation (dzogchen). They are deceptively profound as IMHO they encapsulate the Base, Path and Fruit of whatever path is being practiced. Refuge is also an obvious distinguishing feature as no practice is said to be Buddhist unless it starts with refuge.