ElKabong Posted September 2, 2016 Hello fellow travelers! Stumbled upon this site via spiritualteachers.proboards. I poked around a little and like the vibe. Question that lingers: Why am I here? (Not the profound question necessarily; in other words, why am I here at tdb?) If I showed you a spirit album of polaroids from my travels it would show an agnostic, leaning-atheist upbringing; further concretized with science-materialist education; then sidewangled into buddhism (vipassana, zen); many years mindfully developing equanimity; babies rocked my world / seismic shift, no more time to meditate; jed mckenna's Blues for Buddha -- arguing that western buddhism is a form of 'compassionatism,' forsaking the whole purpose which was Nirvana; started exploring advaita vedanta...; here I am. Still agnostic. Largely equanimous, with bouts of defensiveness and other shortlasting broodings. The science/materialist worldview is also more seriously subject to agnosticism now as well. Both the heart sutra (re emptiness) and advaita models have seriously challenged that. Still, why am I here? Buddha might say it's this: Sankhara-dukkha, the dukkha of conditioned experience. This includes "a basic unsatisfactoriness pervading all existence, all forms of life, because all forms of life are changing, impermanent and without any inner core or substance."[web 1] On this level, the term indicates a lack of satisfaction, a sense that things never measure up to our expectations or standards. Advaitists might say it is confusion due to a mistaken identification with dualistic appearances. In other words, there are still some questions. This topic title refers to the agnostic propensity for questions. Without knowledge, and wide open to it (provided it is of good quality (most isn't)). I like El Kabong -- great hero concept, subduing baddies with a guitar (making KA-BONG sound). Somehow his guitar always repaired itself and he was able to use a rope to swing on anywhere in the desert. He was an ultraconfident dimwit, and benefitted from his sidekick Baba-Looey unheralded orchestrated success.) I can claim the dimwit part but not the confidence. Looking forward to plumbing the riches here! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 2, 2016 Hello ElKabong, and welcome. Your membership is approved and we're happy you found your way to us. We look forward to accompanying you on some of the way that you still have to go. Please take the time to read the two posts pinned at the top of this Welcome page and take a look at the forum terms and rules. This covers all you need to know when getting started. For the first week you will be restricted to ten posts per day but after that you can post as much as you like. Also, until you’ve posted fifteen times in the forums, you’ll be a “Junior Bum” with somewhat restricted access and will be allowed only two private messages per day. Good luck in your pursuits and best wishes to you, Marblehead and the TDB team Hi ElKabong, Well, if you ever run out of questions I will share some of mine with you. You are welcome to jump right in ongoing discussions, revive an older thread, start a new thread of your own, or start a discussion in the "Newcomer Corner" sub-forms to expand on your introduction or ask general questions to help you get started. May you enjoy your time here. Marblehead Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted September 2, 2016 Welcome! Visual reference for those not of a certain age: 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyniguma Posted September 3, 2016 (edited) . Edited August 9, 2017 by ladyniguma 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kar3n Posted September 4, 2016 Hello & welcome to the bums 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackstar212 Posted September 5, 2016 Welcome aboard hope you enjoy your stay. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
