The truth about Buddhism

[sky dancer]

Fair enough. What does JMO mean?

Just my opinion. I could have said 'just my experience' JME

 

[chloe]

Most of us don't like giving up our ideas, period. That sense of a permanent ego. personality or self--subject/object, a 'real me' and a 'real you', is what keeps us trapped in samsara.

Of course, we don't want to give it up. We'd rather die and come back over and over and over again.

Im trapped in samsara....I dont know how to get out

 

[sky dancer]

Im trapped in samsara....I dont know how to get out

The fact that you realize this is profound. In Buddhism, we call the contemplation of the cycles of suffering existence, or samsara, one of the 'four thought's that turn the mind.' It is one of four contemplations that motivate us to take up a path of spiritual practice.

It is the truth. We are trapped and we don't know how to get out. We all want to be happy and avoid suffering, and through our confusion, have no idea of the causes of happiness and the elimination of suffering. So, we make mistakes. We try to get out but we dig ourselves deeper.

First of all, we have to know that there is such a thing as buddha nature; essential purity free from the very beginning. Once we know the truth, that regardless of whatever adventitious flaws appear in the way of ourselves and everyone else, truth is. Underneath those flaws, is the truth of our diamond like nature, free from distortion, with the ability to reflect and radiate light and rainbows.

Our flaws are like the muddy or rocky covering in a geode. The crytal is revealed as we refine away the dross. The diamond, or crystal is not harmed by the rock. It remains pure, and as we purify ourselves, more and more of this diamond nature, light and rainbows are revealed as buddha nature and buddha qualies; love, compassion, joy and equanimity. The power and presence of awareness itself.

 

[chloe]

The fact that you realize this is profound. In Buddhism, we call the contemplation of the cycles of suffering existence, or samsara, one of the 'four thought's that turn the mind.' It is one of four contemplations that motivate us to take up a path of spiritual practice.

It is the truth. We are trapped and we don't know how to get out. We all want to be happy and avoid suffering, and through our confusion, have no idea of the causes of happiness and the elimination of suffering. So, we make mistakes. We try to get out but we dig ourselves deeper.

First of all, we have to know that there is such a thing as buddha nature; essential purity free from the very beginning. Once we know the truth, that regardless of whatever adventitious flaws appear in the way of ourselves and everyone else, truth is. Underneath those flaws, is the truth of our diamond like nature, free from distortion, with the ability to reflect and radiate light and rainbows.

Our flaws are like the muddy or rocky covering in a geode. The crytal is revealed as we refine away the dross. The diamond, or crystal is not harmed by the rock. It remains pure, and as we purify ourselves, more and more of this diamond nature, light and rainbows are revealed as buddha nature and buddha qualies; love, compassion, joy and equanimity. The power and presence of awareness itself.

so how do i find the diamond?

 

[sky dancer]

so how do i find the diamond?

First, you accept the possibility that there is a diamond. That is the first refuge. You accept the truth; that there is buddha nature, an essential purity that no amount of false covering can harm. then you are able to take up a path of spiritual practice. That's the second refuge. The truth of the path. The dharma,

Then you work on uncovering or refining away the rock. Meditation is like the rock tumbler. The diamond reveals itself by spinning in the tumbler. You look for and find a method of meditation practice. You start to seek out those who can teach you methods that work to purify the mind and open the heart. That is the third refuge, the sangha. The sangha is the truth of the companions--the teachers and community of practitioners who walk the path of truth together by practicing profound methods of prayer, contemplation, meditation and finally, non-meditation itself--resting in the nature of mind--resting in buddha nature, moment by moment 24/7. That is buddhahood itself.

Meditation separates the dross from the diamond freeing the diamond to its natural state of reflecting light and displaying rainbow-like qualities.

 

[chloe]

First, you have to accept the possibility that there is a diamond. Then you work on uncovering or refining away the rock. Meditation is like the rock tumbler. The diamond reveals itself by spinning in the tumbler.

Meditation separates the dross from the diamond freeing the diamond to its natural state of reflecting light and displaying rainbow-like qualities.

is there an alternative to meditation if your not good at it?

 

[sky dancer]

is there an alternative to meditation if your not good at it?

No one is 'good at meditation' without practice. It's possible that you confuse meditation with concentration or one pointedness. It possible you think you're 'no good at' meditating because when you attempt it, you see that your mind is completely busy and absorbed in thoughts.

If you notice that when you start to meditate that's considered very good. That is a sign of practice. It may even seem that your mind is worse for meditating. That is NOT true. What is true is whatever you become aware of in your body and mind as you practice cultivating presence in the here and now.

That's one place beginning meditators sometimes stop and give up. It takes patience to bear with the truth of the movement in the mind--which is thought. Once we start to notice this movement in the mind--thinking. we gentle acknowledge that. As we continue to practice, we begin to intuit that we are not our thoughts. Something else, awareness itself, is present along with the thoughts. Then we investigate awareness in meditation. We can alternatively, if we choose to, contemplate the thoughts and train the mind--applying antidotes to ignorance, anger, desire, jealousy and pride.

Once we realize awareness itself--we rest in awareness. That is usually a short experience. It is a moment, and then the mind moves again, and there is thinking, sensation, hearing, seeing, all the five senses become evident. So we again and again, patiently and gently, the way we lovingly care for a child, train our minds and open our hearts.

We do this by allowing whatever arises to have a place in being acknowledged without trying to cling onto it or push it aside.

 

[chloe]

I just end up thinking about too much at once .... he he

 

[sky dancer]

I just end up thinking about too much at once .... he he

It's helpful in the beginning to choose something sensual, like the breath to attend to. Just breathing normally and noticing the movement of the body in breathing. The rise and fall of chest and sub-abdomen. The sensation of warmth or coolness in the air. The sensation of pressure and contact in sitting, walking or lying down. Places where the body makes contact with the earth. Keeping the eyes open, to allow light in, but not 'looking' or going out to visual objects. Just being receptive, keeping the senses open, breathing, allowing everything that arises moment to moment to be honored and acknowledged. This is how we surrender to our truth--our human condition. Through this complete acceptance, we transcend human limitation, and we are able to open to and discover our own sublime buddha nature.

 

[chloe]

hmm interesting

 

[garyd]

The chief logical problem with Buddhsim and all other theologies of works is that everything hangs on the notion that doing good somehow makes you less guilty of the wrongs you have done.

 

[sky dancer]

The chief logical problem with Buddhsim and all other theologies of works is that everything hangs on the notion that doing good somehow makes you less guilty of the wrongs you have done.

That's not true at all, Gary. I think you have misunderstood the teachings of Buddhism. It is not that 'doing good makes you less guilty of wrongs you have done'. Human beings are a mix of qualities, virtuous and non-virtuous. We are all responsible for our thinking, our speaking and writing. and our actions.

What chloe and I have been discussing, is how does it happen that one can develop an equal kind regard for all phenomena in our minds and hearts, the good the bad and the ugly? The way to do that is to become more aware of what is actually going on in our minds and hearts . We discover the truth and are humbled by our human condition and experience. By increasing mindfulness, we discover the truth of how things are. Ultimately, we are able to recognize awareness itself, the truth of how things are, and to rest in that experience, moment to moment, 24/7. This is how karma is purifed and buddhahood is realized. In the practices of prayer, contemplation, meditation, and non-meditation.

When we rest in awareness--concepts of good and bad, samsara and nirvana, dissolve. All experience, all phenomena are discovered to be pure and equal in awareness.

What we examine in Buddhist meditation is how to have a softer, kinder heart to ourselves and others. We learn how to be increasingly more skillful in responding to whatever arises in experience. This means we manage our lives, including times when we are challenged.

We are all heirs to our karma. No god purifies our karma for us in Buddhism. I cannot take your karma away from you anymore than you can take mine for me. We believe in Buddhism that no one died for our sins. The truth is that we are each responsible for our body, speech and mind. There are infallible karmic consequences. What can happen, as we grow in recognizing awareness. is that our capacity to embrace whatever ripens in karma increases.

Consequently, we still have suffering--because we are alive and in bodies subject to birth, sickness, aging and death. We experience the ups and downs in life more smoothly and evenly. We increasingly are able to be of benefit to ourselves and others.

 

[garyd]

You missed the point skydancer. You aren't the first however.

The good things one does especially if your only reason for doing them is some sort of personal gain either in this life or the next, cannot offset even the least evil you have done. If you are guilty, you are guilty. Doing somerhting nice might make me less likely to throw the book at you to use a bit of quasi legal jargon, but it doesn't change one iota the fact that you are guilty of that crime, indiscretion, white lie etcetera.

 

[Truthspeaker]

whoa gary, I don't think you have the right mindset for discussion on this topic. It sounds to me like you are a "born again" Christian. The author of this thread is a buddhist with her mind made up. You would be better served to ask genuine questions about what Buddhism believes than to try and prove her "idolatry"