What could someone possibly do to deserve this?? It doesn't seem as though karma is fair because the majority of people are not out there torturing others in this way. What's also interesting to me is it says that you will not die until your karma has been exhausted, yet people also say your karma stacks up from other lives, so how can that be if you exhaust your karma in both the hell realms and deva realms before rebirth?
I think my main hang up for self-Mettā is weakness. When I try to generate Mettā for self, I always am defeated by the thought of being weak. How can I overcome this? I think that those who are weak are undeserving of love, and I think I am weak. How can I change this?
Hey everyone the last few weeks i am reading a lot of books about budhisme and also try to go every Monday to a budishm meditation group. It has really helped me a lot with my life and gave me real and durable peace and a method to deal with hard things in life.
My question is when does one classify as being a budhist? I know that the label doesnt mean everything but i was still curious to hear your options.
For example i try to study the darma and live life with the teachings in mind. But i am also still a student and also like to party and sometimes drink. Are u a budisht only when you follow the teachings? Or is there some kind of ritual or practise time before you are a budhist?
Thanks for your answers in advance!
I want it to be. I want justice. I want bad people to face the consequences of what they've done instead of getting away with hurting others.
What makes you truly believe that karma exists?
Hello. I’ve realized sometimes I fall in the bypass spiritual phase. It’s easier than I thought to fall back in escaping through consciousness of breath or sensations instead of actually using it to stay in the moment with all its difficulties.
I feel a bit strange because I thought breath was a very useful tool to handle difficult situations, but I found myself using it to escape. What am I missing?
Thank you all.
Hello! I have had this pull towards Buddhism for a long time and have decided to start my research. I have a few questions on readings.
What literature would you recommend to a beginner? (I’ve noticed so much has been published and I want to find books or articles that are relevant or “legit” so to speak)
How did you wade through all this information without feeling overwhelmed by the gravity of it?(granted it’s so cool how much has been written over thousands of years makes my brain so excited to delve deeper)
Do you have any advice on where to start?
I appreciate you all and thank you for the advice and consideration!
Was reading a Ekottara Agama sutra (EA 3.1) on Buddhanusmrti. We know that Buddhas can have different appearances, vows, and characteristics, like Medicine Buddha having a blue body and Amitabha having a Golden body. Amitabha Buddha also vows to save beings and his pure land is more accessible to sentient beings. Medicine Buddha is more connected towards the sick.
Is this sutra's description of the Tathagata applicable to all Buddhas or specifically, Shakyamuni?
"Once it doesn’t leave his eyes, then he recollects the Tathāgata’s virtues: ‘The Tathāgata’s body is made of diamond. Having perfected the ten powers, he’s courageous amidst his assembly with four kinds of fearlessness. The Tathāgata’s appearance is handsome, unmatched, and not tiresome to watch. His discipline and virtue are accomplished, unbreakable like diamond, and pure and flawless like beryl.’
“The Tathāgata’s samādhi never lacked anything. Once calmed, he was forever tranquil, without another thought. Arrogance, violence, and the passions were pacified. He had completely eliminated the entangling bonds of wishes, angry notions, confused thoughts, and doubts.
“The Tathāgata’s body of wisdom was a knowledge without limit or impediment. The Tathāgata’s body had accomplished liberation, had reached the end of destinations, and no longer would decide: ‘I will fall into birth and death again.’ The Tathāgata’s body had reached knowing and seeing the city [of nirvāṇa]. He knew whether other people had the capacity to be liberated or not. ‘Here they die, and there they’re born. Round they turn, reborn until the end of birth and death.’ He fully knew who was liberated and who wasn’t."
EA 3.1. Source: https://suttacentral.net/ea3.1/en/patton?lang=en&reference=none&highlight=false
I’ve been wondering about this for a while. How does one take refuge? Is it only to be taken in the three jewels, or something else in addition to them? Also, can I do it myself or do I need to contact a monk/lama/someone else for a ritual/ceremony for it? Will there be problems if I recite mantras/try meditating without refuge?
Please help me.
I wanted this painting to feel rustic and earthbound. Not radiant in a loud or dramatic way, but quietly luminous. Like a calm presence that doesn’t ask to be noticed, yet gently changes the atmosphere.
The Bimaran casket or Bimaran reliquary is a small gold reliquary for Buddhist relics that was removed from inside Stupa No. 2 at Bimaran, near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. The coins within are of Indo-Scythian origin. They were originally attributed to the reign of Azes II, and later reassigned to the reign of Azes I.
More recent research indicates that they were probably minted by the kings Kharahostes and Mujatria, who minted posthumous issues in the name of Azes. The reliquary is typically dated to the 1st century CE based on the artistic style, though some sources instead date it to the 2nd century.
The Bimaran casket or reliquary on display in the British Museum, with a depiction of the Buddha, surrounded by Brahma (left) and Śakra (right).
I apologize if my wording is not that clear but this burning question I want it to be answered like if there are infinitely many are they always unique inexhaustible or some sort of repetitive spiritual domains
I struggle with belief in the theological concepts of Buddhism (like devas or the six realms), while I still do not want to adhere to “secular buddhism”; as I find it to be a belief system widely rooted in western imperialism. I am also raised in a Buddhist household so I think that I naturally rebel against my indoctrinated beliefs. This did however make me realize that the teachings of the Buddha which I actually adhere to, have I found through meditation. So perhaps I will find the theological teachings through meditation too. I do not know.
The more I delve into Buddhism the less I understand the meaning of the relationship between a man and a woman, the whole context of friendship doesn't make sense either.
If ultimately, I aspire for my love to be absolute, to love a stranger as if it were the love I feel for my mother; Why then should I have to choose, when my love transcends nature? The question isn't even 'why', but 'how'.
Nevertheless I understand that love comes in many forms, and the love I feel for my family wouldn't be the same as the love I feel for my girlfriend/wife, although I find it hard to explain exactly how. I don't know what's it like to love everyone, and this is probably the reason I can't answer my question.
In that case, living as a hermit is the only sensible, healthy option, however crazy that might sound. it's not necessarily isolating yourself but not getting married and not publicly acknowledging a relationship with anyone other than a teacher and pupil, I suppose.
Maybe I understand it wrong, or missing something, it's very, very confusing to me. Please feel free to share your insights. Thank you.
I'm very interested in what exactly drew you guys to Buddhism?
For me, this is probably the most typical thing, it was suffering. I had suffer with mental health since the day I was borne. Things kept getting worse as I aged. I
I used to love Journey to the West as a child and always had immense respect for the Buddha from the show (must be Karma). So I naturally gravitated towards Buddhism when I had nowhere to turned, and everything just made so much sense. I just can't believe anything else.
At one point I was almost brain washed into getting into another religion that starts with a C. But it made no sense to me as I got older.
Ironically, the thing that makes my life hell, is also what made me turn to Buddhism and see the light. If I ever become enlighten, it'd probably be thanks to the suffering in this life.
I live in a small town in Northern Nevada, the closest temple of any kind is about 300 miles away. So I've been contemplating starting a local community group centered around Buddhism. I don't know if calling it a Sangha is appropriate or not. I'm not a teacher and do not come from any lineage. Just a guy who feels like I can't be the only one privately practicing in my area and would like to offer a space where we can come together. Is this a feasible idea? Are there any rules about forming a community of lay practitioners without a teacher?
Amida Buddha (or Amitābha) is the celestial Buddha of infinite light and life, revered as the "King of Buddhas" for his supreme vows to save all sentient beings🙏🙏🙏