The Planet's Sangha: Buddhist discussions, thought, etc.

DamselFly · 04-23-2011, 11:22 PM

last saturday i attended my first class at Buddha Mind Monastery in Ch'an Buddhism! i enjoyed it very much though find its teaching most different from the Tibetan Buddhism i am used to. they seem to be a combination of Taoism and Buddhism. since i am both Taoist and Buddhist, i think i have found a good spiritual home. the Jian Dharma Masters or Shifus were all women! THAT most refreshing. They understood that i could only come to every other class and seemed impressed that i was coming two hours (each way) for class. interesting juxtaposition-while i was at the monastery, my housemate went to a casino, lol! the first meditation They teach is shunyatha (emptiness) meditation. They speak of "going to the Pure Land". i am going to look into taking a course from Ashoka University (ashokaedu.com) in Ch'an Buddhism plus learn everything available from Buddha Mind Monastery's website.
namaste,
DamselFly

Linus · 04-24-2011, 10:37 AM

Oh.. that does sound interesting. I find it hard to find Tibetan Buddhist temples here (short of going 50 miles from here to one in downtown L.A.). I may have to renew my search again.

Camo Eagle · 04-30-2011, 12:50 AM

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently had a stroke.
It is asked that as many as possible do the Medicine Buddha pujas, and or the Medicine Buddha practices.

If you scroll down to the 23rd you will find the downloads if you dont know/have them.

http://www.fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/ri...practices.html

DamselFly · 05-08-2011, 10:30 AM

i know that there are those who read this thread who do not know the basics of Buddhism. following the outline in H.H.The Dalai Lama in His book, How To Practice, i have decided to give short lessons in Buddhist basics. as to not make the posts overly long, i'll present them in one paragraph "dharma talks". if anyone want explication upon anything, just say so in a post or pm me. i do not set myself up as anyone who has great knowledge, only a student along the Path like everyone. coming up: the Four Noble Truths.
namaste!
DamselFly

DamselFly · 05-08-2011, 11:17 AM

we all have Buddha-nature. we all have the potential to become Buddhas (or in some traditions, are already Buddhas). we first need to realize and renounce participation in the cycle of existence. this is first done by understanding its nature, in the Four Noble Truths:
1. true suffering: the inherent fact of birth, life, and rebirth is suffering. no matter what your material condition, you in some way or other suffer.
2.true sources of suffering: counterproductive emotions and contaminated karmas (actions). counterproductive emotions are those that arise from an action in the past. such an incident should be discussed once, to let the feelings arisen out, and then forgotten.
those that arise from such feelings as lust, hatred, anger, etc, should not be discussed, as talking about them only gives them more force and clinging to the mind. instead, one should reflect upon the disadvantage such emotions produce and to prevent them from arising by replacing them with feeling of love, compassion, friendship.
contaminated karmas arise from the latter emotions. they can affect both this life and the life to come.
3. true cessation from suffering. there is an end to suffering. this involves overcoming the defilement of the mind, which arises from ignorance. no-one wants to suffer.
4.true paths. the paths to end suffering (and here i speak of those in the Path i know, the Tibetan Buddhist Path) are training in morality, meditation, and wisdom. other Paths concentrate more on meditation or on morality, but we believe that all three are necessary to end ignorance and there by end suffering. in short to realize one's true Buddha-nature. other spiritual Paths can also provide this, but here we speak of the Buddhist Path.
please, anyone wanting to help on this do so. explications are welcome. discussion is necessary. this is an engagement. i just provide an outline, with which others might disagree. speak up! this is our sangha! i am but one member.
namaste.
DamselFly

4.

Camo Eagle · 05-17-2011, 09:43 PM

HAPPY VESAK DAY to the BFP SANGHA

SFFemmePrincess · 06-16-2011, 02:06 AM

I have been neglecting my spiritual path for a long time and I think it is really starting to affect my life. I feel so empty and lost sometimes and am having a really hard time right now. I decided that I am going to renew my reading and start investigating the different traditions to find one that it right for me. As I go, I will post things I find of interest. I hope others are well on their path...

04-23-2011, 11:22 PM	#1
DamselFly Member How Do You Identify?: QueerStoneFemme Preferred Pronoun?: Ma'am or Damsel Relationship Status: single Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: hovering here and there Posts: 259 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,053 Thanked 771 Times in 199 Posts Rep Power: 396593	my first class @ Buddha Mind Monastery last saturday i attended my first class at Buddha Mind Monastery in Ch'an Buddhism! i enjoyed it very much though find its teaching most different from the Tibetan Buddhism i am used to. they seem to be a combination of Taoism and Buddhism. since i am both Taoist and Buddhist, i think i have found a good spiritual home. the Jian Dharma Masters or Shifus were all women! THAT most refreshing. They understood that i could only come to every other class and seemed impressed that i was coming two hours (each way) for class. interesting juxtaposition-while i was at the monastery, my housemate went to a casino, lol! the first meditation They teach is shunyatha (emptiness) meditation. They speak of "going to the Pure Land". i am going to look into taking a course from Ashoka University (ashokaedu.com) in Ch'an Buddhism plus learn everything available from Buddha Mind Monastery's website. namaste, DamselFly __________________ so long as space remains so long as sentient beings remain i will remain in order to help, to serve, to make my own contribution (Buddhist prayer, a favorite of H.H.)

04-24-2011, 10:37 AM	#2
Linus The Planet's Technical Bubba How Do You Identify?: FTM Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him/Geek Relationship Status: Married to my forever! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 5,440 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,929 Thanked 10,727 Times in 3,172 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	Oh.. that does sound interesting. I find it hard to find Tibetan Buddhist temples here (short of going 50 miles from here to one in downtown L.A.). I may have to renew my search again. __________________ Personal Blog \|\| [] \|\| Cigar Blog "We become Human Doings instead of Human Beings." -- Ram Dass

05-08-2011, 10:30 AM	#4
DamselFly Member How Do You Identify?: QueerStoneFemme Preferred Pronoun?: Ma'am or Damsel Relationship Status: single Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: hovering here and there Posts: 259 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,053 Thanked 771 Times in 199 Posts Rep Power: 396593	Buddhists basics. i know that there are those who read this thread who do not know the basics of Buddhism. following the outline in H.H.The Dalai Lama in His book, How To Practice, i have decided to give short lessons in Buddhist basics. as to not make the posts overly long, i'll present them in one paragraph "dharma talks". if anyone want explication upon anything, just say so in a post or pm me. i do not set myself up as anyone who has great knowledge, only a student along the Path like everyone. coming up: the Four Noble Truths. namaste! DamselFly __________________ so long as space remains so long as sentient beings remain i will remain in order to help, to serve, to make my own contribution (Buddhist prayer, a favorite of H.H.)

05-08-2011, 11:17 AM	#5
DamselFly Member How Do You Identify?: QueerStoneFemme Preferred Pronoun?: Ma'am or Damsel Relationship Status: single Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: hovering here and there Posts: 259 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,053 Thanked 771 Times in 199 Posts Rep Power: 396593	The Four Noble Truths we all have Buddha-nature. we all have the potential to become Buddhas (or in some traditions, are already Buddhas). we first need to realize and renounce participation in the cycle of existence. this is first done by understanding its nature, in the Four Noble Truths: 1. true suffering: the inherent fact of birth, life, and rebirth is suffering. no matter what your material condition, you in some way or other suffer. 2.true sources of suffering: counterproductive emotions and contaminated karmas (actions). counterproductive emotions are those that arise from an action in the past. such an incident should be discussed once, to let the feelings arisen out, and then forgotten. those that arise from such feelings as lust, hatred, anger, etc, should not be discussed, as talking about them only gives them more force and clinging to the mind. instead, one should reflect upon the disadvantage such emotions produce and to prevent them from arising by replacing them with feeling of love, compassion, friendship. contaminated karmas arise from the latter emotions. they can affect both this life and the life to come. 3. true cessation from suffering. there is an end to suffering. this involves overcoming the defilement of the mind, which arises from ignorance. no-one wants to suffer. 4.true paths. the paths to end suffering (and here i speak of those in the Path i know, the Tibetan Buddhist Path) are training in morality, meditation, and wisdom. other Paths concentrate more on meditation or on morality, but we believe that all three are necessary to end ignorance and there by end suffering. in short to realize one's true Buddha-nature. other spiritual Paths can also provide this, but here we speak of the Buddhist Path. please, anyone wanting to help on this do so. explications are welcome. discussion is necessary. this is an engagement. i just provide an outline, with which others might disagree. speak up! this is our sangha! i am but one member. namaste. DamselFly 4. __________________ so long as space remains so long as sentient beings remain i will remain in order to help, to serve, to make my own contribution (Buddhist prayer, a favorite of H.H.)

04-30-2011, 12:50 AM	#3
Camo Eagle Member How Do You Identify?: FTM in these communities. Male in everyday & public life. Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him Relationship Status: Unavailable Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 241 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 268 Thanked 328 Times in 152 Posts Rep Power: 2982903	Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently had a stroke. It is asked that as many as possible do the Medicine Buddha pujas, and or the Medicine Buddha practices. If you scroll down to the 23rd you will find the downloads if you dont know/have them. http://www.fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/ri...practices.html

05-17-2011, 09:43 PM	#6
Camo Eagle Member How Do You Identify?: FTM in these communities. Male in everyday & public life. Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him Relationship Status: Unavailable Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 241 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 268 Thanked 328 Times in 152 Posts Rep Power: 2982903	HAPPY VESAK DAY to the BFP SANGHA

06-16-2011, 02:06 AM	#7
SFFemmePrincess Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Lesbian Princess Preferred Pronoun?: Female Pronouns Relationship Status: Single but also non negotiably non monogamous Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bay Area Gal! Posts: 142 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47 Thanked 270 Times in 77 Posts Rep Power: 687706	I have been neglecting my spiritual path for a long time and I think it is really starting to affect my life. I feel so empty and lost sometimes and am having a really hard time right now. I decided that I am going to renew my reading and start investigating the different traditions to find one that it right for me. As I go, I will post things I find of interest. I hope others are well on their path...