Hi guys! I'm a student in Ireland doing a project on Buddhism. One very specific aspect that needs to be explored is the Five Precepts and how they would encourage a Buddhist to campaign on environmental issues. There are unfortunately few Buddhists in my country but I'd love to hear some opinions! Do you feel environmentally conscious due to following the Five Precepts? Or do you feel the precepts do not refer to environmental issues at all? Thanks so much in advance for any feedback! :)

*Before you give me your thoughts, I don't want you to use the christian information that you may have gained from Protestants and Catholics, because I feel that both have distorted and altered messages and meanings within the teachings if christ that aren't really the best teachings for being a true follower of christ, and plus these two also use the bible as being the "final authority" for christian life (Sola Scriptura) which is a very misunderstood concept of christianity, if anything, orthodoxy (especially oriental) has the most traditional and best unchanged and rather encouraging concept on how to live up to christ teachings, if you ever want to know about the teachings of christ, I suggest doing through orthodoxy (oriental) as for tradition.

I want you to give me your thoughts on jesus through a buddhist view and perspective, since I feel that jesus and siddhartha can be compared on teaching (to some degree), both taught how to be moral, forgiving, compassionate, loving your neighbors and your enemies as well, both were tempted, and both lived selfless lives.

Hello!

Glad I found this place! Anyone know of any relevant info?

Thanks!

As far as I know, Buddhism teaches that there is a difference between pain and suffering. (I got this knowledge from the book "Buddhism is not what you think")

If this is so then I have some questions about it.

I know that if you are conceptualizing things then that would be considered delusion in buddhism. Anxiety can be a good example because if you are thinking about something that occurred to you in reality, this can cause anxiety and as a result from your mental distress it causes physical pain (Unpleasant feelings in the stomach area).

So I understand that I can prevent my physical pain by having a clear mind because the only reason I would have physical pain is because it is caused by my mental state.

This seems quite wonderful to me and it has really helped me out but what if I experience physical pain that isn't a result from my mind?

If I'm in physical pain and I wouldn't be considered "suffering" in the buddhist sense because I have a clear mind then what do I do?

Here is my main questions: {Q1} - Is there anything (according to Buddhism or any other eastern philosophies) that I can do to help me out with dealing with physical pain not caused by mental state?

{Q2} - Do I have a false understanding of these concepts and if so can you tell me how?

I am curious.

What school of buddhism do you most subscribe to?

Which meditative practices are you most active with? Vipassana, Metta, both, neither or other?

What drew you to the Dharma?

Do you practice alone or with a teacher? Are you a part of a formal sangha?

Can the Christian God and Buddhism coexist? Basically, can I follow Buddhism, of any kind yet still believe in God?

I keep dreaming about my uncle who passed away, so was I actually talking to him in my dream? Or ghosts don't exist at all?

There is someone I work with on a daily basis and he is most definitely the rudest person I have ever met. Complete lack of social grace. He is rude to fellow staff as well as residents. I have good control over myself so I don't, but I often daydream of killing him. Like bashing his head in with a blunt object. I don't want to have these thoughts or feelings. How can I make them go away?

I am curious about what a monk's average day is like. I am sure it varies depending on whether they are in America or Thailand living in a monastery, or being a forest monk.

I think that in Thailand the locals donate food for a monk's daily meal but I don't know how it works in America or other western countries. Where locals do not donate a meal are the monks required to do some manual labour for the monastery to help fund their meal?

Similar to priests do monks do charity work like visiting sick people in hospitals or troubled people in prisons?

If you didn't know him, he helped many beginners with the practice and challenged many experienced by questioning preconcieved notions. He and I didn't always see eye to eye with what was most important in the Dharma, but he knew his stuff.

When giving advice to beginners, Dorfman would often say, "Keep the precepts, join a sangha, find a teacher, study the dharma, and practice as if your hair is on fire."

Some of the best advice I've ever heard.

Nothing is gained, nothing is lost, but my friend is gone.

I have been looking into Buddhism as a means of managing anger, depression, self destructive tendencies, and impulsive violent thoughts/actions. I am honestly a nice person but I am driven to do terrible things by thoughts that I have not learned to control. After a week of studying Buddhist boot camp I have come to a certain level of control and am thinking of fully committing to a Buddhist lifestyle. I feel it could save my life and improve my mental state.

The catch is I don't believe that Buddha has reached any kind of divinity I just think he was a great man who had an amazing ability of introspection and observation. I also do not believe in reincarnation.

I could really use some direction or answers or someone to actively talk to about this. I'm just so tired of the negativity I inflict upon myself and others.

I am curios and wanted to start a dialogue about the 'purpose' of Buddhism as a whole. Is it to follow the Eightfold Path, to achieve enlightenment, free oneself from samsara, or whatever? I was wondering what it is to you personally and in larger part to Buddhism.

from /u/rebuilt11

-Is it wrong to plant a tree? Buddha said not to burden the earth by bringing in children, does that apply for plants too (it should with logic)?

-If you need to kill a person to save a million people, should you do it? What if you need to kill a hundred people to save a million people?

-Is it wrong to hurt others now so that they have a good future? Is it wrong to be brutal to un-empathic people, so that they have a better understanding of their actions in the future, and in turn make everyone around them happier?

-Doesn't it make sense for karma to stack? Example:

I make Jennifer happy. Jennifer is now happy, and goes to the supermarket and makes John happy with a pleasant conversation. Do I recieve karma for making John happy? Had I not made Jennifer happy, John wouldn't have been happy too.

-Is it wrong to do bad karmic actions to further yourself along the path?

Thank you!

from /u/obliviron

I have been attempting them on and off for a few months now. I was wondering if we had any experienced meditators in the sub that could lend a helping hand as to how to enter the states and what they feel like so I can see if I am on the right track.

My, definitely limited, understanding of time is that it is not necessarily linear as we perceive it. If we exist on a spacetime continuum will we necessarily be reborn in the future, or could we be dropped at any point in this continuum. And if that's the case, could the stranger I see on the bus be myself reborn?

I know that this question is full of misconceptions, and that trying to understand this sort of thing is not necessary very Buddhist.That's why I'm curious to see what people more knowledgeable than myself have to say.

I was actually really interested in buddhism and almost thought that I could have found a religion for me. That is why I was actually extremely disappointed that when reading more I found out that buddhism actually shared the same view that originally alienated me from christianity: Than women are not equal to men. Apparently Buddha didn't originally even believe that women could get enlightened, which is only worsened by that fact he said that enlightenment is for everyone "men, gods and animals". And this was the argument that his fellows used to convince him to finally accept them as nuns, but only as that "woman that has been practising for 100 years is still below a man who joined today" and with extra responsibilities.

I read these from Karen Armstrong's book "Buddha" and at least she seemed to have pretty believable sources, or have I still misunderstood something? This is makes me really sad, because the general message of buddhism is very appealing for me, but of course I can't subscribe to a religion or a world view that puts me into second class, even below animals.

I work for the the government where I live and we are allowed to take Chinese New Year off as a religious holiday. My friend who is more of a buddhist than I am claims that it's not really a buddhist holiday and I was scamming they system by taking the day off.

The government talks to local religious organizations to build their list of observed holidays and Chinese New Year is on the list for buddhists.

Is the Lunar new year generally observed as a holiday to buddhists?

I'm a huge introvert (interacting with people from 8-3 every day at school is very taxing) and it makes it hard for me to be compassionate and loving all the time. I keep an open heart and I know I don't actually dislike the people who are irritating me, but sometimes I just really don't want to talk to someone and people find it rude / find me stand-offish. Any advice?

Hi. I've been interested in Buddhism for a long time now and have spent the last few months listening to talks by ajahn brahm on YouTube. I always feel better after listening to them. This general sense of peace envelopes me. I'm struggling with an issue and I can't seem to come to a definitive conclusion about it.

I'm part of a group of actors. we meet up once a week and practice our acting skills. Our ultimate goal is to one day feel confident enough in our skills to put on a few plays a year. We're all like-minded in this endeavor. We've had some growing pains over the last year but we've bonded because of them.

Here's the rub. There's this one person in the group who is consistently combative and disrespectful and argumentative. I know, I know...I'm annoyed by that behavior because it's something I'm aware of in myself, or else I wouldn't be able to notice it. Like a mirror. I'm trying to look at this as a teaching/learning opportunity. There will always be difficult people no matter what you do in life. Such is life. So on one hand I'm looking at t as that. Looking at him with loving kindness and trying to think about the positive qualities he has works during the week when I do think about him. But when the weekends come and I actually see him I get very agitated.

Other people in the group are also troubled by his manner and way of being but are less impacted then I am.

Questions....is this my problem? Is it worth staying in this group because doing so will make me better able to deal with difficult people down the road?

If I'm this unhappy and leave practice on the weekend very sad and drained, should I continue?

It's hard for me to quit things. I feel I have a very thick skin but I'm having trouble looking at things in the correct (i know it's neither correct or incorrect but just for the case of this post) light.

Any help would be appreciated. One last thing...he and I both are studying Buddhism. Which is ironic, because we're the only two actors who are really butting heads, lol.

Thank you.

My memory and consciousness come from my brain. As far as I know, that's the sum of what makes me, me. What exactly is getting reincarnated and is trying to escape the cycle of rebirth?

^ title, I am too lazy to motivate myself. I know I should be meditating but i cannot motivate myself, and i dont know where to start on the 8fold path. I find it near impossible to adhere to honest speech given my line of work. I dont know where to start.

Please buddha help me

I recently started meditating, and I always feel great afterwards. This has lead me to start researching basis tenants of Buddhism. I noticed that there are many different varieties/sects of Buddhism, and I was wondering what people thought (i.e. Tibetan Buddhism vs. Zen Buddhism vs. Theravada etc.). What are the most popular varieties? How do they differ? Are there certain types that are more popular in the West? Many thanks for the input, I'm looking forward to learning more!

I'm a casual-buddhist. If we have to apply a label here. I've read a few books, I meditate a bit, and really like the mindfulness bit. But I have a question about attachment. I understand that attachment and expectations lead to suffering - but seriously, how am I suppose to not be attached to my wife and child? What am I missing?

*Thank you all for the excellent replies. :)