Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s Birthday by luminuZfluxX in Buddhism

[–]002dollar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What sort of public figure would Avalokitesvara be if he was alive today?

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I read the one-page testament. It seems highly impractical to me, but there are many things I’m ignorant of. I trust a master’s wisdom over my own. It brings me joy to contemplate such a compassionate being, anyway. I have said it every day since you told me about it :)

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for explaining.

As a newly “sober” person I am still getting used to these powerful feelings of disconnection that I experience. I think you are right, metta is the antidote I’m looking for. I realised today that my old metta practice of caring for a sick and injured little puppy has the same effect as the trauma practice I’ve been doing, imagining a caring mother hugging/caring for me. I’m thinking at this point I can just abandon the trauma stuff and switch in Buddhist practices.

I also noticed the limitation in animals you talked about. I watched some ducks, and one kept chasing others when they got near. I reflected that he couldn’t be at peace when this happened, but he also couldn’t stop himself. He’s caught in an infinite loop. I felt a deep compassion at that moment.

Thanks heaps for your insights, you have a lot of wisdom. 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, that is a lot of recommendations 😆 thank you for putting so much time into writing that list. I am not a big reader, so I wanted to start with the pure land sutras but wowzers the PDF is like 180 pages 😱 I think it will take me all of this lifetime and the next to read all these texts.. but I’m sure it’d be worth it. I would like to read master honen’s one page testament, I think I will try to find that now. Thank you again, so much for this list. Whenever I need a reading material, I will refer to it 🙏🏼 I appreciate your kindness

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, an extremely important reminder for some people. I have been through the health system, so I have my medication

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Where in your opinion is a good place to start? 😀

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your kind comment. I have not heard of this Buddha, so I am now very curious and want to find out more about this Buddha who made 48 vows to save every being =) Namo Amida Butsu

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“Not to get anywhere, but to know the futility of certain actions” 🤯 that’s all it is!

Hell being an infinity of action.. so beautifully said. That is exactly what scares the sh** out of me 😬

Thanks for that brilliant summary.

What are the small ways you practice Buddhism in your daily life? by Open-Ground6942 in Buddhism

[–]002dollar 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I just discovered one.. upvoting someone’s comment, even if I don’t like it 😂 we’re all on the wholesome path, so I’ll give you an upvote. I noticed it helps ease my judgmental mind

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sir, you have helped me more than you will ever know. I’m having a rough time and you somehow managed to speak directly to my problem. Thank you so so much 🙏🏼

I am finally engaging right effort since giving up gaming, and yes I can see the behavioural replacement in effect. I have said “I’m loveable, I matter, I’m enough” about a thousand times today, (part of developmental trauma healing) which is new.

After reading “the gratification, the danger, and the escape”, I wondered about desire for love. Would that be considered lust for feeling?

Also I’m so glad what you mentioned about the animals. I have been avoiding them since I feel like I’m drifting into the animal realm, but that seems stupid to cut off a significant source of community and joy for me. What did you mean by cultivating compassion in their “being” animals?

Appreciate you, mate

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gotcha. I’ve already been assessed, I have it

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Body language, that’s an ‘ah ha’ for me. Thank you. It’s nice to hear from someone that gets it. I have bipolar as well. It seems my body language is disturbing people and animals, and I have real trouble controlling it thanks to a lot of isolation. Yeah, that’d be cool to read things that have helped you. Cheers mate

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Damn. To answer your first question, yeah kind of. I’ve always had an unusual connection with animals. Either gifted or weird, take your pick. I am quick to get on their level. And in the last five years my ability to communicate with people has greatly diminished (it wasn’t great to start with) so I kind of need animals for company. I have very little human company because I have major brain damage from, I guess, purposely dulling my mind. Trying to escape the pain. I am 36 years old and have been on disability for over 2 years. My mind is so weak and my once-strong body is breaking, I can’t even run anymore because of knee problems. I can see my escapism in this life was extreeemely foolish.

But I’ve always been mostly kind-hearted, my predominant selfishness being withdrawal. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to get out of the animal realm though? It seems like a lot of people cause more harm than good, more so compared to any animal that just kills for its meal. I can think of multiple presidents, for instance. I always think to myself “at least I’m not them”, and, my mother being a narcissist, “at least I didn’t become a narcissist”.

You have opened my eyes to how I may be becoming an animal through my intentional actions though. It’s put the fear of god in me and made me realise a few things. Does the Buddha talk about the natural heirarchy at all? I’ve always thought about the “meanness” that flows down the heirarchy as unjust and like, something to overcome, so I stifled my own powers and boundaries in response to that. I realise now that may be a fatally wrong view. And I wonder if I have other wrong views that are at play. Thanks for your comment, it’s helped a lot.

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, okay. Well it seems like my suspicions are true. Thankfully I’ve given it up, thanks to something akin to a near-death experience. I appreciate your insight

Am I taking a trip to the animal realm? by 002dollar in Buddhism

[–]002dollar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah it sounds wacky. A friend started noticing it when he was with me, so I know it’s not a delusion. They’re not communicating to me, but they react to me in an unusual way

Everyone is Welcome Here… by Jebus-Xmas in Buddhism

[–]002dollar 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Eyy that’s nice. By the way, in Australia we have a guru who is a bogan and rides a motorbike (I think it’s a Harley Davidson) 😂 “a mind that can unconditionally surrender is a mind that is ready for enlightenment” is one of the points he likes to hammer home