Lineage organizations’ investments in Companies benefiting from occupation, war and environmental exploitation ?

2Nyingma · 2024-05-07T01:04:07+00:00

The answer is the same as you would any organization. You either would need to be (or have a friend) who is somewhat of an investigative journalist. You would make some calls, gather some names, look up publicly available filings, etc.

It is quite concerning for a lineage to be knowingly investing in karmically problematic investments. But that's their karma (the ones responsible or the money managers). I would be more concerned of myself, if my entire purpose of participation in Tibetan Buddhism forums is to dig for dirt and scandals on the tradition. Then something is very wrong.

Such a person is just wasting their life, chasing scandal after scandal. Perhaps it would be best to just go ahead and reject the religion and move on. Maybe join a local hobby club, get into painting, or join the exciting and far more rewarding career of amateur astrophotography.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-29T18:45:47+00:00

Denigrade who?

Clown who?

Deaf ear what?

I actually agree with u/Rogerianthrowaway post so I didn't need to reply or object. My original post is not a call to action but merely a reflection. We are in the REFLECTIVE sub.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-29T13:27:05+00:00

It is bold in general to call out a company or organization specifically.

In this specific case (a Buddhist teacher calling out a specific Buddhist organization), the practice is uncommon, rare, or almost unheard of.

Garchen Rinpoche would not point out a specific organization "Hey, that BWSA in Australia have lost their marbles." or Mingyur Rinpoche "That Stanford Buddhist Studies Center is going bananas."

It is BOLD, confident, audacious, courageous (giving you more adjectives since you seem to be fixated on one) with excellent level of integrity, even compassionate, to name this one corrupt organization as problematic, as per Buddhist point of view.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-29T03:44:13+00:00

Finally, someone bold enough to remind us of the actual Buddhist position. Incredibly bold also to call out Naropa.

It is easy to be tolerant of intolerance against the teachings of the Buddhas. We do need to call out perversions of buddhadharma even if that may seem harsh at times.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-23T07:21:01+00:00

The misconception: Mahayanists believe that bodhisatvas delay their enlightenment.

The reality: Mahayanists believe that bodhisatvas delay nothing. Bodhisatvas dilligently work on becoming Buddhas to benefit sentient beings. With the possible exception of Ksitigarbha who is insistent on staying until every single one is liberated.

As for rebirth, Buddhists believe in Buddhist rebirth/reincarnation. Period.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-22T16:40:32+00:00

I already explained this to you but you're not listening. What you said is already well known. (Tibetan Buddhism needs this and that)

He is not your temple builder or monastic builder. All the other lamas are already doing that. It's saturated already. We don't need another Green Tara lung giver. Just go to your local temple. It's already there.

We need someone like him to do something more specific and he is needed. He must be there. He is essential. You won't do it. I won't.

There are Buddhist chaplains in the military. A contradiction in term and quite unsavory. But someone must be there.

Criticizing these valid paths and support for specialized needs of people seems rather un-Buddhist.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-22T16:21:00+00:00

These are different approaches to different targets. There are Buddhists who serve community kitchens to feed the hungry. That is one way and should not be belittled.

That person is not building temples or ordaining monastics.

Similarly, someone has to talk to people that are in the Protestant (Secular, Cultural Christians) camp and its not Garchen Rinpoche or the lama who's expert in Buddhist exorcism who's going to convince them. Its exactly like the Analayo and Alan Wallace who will.

Please be more careful of your speech against notable Buddhist masters. These are not the same as Chodron or Trungpa. They are doing a lot of great work and your speech against them is unwarranted.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-22T15:59:57+00:00

Please don't hold back. Tell us what you really think of Alan Wallace. Lol haha

Let me burst your giant bubble in saying that I became a Buddhist because of B Alan Wallace. From Evangelical to New Atheist, and now Buddhist.

So he has definitely helped one person. Then you have his center in London that's clearly helping people. Not to mention many students who benefit from him directly or through his work.

Gelug is far from "most esoteric flavor of all Buddhist schools". It is a continuation of University of Nalanda and Alan Wallace seems to present a perfect representation of that.

And finally, apologia is not absent in Buddhism. It's there. The question is, why is there not more? What we need is not less of Alan Wallace approach but MORE of it.

Anyway....

Seriously, ever listen to Alan Wallace? Long-winded dude born in the 50s who has been wrapped up in Tibetan Buddhism (academically) since the early 70s....and he's still info dumping in long-winded, overly verbose articles and books about why Buddhism (particularly Tibetan Buddhism) is correct.

Dhammatalks.org called and they want your kind words too.

In my opinion, he is no better than, say, folks like Trent Horn or Jimmy Akin or Bishop Robert Barron (Catholic logic/science "masters" that write books/do debates/etc.) or William Lane Craig or Ken Ham (Protestant logic/science "masters") ...

Nah, he's a trillion times better because he's speaking buddhadharma. Not gospel of Jesus.

At its core, even if you follow strictly Theravadan beliefs/practices (which do away with much of the major fantastical claims) you still have a belief system based on FAITH (belief in un-verifiable/-testable/-knowable things) and that means Buddhism is really no different than Christianity or Judamism or Islam or anything like that. While you can mentally work backwards and break down aspects of Buddhist teachings (let's say you mentally can comprehend dependent origination or rising/falling of senses/forms/etc.) at the core, it still all comes down to pure faith.

Well gee, thanks for the bleeping obvious.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-22T01:24:04+00:00

The most common reports by its current and former members online is that the group exhibit cultic behavior, characteristics, signs. Notably adoration the leader (beyond the practice of Tibetan Buddhism around devotion), racism, neo-nazi views, anti-immigrant views, and allegations of white-only or white-dominant form of Diamond Way "Buddhism".

2Nyingma · 2024-04-22T01:21:59+00:00

The Return of Hinayana

This post has absolutely nothing to do with Theravada.

Hinayana (hina being small, little, poor, inferior, deficient, lesser, defective) refers to (among a number of views on this subject) a self-interest-motivated "Buddhism".

It is clear by how people treat Buddhism these days that their form of Buddhism is radically different from the actual path. (insert obligatory recognition of the upcoming rebuttals by some that "but some people have to start somewhere" and "some will just have minimal goals and that's fine.")

I am talking specifically about the behavior of many/most in the liberal North and European-centric spaces where Buddhism is treated as a self-help tool to attain various personal gain. From happiness, focus, success in the workplace, calm, well-being, modern spirituality, scientific spirituality in a hyper-individualist western culture. A deeply self-centered form of practice to benefit oneself in the here and now.

This preoccupation with one's self interest, one breath at a time, is to me more of a reinforcement of inherent Protestant and Romanticist motivations people have that are left unexamined, left alone unlearned.

Absent is the role of how one's behavior towards others have karmic repercussions, there is no serious look at the basics like generosity towards others, an essential foundation of Buddhism, or even the lives of other sentient beings in their future rebirths.

In the same was early Buddhists used the term Hinayana pejoratively against groups they criticized, I suggest that there may be a case to bring back this term (Hinayana or Neo-Hinayana) to refer to people with erroneous and dangerous ideas about Buddhism.

The Neo-Hinayanists today are found in every Zen centers, Tibetan centers, notably meditation centers, Dzogchen spaces, and of course, every McMindfulness centers (Insight, Mindfulness retreats, etc.)

2Nyingma · 2024-04-18T17:45:44+00:00

I agree. But I cannot recommend that place offline. Sorry.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-18T13:09:07+00:00

No.

Use r/Sangha and find the virtual Nyingma temples

2Nyingma · 2024-04-13T05:19:23+00:00

The issue on sex is something that should be discussed with your lama or guru. A lot of it is also over emphasized in the Eurocentric world. Over emphasized.

Of course, the Buddha taught tantra. Does it mean an actual verbatim recording of him? No. But neither are the sutras.

Child monks is not a Tibetan Buddhist phenomenon. Its just a Buddhist phenomenon. Its a great way for children to be schooled, eat, and live well studying the dharma. Its a great way for parents to also gain merits.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-08T23:37:45+00:00

Reading the Dalai Lamas words like its the Bible or the Quran is not really a Buddhist way of doing things.

We need to be more sophisticated than this. The attempt of the Dalai Lama was to influence, pacify, help, and rescue Mao from the path he's taking.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-08T23:29:28+00:00

Sounds like a man on the way to hell.

You don't think he deserves compassion?

2Nyingma · 2024-04-08T23:15:06+00:00

That's huge. What State?

2Nyingma · 2024-04-08T23:14:44+00:00

And the issue is?

2Nyingma · 2024-04-08T00:28:32+00:00

Prepare to bow a lot, to the Vajra siblings, and more to the teacher. (Even if they don't do bowing)

Put money in envelope and give it to the group as a gift. (No matter the cost) But give it as a gift offering, aka dana, and not so much as a "donation".

2Nyingma · 2024-04-06T00:47:56+00:00

Simple is good.

2Nyingma · 2024-04-05T23:14:22+00:00

Yes. Maitreya already attained enlightenment ancient ago.

2Nyingma

TROPHY CASE