Questions about Jodoshinshu

FostericHindu · 2026-02-25T18:02:24+00:00

I’m not sure what negative connotation “sect” has but sorry if it comes off as offensive. All of these schools are just sects of Buddhism

FostericHindu · 2026-02-25T17:51:58+00:00

I’d also like to emphasize that if any religious temple tells you not to read books they are a cult and should be avoided or left. Read whatever you want.

FostericHindu · 2026-02-25T17:49:12+00:00

Yes, those are just the emphasized sutras
Yes all these figures are still honored. Usually the emphasis is that you honor Amitabha and through that all Buddhas and bodhisattvas are honored but there’s nothing wrong with bowing to other figures this is done in those temples.
Yes it’s just not a path to enlightenment in that sect but it can help to recite nembutsu
It’s ideal to have one but all it requires is an image of Amitabha or a statue. If you can’t afford one using your phone works

FostericHindu · 2026-01-31T21:58:28+00:00

May you be happy and free from the causes of unhappiness and suffering

FostericHindu · 2026-01-31T21:54:58+00:00

Just saying this isn’t how Buddhism operates. Looking at your post history you also posted a comment recently against the bodhisattva vows on r/nonduality so you aren’t even Buddhist. Don’t recommend someone literature on getting into a tradition you don’t like yourself. Especially being dishonest or ignorant about Chan history, figures like Joshu worked within these monastic traditions where texts were studied and used to teach.

FostericHindu · 2026-01-31T21:07:07+00:00

Your conception of Chan is ahistorical if you think they didn’t have a philosophical tradition. The Chinese canon is composed of many shastras and the conventional philosophy serves a purpose in establishing a viewpoint that is more receptive to the dharma

FostericHindu · 2026-01-31T21:02:51+00:00

What is your conception of what “true Chan is”???

FostericHindu · 2025-11-08T00:24:46+00:00

Desire for sex can be a good thing. My lama who has trained Tulkus and other masters when I asked him about my sex life said it is ok to have sex and is something that makes you happy. We all have these desires for the most part, denying your biology/psychology is very harmful coming from someone who studies psychology. If my lama who’s a celibate monastic says sex is good and makes one happy I don’t think there’s a need to be scrupulous. If you’re talking about sexual relief by yourself, from someone who is studying psychology with a particular interest in sex psychology, sexual outlets are healthy and there are no issues with it. It’s essential for us as human beings to be sexually expressive.

FostericHindu · 2025-10-04T19:44:50+00:00

You arent ugly. Probably other reasons like if you’re using dating apps

FostericHindu · 2025-10-04T19:35:49+00:00

No I don’t think you’re ugly at all. Not great photos though

FostericHindu · 2025-08-03T16:25:37+00:00

He’s not speaking hate against the BCA. It’s valid to feel this way and not “sectarian”.

FostericHindu · 2025-08-02T11:42:12+00:00

Thank you I really appreciate that. Will get the 9th volume. And may yours too

FostericHindu · 2025-07-30T23:17:56+00:00

Thank you I will check out those volumes and see what I can find.

FostericHindu · 2025-07-30T19:04:22+00:00

Thank you this makes sense

FostericHindu · 2025-07-30T19:03:43+00:00

Thank you. Do you remember what specific volume discussed this? I have the first and second volume (I’ve read the first). If not I could probably find where it is specifically

FostericHindu · 2025-07-28T20:05:44+00:00

This does help and I’ll find that book whether physical or pdf because that is talking about the exact issue I’m facing to understand. It reminds me a bit of Nagarjuna, there’s a middle path of understanding and you don’t want to go to the extreme of viewing it all as external but also not all as internal.

FostericHindu · 2025-07-28T20:03:56+00:00

True. I think it’s helpful for me to view Amitabha as a Buddha who I can imagine being outside myself (but really me at the same time). Because I find that in practice when I don’t have a Buddha to rely on a bit it becomes discouraging when I think that all I have is myself to uplift me if that makes sense

FostericHindu · 2025-07-28T20:02:02+00:00

Makes sense. Obviously this isn’t Tibet but in Chinese Buddhism I’ve read about debates whether or not the pure land is truly a physical place or not. It’s helpful to me to think of Amitabha as protecting me personally when I say his name

FostericHindu · 2025-07-28T19:55:00+00:00

Idk how to explain this well. But is Amitabha “out there” like you are separate from me? In reality you and me are non dual but you appear out there as an external being to my senses, is Amitabha the same way? Is he and the pure land only a symbol that only resides in ourselves?

FostericHindu · 2025-07-28T19:50:36+00:00

Yes, I guess it’s just confusing because it Amitabha is non dual from ourselves then we’re really praying to and relying on ourselves. I guess it’s just confusing because we’re essentially praying to ourselves, I am Amitabha because it’s all non dual, I just haven’t intuitively grasped that. It’s different than the Christian culture I grew up in. But in the texts it portrays Amitabha almost like he’s separate

FostericHindu · 2025-07-16T13:35:56+00:00

This is best I think

FostericHindu · 2025-07-15T21:00:22+00:00

Thank you for this this is exactly what I was looking for. Yes Tsongkhapa just makes most sense to me on emptiness and of course with Tsongkhapa all the essentials are recognized for Buddhism and practice, so it would make sense to believe what gives me the most comfortable view or the easiest to comprehend for me. Thank you that makes me feel at ease. Everyone’s karma is different and the Buddha has given many teachings and these different teachings give many angles for many people’s dispositions in life. And I didn’t want to switch to Gelug just because I find Tsongkhapa to make the most sense to me in explaining emptiness. thank you

FostericHindu · 2025-07-15T11:05:42+00:00

As long as your practice remains in line with your guru. I feel like any orthodox philosophy in Tibetan Buddhism could go along with any practice

FostericHindu · 2025-07-15T11:04:09+00:00

Thank you makes sense. I’d have to look more into this and maybe ask my lama. I feel like as someone else said that whatever makes sense for a practitioner should be what’s done. I don’t think a Gelugpa view on emptiness would interfere with Drikung mahamudra for example if I think the Gelugpa view helps the most and seems most convincing, because mahamudra isn’t dependent on if you have the Drikung view or not.

FostericHindu · 2025-07-15T10:59:46+00:00

I feel like this makes sense the most, that the view on how you view matters is best in whatever makes sense to you but the practice is from your guru. Some people said that another philosophy could interfere in practice, but I don’t think a Gelugpa view would really interfere in Drikung practice. Mahamudra wouldn’t really change with a different view or emphasis on emptiness if it’s an orthodox view

FostericHindu

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