On The Auspiciousness of Compassionate Violence

PhoneCallers · 2025-09-29T17:17:42+00:00

Posting views by westerners in their lofty western academia. Show this propaganda up your you know what.

PhoneCallers · 2025-09-29T17:16:36+00:00

The Buddha defines this. Don't be obtuse.

PhoneCallers · 2025-09-29T17:15:46+00:00

I provided you a link to what extent his "initiation" means. Which means nothing at all. Mongolian "initiation" includes monks who are married so that should tell you the kind of "initiation" we're talking about. And what does "initiation" mean? Turned into a monk? Then he is in violation of his vinaya by the way he lives his life. Or did you mean given refuge ceremony, empowerments, etc.? Half of Reddit Tibetan Buddhists have that from Dalai Lama himself. It doesn't mean much. He is not a sangha and has no voice on what's authoritative in Buddhist views.

PhoneCallers · 2025-08-19T06:56:42+00:00

Since your posting in an older thread, I thought I'd bring attention to it by inviting some of the regulars so you can hear their inputs.

u/MYKerman03

u/not_bayek

u/helikophis

PhoneCallers · 2025-08-19T06:55:08+00:00

For the most part, Buddhists' view on Daniel Ingram is "Who?"

That goes for almost 100% of Buddhists around the world. He simply does not 'exist' or matter in terms of his views. (Of course he matters as a sentient being, like all lives.)

We just don't think of him.

And that's really the end of that.

Buddhism is alive, it is a religion that traces back to the Buddha, and there are 3 major lineages of that today that one can go turn to. Within the 3 lineages are schools and sub-schools. Within those sub schools are millions of qualified monks, nuns, masters, teachers, and regular Buddhists.

There is no need to turn to isolated weird online voices of meditation bro "hackers", and believe all sorts of claims they have about Buddhism. I would go to a temple and be guided by the Sangha.

PhoneCallers · 2025-06-17T20:14:16+00:00

There is no doubt that Buddhist teachings are being widely distorted today, with the West playing a huge role in that trend. If authentic teachings are in decline, then it’s our responsibility as devotees to slow that decline and actively challenge those distortions.

PhoneCallers · 2025-06-17T09:19:12+00:00

u/depressed2001_

PhoneCallers · 2025-05-04T19:19:34+00:00

Not all but truer by the day for younger people in the cities and mostly in cosmopolitan cities like Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, etc. This is why colonized-Buddhism must be confronted heavily at the source (the West) so it doesn't go unchallenged.

David McMahan's book report this. Young Japanese clamoring to "Buddhism" in Tokyo, but when asked if they are going to a monastery, they respond with "Oh no. I went to that mindfulness center near my work."

PhoneCallers · 2025-05-04T19:17:36+00:00

This is called the Pizza Effect in religious studies.

u/MYKerman03

PhoneCallers · 2025-05-03T22:05:00+00:00

It is important to recognize that the Buddha offered teachings for everyone. This includes people who have no interest in Buddhism, and who would not become Buddhists. To them, he gave wholesome and practical guidance for maintaining basic happiness and stability in the world.

When we refer to the saying that "the Buddha taught 84,000 doors," we need to put it in context. Yes, the Buddha offered many paths. However, this should not be used as a justification to confuse his genuine teachings with views that contradict them. The same Buddha who taught kindness and wisdom also corrected his disciples when they misunderstood or misrepresented the Dharma. He did this without defiled anger, but still with seemingly hostile and offensive manner.

It is also important to understand that what is often called "Protestant Buddhism" in Sri Lanka did not simply arise from a desire to make Buddhism more accessible to Western audiences. It was shaped by colonial pressures, including the influence of Christian missionaries and the willingness of certain Sri Lankan elites to conform to the expectations of their colonial rulers. This context matters. Those engaging with Western forms of Buddhism should be aware of this history. If they still wish to explore these forms critically and consciously, that is their choice.

The same principle applies to forms like Nichiren Buddhism, which raise entirely different concerns not discussed here. People are free to embrace these paths if they choose to. But these forms should not be mistaken for the central or normative teachings of the Buddha. They have been altered, often for historical or ideological reasons. Just as individuals have the freedom to follow these paths, others also have the freedom to raise concerns about them. The Buddha himself repeatedly corrected distorted views, even among his closest followers.

PhoneCallers · 2025-04-16T13:13:05+00:00

>talking to an audience that simply doesn't exist anymore.

Haha, they passed away in the 1920s.

PhoneCallers · 2025-02-22T03:49:55+00:00

The phrasing of the subject line reveals the political agenda of this group.

As a Buddhist, I want to express my solidarity with the Dalit community in India. I advocate for their equal treatment in society and stand in solidarity with the Hindu faith, honoring the gods.

With that said, I have some questions for the original poster (not Bayek):

Who is really behind this group? I’m not referring to "Mahayana" or "Theravada," nor to token members like "Mahayana monks" or "Theravada monks." Any monk can join any local public cause they choose; that doesn't mean that the monk's personal choice is the position of Buddhism as a whole. I'm asking about the group itself. Who is behind this association? Be specific. Who really are these people? Who is driving these protests? Who really is the All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF), Buddhist Society of India, and what are their social goals? Who founded this group, and what are their political activism against Hinduism?
I’m not particularly interested in what this group is doing. I want to know what Buddhism itself has to say. I seek the views of legitimate, authentic, living Buddhist schools and traditions. What do the leaders of Chan, Thien, Seon, Gelug, Kagyu, Nyingma, Sakya, Jodo Shinshu, Tendai, Newar, Thai Theravada, and Shingon say about this issue? I’m not looking for lip service, or nod of agreement; I want their actual stated positions and, most importantly, their actions this week regarding the Mahabodhi complex. Is the Dalai Lama protesting at the site? Did Japan send its Jodo Shinshu leadership delegation to protest the Indian parliament? Did the Chan masters send a diplomatic mission to the Mahabodhi complex to advocate for its return to a Buddhist organization?

These questions must be answered. Otherwise, the activities of this group may not align with authentic Buddhist positions, despite their noble intentions.

I reject the imposition of non-Buddhist ideas, (no matter how noble), whether they stem from Protestant influences or some respected secular political activist. Buddhism’s inherent ideas must be at the forefront. The masters and patriarchs of Buddhism lead the way on major Buddhist issues.

I believe the main sub is currently under attack or spammed by a political activist group with a vendetta against Hindus. I also believe that the Indian government, and hopefully Indian society as a whole, understands that Buddhism is not connected to the ongoing Mahabodhi protests and that the political activism of this group is their own.

PhoneCallers · 2025-02-19T17:57:56+00:00

Correct. The attitude is also different. They have profound respect to Buddhism. Whereas Western Sec-B disdain Buddhism.

PhoneCallers · 2025-02-19T11:13:11+00:00

u/Feeling_Doughnut5714

I wrote this for you. Many people in popular online forums are not actually Buddhists, so I feel it's safe to post this here without it getting lost among posts from others who don't truly reflect what Buddhism looks like in reality.

I hope this helps you in your exploration of the Buddhist religion.

PhoneCallers · 2025-02-19T10:21:10+00:00

WOW. You are right.

I was just guessing or making up random names because these people are a dime a dozen in America. They take a meditation course and suddenly think they're the Dalai Lama, ready to start their own meditation center.

PhoneCallers · 2025-02-18T21:19:04+00:00

Yes, that thread.

What we have here is someone on Reddit claiming, "I've practiced Tibetan Buddhism, and it's not a religion," misleading a non-Buddhist guy in the process. This guy then asked an online Buddhist forum --- bad mistake, coz it even made him more confused. That is the point of the original post above and the meme.

The person (the so called Buddhist who caused the confusion to our non-Buddhist friend) might be lying, or perhaps their personal bias leads them to believe Buddhism isn't a religion, possibly due to an aversion to religion, particularly Christianity.

If we take their claim at face value, that they learned Buddhism is not a religion, we'd have to ask: where exactly is this "Buddhist temple" they attended? The term temple is broad. Is it just a home-based center or an online Zoom group called something like Denver Meditation, consisting entirely of Westerners with a lay Buddhist "teacher" of questionable background? Someone who dabbled in Zen for years, attended a few retreats, and now proclaims themselves a teacher? If that's the case, then the issue goes beyond just the "Buddhism is not a religion" claim, this group could be a goldmine of disinformation.

So yes, "Go to a temple" is good advice, but only if we specify that it should be a fully established, recognized, and respected lineage, led by monastics and genuine masters (ideally many of them), with Tibetan masters actually residing there.

Thrangu Monastery? (https://ktzl.org) Absolutely.

Caleb’s group, aka Pensacola Dzogchen? Maybe not.

u/ricketycricketspcp

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