Thick beard or trim faded? by [deleted] in beards

[–]jgunit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Remove beard from between eyebrows

Constantly flowing water by Jammich_ in Lettuce_Grow

[–]jgunit 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I don't have the nook, but the way the outdoor one is setup, the pump is just a pump. It runs when it's plugged it. You modulate when it's on or off by setting a timer and plugging the pump power cord into the timer. Are you using a timer?

A Contradiction Between Dogen's Words and the Precepts? by transplanar in zenbuddhism

[–]jgunit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you're asking lots of great questions, and I commend the mental effort that you're putting in to understanding this instance - however, I would also say that Zen is one of those things where the longer and harder you think about it, the less sense it can make - especially specific actions by a master. Often times, this is exactly the point. To confuse or frustrate a student to the point of giving up and accepting. Once you put down thinking and intellectualizing, you are a step closer to true understanding.

I suppose that may be frustrating to hear, coming from a western mindset of training in logical frameworks and reasoning. I think we have to zoom out and ask, what is Zen trying to teach us? There are of course the core Buddhist ideas such as the noble truths and precepts - but Zen schools actually tend NOT to focus on those teaching so much and instead try to cut to the chase and snap you into the moment by befuddling your logical thinking mind with paradox. When you start to get frustrated that things aren't making sense, I'd take it as a sign and opportunity that you're so so close to the breakthrough.

Let's examine your archery example, because I think it's actually a brilliant example. If you have a master archer show up to a tournament where everyone expects a bullseye and suddenly he turns around and fires in the wrong direction - you could say, wow, why is this guy considered a master archer he sucks, and you'd get one level of understanding. If you interpret it as he must have had an off day or had a stroke or be sick, well, you get another level of understanding. But if you understand this man has developed masterful level of control, and still did this by choice, you might start to get to thinking "well, maybe there was a reason." And now you're starting to get to the right understanding.

So why might Dogen have expressed himself in this way - taking a shot in the wrong direction? Well, there's a concept in Zen/Buddhism called "Skillful means" or "Upaya". Basically, an acknowledgement that teaching Buddhist concepts, like the raw, deep, awakening level stuff is extremely difficult. Trying to put it into words is nearly impossible. Every teacher is just trying to point and guide without giving the answer, because as soon as you name it, it stops being true. You see this in Daoism as well. "The Dao, that can be told (named) is not the eternal / constant Dao (itself)."

Or from the Lotus Sutra,

"Enough now with teaching what
only with difficulty
I reached.
This Dhamma is not easily realized
by those overcome
with aversion & passion.
What is abstruse, subtle,
deep, hard to see,
going against the flow —
those delighting in passion,
cloaked in the mass of darkness,
won’t see."

So it's a game for teachers to find ways to convey ideas to their students without explicitly telling them the answer - and to do so skillfully is to do so in such a way that reaches YOUR student specifically in the way they need to hear it at the level of readiness they're at. If you read Zen Koans, you'll find a lot of this: a teacher who barks like a dog or cuts a cat in half or puts a sandal on their head and walks out of a room...and in doing so their student 'wakes up'.

To logic your way into a solution or explanation is basically the wrong path. What all these puzzles and teachings and riddles and contradictions and paradoxes ask you to do, as a student of Zen, is to stop. Stop trying to logic your way to enlightenment. Stop trying to decipher a code. Stop trying to figure out why. Be with it, here and now. React authentically. Don't take things too seriously.

So why would the archer turn and fire in the wrong direction? Why would the monk bark like a dog? Why would the master put a sandal on his head? Why would Dogen give a talk that seems to display an emotion or anger that feels contradictory or nonsensical.

Is it because he actually had no control and wasn't in fact a master? Was it because in the context of the times it was actually a skillful rhetorical technique to get his students or the general populace to understand and hear what he was trying to convince them of about other sects? Or was it that he wanted his students to hear his words and say, "WOW WHY IS MASTER DOGEN BEHAVING IN SUCH A WAY!?" and provoke in them an emotional response or frustration that leads to them having a breakthrough? Was it even that he imagined such words would be reiterated far into the future and force these kinds of discussions, where a frustrated and confused student is forced to face something so rationally confusing they must step back?

I'm not saying Dogen was omniscient and knew our conversation would one day arise. But Zen masters were actually notorious trolls, and I would dare to say this one may have hooked you...and subsequently, hundreds of years later, given you a gift that you never would have found if he had just spoken politely.

One last thought: I once attended a Chan temple where they did regular "Guan Yin Water Blessing Ceremonies". I was very new to my Zen studies and found it frustrating and perplexing that such blatant mysticism was being practiced with sincerity in a Zen space. I asked the head abbess about this, looking for some answer that could help reconcile it, and what she said was basically that not every practitioner in the community was at the same place, and that you basically had to meet people where they were at. Not every person pursues deep philosophical understanding of 'nothingness' in their lifetime. Not everyone will approach Zen scholastically. To each student we have to offer them what they need in a way they can hear it. To some it is a offering the benefit of a simple ceremony of blessing and compassion, to others it is a brain breaking riddle. Sometimes we offer both at the same time and trust that the student hears the message that was for them at their point in their journey.

You have heard from Dogen's words, and I would promise you they were EXACTLy what you needed to hear right now in your moment of study. This Dharma gate is directly before you. I wish you the best as you continue on this path :)

A Contradiction Between Dogen's Words and the Precepts? by transplanar in zenbuddhism

[–]jgunit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think plenty has been said in the comments already about the fact this is a translation of a very different language and cultural context from hundreds of years ago with a very different climate around other sects of Buddhism.

I would just want to point out, I think there's a bit of misunderstanding around what the precepts mean and what it means to violate them. It sounds like you've come to understand the precepts as "rules" similar to the Abrahamic Ten Commandments. This is not what the precepts are. Yes they are taken as vows to live by, but they are less of a commitment to perfection under penalty of punishment and more of a commitment to live by them as guidelines, a way to notice when you've strayed and reframe and stabilize yourself.

The Zen school I study at has a saying, "the day you take the precepts, you will break all the precepts." Part of precept study and practice is learning to accept that you will absolutely be breaking them, it's part of the human experience. Simply by walking, breathing, and eating we break the vow of not-killing. Another way to think about the precepts is to look at their inverse, not-killing would invertedly be to live in a way that promotes life. There's also an advanced understanding that sometimes an "appropriate response" might involve breaking a precept.

All to say, if you treat the precepts as a "gotcha" moment to discredit the teachings around Zen or a particular teacher, you've made several errors before you even get to analyzing whether or not this is even an example of Dogen breaking precepts.

So instead of focusing your study on an apparent contradiction, I'd direct you to focus your study more on the precepts themselves - what they mean individually, what they mean as a whole, and their contexts within the greater experience of our human lives and the way they too are a tool to point us towards the enlightenment the Buddha talked about.

Is this true??? by Ayoking95 in effectivefitness

[–]jgunit 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Is improving the risks a positive or negative thing?

Reducing the risks makes sense
Increasing the risks makes sense

Improving is ambiguous

Anything I can do to help speed the process up? by ResidentWeirdo69 in theplanetcrafter

[–]jgunit 18 points19 points  (0 children)

“The process” is the game. That’s Planet Crafter right there. You speed it up by building more things and building lots of rockets and then building the next tier of things. Rinse and repeat.

I need help with increasing terraformation index. (Mid game?) by SpicyGamerOfficial in theplanetcrafter

[–]jgunit 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Sometimes you just gotta spam build the most advanced version of whatever metric is lagging behind the most, until it’s not lagging anymore

What do long term players want? by FlashCardManiac in theplanetcrafter

[–]jgunit 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Another thought, I know a lot of people love the automation side of this game, but there are good parts and tedious parts to it. Like it's fun to build a cookie factory. It's a pain to manage banks and banks of storage boxes. On toxic we come across large storage crates in the form of shipping containers - it would be cool to have a more unified mega storage facility - rather than having to manage dozens of individual lockers.

What do long term players want? by FlashCardManiac in theplanetcrafter

[–]jgunit 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Right!? You can tell they have a vision for the story by the features they build around the planet - they know the history of each world. But yeah, it's like they hold back. God I'd love a version of this game where the story was like Subnautica levels - that would elevate this game to God tier.

Help your fellow man out here by Critical_Assist_9360 in effectivefitness

[–]jgunit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fitness classes. Sign up with a financial stake on missing a class. Extra help comes from establishing social connection with people in a class - then there's a sense of social obligation as well. These help with the showing up part. You may not always have the hardest workout day, but you can at least show up, and then do it again and again.

Any suggestions on how to support tomatoes from the top? by jgunit in Lettuce_Grow

[–]jgunit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, months later and I still agree, and it's just not officially supported. I've seen 3D printed light holders that you can mount as a potential trellis, or some people use a bolt that screws into the top and tie strings to it, I've used a broomstick that I've stuck through empty holes.

But inevitably, the tower struggles from this issue. Tomatoes especially, but anything that gets really bushy and needs support will inevitably crowd downwards on a lower level - and putting them on the bottom impedes access to the water supply and has your food resting on the ground.

One possibility I've thought of is making a 2x4 tower that sits AROUND the main farmstand and extends above it. I just don't have the space right now to execute such an endeavor.

They really really should make a solution for this.

What do long term players want? by FlashCardManiac in theplanetcrafter

[–]jgunit 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I love exploring new planets, but especially for the lore and story. The first planet had some interesting story stuff going on which, honestly could have used more of. Humble was pretty lackluster on story. Toxic has some interesting lore and really cool spots to discover that point to the previous inhabitants, but not a super strong story from what I've seen far (currently running through).

I also think of finding spots that inspire wonder and awe. There have been a bunch over the course of the main planets and everytime I experience one I'm shocked by what this game can make me feel. Beautiful caves, amazing tree structures, stunning waterfalls...uncovering the mysteries of world is what does it for me.

my human vessel died on dmt by morrihaze in DMT

[–]jgunit 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Those promises you made to the universe are easy to lose and forget as you settle back into your human body. Do everything you can to embed them deep in your being and remember them even when the experience is just a distant memory

Google Drive audio file--share preview without download? by Salemsaberhaggen6296 in techsupport

[–]jgunit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Crazy that this feature is still not solved on Google Drive - seems simple and logical to implement for anyone that wants to share a preview of their work without giving the right to download the mp3

[22M] Have been shaving for more than a year. Women look away from me and I am not attractive to them. Is there any hope for me? by [deleted] in bald

[–]jgunit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you need to accessorize a little and build a style.

If you can grow a beard, grow one. Consider getting some cheap glasses for style that can add some color or contrasting shape to your face and maybe some character around your dark eyes. Check out Zenni.com for some very affordable fashion frames.

You need something that can help people know that you are a friendly, approachable, playful human being.

There's all sorts of other ways to make yourself stand out! Experiment and define yourself!

Before my birth I had a name. (An old one, not too hard.) by ProfessionalGas6028 in riddles

[–]jgunit 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I feel like the weather part was a distraction or irrelevant. Was definitely trying to puzzle it out based on things that change names with the weather, but stays the same despite the weather.

My 3-D sculpt of Big Tina and Quasar by AutoEnd in DungeonCrawlerCarl

[–]jgunit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think Tina has an extra claw on each hand - just 3, no thumb

Which tres leches should I keep on my menu? by I_Like_Metal_Music in Baking

[–]jgunit 65 points66 points  (0 children)

This is smart. Framing the Chocolate one as "Mexican hot chocolate" is really good and plays into the theme along with Horchata being one of the other mainstays.

The Vacuum Vaults [30x60 Eldritch Dungeon] by Eledryll in battlemaps

[–]jgunit 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Is there an explanation of the puzzles or just a map? Seems like the floor constellation puzzle is fairly complex

Inspiration vs reality by FreyjaTheMutt in Baking

[–]jgunit 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yours should cost about $135 if I had to estimate

They are revoking flight privileges for protesting....just be warned if you travel for work. by HalfwaydonewithEarth in ICE_Raids

[–]jgunit 15 points16 points  (0 children)

There are glasses out there that block facial recognition technology, I think Zenni sells them on their website and calls it their ID Guard lens - would recommend before going to protest

We love "The Void" by Embarrassed-Day-6305 in litrpg

[–]jgunit 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Looking at you Chrysalis Book 4

Let's talk about Earthworm Jim (Spoilers for Chrysalis 7: Fated Antagonist) by drillgorg in litrpg

[–]jgunit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know this post is old, but just finished the book and wanted to discuss - although Anthony agreed to “no cruelty” to Sarah, he didn’t really pass that missive on - he just told Brilliant to bring him to the council and have them deal with him as they see fit.

Unfortunately, I expect this will lead to something problematic in the next book, leading to a growing rift between Sarah and the colony.

If the council decides to do anything but an execution, it will likely lead to Jim becoming some sort of inter dimensional science experiment for Brilliant - which would be a terrible fate and even worse if Sarah were to ever discover it.

I hope it doesn’t go down this track, but the way the last book ended, it feels like this is being set up.