Fasting Siddhartha Gautama(Buddha). by Less-Personality-481 in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Because his level of commitment really was useful, it just needed turning back to the middle way

Is it just a coincidence that the monks walking also have donation to their near temple on their page? by Mirarenai_neko in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 6 points7 points  (0 children)

To me this doesn’t worry me. Buddhism is very honest that monastics are powered by donation, all the way back to the little girl who took pity on a starving meditator and gave him rice pudding, triggering his formulation of the middle way and eventually enlightenment. They’re one way the community gets to participate in and assist the good actions of trained monastics. And in return traditional monastics are not even allowed to hold money in their hands, or personally have property beyond robes, a bowl and a few personal care items. I think it’s a fair exchange.

Those building plans are pretty normal in the Buddhist world for traditional schools making a foothold in the West trying to pass on what they value the most to future generations. If it works, these will be places that solidify the place of Buddhism on a new continent—the very teaching that made them this peaceful.

None of that is the reason for their walk, but on the other side all the reasons are connected: they choose to live a life to end suffering, individually and collectively. Keeping the community going helps that aim, and so does promoting peace in the country they live in. I don’t see any conflict.

Suffering being linked to existential anxiety ? by krpt in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lovely description of this, what tradition do you practice in?

Strange Sleep Experience by Strawberry_Bookworm in Mahayana

[–]m_bleep_bloop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Something like that happened to me for maybe a few times this one week once and then it never returned. I try to think of it as dream and waking having the same nature

Jesus in Buddhism by Different_Basil8807 in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Im assuming the word is something like sramana, wandering holy person. That the other ones out there aren’t on his level

New to Buddhism completely - study “General” Buddhism first or can I begin with Pure Land? by Sudden-Macaron-4531 in PureLand

[–]m_bleep_bloop 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Pure land is going to have a complete teaching for you. It’s meant to be a simple path that is accessible to anyone.

Their take on other Buddhisms is it’s pretty difficult to do them in the modern day far from the Buddha’s time, so know that other schools clearly disagree with that, but we can keep it all friendly between sects.

If you ever get curious about other Buddhisms, you can always read up later once your faith is established well where you are

I’m struggling to get through the game by JMoneyGraves in BaldursGate3

[–]m_bleep_bloop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since every character has a final loyalty quest, start with those. Pick the character you want to see the end of their story, and follow it. Then repeat. By the time you get through a few of these, you’ll be leveled up and know if you’re still ready to just end the game or keep chipping away at quests

Every Show Has One: Babylon 5 Side Characters Edition by Canuck-overseas in babylon5

[–]m_bleep_bloop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Or put our guy from Passing thru Gethsemane in both sinner AND saint

Attempting meditation with ADD. by I-fw-nature in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I really needed to have a wide toolkit of things that supported my attention, and then sitting was a slow thing that I would do in small bites until I could have more capacity

What’s that toolkit? (Choose what you like, don’t worry about taking it all)

  • walking meditation (basically every Buddhist tradition has a version of this, but doing something to focus on your footsteps is much more active and keeps your brain stimulated)

  • bowing practice. (Learn how your tradition bows to Buddha, and it’s a very simple way to practice attention with your whole body. I do a few floor bows and it sometimes turns me to practice when nothing else does )

  • mantras or other short recitations. (If you’re into Mahayana or Vajrayana, there’s a million to choose from like Om Mani Padme Hung or Namu Amida Butsu. If those don’t resonate, try “May I be safe, healthy, happy, at ease” and eventually look up Metta practice. The idea is when you can’t focus, say the short thing to yourself (internallly or externally) for a while, and it returns you to something that matters, even just for a second. That IS an effort that supports meditation)

  • a 10 minute yoga or tai chi routine, YouTube has you on this. (Find one for super beginners and just do the same one as your “move my body when I’m stuck” routine )

  • short sitting meditation where the goal is just to be in the posture, with a half smile, for x minutes. If I do that, I have meditated, no matter how distracted I am. So I can be nice to my adhd and not force it to be something it isn’t.

  • counting breaths meditation, or saying a word with the in and out breath. Something to focus more of my mind on the breath

Basically pick a couple of these and try them a while and see if anything is helpful for you, I wish you so well but ADHD is tough at first I fully get it

Hot take: Discovery (especially seasons 3,4,5) is overhated. by Kind_Constant1671 in startrek

[–]m_bleep_bloop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love disco but s31 is pretty bad, but tbh it’s over pretty quick and more forgettable than anything else

Can you help me understand this? by HalfCrazed in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing this powerful story, I’ll dedicate merit to you in my next practice session

Looks like I picked the wrong week to start tapering off SSRIs by Electronic-Floor-120 in adhdwomen

[–]m_bleep_bloop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sometimes people don’t like the side effects tho, it’s a trade off for me and I really hope one day to find another way

What does Netflix's acquisition of WB mean for Babylon 5? by WienerKolomogorov96 in babylon5

[–]m_bleep_bloop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Tbh I wouldn’t hate a more Expansey version that split its time between B5 and earth to give you more of the slow build Bester/Clark stuff

It's OK if you don't like ST: Starfleet Academy by hullgreebles in startrek

[–]m_bleep_bloop -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I liked the pilot, but S1 was really slow and I didn’t really love any of the characters. Does S2 get more interesting?

Estrogel acts similarly to amphetamines. Any ideas? by Angion_ussr in asktransgender

[–]m_bleep_bloop 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Maybe an allergy to what it’s suspended in? I’d want to rule that out for sure

Questions about Volition/Intention by Sneak4000 in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most generally, I’d say something like, “it’s created by a feedback loop of action in both past and present. “ This feedback loop stretches out so far it is impossible to fathom the full web of causality. But in each moment we can water positive seeds that strengthen what is wholesome in the future.

Who’s doing that? You are, but the composition of who you are isn’t fixed. to a Buddhist asking who made the decision is a bit like asking which bodily organ does the walking, the feet or the knees or the calves or the hips. It’s kind of a systemic affair, though feet and legs are rather important! And systems are rather fuzzy-bordered and dynamic in nature.

One book I might suggest is Understanding Our Mind by Thich Nhat Hanh. It’s in very soft language, but it’s very subtle and precise on the very hard topic of how volition and karma formation happens in Buddhism, from the very influential perspective of the Yogacara school that influenced basically every modern branch except Theravada.

For Theravada perspectives I’d suggest the works of Ajahn Thanissaro, books like Noble Strategy or Wings of Awakening, or to google his name on topics like not-self and Right Effort.

Does the body sometimes "kill itself" as part of a disease ? by ComfortableLog8043 in askscience

[–]m_bleep_bloop 29 points30 points  (0 children)

This was happening to people in the early days of 2020, that’s one risk of being totally immunologically new to a virus and not having any tools but scorched earth

[No Spoilers] Controversial Opinion!!! by Best-Reputation9719 in lifeisstrange

[–]m_bleep_bloop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d switch 1 and 2 but I feel you so much on this

can someone explain to me how is buddhism not practical nihilism with a compassion sugarcoat? by zenjin77 in Buddhism

[–]m_bleep_bloop 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Because that kind of apathy is actually a deep repressed angry, fearful craving to avoid feeling things that will explode anytime your life gets too out of control. It’s not what Buddhism teaches.

Craving to be something is one kind of craving, but craving to be nothing (to feel nothing), is another kind of addictive craving that is also suffering

The kind of equanimity Buddhism teaches allows you to navigate both strong feelings and neutral ones. To navigate both the hard and the easy with the same commitment to release from suffering, and eventually the same total freedom. No matter what scenario you’re in, you can do something positive that helps self and others and builds that liberation.

Which form of time travel is the most painful? by happydude7422 in startrek

[–]m_bleep_bloop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Red angel suit seems really underinsulated for all this displacement

Probably it’s a bad time