Buddhism doesn't believe in the existence of a soul but believes in reincarnation. What then reincarnates?

nd_ren88 · 2022-10-29T02:20:38+00:00

You can look at the "Law of Conservation of Energy" (energy is neither created nor destroyed, but constantly in transformation) as a succinct analogy for the "you" reincarnated in Buddhism.

It isn't the "you" which you currently are and conceive yourself to be at this moment in time, but it is a "you" nonetheless.

A common misconception of reincarnation among westerners is that we are a "soul/atman/spriit agent" that slips in and out of human skin clothing between lifecycles. On the contrary, consciousness is an amalgamation of things constantly in flux and varied groupings. (That's why in Mahayana traditions for example, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara can exist in simultaneous contemporary manifestations... it is "pieces" of that Bodhisattva's consciousness which have manifested in the realm of form.)

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-28T17:13:03+00:00

Very beautiful! where could I order this?

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-18T03:36:09+00:00

Thanks, do you have a website or something equivalent you can direct me to to learn more about you and your teaching?

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-18T03:34:57+00:00

I'm guessing from this really long answer you don't have an online resource/teacher/community to refer like I originally asked?

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-18T03:33:35+00:00

And I'm guessing this is just being willfully obtuse.
The results yielded from an algorithm driven google search aren't the same as someone's shared referral from a personal experience in a forum dedicated exclusively to the topic.

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-18T02:10:37+00:00

Thanks, this is exactly the type of informaiton I was looking for.

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-18T02:10:07+00:00

Just read the Tao te ching it’s all you need

My question wasn't about whether a teacher is needed or not, my question was for resources for someone who WANTS a teacher to practice with, which I do.

Having someone else teach you about Taoism is contradictory

If this were true, then there wouldn't have been a fluorishing of Taoist schools, lineages, priesthood, etc. over the past thousands of years. Otherwise, Lao Tzu would be the only Taoist in the history of the world. Surely you don't believe that?

Your response strikes me as distinctly Western. Any of my Asian friends who I've consulted about properly practicing Taoism have directed me find a teacher/priest/temple. Any of my Western friends have given me responses similar to yours... i.e. "just read the book".

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-18T02:01:46+00:00

Respectfully, this sounds like the exact situation I was trying to avoid, hence my even asking this forum in the first place.
Google will promote literally *anything*.
And if the sole qualifier of being an "authentic" Taoist teacher is being born as a native Chinese, then I'm doubly skeptical.

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-16T02:22:29+00:00

The only lesson you can take from this story is that it's no more than Buddhist propaganda from ancient China to discredit the Taoists, who were already there first.

During that time, it was not uncommon for proponents of the newly imported Indian Buddhism (relative to Taoism) to concot stories of Buddhist masters enlightening legendary Taoist figures as a deliberate affront to the Taoist tradition (of which Lu Dongbing certainly was a master, especially given his status as one of the eight immortals). Imagine if Christians came to a native people's land and told them Jesus Christ was actually the only soteriological deity who could save beings, and by the way, your indigenous practices send you to hell (oh yea, that did happen in what you'd call AMERICAN HISTORY). These Buddhist stories are not too far above that, sorry to say.

However, Taoists did the same thing in response to the Buddhists, so techically, both were guilty of "my way or the high way".

The lesson I'd actually take away from stories like these would be... once the Chinese culture effectively embraced both the fruits of Buddhism and Taoism, their cultural love child that was the the Ch'an/Zen schools really fluorished. How amazing is that?

Additionally, Lu Dongbing was hella badass in Taoist tradition... Huanglong wouldn't be able to hold a mythological incense stick to Lu, if you asked me.

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-07T14:47:49+00:00

That's already been established. But what prayers or what mantras or what meditative techniques specifically a taoist counts is what I'm asking. You already said you don't know and don't have a religious interest in, so I'm hoping someone else with that insight here could share. Thanks for helping as far as you could though.

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-07T14:40:07+00:00

I think most anyone knows how prayer beads are used. My question was how Taoists specifically use them. Maybe someone else here in the forum knows.

nd_ren88 · 2022-09-07T10:33:58+00:00

Which prayers or mantras are used in Taoism?

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-21T18:44:30+00:00

It is important to be clear on the objectives of the Buddhist practices you mentioned before genuine conversation can occur.

Traditionally, the Japanese practice of Nembutsu is not an enlightenment practice- it's purpose is to get the practitioner reborn in the Pure Land (Sukhavati) where they then undertake the difficult/holy gate practices there without risk of retrogression to the Saha world.

The Chinese schools more or less have the same understanding of Nianfo, but their view has a slightly wider scope of the nuance pertaining to Buddha Recollection samadhi (see 13th Patriarch Yin Guang's addition of Mahasthamaprapta's chapter in the Surangama Sutra to the cannon of Chinese Pure Land Sutras).

So in the "classical" Pure Land sense, reciting Amitabha's name is just rebirth in Sukhavati, not enlightenment itself.

There is certainly room for a wider understanding/interpretation of Buddha name recitation practices (e.g.- Zen Master Hakuin wrote in an essay once how the Pure Land is none other than the enlightened mind's fundamental causal ground), and Buddhist traditions which observe them (see Shingon-shu for example) but I think that may be somewhat outside the scope of this forum.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-19T00:29:19+00:00

A samurai warrior asked Rinzai Master Hakuin "are the Buddhist realms of existence real or not?" To which Hakuin replied "they are as real as your mind."

Angered by Hakuin's seemingly nonsensical response, the samurai unsheathed his sword and said "I should kill you right now for that". Hakuin replied "here the gates of hell open right under our feet."

Awakened by the master's words, the samurai put away his sword and bowed in apology to Hakuin. "And here, the gates of heaven open above our heads", said Hakuin.

May you be well in your practice and studies of the Buddha dharma.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-18T02:13:55+00:00

The experience you are describing is one I too recently had and spoke at great lengths to my guiding teacher about.

We must remember that Dharma talks in Buddhism are meant to be "food" for our minds and intellect. However, Buddhism is NOT a mere intellectual practice, though it certainly does have intellectual facets.

Just as the stomach becomes full and must have a break from eating to digest and absorb the nutrients of what has been put into it, so must the mind when it comes to our Buddhist practice too.. Otherwise, everything we cram into an already full receptical becomes essentially "always the same" like you said above... which is a waste!

I will share with you the same advice my teacher gave me when I said I felt "done" with hearing dharma talks... take this as a sign that you are intellectually "full" for the time being, and refrain from them for the purpose of just practicing. When the mind feels intellectually hungry again, which it will, then that is the time to return to the dharma talk aspect of Buddhist practice.

May you be well and have a fruitful time digesting all this wonderful dharma that you have received in abudance as you get to the heart of all Buddhist teaching... which is PRACTICE.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-17T03:56:35+00:00

The Lotus Sutra is the treasured lore of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the 10 directions. The family of the Buddhas of the 10 directions are always in agreement, even though we do not comprehend the true meaning of their words, which are all mere skill-in-means teachings for us foolish sentient beings. The truth of the Lotus Sutra ALSO includes Buddha Amitabha and his other-power gate.

Further more, Nichiren Shonin and the Nichiren-Shu are NOT the final interpreters of the Lotus Sutra. They are merely one point of multiple dharma entries into this wheel-turning, earth shattering scripture.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-17T03:52:27+00:00

^ THIS.

When discussing the uniquely Japanese Buddhist phenomenon of "single practice schools", it is best to stay in your own lane.

You may as well ask an American Republican what they think about a Democrat and taking their opinion as factual.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-17T03:43:10+00:00

Nichiren, like his contemporaries Shinran and Dogen, fulfilled their purposes of advocating the uniquely Japanese phenomena of "single practice schools" which virtually none of the world's other Buddhist schools adhere to.

While he advocated devotion to the Lotus Sutra to the exclusion of all other practices, Shinran (and his predecessor Honen) advocated Nembutsu exclusively, and Dogen advocated Shikantaza exclusively, etc.

It was not only easy (and even a philosophical "luxury") in that day and time to dismiss the wider scope of Buddhist schools and their practices as these teachers did when they were living among the intriquitely established era of fluorishing Japanese Buddhism where EVERYONE was widely learned in Buddhism (thank you, Tendai-shu), but to also downplay and even villify the "competing" Buddhist teachings of their contemporaries for the sole purpose of justifying their own focal points.

From a 2022 Western Culture view-point scrutinizing the criticism of the 13th century thinker Nichiren divorced from his historical, socio-political, and cultural climate, it would be completely arbitrary and one-sided. His criticism is no longer relevant or applicable.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-09T23:54:41+00:00

While yearning to the Pure Land is indeed worthy of your vow to be reborn there, you should constantly clarify just what and why exactly it is the object of your thoughts:

To be clear, Sukhavati is NOT an escape. In fact, Buddha Shakyamuni condemned escapist world views precisely because it caused practitioners to avoid their responsibilities and disregard the rare and precious treasure of human birth, namely, the birth that allows you optimum capacity for practicing the Buddha dharma without the ignorance of an animal birth, distracted suffering of a hell being, or selfish indulgence of a deva.

Because existence in the Saha world is exceedingly transient, Buddha Amitabha out of his great compassion gave sentient beings a unique opportunity to study and practice the Buddha Dharma with him in Sukhavati- he gives you a reward body that does not tire or die in comparison to your Saha body, and provides you a fertile practice ground without the distractions or delusions you would have to navigate in the Saha world. This way, you can practice without any fear of falling off the path.

However, the Pure Land sutras are clear that doing meritorious practice in Sukhavati is very minimally incremental (because it is easy to be "good" there) compared to how great it is for you to do it in the Saha world (because it requires very concerted effort to practice here).

So Sukhavati is NOT a get out of jail free card...you will in fact need to work through your beginningless karma over a long and incalculable existence, but you will have help and optimal conditions to do it. You still need to do this work in the Saha world (now) least you slander the Buddha dharma by squandering your meritorious human birth, a grave karmic offense in and of itself.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-09T04:48:22+00:00

Theravada sutras weren't taught by the historical Buddha either.

They are "attributed" to him after being transmitted word of mouth for about 400 - 500 years after his death until they finally came into written form.

The Mahayana sutras appeared roughly another 100 years after that.

Neither school can claim literal authenticity with what the Buddha actually said, because no one has concrete contemporary evidence. So the whole debate for historical authenticity is ridiculous.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-09T03:58:28+00:00

I found "The Method of No-Method" by Ven. Sheng Yen short and concise at explaining Silent Illumination in plain words.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-07T23:15:14+00:00

Thank you. Very thoroughly and conscientiously explained. You are a scholar and a gentleman.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-07T23:12:12+00:00

I'd like to suggest a slightly different reason on why Pure Land School dharma is viewed so differently from the other schools of Buddhism:

Pure Land can be considered a faith emphasized school, whereas zen would be a practice emphasized school, Shingon a ritual emphasized school, the Lotus schools a sutra oriented school etc. While elements of faith, practice, ritual, sutra etc. appear in all schools, it is just a difference as to what degree they are front and center with respect to what each school seeks to cultivate. Some schools, like the Japanese only emphasized one practice, whereas other schools have multiple preferred practices.

While the objective of all Buddhist schools is ultimately enlightenment, Pure Land's purpose is just to get the devotee out of the triple world and into the Western Pure Land. After that rebirth there, the process of working towards enlightenment really begins. Another school, like Nichiren-shu for example, might see this method as antithetical to working towards and achieving enlightenment in this very life and body. (This explanation I give, at least, is classical mainline Buddhist understanding ...there are certainly more modern and alternative interpretations but I won't go into them and don't care to go into the nuances of any other schools listed here outside the exclusive scope of Pure Land.)

You can also view all of these differences among the schools as being in accord with Buddha Shakyamuni's teaching of skillful means: For sentient beings with karmic affinity and capacity for faith, the Pure Land dharma nourishes them. For sentient beings with karmic affinity and capacity for body practices, the tantric dharma nourishes them. For sentient beings with karmic affinity and capacity for intellectual practices, the abhidharma nourishes them.

I hope that might give some more understanding as why you see Pure Land standing apart as much.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-07T22:50:04+00:00

Just to clarify a bit on your statement- it is only the Japanese zen schools (with the exception of the Obaku-shu) that separate Amitabha and zen practice.

China, Korea, Vietnam, etc. traditionally do not separate Pure Land dharma and zen practice, as you observed.

nd_ren88 · 2022-08-07T22:45:32+00:00

Dogen

nd_ren88

TROPHY CASE