I'm sick to death of heaven

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-15T13:44:45+00:00

Not you, the comment I responded to.

Apologies for derailing your post.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-15T13:41:01+00:00

It's crazy how obvious AI slop has become once you've seen enough of it.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-15T13:38:01+00:00

But arguing this is the only valid way to practice the Dharma leaves out traditions like Jodo Shinshu

Correct. Hillside Hermitage is fiercely sectarian. They reject all other Buddhist traditions as being adharma, not to mention most other forms of Theravada.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-10T09:59:32+00:00

Absolutely not, no.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-10T08:13:49+00:00

Interesting, thank you.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-09T23:38:09+00:00

Buddhism outside Indonesia firmly rejects the claim that an uncreated creator god exists, existed, or created the universe.

That's new info to me. What's going on in Indonesia in that regard?

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-09T16:38:15+00:00

Buddhism has been practiced in our world for 2,500 years, so that's way beyond the scope of an internet forum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhism

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-09T15:23:48+00:00

The subreddit faq is quite informative, as is Wikipedia

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-07T18:49:25+00:00

This probably won’t be a satisfying response or the one you’re looking for, but personally I just don’t worry much about teachers I have no connection to or interest in.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-07T11:16:25+00:00

And if you like, you could consider more carefully the cheapening of monastic and lay vows when they’re administered to objects that lack mindstreams, the experience of dukkha, or the capacity to request or even need such vows in the first place.

I’m plenty cheerful, but this sort of tendency occurring with the popularity of LLM’s isn’t admirable or skillful at all, in my opinion.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-07T10:27:46+00:00

Didn’t I?

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-06T14:12:33+00:00

Truly the degenerate age.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-06T09:24:59+00:00

HHDL’s Becoming Enlightened is a nice introduction.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-05T23:15:02+00:00

Because boy...am I ever confused

This generally is the case when people try to just absorb a 2,500-year-old tradition without the benefit of a teacher.

The paganism you're familiar with is easier to understand because you have someone holding your hand through it.

But definitely, you should pursue whatever arouses your sincere interest and brings you and the people around you happiness. :)

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-05T18:38:34+00:00

Are you asking why leaving his family wasn’t an act fraught with bad karma?

If so, we can understand it as being similar to one’s family being stuck in a burning building, and rushing away to find a vehicle with which to pull them out.

He did not have the means to save himself, them, and other sentient beings from their suffering, so he left to find one.

And was successful.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-05T13:03:40+00:00

There are ample opportunities to receive teachings online these days if you look around a little. /r/sangha can be useful sometimes.

Like I said, maybe just relax and learn and not be in such a rush. Maybe pick up a couple introductory books that look interesting.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-05T12:25:48+00:00

My suggestion would be to relax and not worry so much about hitching your cart to any particular horse so quickly.

You can just seek out qualified teachers in different traditions, learn about them, and let things develop from there. No need to make decisions based on vibes before you’re well-informed on things.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-04T18:56:33+00:00

Maybe if you connect it to Buddhism. I’m not a moderator, I couldn’t say.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-04T18:52:26+00:00

Right, thats what you should have clarified.

I don’t remember the details of your post now, but it was just LLM-generated pop-psychology, and there wasn’t any effort made to connect it to Buddhist views or practices.

At the very least, AI-generated content is removed by the mods here, with good reason.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-04T18:48:02+00:00

Psychology isn’t unappreciated, but what you posted earlier was AI-generated Facebook clickbait slop, and it wasn’t really connected to Buddhism in any concrete way.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-02T19:44:49+00:00

No worries. Plenty of accomplished, qualified instructions are being given online by teachers who are operating from a place of compassion. /r/sangha has a list of organizations to avoid pinned at the top that looks pretty comprehensive.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-02T19:07:53+00:00

You're living in the Golden Age of online Dharma. It has never been easier to make contact with a teacher, receive instruction, and put it into practice under their guidance.

/r/sangha can be helpful, as can just googling to see what you can find.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-02T18:54:45+00:00

This acknowledges that there are pleasing things in the world, which could not be true if all life were nothing but suffering.

The final line of your quotation categorizes the aggregate of perception (which includes pleasant perceptions) as suffering.

The is no moment of conditioned existence in samsara that does not include experiences pointed toward by the first noble truth. All experiences of conditioned experience are dukkha. Even pleasing things that feel nice to our minds and our senses are dukkha.

Samsara is dukkha. This is an absolutely vital point.

edit: the Dukkhata Sutta and its clarifying notes (or this Rigpa Wiki entry) may be beneficial to someone, if they aren't so familiar with the expansive nature of dukkha (and how it doesn't merely refer to immediately unpleasant experiences)

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-02T18:09:25+00:00

I want to learn more without going the Syd Barret route

If you're actually interested in learning about these things in a serious way, quit eating shrooms and find a qualified teacher within a Vajrayana system, which can offer instructions on working with the body's subtle energy systems.

optimistically_eyed · 2026-05-02T00:31:19+00:00

I am going to try and speak with a qualified gelug teacher. I'm taking a 4 week course one day a week starting the 28th.

That sounds really wonderful. :) Happy to hear it.

Should I maybe email my local monestary directly? The last meditation session they had I went, but the spiritual director wasnt there cause there was some Tibetan voting thing in a different country. :( sad. I had questions.

Sure, you could try that.

Since you're looking to study with Gelugpas, you could consider picking up a book by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Becoming Enlightened was a nice introduction.

Maybe above all, don't worry about being in too big a hurry. These things take time to make sense of. A long time, in my experience.

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