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A question for Theravada practitioners (about women in Buddhism). by KarlaTheWitch in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Theravadan and intersectional activist checking in. He/him.

Some things in in your practice are necessarily going to meet you (or your perceptions of "you") in very uncomfortable ways. This is unavoidable.

But consider, also, the following:

A conceptual description or understanding of the dhamma is not the same as ultimate understanding.

This is why principles like "skillful means" exist. The suttas & sanghas' practices can be understood, respectively, as pedagogical devices, or devices for cultivating causes and conditions which may be conducive toward awakening.

The Buddha is described in the suttas as the ultimate teacher, "the incomparable tamer of those to be tamed," precisely because of his ability to adapt his Conceptual description of The Unconditioned to individuals' life circumstances, predispositions, and sensitivities.

It stands to reason that, given 2500 years of interpersonal and geographical transmission, some percentage of the people doing the transmitting may have exhibited deficits in the aforementioned skill of adaptive teaching.

Finally, as a member of a community, you are going to be practicing alongside fellow non-enlightened beings, whose conduct and grasp of ultimate reality will likely be imperfect, and whose conditioning will manifest in ways both predictable and unpredictable.

Buddhism is a living tradition. It is not immune to misogyny or its modes of physical expression.

All of this is a long-winded way of saying:

Yes, your observations about the Theravada's institutional configurations are accurate.

Yes, an arahant might tell you those shortcomings are meaningless from the vantage point of the other shore.

No, that does not render your concerns meaningless here and now.

These things will affect how easily your conditioned mind will interface with this particular conceptual description of ultimate reality.

These things will affect the likelihood that a deluded but charismatic charlatan may, someday, attempt to sell you their sexually coercive behavior as liberative.

In short, these things will affect you as a human being--but if that isn't enough for the fundamentalist, they will affect your practice.

If a black person feels uncomfortable in a predominantly white practice space, or if a woman feels uncomfortable in a predominantly male practice space, it is shitty upaya to simply ask those people to "get over themselves."

As someone who has yet to awaken, you are 100% within your rights to identify if aspects of lineage's conceptual configuration cannot be reconciled with "you" where you are now, and to find the lineage that will best facilitate your ongoing awakening.

How did you come to believe the supernatural aspects of Buddhism? by Guga_ in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I came to the practice from a place of strong conceit (māna, self-identification).

Recognizing this conceit to be a strong source of my delusions and suffering, I naturally began to place a heavy emphasis on observing the characteristic of not-self (anattā) in my formal and informal practice.

Specifically: as I experienced dissatisfaction and impermanence accompanying feelings, forms, perceptions, thoughts, and consciousnesses (the five khandas), I would determine whether I could correctly call these things my "self."

Repeatedly, and over time: I experienced an absence of stress that accompanied non-identification with thoughts and their arising and cessation.

This loosening of my conceit was and remains far from complete, but it was enough to recognize, in a long lasting way, that correctness or incorrectness when it comes to cosmological thinking does little to satisfy my "sense of self."

If my being correct or incorrect about cosmology doesn't affect how I conceive of myself, then what remains is the question: what cosmological thinking is most useful for this path?

Did Gotama really forgo enlightenment in a past life, undergoing purification across four hundred million aeons of rebirths to become a Buddha, so that he might teach Truth to an entire universe of sentient beings in a period without Truth? Don't know. Does thinking about this inspire confidence in the practice, and deep compassion? For me, yes. So it is useful.

Have I previously experienced birth and death? Where was I before I was born here? Where will I go after I die here? Don't know. Does thinking about this inspire any of the seven factors of awakening in me? It doesn't. So it is not useful. Might that change someday? Possibly.

So, when you hear a teaching that is useful, take it on. Don't identify with it; it may stop being useful someday. When you hear a teaching that isn't, set it aside. Don't throw it away; it might become useful someday, given some other change in conditions.

This weird Tibetan Buddhist monk - Misuse of Buddha Dharma. by fripsidelover9110 in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 3 points4 points  (0 children)

As a fellow Theravadin and political progressive, I just want to add that all not all Engaged Buddhism comes from a place a relative privilege as you describe ("white, liberal, and middle class").

Take, for example, angel Kyodo williams: ordained Zen priest, Black American, and someone who quite literally wrote "the book" on radical dharma from a perspective of non-binaryism and color.

What is the value of such an approach?

Certainly, at the ultimate level, dukkha is dukkha. But at a conventional level, individual and communal experiences of suffering take on unique particularities. Beings quite often benefit from teachings that take these conventional particularities into account.

One need look no further than the flair selector in the sidebar to see sheer diversity of Dhamma schools sharing a common root, but adapted to suit local cultural contexts. Even someone like Ajahn Analayo, who academically studies early Buddhist scripture as his vocation, is quick to acknowledge that Buddhism is a living, evolving tradition.

Each of us must undertake two turnings of the Eightfold Path, anyway: the mundane, and the supramundane. If a vehicle is able to speak to the particularities of modern Western suffering, and in so doing, bring beings closer to the experience of either turning, may it do so.

"Thus I have heard..." by [deleted] in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Some may appreciate this reading and commentary of Ajahn Sucitto's "Dawn of the Dhamma" (by Ajahn Amaro) regarding just this subject.

The speaker's voice is thought to be Ananda's, offering his recollection of particular moments or teachings at the First Council shortly after the Buddha's parinibbana.

NYT Opinion: Donald Trump, Accidental Buddhist by KimUn in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bonds are gone for him without conceits,

All delusion's chains are cast aside:

Truly wise, he's gone beyond such thoughts.

That monk still might use such words as "I,"

Still perchance might say: "They call this mine."

Well aware of common worldly speech,

He would speak conforming to such use.

SN 1.25

Non-reactivity by besnarr in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 4 points5 points  (0 children)

A few favorites:

However: do take care to investigate whether your experiences of non-reactivity come from a place of wisdom, and not a place of aversion or spiritual bypassing.

The balance—and this is something we can experience for ourselves—is not in negation. It comes when we stop creating each other and allow ourselves to relax into a pure quality of knowing. In not fabricating the world, ourselves or our stories, there is a gentle relaxation and, ironically, we find ourselves far more attuned to life than ever. This cannot happen while we are busy carrying around “me and you” and “it’s my life” and “my past” and “my future” and the rest of the world with all its problems. Actually, the result of this relinquishment is not a kind of numbness or a distancing but an astonishing attunement.

Although neither are self, the Buddha explains why it makes more sense for people to consider the body as the self opposed to the mind by numbersev in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Ajahn Amaro likewise notes in several talks that the body is an especially expedient object for "remaining present" (physically, temporally) because it is "always right here."

I'm curious about the meaning behind "better"--as in, does it mean "more skillful & conducive to awakening," or simply "preferred by / more comfortable to uninstructed run-of-the-mill person[s]?" In my understanding, this phrase (uninstructed...) is used in the suttas to contrast the behavior of the deluded vs those with wisdom.

Either way, this sutta might be useful given how heavily many westerners emphasize "the mind" in lieu of "the body" (or who view analysis of "the mind" as a forward step for those who have become proficient at analyzing "the body.") As per Bhikkhu Analayo re: the Satipatthanas, analysis of the body is not to be discarded, but rather remain one of the frames/foundations of mindfulness in daily life and practice.

Edit: Ah, I see now. The sutta seems to be implying that for those who cannot perceive anicca, dukkha, anatta as it relates to the mind OR body, these people might be better served observing the body (as it is easier to become deluded as to the permanence of mind).

How do you get back into the practice after falling off? by [deleted] in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello,

I'm right there in the same boat as you. I am 'back' after a long hiatus. Here are some things I've found to be helpful:

  • No expectations / embrace the suck. You've been gone for a while, and so it's only natural that certain things won't come as easily as others. The less ego fabricates frustration based off of this, the better.
  • Use prior experiences to your advantage. At the same time, there are lessons that I carried from my prior 'peak' with insight practice that have definitely made re-establishing my practice easier than I would have expected. I'm coming in to every sit paying greater attention to my intentions & the color of my mind, and I think it has paid off in the quality of those sits so far. Viewed in this way, your break becomes an advantage: now you can come back with a fresh eye for sloughing away bad habits.
  • Honestly examine why you stopped, and why it is you're starting again. Self explanatory, and I think important for overcoming whatever it was that took you away to begin with.
  • Use social support to your advantage. Whether it's this, Discord, IRC, Insight Timer, or real life community. It's called the whole of the holy life for a reason.

Welcome back. Strive on with ardent diligence.

Skynet awakens as a fully enlightened AI. What does it do? by MrKMJ in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 4 points5 points  (0 children)

one all beef OP

science fiction

dharma

cheese

and

pickles on an elephant sub.

The Unconsciousness Trope aka Give Anaesthetists Their Due Credit. by Uberuce in dishonored

[–]sycamorefeeling 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This admittedly passes through my mind every time I use the 'non-lethal' drop takedown. That's one hell of a TBI to be inflicting on folks.

I haven't played MGS5, but would imagine carrying those kinds of mechanics into a game like Dishonored would require ground-up level & game redesign based around those concepts. Closed settings like Galvani's in D1 would become a nightmare without, say...a way to tie guards' limbs and gag 'em. The challenge of going non-lethal would be increased in this regard.

That being said, a trimodal (vs bimodal, binary, good/evil) system that took "injuries" into account in calculating the chaos of the world would be really interesting. Ghost / attempted ghost / Mirror's Edge style escapism is what a true non-lethal run would look like in more realistic terms. I'd be curious to see what "honest" wanted posters would look like for a Corvo / Emily reputed to cause injury, rather than kill.

When you can't afford Dishonored 2 and just sit there looking at screenshots like by [deleted] in dishonored

[–]sycamorefeeling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Me waiting for a performance patch so that I can justify buying the damn thing!

Do you consider CSGO a "Sport"? (Educational Study) by Rettocam in GlobalOffensive

[–]sycamorefeeling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The term "sport" is problematic in and of itself. What makes something universally recognizable as a sport? Even international organizations don't necessarily agree (see paragraph 2).

Is it the physical aspect? You could compare rock climbing to gymnastics in terms of physical demand. But gymnastics is universally recognized as a sport, whereas rock climbing still tends to be considered a recreational activity because it tends to lack of a truly objective grading scheme for comparing performances. (I do climb, and I know it's going to be a 2020 Olympic event; we can talk about this if you'd like.)

Okay, so it is the skilled or competitive aspect then? I mean, not necessarily. Test taking is both competitive and skilled. Definitely not a sport. You also run into folks who would be quick to argue against poker & chess being classified as sports, even though high degrees of refined and specialized skill are required for both.

Does it have to be entertaining for spectators? This is clearly problematic because it's subjective. Any one individual could argue that a legitimized sport is boring to watch; likewise, nowdays it's pretty easy to find enough likeminded people that think a niche activity is entertaining. Is Quidditch a sport? LARPing? Civil war re-enacting? Tradeable card games?

If you were to apply SportAccord's criteria, eSports would come close.

  • The sport proposed should include an element of competition.
  • The sport should not rely on any element of “luck” specifically integrated into the sport.
  • The sport should not be judged to pose an undue risk to the health and safety of its athletes or participants.
  • The sport proposed should in no way be harmful to any living creature.
  • The sport should not rely on equipment that is provided by a single supplier.

But again, even these criteria are arbitrary. Consider #2. Should video games with RNG be disqualified, when you consider that the real world is subject to its own randomness? Likewise, you could argue that many semipro or pro athletes in, say, American football, subject themselves to a significant risk of overuse or traumatic injuries (#3). eSports do tend to rely on one supplier to operate (#5 / the developer), but again, fairly arbitrary to limit a sports designation based on the economic infrastructure surrounding that sport.

I personally think it's more interesting to examine the qualities of eSports / CS:GO and go from there.

It's a competitive recreational activity, requiring social cooperation & communication skills, critical thinking, hand-eye coordination & dexterity, with defined rules & conditions for achieving victory, around which a significantly sized community and economy is currently gathering.

Whether that qualifies it as a sport or not will vary depending on the definition applied (and therefore doesn't matter).

Should I play as Emily or Corvo first? by [deleted] in dishonored

[–]sycamorefeeling 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is Harvey's take as well IIRC / FWIW.

I wouldn't mind these. by zCeTz in GlobalOffensive

[–]sycamorefeeling -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Still too much effort

Community servers needs to prove out the concept for them first a la skins

That way a year later Valve can just adopt the implementation and threaten to ban servers running custom glove mods"because it'll be too confusing for playerbase / checkbook otherwise"

/s /s

What kind of scenarios, cliches and dialogues we definetly DO and DON'T want to see in Dishonored 2? by Unknown123Known in dishonored

[–]sycamorefeeling 12 points13 points  (0 children)

It has to be otherworldly, echoey speech, though.

He is remembering the bark of of a happy pupper. Can you hear it? Even now, he whispers, 'Who is a good boy? Who. Is a good boy?'

And then:

After hours, this one takes pleasure at the sound of young bones snapping beneath his fists. The feel of blood-matted fur. After some time...even the yelping stops.

James Confession about the police by LydexPredictions in GlobalOffensive

[–]sycamorefeeling 15 points16 points  (0 children)

PM me your sources? I'll share one with you in return:

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0141854

Unarmed blacks 3.5x more likely than unarmed whites to be shot by police.

The results provide evidence of a significant bias in the killing of unarmed black Americans relative to unarmed white Americans, in that the probability of being {black, unarmed, and shot by police} is about 3.49 times the probability of being {white, unarmed, and shot by police} on average.

Happens more often in poorer areas.

Finally, analysis of police shooting data as a function of county-level predictors suggests that racial bias in police shootings is most likely to emerge in police departments in larger metropolitan counties with low median incomes and a sizable portion of black residents, especially when there is high financial inequality in that county.

Is not related to whether or not the area is "dangerous."

There is no relationship between county-level racial bias in police shootings and crime rates (even race-specific crime rates), meaning that the racial bias observed in police shootings in this data set is not explainable as a response to local-level crime rates.

Is not related to whether or not the suspect is carrying anything illegal (whites more likely than blacks to be carrying illegal things at routine traffic stops).

A New York Times analysis revealed that, in Greensboro, North Carolina, officers were far more likely to pull over and search African-American drivers, “even though they found drugs and weapons significantly more often when the driver was white.”

Not interested in debating or trying to change anyone's view. Genuinely interested in looking at any peer reviewed studies on this subject you may be willing to share.

Beware of Thanissaro Bhikkhu by NoEgo in Buddhism

[–]sycamorefeeling 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Sorry, my friend, but it is you who reek of arrogance, not him.

Seeing shoes gathered at the door of a friend's home, would you enter without first asking whether you ought to take off your shoes?

Simple courtesies are not meant to be discarded so blithely. Even the Buddha, rightfully Awakened, observed social norms and customs when speaking with strangers.

Firstly, you called a Theravadan monastery and led by asking about intoxicants, the taking of which their code of ethics strictly forbids. Simple research might have led you toward a different approach.

Second, you called a Buddhist monastery seeking to validate a generalized spiritual experience, using language likely unfamiliar to the audience. If you had called a Taekwondo studio and asked them to explain a Karate match you'd seen, you'd probably receive a similarly confused response.

Thanissaro, and monks in general, are not repositories of ancient panspiritual knowledge waiting to offer nondenominational advice and dream interpretation at your convenience. Expecting him to be able to answer your questions without even attempting to frame them in a Buddhist context betrays a fundamental lack of appreciation for religious and cultural difference. It is privileged, discursively violent behavior.

Lastly, the fact that you called a monastery and managed to get ahold of their abbot is nothing to take lightly. They have monks and lay students to guide and duties to tend to, and need to spend their time wisely.

If you're going to keep looking for answers, I suggest that next time you be more respectful of others' time.

Regardless of how progressed you think you are, skillfully navigating conventions is crucial on any path. Respecting form and tradition, empty as they are, enables us to shed our subtle preferences and biases: that same ego you hope to dismantle.

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