# Ask The Buddhist **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 27, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623 "2010-01-27T03:53:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/201 "2013-08-01T19:07:06Z")
> [@Girlundone](#): > > Are you referring to [this video?](http://m.video.pbs.org/video/1461557530/) if so, I would agree that it is excellent. Yes, that’s the one. I’ve decided to watch it annually on Bodhi Day. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/202 "2013-08-01T19:36:31Z")
You know what’s funny to me? I’ve met people who are more Buddhist in their thought than others I’ve met who call themselves Buddhist. I have known people who have lived through horrible things, with true equanimity. It makes me wonder where that comes from. Why do some people seem to understand innately that it’s not the “thing” (event, person, emotion) that causes suffering, but rather our interaction with the “thing” that causes suffering? I don’t know, but it’s cool to see that “teachers” are all around me. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/203 "2013-08-01T20:59:13Z")
Arhats. They’re everywhere. (looks behind door) ---
**Author:** ![Moon\_Meyers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Moon\_Meyers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon_Meyers)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/204 "2013-08-01T22:54:54Z")
> [@Girlundone](#): > > My belief that we are all interconnected means that even though I am alone, I am part of the whole. Always. If zen was only about belief, it would be no different than any of the other religions out there. Belief is one thing, experience another. Belief works in the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Moon\_Meyers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Moon\_Meyers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon_Meyers)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/205 "2013-08-02T01:42:11Z")
The questions coming up here are playing themselves out on a national level with Zen teachers. There are teachers who are taking a more narrow traditional approach and others a broad approach. The baby boomers picked up on Zen and Shambhala but are now aging. Approaches of making Zen more accessible are being tried. At this time, to my knowledge the more conservative approach is stable, others are dependent on charismatic teachers and large financial donations. The common thread is meditation but the language around it is taking many forms. Time will tell. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/206 "2013-08-02T03:04:15Z")
> [@](#): > > If zen was only about belief, it would be no different than any of the other religions out there. Belief is one thing, experience another. Belief works in the beginning. I don’t know what makes it different from other religions, if it should be different, or why it should be different. Not the kind of thing I spend too much time contemplating. Let me rephrase: Based on my experiences thus far in my life, I have experienced an interconnectedness with others. Sometimes it’s built over many years, sometimes it’s fleeting encounters with strangers…either way there have been specific experiences that have led to my belief that I am always, on some level, part of the whole. There was a time when I thought I was not connected, that my actions would have no consequence or impact on others. But I soon learned (by first hand experience) that my actions did indeed have a ripple effect, much more far reaching than I knew. That’s how I feel thus far, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/207 "2013-08-02T03:10:30Z")
> [@](#): > > At this time, to my knowledge the more conservative approach is stable This is interesting. What do you mean when you say the approach is “stable”, and how and by whom is it determined to be “stable”? ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/208 "2013-08-02T03:20:04Z")
I can’t say that I’ve ever felt any deep sense of connectedness. No religious or mystical experience of any kind. I do understand the idea of my actions rippling through time and society like a wave but never really associated that with Buddhism so that’s interesting. My professor spent a lot time and I have to say effort helping me to ‘understand’ the central concept of Zen only to understand that it can’t be understood - short of becoming enlightened anyway. But that was an important breakthrough - understanding beyond understanding. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/209 "2013-08-02T03:40:12Z")
> [@](#): > > No religious or mystical experience of any kind. Nor I. In fact, after a drug overdose apparently I had no pulse or heartbeat for a minute. I didn’t remember shit, but once in psychiatric care, the Dr. continued to question me, “Did you see anything?”. It became apparent from her line of questioning that she wanted to know if I had an out of body experience or saw a white light etc. I did not. But when the shitstorm settled, I had an epiphany of sorts where I saw my life with a “new set of eyes”. It was literally like the flipping of a light switch, where I saw things and understood things I hadn’t before. I don’t think it was mystical or divine, I think I just decided to look at things how they actually were, not as I wished them to be. I don’t fully understand it. Just glad I’m where I am now and not where I was. ---
**Author:** ![Moon\_Meyers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Moon\_Meyers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon_Meyers)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/210 "2013-08-02T13:56:30Z")
> [@Girlundone](#): > > This is interesting. What do you mean when you say the approach is “stable”, and how and by whom is it determined to be “stable”? Nothing more than my observation of different places and some being economically stable on their own means and others not without very large donations. ---
**Author:** ![Moon\_Meyers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Moon\_Meyers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon_Meyers)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/211 "2013-08-03T14:48:05Z")
> [@Girlundone](#): > > . . . that my actions did indeed have a ripple effect, much more far reaching than I knew. it goes a little farther, not only actions but words and thoughts have consequences. easy to understand words but thoughts take a little time to consider. curious about the NDE, some of the language you use is similar to Zen. “death of the self”, “seeing things as they are.” My preference is to have that experience on the cushion as opposed to drug OD related. Curious if there is value in the anticipation of “death” and if the experience is enhanced w/o drugs where more can be noticed, whatever that might be. btw, it is not a central concept but an experience, an ineffable experience. that is what makes it a transformation. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/212 "2013-08-03T23:00:06Z")
[QUOTE=Moon Meyers] curious about the NDE, some of the language you use is similar to Zen. [/QUOTE] Ive never studied Zen. I don’t know. Just relaying my experience. Almost dying is very weird. For me, there is a clear demarcation between then and now. [QUOTE=Moon Meyers] My preference is to have that experience on the cushion as opposed to drug OD related. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I’m pretty sure most people would prefer it that way too. An overdose is very unfun. I wouldn’t recommend it as a path to enlightenment lol Btw, death doesn’t scare me. Didn’t then and doesn’t now. ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/213 "2013-08-03T23:13:22Z")
I’ll speak up for the Buddhists who know that intellect and understanding and all the words are the illusion, that the heart of Buddhist practice is opening to OM and that OM is as palpable as the rain if you would only stop and listen to everything that is not yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Moon\_Meyers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Moon\_Meyers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon_Meyers)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/214 "2013-08-04T02:20:23Z")
> [@Girlundone](#): > > Btw, death doesn’t scare me. Didn’t then and doesn’t now. I am questioning that now in myself. I have had about half dozen experiences with death seconds or inches away and I was fine. But I have noticed in my sitting, there is a persistent fear of the unknown (anxiety). so with death being the greatest unknown, I may indeed be afraid of death. ---
**Author:** ![Gosta\_H.Lovgren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea5d25/32.png) [@Gosta\_H.Lovgren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gosta_H.Lovgren)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/215 "2013-10-04T19:12:19Z")
In today’s email regarding Transcendental Meditation , there are claims that Meditation increases blood flow to the brain and does other healthy things to the brain. Without questioning any conclusions, it seems to me an easy way to check would be to look at a population who uses meditation routinely (Buddist?) and measure the rate of senility/Alzheimers against a “normal” population. \>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\>\> \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* In rivers and bad governments, \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* the lightest things swim at top. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Ben Franklin \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\<\< ---
**Author:** ![Moon\_Meyers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Moon\_Meyers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moon_Meyers)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/216 "2013-12-23T20:40:19Z")
The teaching of Buddha, the three turnings of the Dharma Wheel, can be specified according to vehicle: 1. Hinayana Impermanence Suffering anatman (no self) 2. Mahayana Bodhisattva ideal (Wisdom/Compassion) Shunyata 3. Vajrayana Buddha Nature (Tathagatagarbha) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/217 "2013-12-23T21:31:48Z")
> [@Gosta\_H.Lovgren](#): > > In today’s email regarding Transcendental Meditation , there are claims that Meditation increases blood flow to the brain and does other healthy things to the brain. > > Without questioning any conclusions, it seems to me an easy way to check would be to look at a population who uses meditation routinely (Buddist?) and measure the rate of senility/Alzheimers against a “normal” population. Shouldn’t you first check to see if TMers and Buddhists meditate the same way? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/218 "2013-12-24T14:22:02Z")
I don’t like to meditate (it is boring). Can I achieve nirvana by just spinning a prayer wheel? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/219 "2013-12-24T19:24:02Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I don’t like to meditate (it is boring). If you get bored while meditating, you’re doing it wrong. To learn some quick & dirty methods of easy meditation, do a web search for “Grounding, Centering & Shielding”. Never mind the crap about aligning your chi, cleansing your chakras, etc. – all that stuff does is provide an optional, fictional framework for your primary goals, which are (1) deep breathing, which enriches your brain with oxygen, and (2) clearing your mind of all distractions. #2 is very important, and sometimes difficult to achieve – if you get bored, it means there is still something in the back of your mind that’s distracting you. Anyway, just some friendly advice. > [@ralph124c](#): > > Can I achieve nirvana by just spinning a prayer wheel? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…no. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623/220 "2013-12-25T00:06:02Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I don’t like to meditate (it is boring). > Can I achieve nirvana by just spinning a prayer wheel? Yes, but only if you’re in Tibet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-buddhist/526623.md?page=12)