tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.comments2023-07-22T04:42:16.226-04:00Going For RefugeS. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-78731042587344388912023-01-25T09:52:03.780-05:002023-01-25T09:52:03.780-05:00I have since found out about lots of sketchy stuff...I have since found out about lots of sketchy stuff by Chogyam Trungpa. Try reading this article: https://thewalrus.ca/survivors-of-an-international-buddhist-cult-share-their-stories/S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-63551375092678030602022-11-01T10:29:35.964-04:002022-11-01T10:29:35.964-04:00Translation: Good text is not lonely~ PushTranslation: Good text is not lonely~ PushS. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-15300413241909847722022-08-19T01:37:39.687-04:002022-08-19T01:37:39.687-04:00Thanks for these! I've been meaning to read B....Thanks for these! I've been meaning to read B. Alan Wallace's "The Four Immeasurables: Practices to Open the Heart."John Swindlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17750151305205206284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-55818455512702089402021-12-02T13:06:56.681-05:002021-12-02T13:06:56.681-05:00Thank you for bringing your truth. I wish you well...Thank you for bringing your truth. I wish you well.S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-87238421453117079972021-09-26T07:00:01.527-04:002021-09-26T07:00:01.527-04:00I haven't seen any analysis yet on what Naropa...I haven't seen any analysis yet on what Naropa's responsibility is in this case of Sharoni Stern. Surely Naropa had responsibility towards the wellbeing of it's students and control of the behavior of it's teachers. Cilla Bradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16038961746004670488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-71337404267106012662021-08-13T07:46:27.275-04:002021-08-13T07:46:27.275-04:00You may recognise this:
"In June that year I ...You may recognise this:<br />"In June that year I went to padmaloka for the weekend, excited at the prospect of a personal meeting with the founder of the Movement. The evening I arrived I ate dinner with the padmaloka community. Someone mentioned that there would be a puja later in the evening and as I was keen to attend I asked where the shrine room was. One of the order members who lived there was being very friendly and kindly offered to show me and so we walked through the house together. On reaching the then shrine room - a room at the front of the house - the order member told me that this was where it was. Then he kissed me. I was stunned, it was entirely unexpected as I knew nothing of the homosexual culture thriving in the fwbo at the time. I simply froze. He led me up to his room, locked the door behind us and proceed to have sex with me."<br /><br />I was a contemporary of Yashomitra's at Aryatara at the time. I was told he was seduced by you in fact, and advised to avoid you like the plague when going there to meet Bhante by Padmavajra who described you as 'bent as a rusty saucepan'. Please do not misinterpret me, I have nothing against homosexuality per se at all. And I was one of Padmaraja's boys. I just find it a little dishonest of you to post valid critiques of Sangharakshita without acknowledging how you perpetuated that culture he embodied.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01082738939394157111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-82112155292458649142021-07-31T10:41:00.065-04:002021-07-31T10:41:00.065-04:00��������JASON SEBASTIANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345964624441890151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-32829308663201207142021-01-19T20:48:40.562-05:002021-01-19T20:48:40.562-05:00Ksitigarbha is walking with you.Ksitigarbha is walking with you.Sumeruhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02906649282337350213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-91594522889849932862018-10-19T11:35:21.450-04:002018-10-19T11:35:21.450-04:00I think the book of the year is Meditator's Li...I think the book of the year is Meditator's Life of The Buddha by AnalayoS. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-13613746912734322682018-05-14T15:17:16.298-04:002018-05-14T15:17:16.298-04:00Fasting solar noon to sunrise 5/10/18-5/14/18
Day...Fasting solar noon to sunrise 5/10/18-5/14/18<br /><br />Day 1 seemed easy until my son handed me a container of food, and then the kitchen was a calling me. The struggle is inside but I began to see the wisdom Cliff said of having nothing in the house to tempt you. It’s harder also because I slept through my second meal, taking a nap because I don’t have coffee. I went to bed at night, and I forgot to move my snacking peanuts. Moved them quickly to the kitchen.<br /><br />Day 2: I woke up in the night. Not sure if it was an energy surge or what that I’ve been sleeping too much but I wasn’t hungry. My sunrise alarm went off and I slept on. I found it hard to wake up but I got up and I wasn’t feeling hungry. I thought about just keeping fasting but then I thought no, I want to do the Buddhist fasting so I need to eat when I can. The food wasn’t as amazing as I thought it would be. So far I’m getting a paradoxical reaction. <br /><br />And then it wasn’t paradoxical. I felt more hunger the second night and when my sons came over with some treats I ended up eating. Blew a night, now I’m one for two.<br /><br />Day 3: I decided to just climb back up on the wagon. I was successful in not eating.<br /><br />Day 4: I had 2 bagels before solar noon and that just wasn’t enough, so I fixed a yummy kidney bean, spinach and aubergine curry with rice.<br /><br />Day 5: Couldn’t do it. I had a bowl of cereal and a small bowl of curry. I was hungry by 3pm. I’ve decided this way of fasting leads to organizational contortions, eating 2 big meals in the morning and afternoon. If you don’t it’s hard to do, and in my head, eating healthy vegan fare is a better route. I give up. Now I’m going to try fasting for 2 days at some point.<br />S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-38759829070832610072016-05-21T11:36:43.274-04:002016-05-21T11:36:43.274-04:00On a recent retreat with Dharma Punx there were ab...On a recent retreat with Dharma Punx there were about 50 people. One person of Indian heritage and one person of Asian heritage. The rest seemed white. So that's 96% white on my last retreat.<br /><br />It's true there are a lot of ethnic Buddhists in NYC. And in the world. <br /><br />My experience in the TBC was similar. I remember two people of Asian heritage coming along for a little while, a black person once, and there was one black steady person in the sangha.<br /><br />Thank you for making my statement more specific and precise: "local Western Buddhist groups founded by middle-class white people, like our Order and Movement, mainly attract other middle-class white people."<br /><br />African Americans are 13% of America. But I never seen close to 13% blacks at any Buddhist gathering I have ever been at in NYC, where the percentage of AA is higher than 13%S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-36860709279374093422015-09-27T20:04:51.979-04:002015-09-27T20:04:51.979-04:00That poem...it is everything isn't it...a few ...That poem...it is everything isn't it...a few words...and that's IT. Thank you.Chrisyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954004833710064612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-19133215410303287042015-06-23T06:57:58.903-04:002015-06-23T06:57:58.903-04:00I suppose I intellectually knew "neither mona...I suppose I intellectually knew "neither monastic nor lay" but somehow this imagining of Yashodra, which as you point out is probably more mythology than reality, helped me to see that there are many dharma doors.<br /><br />I appreciate your comments on individuality and your desire for a historical sense of Buddhism.S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-80322240465290822142015-06-21T05:11:33.495-04:002015-06-21T05:11:33.495-04:00The idea that we don't have to be monks is not...The idea that we don't have to be monks is not modern by any means. Lay followers were *always* a feature of Buddhism. The Buddha is not saying anything because he died 2400 years ago. In the words of Reggie Hunter, "He dead." But again innovation and change have *always* been a feature of Buddhism. Sometimes very major changes. <br /><br />Yahsodara is clearly a made up character - she does not appear in the more primitive biogs. Don't take her literally. <br /><br />The individualistic approach *is* a modern feature of Buddhism. As far as I know this is not unprecedented, but it is considerably more rare. One thinks of 9th century Japan and Saichō for example. We ought to give more thought to the historical events and circumstances that fostered innovation, the times when Buddhists decided that innovation was necessary? Under what circumstances do disciples quietly reject their teachers and decide that they have to find their own way. Under what circumstances did the Buddha do this (in the stories)? We might not always like the answer to this. <br /><br />If I had one wish it would be that Buddhists understand more of our own history, so we stop seeing ourselves as separate from it.Jayaravahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13783922534271559030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-69048250659145783662015-04-17T07:16:48.438-04:002015-04-17T07:16:48.438-04:00Thank you for this; I'm going to purchase now....Thank you for this; I'm going to purchase now.Chrisyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01954004833710064612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-76673468714963876092015-02-24T08:51:53.812-05:002015-02-24T08:51:53.812-05:00I was writing about how sometimes you, me, anyone ...I was writing about how sometimes you, me, anyone brings their personality and whatnot to the study of the Dharma, and that influences what you see in the Dharma. <br /><br />Your picture of everyone having the same face sort of conveyed that idea visually, you see yourself in everyone in the family. <br /><br />Thank you for letting me use it.S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-42081530486392545132015-02-23T04:35:58.593-05:002015-02-23T04:35:58.593-05:00Ok, I have to ask: what's the point of my pic ...Ok, I have to ask: what's the point of my pic at the end of this post?<br /><br />I reverse-googled it to see where it's gotten since I posted it on reddit, and found it here.<br />I don't mind, though! I like that people like it, but its relevance here piques my curiosity :PSplottehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17025566694616829853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-59443022112221441582015-01-29T23:11:08.927-05:002015-01-29T23:11:08.927-05:00I cannot understand for the life of me how being a...I cannot understand for the life of me how being a father or a mother as a result of bringing a new born child into this world of such misery and pain can be 'joyous'.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05753122344653168527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-81999450771993403862015-01-03T14:35:10.069-05:002015-01-03T14:35:10.069-05:00Hope you enjoy The Making of Buddhist Modernism. I...Hope you enjoy The Making of Buddhist Modernism. It makes a very important contribution to the study of Buddhism. I've found it very influential on my thinking. Jayaravahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13783922534271559030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-40275235919184684932014-07-28T09:22:32.758-04:002014-07-28T09:22:32.758-04:00Welcome back then, ain't the best thing being ...Welcome back then, ain't the best thing being here, then again whn milk chocolates and diary products still mean some thing as a lay householder it might make sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-24988442800970795302014-07-25T12:28:26.757-04:002014-07-25T12:28:26.757-04:00http://www.kellyclarkattorney.com/sex-abuse-lawsui...http://www.kellyclarkattorney.com/sex-abuse-lawsuit-alleges-boy-scout-leader-calvin-malone-abused-boys-for-a-decade-after-scouts-knew-of-red-flags/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+KellyClarkAttorneyAtLaw+%28Kelly+Clark+Attorney+at+Law%29b4compassionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08040455993507377667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-41413305695057585752014-05-27T23:18:24.654-04:002014-05-27T23:18:24.654-04:00I just finished I reading "but little dust.&q...I just finished I reading "but little dust." I agree it is a book worth reading. I haven't been to India but I've been to Nepal. There were definitely some similarities. <br />I also would have liked to hear about her retreats, perhaps even one of her talks. <br />I'd also like to know if Vimilasuri ever made it to England!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02014258918694004561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-19554162402995206492014-03-06T09:56:50.735-05:002014-03-06T09:56:50.735-05:00Thank you for your comment. You have an interestin...Thank you for your comment. You have an interesting blog too. <br /><br />I don't think you're putting me into that group.<br /><br />I'd have to read one of his books to see if he wrote in a sexist way, and I highly doubt that he's survived this far as an academic with sexist language.<br /><br />I do agree that sexist language is something to watch out for and I appreciate comments on my blog.S. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03516395371482701736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-38574527257883800172014-02-11T10:13:30.070-05:002014-02-11T10:13:30.070-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04228174019103591253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7465006.post-56266324895495602542014-01-12T11:15:33.213-05:002014-01-12T11:15:33.213-05:00I sympathize with the author's point, and with...I sympathize with the author's point, and with your being stung. I think a lot of us--I'm not putting you in this group--imagine ourselves to be more "advanced" in our practice than we are, at least until we get called on it, by circumstances or some other person. Then we protest that we really are just beginners, aren't we all?<br /><br />I stress, I'm not putting you in that group.<br /><br />Now, here's the interesting thing in that quote. I have to imagine that McMahan thought himself being equitable by using masculine and feminine pronouns. Yet he assumes a male monk, when from the Buddha's time we've had bhikshus and bhikshunis. It's the woman in his telling who has the shallow practice. Pretty typical, and disappointing.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00963333503051650672noreply@blogger.com