What are your doubts on Buddhism
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btw choco B,
don't be too afraid of activities conducted in chinese, in fact this language has been blessed by many enlightened masters in the past due to their great vows, as mentioned by 17th karmapa.
What is the use of blessing?
When we go to a place that was blessed, for example bodhigaya where the sakyamuni buddha attained buddhahood, surprisingly we will naturally feel very calm and peace of mind.
A mantra, name or dharma door can also be blessed. People who follow a dharma door usually face much less obstacles than the first person who practise it due to blessing.
You don't have to be very good in the written language, as long as you can understand the spoken one, shouldn't be a problem. -
Hi justdoit77
thanks for the encouragement
Of the list you posted , other than Buddhist Lodge, which others teach the same Pureland Buddhism? -
Originally posted by OCEANOS:
wow
[b]Merry Meet To All,
Well I think many of the young generations are beginning to have their doubts on Buddhism than the older generations irregardless the highly educated or illiterate ones. Why so? From time to time, this is a question mark in my head. The only answer I can find, All these are happening due to misinterpretation or mis-representation of what should be the teaching of True Buddhism.
I liken this World as a Big Ocean with many fishes. In this Big Ocean, there are many kinds of fishes & other living creatures. One good example & specie will be the "Rough Eye Rockfish", who live much longer than humans. In Alaska, they have been known to reach the ripe old age of 205 years. This longevity is so rare in the animal kingdom that makes them a "centenarian species" which none is comparable to them. To be able to distinguish a True "Rough Eye Rockfish" is as difficult as "Finding a needle in the sea" for most of the people. Seeing it, Even putting a name to a face isn't as easy as it seems. Just distinguishing 30 of the 100 rockfish species found around the world which is the True "Rough Eye Rockfish" is not really possible to the Mass Public. Why so? Well its because many of these fish look alike. Recognition of Which is the Truth is often muddled by Illusion created by some. All I can say "Rockfish: More Than Meets The Eye".
I feel this is the most appropriate analogy to be shared in here. This will let others have a chance to think & ponder on What is the Truth? Back to the Main Topic in here, In short Buddhism is a Religion for more than 2,500 years, many factions or school of thoughts of Buddhism has been surfaced over time. However not all really are following the Teachings of the Buddha which is True Buddhism. I shall not go into the details on the Teachings of the Buddha which cannot be explained in mere words. In laymen terms, True Buddhism is based on certain core teachings which are "Unique" & none can be comparable to it. Just like only a True "Rough Eye Rockfish" possess such longevity which many sub-species tried to imitate "Externally" however they can never be on par in term of life span no matter how similar they in their outlook. In term of Buddhism, Many who seemingly "Preach" to be that of a True Buddhist are not really so, beneath their so called Buddhist Way may be "More Than Meets The Eye". So we come to the point of What is "Orthodox Buddhism" & What is "NOT"? Well many of the younger generations are misled due to External Influences or Warped Teachings planted by Others into their mind with material stuffs behind a Faux smokescreen. I would like to bring your attention to these REAL HAPPENINGS that are going on not only in HERE but in this SOCIETY we are in. What is the TRUTH seems to be in a Fog created by Others. there is no transparency or simply can longer be seen. We do not only see things with our Eyes, we need to see things with our Heart. Do not attempt to cover the TRUTH with a SHAM. This only mark down to INTERGRITY of One is seriously of Doubts. At times the TRUTH hurts when it come to light but not matter how dark it is, Darkness can never cover the LIGHT of TRUTH. It takes a Great Man to be able to admit their faults. The sad irony is that although such facts are too obvious to be ignored by even the most ignorant, they continue to be ignored by the most intelligent. Why? Simply because it is convenient for many to invest in false hopes or promises rather than expose the futility of failure. Instead of admitting the obvious, they chose to invest in false hopes or promises of Salvation by UNORTHODOX Teachings which is not TRUE BUDDHISM. If you pronounce you lead a life of a True Buddhist, it must not only be in your Words but your Actions. Your Words & Actions must be Coherent. Do not preach something You do not even apply in your Actions or daily lives. That is an Illusion, A Web of Deceit you spin not only for yourself but Others. Remember its YOUR OWN DOINGS, only yourself is ANSWERABLE to your OWN ACTIONS. Buddha is Omnipresent. No matter what lies or deceits, it can never cover the TRUTH, not all are blind. If Blind Lead Blind, all will fall in the Ditch.
Personally I do not see myself as a True Buddhist although I do apply certain Buddhist Teachings in my daily life. I am here to share & learn, Great Wisdom is Boundless & never selfish. Only Flawed Human Natures are, Imperfection can be a beauty if we are able to accept & admit our Flaws. Attempting to cover Flaws with Deceit is Despicable. It does great harm not only to yourself but Others who placed their trust in you. Sins or Karma is highly subjective. Good or Bad its yours to take, only you, yourself know.
Last but not least, these are my personal views in my own words which I am sharing in here. Pardon my poor writing, forgive my long passages. With so much on-going happenings, I feel a need to address these to fellow Dharma Brothers & Sister not only in here but all. Many may start to think & ponder more perhaps. Maybe its time to educate not only the younger generation but all on the True Teachings of Buddha. Just like a glass of Pure Juice, as you add more water to it, it becomes diluted. Diluted is still fine, you may not get the Pure thing but the core is still there just you are getting less of the REAL THING. What can be worse when you put in other additives like liquor, it can look the same but it can never taste or work the same? Its worse than most Venomous Poison. Perhaps its the doing what we call "Three Poison" in Buddhism. Thanks again.
Blessed Be,
Oceanos[/b]
very interesting and nice writeup
learnt alot,
very true, can apply to real life situation
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wow! i nv thought i will ever see religion opening itself out to doubts. hahaz buddhism is the first. cheer. this is the way religion should be: open and willing to change.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Feel free to share.... -
any youth circle in these places?Originally posted by justdoit77:ok, this is what I recommend:
Buddhist Lodge (www.sbl.org.sg)
Jen Chen (www.jenchen.org.sg)
Dharma Drum (www.ddsingapore.org)
Buddhist Library (www.buddhlib.org.sg)
Buddhist fellowship (www.buddhistfellowship.org)
Fu hai chan si (www.foohai.org)
Bright hill temple (www.kmspks.org)
Golden pagoda (www.goldenpagoda.org.sg)
and their age limit?
looking for spiritual fellowship here.. -
The brighthill temple has dharma talk abt pureland sometimes.Originally posted by choco B:Hi justdoit77
thanks for the encouragement
Of the list you posted , other than Buddhist Lodge, which others teach the same Pureland Buddhism?
The Jin4 Zhong1 Xue2 Hui4 (http://www.amtb.org.sg/) also teach pureland buddhism, this coming dharma talk by master chin kong at expo is organized by them. -
Indeed, Buddhism encourages critical questioning and despise dogmas.Originally posted by CyNdI)4.eVa:wow! i nv thought i will ever see religion opening itself out to doubts. hahaz buddhism is the first. cheer. this is the way religion should be: open and willing to change.Kalama Sutra
See the whole Kalama Sutta here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html
"Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the
spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience.Do not believe in anything simply because you
have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do
not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is
written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and
elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is
conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
- the Buddha -
Hi AEN, can you quote me the sutra that says Avici hell is not eternal? Can you also let me know what kind of demerit will land one into this hell?
Many Thanks -
I'm not too sure whether the sutras have elaborated on that. But each hell has its own timespan, whereas usually for avici hell one may have to suffer for innumerable kalpas. Nevertheless the fact that it has a time span means it is not limitless. Avici is non-stop hell, the being in hell suffers continuously non-stop until the karma has exhausted. Karma is also not limitless, to sum up everything in samsara is temporary.Originally posted by Beyond Religion:Hi AEN, can you quote me the sutra that says Avici hell is not eternal? Can you also let me know what kind of demerit will land one into this hell?
Many Thanks
Usually the ones to fall into avici hells have committed one or more of the 5 Grave Offenses:
* Intentionally murdering one's father
* Intentionally murdering one's mother
* Killing an arhant, or Enlightened being
* Shedding the blood of a Buddha
* Creating discord within the Sangha, or Buddhist community. -
Yes, following have fellowshipOriginally posted by Isis:any youth circle in these places?
and their age limit?
looking for spiritual fellowship here..
Buddhist Library (www.buddhlib.org.sg)
Buddhist fellowship (www.buddhistfellowship.org)
Fu hai chan si (www.foohai.org)
Bright hill temple (www.kmspks.org)
Dharma drum and buddhist lodge I am not sure, you may want to check with coolbluewater on dharmadrum and sinweiy on buddhist lodge. -
Hi thank you very much =]Originally posted by justdoit77:Yes, following have fellowship
Buddhist Library (www.buddhlib.org.sg)
Buddhist fellowship (www.buddhistfellowship.org)
Fu hai chan si (www.foohai.org)
Bright hill temple (www.kmspks.org)
Dharma drum and buddhist lodge I am not sure, you may want to check with coolbluewater on dharmadrum and sinweiy on buddhist lodge.
Someone told me that dharmadrum is more on zen buddhism which is something i that i havent been seeing around in singapore. Maybe it is just me. hehheh