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Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:34 pm
by ignobleone
Hi,

Someone via pm warned me that this forum is a cult. Maybe some of you have anything to say regarding this claim as well as some other things he also said:
- Most monks are 'clueless', thus you need to cultivate jhana yourself to be an authority
- Since monks are clueless, talking about faith(sadha) in the Sangha is a nonsense

He sent me the pm in response to my comments on jhana related threads. When I ask what clues he has concerning the 1st jhana, I don't see he has some other things beside the jhana factors. I wonder if he has categorized people including himself (into 'clueless' and 'not clueless' category) correctly.

When explaining about jhana, he relates the 1st jhana with stream-entry. This sounds familiar to me. I guess he came from the pragmatic dharma forum out there such as founded by Kenneth Folk, Daniel Ingram, etc, with weird views on jhana.

:juggling:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:51 pm
by DNS
:D

I would think it would be pretty hard to be a cult if you are an online forum. It would be kind of hard to control people's behavior when you don't see them, don't meet them, don't even know what many of the people here look like. :lol:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:36 pm
by ancientbuddhism
ignobleone wrote:Hi,

Someone via pm warned me that this forum is a cult. Maybe some of you have anything to say regarding this claim as well as some other things he also said:
- Most monks are 'clueless', thus you need to cultivate jhana yourself to be an authority
- Since monks are clueless, talking about faith(sadha) in the Sangha is a nonsense ...
Sounds rather Elemental

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:59 pm
by Cittasanto
David N. Snyder wrote::D

I would think it would be pretty hard to be a cult if you are an online forum. It would be kind of hard to control people's behavior when you don't see them, don't meet them, don't even know what many of the people here look like. :lol:
I agree master! what shall we think now?
:tongue:

ok couldn't resist brown nosing the admin... for this thread!

I think there is a diverse group of views and opinions here unlike some places, so maybe it is just projection? who cares what some anonymous person thinks.

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:03 pm
by DNS
Cittasanto wrote: I think there is a diverse group of views and opinions here unlike some places, so maybe it is just projection? who cares what some anonymous person thinks.
:goodpost:
Cittasanto wrote: I agree master! what shall we think now?
By the way, it's your turn to clean my toilet. :tongue:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:01 pm
by James the Giant
I've heard criticism that "People at Dhamma Wheel are fundamentalists because they quote relevant suttas and expect that to be accepted!

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:04 pm
by retrofuturist
Greetings,
James the Giant wrote:I've heard criticism that "People at Dhamma Wheel are fundamentalists because they quote relevant suttas and expect that to be accepted!
Well, refuge in the Buddha and the Dhamma is fundamental to being Buddhist.

8-)

Metta,
Retro. :)

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:58 pm
by Yana
ignobleone wrote:Hi,

Someone via pm warned me that this forum is a cult.
:juggling:
Yes actually that someone is doing my homework right now..apparently i brain washed him...? hm strange :tongue:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:03 am
by DNS
Yana wrote: Yes actually that someone is doing my homework right now..apparently i brain washed him...? hm strange :tongue:
Good job. :thumbsup:
James the Giant wrote:I've heard criticism that "People at Dhamma Wheel are fundamentalists because they quote relevant suttas and expect that to be accepted!
Do you have the coordinates of the subversives? We can send a squad car over right away! :spy: :jedi:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:20 am
by Modus.Ponens
:rofl:

PS: yes, element is certainly a possibility.

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:52 am
by Cittasanto
Modus.Ponens wrote::rofl:

PS: yes, element is certainly a possibility.
it does appear he has been back recently.

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:59 am
by ground
ignobleone wrote:Hi,

Someone via pm warned me that this forum is a cult.
if consciousness seeks a home then it is the opposite of liberation but actually self-supporting the sense of "I" and "mine". This occurs in different contexts so it may also occur in the context of the internet and its forums. Can such a phenomenon appropriately be called "cult"? :sage:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:07 am
by Monkey Mind
I'm glad I am not the only one to suspect this. There must be some type of subliminal mind control going on here, why else would I be reading DW when I have important homework to do? :spy:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:28 am
by Yana
Monkey Mind wrote:I'm glad I am not the only one to suspect this. There must be some type of subliminal mind control going on here, why else would I be reading DW when I have important homework to do? :spy:
That's what i Thought!I am Hooked on reading thread after the thread! :coffee:

Re: Buddhism cult

Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:23 am
by m0rl0ck
ignobleone wrote:Hi,

Someone via pm warned me that this forum is a cult. Maybe some of you have anything to say regarding this claim as well as some other things he also said:
- Most monks are 'clueless', thus you need to cultivate jhana yourself to be an authority
- Since monks are clueless, talking about faith(sadha) in the Sangha is a nonsense

He sent me the pm in response to my comments on jhana related threads. When I ask what clues he has concerning the 1st jhana, I don't see he has some other things beside the jhana factors. I wonder if he has categorized people including himself (into 'clueless' and 'not clueless' category) correctly.

When explaining about jhana, he relates the 1st jhana with stream-entry. This sounds familiar to me. I guess he came from the pragmatic dharma forum out there such as founded by Kenneth Folk, Daniel Ingram, etc, with weird views on jhana.

:juggling:
Im not a theravadan buddhist. My experience with this forum is that it is perhaps the sanest, most fairly moderated and tolerant buddhist forum on the internet. Its prudent to be careful who you credit with authority and i would start with the guy that sent you the pm :)