Search found 95 matches

by spacenick
Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:09 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Being Religious or Spiritual Is Linked With Getting More Depressed
Replies: 86
Views: 14202

Re: Being Religious or Spiritual Is Linked With Getting More Depressed

If a religion or spiritual practice depresses, then it is not actually a religious or spiritual practice. That statement is wrong & misleading. I disagree. Religious or spiritual practice should make sense and should not depress. At least in the ideal world, that is. One thing is if a practice ...
by spacenick
Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:22 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Being Religious or Spiritual Is Linked With Getting More Depressed
Replies: 86
Views: 14202

Re: Being Religious or Spiritual Is Linked With Getting More Depressed

If a religion or spiritual practice depresses, then it is not actually a religious or spiritual practice. That statement is wrong & misleading. On average, practitioners will go through a 'withdrawal' phase, that can come and go, last days or years, depending on one's kamma. Most successful pra...
by spacenick
Wed Sep 21, 2016 8:24 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Can someone attain Once returner if he or she do sex?
Replies: 11
Views: 3996

Re: Can someone attain Once returner if he or she do sex?

Stages of enlightenment are too often thought of as things to 'attain' (and exactly the same attitude pervades towards the jhanas), but really they are stages that marks one's gradual detachment from the world (or existence, life, etc. The four stages of the path and the jhānas are clearly attainme...
by spacenick
Wed Sep 21, 2016 5:53 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Can someone attain Once returner if he or she do sex?
Replies: 11
Views: 3996

Re: Can someone attain Once returner if he or she do sex?

Stages of enlightenment are too often thought of as things to 'attain' (and exactly the same attitude pervades towards the jhanas), but really they are stages that marks one's gradual detachment from the world (or existence, life, etc. Not just 'this universe;earth'), there are markers of less and l...
by spacenick
Wed Sep 21, 2016 5:47 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Is strong nostalgia a side effect of practice?
Replies: 5
Views: 1592

Re: Is strong nostalgia a side effect of practice?

That nostalgia that arises for you, and is uncovered by meditation, is a tiny preview of what happens at death (the famous memories unfolding in front of one's eyes, etc). This is Mara trying to keep you under his sway, as he notices that you are trying to gain emancipation (understand my use of Mar...
by spacenick
Wed Sep 21, 2016 4:59 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: An example of no intension
Replies: 8
Views: 2337

Re: An example of no intension

An enlightened being while still living, still operates with all Five Aggregates intact, which volitional formation is a part of. The difference is that s/he no longer identifies with "I", "mine", and "myself". Therefore his wholesome conduct, wholesome volitional form...
by spacenick
Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: The authority of a monk's words
Replies: 153
Views: 22996

Re: The authority of a monk's words

Also just to comment on "confronting" a bhikkhu on his views: there's a time and a way to do it. But that's just in terms of kamma: if you call out a monk during a Q&A in front of everyone, you'll feel remorse & guilt afterwards (particularly if you consider that this person is liv...
by spacenick
Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:50 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: The authority of a monk's words
Replies: 153
Views: 22996

Re: The authority of a monk's words

I think you might find that study guide helpful: Recognizing the Dhamma Any monk (which by the way is not a special 'status' in itself, remember that attachment to rituals (ordination is a ritual) drops at the first level of enlightenment) which teaches a Dhamma that is not conducive to these 8 qual...
by spacenick
Tue Sep 13, 2016 7:04 pm
Forum: Wellness, Diet & Fitness
Topic: The case against coffee (important)
Replies: 73
Views: 33614

Re: The case against coffee (important)

It's important to be one own's lamp and, using discernment, to see whether you reduce unskillful states and gain skillful ones (or the opposite) during & after performing a certain action. I've personally hugely reduced my caffein intake over the past years, simply because I could see for myself...
by spacenick
Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:52 pm
Forum: Wellness, Diet & Fitness
Topic: Why one meal a day?
Replies: 705
Views: 363325

Re: One meal a day advice request

On One Meal a Day This is a very difficult practice for the lay man, especially if your social context isn't a Buddhist one. I'm struggling with it (interestingly, for my conditioning, it is much more difficult than chastity). this is a practice that was intended to provide adequate sustenance to a...
by spacenick
Thu Sep 08, 2016 7:19 pm
Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
Topic: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?
Replies: 17
Views: 3263

Re: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?

If one purchases a book from certain companies (religious or otherwise) they will send it with a book mark or pamphlet suggesting one join or at least explore their very specific organization, oftentimes this leads to requests for money in some way, even if it has no relation to or is different fro...
by spacenick
Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:43 pm
Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
Topic: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?
Replies: 17
Views: 3263

Re: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?

Well I'd say it is a great idea yeah, as long as the website you're linking doesn't interpret the Canon in wrong ways! (There is no "innocent" intention; even if you do not display your opinion, the action of writing the link to a website carries intentional (kammic) weight, if you were to...
by spacenick
Thu Sep 08, 2016 6:05 pm
Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
Topic: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?
Replies: 17
Views: 3263

Re: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?

I appreciate all your points and ideas, thank you. What exactly do you mean by "But driving people towards a dead-end"? Basically teaching wrong views, what is not true Dhamma, and so forth. The magnitude of the kamma of doing so then depends on your influence (from our point of view as r...
by spacenick
Thu Sep 08, 2016 4:48 pm
Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
Topic: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?
Replies: 17
Views: 3263

Re: What is the general stance of monastics on advising the laity in regard to Mahayana books?

This is a really interesting question and situation, I've been quite in a similar situation recently, and the call I made was to freely offer all the books I had either to people I knew, or people here on this forum. I am in a very different situation though since I wasn't in financial need when I w...
by spacenick
Wed Sep 07, 2016 10:44 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Does regret undo kamma?
Replies: 6
Views: 1963

Re: Does regret undo kamma?

And someone gave the answer that "For karma to be created there needs to be three things, intention, action, and satisfaction. Without all these three, karma cannot be created. Regret (Note: not guilt!) destroys the last I'm cringing :D Regret is just indulgence, it is the creation of more uns...