Bad experiences with Buddhism

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Tennok
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Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by Tennok »

dpcalder wrote: Thu Apr 21, 2022 5:37 pm How common is it for someone to conclude that their defilements are too strong to be defeated by Buddhist methods and basically give up? Thoughts on this? Is there anything in the Pali Canon that discusses this?
Doubt ( vicikiccha ) is one of the five hindrances. It means all practicioners have to deal with it. And I guess it means that only in jhana this hindrance is gone ( temporaly ).

Or am I wrong here? ( Vicikiccha strikes again :smile: )
santa100
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Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by santa100 »

Tennok wrote:Doubt ( vicikiccha ) is one of the five hindrances...
It'll only be completely gone once attaining Sotapanna (ref: Vicikiccha )
jc1990
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Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2022 2:13 pm

Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by jc1990 »

daan, sila, bhavana.

Practice daan, keep precept (sila 8 if you want to practice meditation easier) and practice meditation. You have to keep walking, it takes time, everything changes, perception of impermanence is a great merit.

Keep learning and also practice.

Niphanang parmang sukhang or nibbana is ultimate bliss.
wenjaforever
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Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 4:44 am

Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by wenjaforever »

I'm actually annoyed by the fact that some people think that Buddhism is some rehab place for healing and that nonsense. Buddhism is about the truth not about being saccharine and fake.
money is worthless toilet paper • the tongue has no bone (a person might say one thing but it cannot be further from the truth) • you cannot teach a goat math as in you cannot teach the dhamma to a dumb person
keller
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Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 2:10 am

Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by keller »

seeker242 wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:10 pm Seems common in people with little faith or understanding who also cannot reason correctly. I personally mostly have seen it in people who think in an all or nothing/black and white approach. AKA, I can't attain enlightenment in this lifetime, too much defilement. Therefore, any practice is pointless since I won't be attaining enlightenment anyway. That's not a reasonable way to think. And it doesn't make any sense according to the teaching of Buddhism. The notion of kamma dictates that it's impossible for legitimate practicing to have no beneficial effects. Good action always has good effects, somewhere, somehow. Such excuses are also said by people who are just lazy. They don't want to make an effort, so they rationalize up an excuse so they don't have to make the effort.
:goodpost:

It's also a rationalization without any basis in knowledge or discernment, and is thus completely speculative. You can't even know what the practice truly is until you are a stream-enterer. Though I suppose it is exactly those qualities of laziness, resignation, complacency, and lack of self-confidence that will prevent any progress in the first place...The point is that all of those real barriers to progress are choices and assumptions that must be gratuitously, willfully maintained. The notion that one "has" a big bucket of defilements weighing themselves down and preventing progress is a pernicious view that is itself the true defilement.
bpallister
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Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by bpallister »

is it a bad experience with Buddhism or are we creating bad experiences via our actions?
bpallister
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Re: Bad experiences with Buddhism

Post by bpallister »

wenjaforever wrote: Tue May 24, 2022 9:44 am I'm actually annoyed by the fact that some people think that Buddhism is some rehab place for healing and that nonsense. Buddhism is about the truth not about being saccharine and fake.
it is annoying when people try to reduce Buddhism (and specifically meditation) to some self-help quick fix.
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