Do you believe in God?

[midwestyankee]

Except for the price of land at Pebble Beach it might all be doable

One can walk past the 18th fairway while strolling around the Lodge, even as a tourist. Wouldn't be all that hard to pull a little dust out of a pocket and let it fly.

 

[Keroin]

The oven may be the most convenient means. Regardless, I plan to make my own little box. Will dovetail together some well-figured cherry and make a bottom and top from walnut. Simple, Shaker-like in its elegance if I can pull it off. Toss a few handfuls into the water off the coast of Maine, drop some into the ground at Pebble Beach, and I'll be a happy camper.

MWY, for reasons you'll never know, I loved this little post.

But, ever the party pooper, cremation is actually not very environmentally friendly. I read a blurb once about a group who bought some woodland to create a "natural" cemetery. You are buried but sans coffin - to speed decomposition. No headstones or markers are allowed but loved ones are free to visit the park any time they like. Not sure how their idea went over.

A local radio station back home once had a funniest, real-life funeral/burial story contest and my favorite involved a cremation. The deceased wanted to have his ashes scattered at sea so the family took him with them on the ferry ride over to Vancouver Island. They gathered at the railing, said some words, shed some tears, opened the urn and flung the ashes out to the water. Problem was, the wind blew the ashes right back at them and onto the freshly painted walls of the ferry where the dearly departed "stuck". Oops.

Cod, imagine eternity stuck on the BC ferries? *shivers*

 

[Homburg]

Indeed. Wouldn't mind going out the way that Tommy Lee Jones' character did in Space Cowboys, but that's not high on the list of likely options.

Hell. Yes. In a heartbeat.

--

I'm still afraid of death. Discussing how I'll go or the disposal of my body doesn't appeal to me.

Really? Death is about as scary to me as turning off a light switch is to the light bulb. The dying? Now, that's a different story. Dying can be painful, scary shit. Death though, eh. Not having a personal afterlife meme is its' own form of comfort.

 

[graceanne]

MWY, for reasons you'll never know, I loved this little post.

But, ever the party pooper, cremation is actually not very environmentally friendly. I read a blurb once about a group who bought some woodland to create a "natural" cemetery. You are buried but sans coffin - to speed decomposition. No headstones or markers are allowed but loved ones are free to visit the park any time they like. Not sure how their idea went over.

My grandma was buried in a natural cemetery. She had a coffin, but it was made of untreated wood. Her headstone is a rock that was pulled off the property and engraved.

 

[Keroin]

My grandma was buried in a natural cemetery. She had a coffin, but it was made of untreated wood. Her headstone is a rock that was pulled off the property and engraved.

That is incredibly...I don't know...it just makes me smile.

Oh wait, I'm not speaking to you after that latest chocolate photo.

*stomps away*

 

[graceanne]

That is incredibly...I don't know...it just makes me smile.

I thought it was pretty cool. No one is allowed to be buried in that particular cemetery unless it's natural. I think they didn't embalm her, either. The entire idea is to have the human body return to the ground, the way it's meant to be. I think that my grandmother found that very soothing as she was dying.

Oh wait, I'm not speaking to you after that latest chocolate photo.

*stomps away*

*giggles*

 

[Shankara20]

I'm still afraid of death. Discussing how I'll go or the disposal of my body doesn't appeal to me.

then we shall continue on without you
you will be missed

but we will survive

 

[Recidiva]

attached to our attachment are we, Grasshopper?

Not really, just not attached to being detached.

I'm not really attached to whether or not I'm right either, but not detached from it.

Does this make me a Buddist switch?

 

[WriterDom]

http://suches.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26:preachers-rock&catid=20&Itemid=37

I'm about 99% sure this is where I want my ashes if I am cremated. I don't really like the idea of buying a fancy box and taking up space in the earth.

 

[Shankara20]

http://suches.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26:preachers-rock&catid=20&Itemid=37

I'm about 99% sure this is where I want my ashes if I am cremated. I don't really like the idea of buying a fancy box and taking up space in the earth.

lovely place indeed...

 

[Shankara20]

Not really, just not attached to being detached.

I'm not really attached to whether or not I'm right either, but not detached from it.

Does this make me a Buddist switch?

light on
light off

light on
light off

all the same
.
.
.
all the same

 

[Recidiva]

light on
light off

light on
light off

all the same
.
.
.
all the same

Pretty much. I feel, I let it go, I don't feel, I let that go. Then in one of those wierd things you have to let go of the mechanics of choice of letting things go. It's a "polish the mirror" but there's no mirror to polish thing.

The less I think about it or worry about it, negative or positive or neutral, the better I get along with the world.

I don't see the point to being here though, if I'm not going to have some opinion about it. I just don't have to be right about it. It just is.

 

[Shankara20]

I don't see the point to being here though, if I'm not going to have some opinion about it. I just don't have to be right about it. It just is.

I see it about the same.

Have a plan = cool
Attachment to the plan = suffering

 

[graceanne]

My mothers entire family are buried in one cemetery. (I'm related to everyone on the first row - they're not related to eachother). I want to be buried there, with my grandpa and where my grandma will be buried.

 

[Recidiva]

I see it about the same.

Have a plan = cool
Attachment to the plan = suffering

Yes.

And ultimately this logic leads to letting go of so many tenets that get you to the POINT of realizing you have to let go of them. Buddhism in particular can have practitioners that are stuck in a spot and then kinda trapped there with nowhere to go.

"Fuck. I'm angry. Okay. Just don't...let anybody know, and we're cool. We're cool, right?"

Ironically, disagree logically with some Buddhists about the applicability or use of certain tenets and it sounds like you're dealing with a new psych 101 student.

"The idea of karma appears in its more negative forms to reduce responsibility and although it's intended to bring about compassion, it often brings about callousness."

"You're only saying that because you're just not enlightened enough." (Always sounds to me like someone saying something regarding penis envy being my problem...)

And that's where spirituality that changes serves me, and I get to pick and choose which plan to use or discard or doesn't work right now or might work in different circumstances, or just realizing I'm fucked and I gotta get through and if I don't, that's okay too.

Buddhism serves me in many situations, but not all. And I need to temper it with other disciplines and thoughts or I'll get stuck literally sitting on my ass thinking nothing matters.

Detachment is good as a mechanic and a choice, but taken to extremes, it's prone to equate everything on earth to everything else in degree and importance. Detachment of self turns into denial of self, and everything else, having any effect or meaning.

If Christianity has weaknesses that result in overzealousness and such, I believe Buddhism's weakness is that the final result can be a person doing emotional math in ways that it makes everything come out to zero.

 

[Netzach]

Yes.

And ultimately this logic leads to letting go of so many tenets that get you to the POINT of realizing you have to let go of them. Buddhism in particular can have practitioners that are stuck in a spot and then kinda trapped there with nowhere to go.

"Fuck. I'm angry. Okay. Just don't...let anybody know, and we're cool. We're cool, right?"

Ironically, disagree logically with some Buddhists about the applicability or use of certain tenets and it sounds like you're dealing with a new psych 101 student.

"The idea of karma appears in its more negative forms to reduce responsibility and although it's intended to bring about compassion, it often brings about callousness."

"You're only saying that because you're just not enlightened enough." (Always sounds to me like someone saying something regarding penis envy being my problem...)

And that's where spirituality that changes serves me, and I get to pick and choose which plan to use or discard or doesn't work right now or might work in different circumstances, or just realizing I'm fucked and I gotta get through and if I don't, that's okay too.



Buddhism serves me in many situations, but not all. And I need to temper it with other disciplines and thoughts or I'll get stuck literally sitting on my ass thinking nothing matters.

Detachment is good as a mechanic and a choice, but taken to extremes, it's prone to equate everything on earth to everything else in degree and importance. Detachment of self turns into denial of self, and everything else, having any effect or meaning.

If Christianity has weaknesses that result in overzealousness and such, I believe Buddhism's weakness is that the final result can be a person doing emotional math in ways that it makes everything come out to zero.

This is why I do sitting meditation on my own, read, and fundamentally ignore other practitioners. It takes two people to fuck up a religion. My interpretations have led me to "you're angry? Be angry."

And whenever I feel my head go too far up my own ass, I remember the "middle path" suggestion.

Also there are very socially engaged community oriented schools in Buddhism where your net worth IS in the alleviation of other people's suffering - not everyone's zen.

 

[Shankara20]

Yes.

And ultimately this logic leads to letting go of so many tenets that get you to the POINT of realizing you have to let go of them. Buddhism in particular can have practitioners that are stuck in a spot and then kinda trapped there with nowhere to go.

"Fuck. I'm angry. Okay. Just don't...let anybody know, and we're cool. We're cool, right?"

Ironically, disagree logically with some Buddhists about the applicability or use of certain tenets and it sounds like you're dealing with a new psych 101 student.

"The idea of karma appears in its more negative forms to reduce responsibility and although it's intended to bring about compassion, it often brings about callousness."

"You're only saying that because you're just not enlightened enough." (Always sounds to me like someone saying something regarding penis envy being my problem...)

And that's where spirituality that changes serves me, and I get to pick and choose which plan to use or discard or doesn't work right now or might work in different circumstances, or just realizing I'm fucked and I gotta get through and if I don't, that's okay too.

Buddhism serves me in many situations, but not all. And I need to temper it with other disciplines and thoughts or I'll get stuck literally sitting on my ass thinking nothing matters.

Detachment is good as a mechanic and a choice, but taken to extremes, it's prone to equate everything on earth to everything else in degree and importance. Detachment of self turns into denial of self, and everything else, having any effect or meaning.

If Christianity has weaknesses that result in overzealousness and such, I believe Buddhism's weakness is that the final result can be a person doing emotional math in ways that it makes everything come out to zero.

I prefer striving for "non-attachment" vs "detachment" for just the reasons you state. When I first approached Buddhism it was from a repress/denial of feelings. It was sorta like getting a lobotomy. This I found material that helped me understand that it was not about denial of feelings, it was about attachment and identifying as the feeling. Have the feelings, enjoy the feeling - all of then, the easy ones and the difficult ones - just don't become and long for the feelings.

 

[Netzach]

Since I probably won't get sky buried, I have decided that this is the second coolest option. The designs are meh, but dude, I could BE JEWELRY.

http://www*****gem.com/

If you could BE your most favorite ever thing to do wouldn't that be neat?

 

[Recidiva]

This is why I do sitting meditation on my own, read, and fundamentally ignore other practitioners. It takes two people to fuck up a religion.

And whenever I feel my head go too far up my own ass, I remember the "middle path" suggestion.

I haven't had any really successful attempts to integrate into a Buddhist community. And I've integrated into a LOT of communities. I have tried, and ironically a ton of time is spent on money for the space or donations or all the bickery things I'd expect at a PTA meeting.

There's a particular Buddhist way of arguing that's like the opposite of the way Unitarians argue. Sets my teeth on edge and I'd rather they just had it out fight club style.

It's like hanging out with actors. So obsessed with appearing that their realities have entirely slipped their notice. Buddhists can be so obsessed with appearing enlightened that their realities have been denied to the point of "What elephant in the room? If you see an elephant, that's because you have elephant issues."

I'm not sure that's ignoring, but it's worked out that way on the whole.

 

[Shankara20]

Also there are very socially engaged community oriented schools in Buddhism where your net worth IS in the alleviation of other people's suffering - not everyone's zen.

are you saying that a Bodhisattva is not a better human with more net worth this little ol' I?


bodhisattvas sorta = the Catholic notion of saints at times

I fantasize at times that Siddhartha would shutter that some have made him into a Divinity

 

[Recidiva]

I prefer striving for "non-attachment" vs "detachment" for just the reasons you state. When I first approached Buddhism it was from a repress/denial of feelings. It was sorta like getting a lobotomy. This I found material that helped me understand that it was not about denial of feelings, it was about attachment and identifying as the feeling. Have the feelings, enjoy the feeling - all of then, the easy ones and the difficult ones - just don't become and long for the feelings.

Exactly! That's the beauty of progressing on through to where the earlier steps make perfect sense and you're not stuck.

 

[Netzach]

I haven't had any really successful attempts to integrate into a Buddhist community. And I've integrated into a LOT of communities. I have tried, and ironically a ton of time is spent on money for the space or donations or all the bickery things I'd expect at a PTA meeting.

There's a particular Buddhist way of arguing that's like the opposite of the way Unitarians argue. Sets my teeth on edge and I'd rather they just had it out fight club style.

It's like hanging out with actors. So obsessed with appearing that their realities have entirely slipped their notice. Buddhists can be so obsessed with appearing enlightened that their realities have been denied to the point of "What elephant in the room? If you see an elephant, that's because you have elephant issues."

I'm not sure that's ignoring, but it's worked out that way on the whole.

The most colossal basic interaction low level assholes I've ever met all seem to share my faith/philo.

This should be more troubling to me than it is. I guess I just keep on keeping on because I'm a Buddhist.

 

[Netzach]

are you saying that a Bodhisattva is not a better human with more net worth this little ol' I?


bodhisattvas sorta = the Catholic notion of saints at times

I fantasize at times that Siddhartha would shutter that some have made him into a Divinity

Oh, you don't have to necessarily be a Boddhisattva to make societal engagement and alleviating suffering part of your mandate, right?

I think a lot of people who spend a LOT of time together getting competitive about enlightenment really have forgotten the fact that Buddha-nature can be easy sudden free and totally painless.

I like the Korean zen guys, yelling at each other and hitting sticks on the floor. I like them the best - it's like Dada in art as a religion.

 

[Recidiva]

are you saying that a Bodhisattva is not a better human with more net worth this little ol' I?


bodhisattvas sorta = the Catholic notion of saints at times

I fantasize at times that Siddhartha would shutter that some have made him into a Divinity

I know! Seeing some of the passages regarding "feeding one Boddhisatva is like feeding one million peons" is a chilling passage, for me. That one Boddhisatva is worth how many unbelievably huge number of peons.

*check author* Who wrote this?

This is Buddhism, right?

*gets up and walks out*

 

[Recidiva]

The most colossal basic interaction low level assholes I've ever met all seem to share my faith/philo.

This should be more troubling to me than it is. I guess I just keep on keeping on because I'm a Buddhist.

I've been lucky enough to read/meet some unbelievably cool Buddhists who have taught me some amazing things about how I wasn't looking at it right, for which I'm grateful.

I have no idea where I'd have been if they basically hadn't turned the text right-side up for me so to speak.

So I'm glad they're there and that they found me.