A Moment – New life.

[Karmoh]

A Moment – New life.

A new life is only a moment…..

After a few years of serious Buddhist study; I came to the conclusion that something was amiss. I loved the Buddhist psychology, but after awhile certain doubts crept in, who is this Buddha, whats all this rebirth nonsense, when did the extra deities creep in…….what's it all about stuff

I was sitting one morning when a strange feeling came over me, like a cloud had lifted, thoughts popped in and out again in the normal way, but one thought dominated, why rebirth in Buddhism?

Maybe, just maybe, Buddha has been interpreted wrong.
Maybe if we live a pure and simple life based on the psychology of the Dharma.
Maybe if each day we meditate and chip away at our suffering, each night we sleep and awake for a new day……reborn.
Maybe if reaching enlightenment means being pure and free of suffering…………No such thing as rebirth, we’re reborn every second of everyday.

Consider this:

The instant we were born, bright and healthy, pure and simple
We know nothing – but know everything
We feel nothing - but feel everything (both physical and emotional)
We see nothing – but see everything
Are we truly enlightened beings at birth?

Lest we forget…………. then someone slaps our little bottom and it’s downhill all the way……………..welcome to our special world………..until we discover meditation and endeavor to get back to the second we were born, and become enlightened again.



As you may have guessed overnight I became a Buddhist atheist. Love the mindfulness theory but disliked the pomp and ceremony.

Fast forward a year or two, life is simpler, meditations are wonderful again, pure and simple…….with the aid an MP3 player

I'm not sure if the above makes sense, but it does to me

[olmate]

Hi Karmoh,

Giles made an excellent point to me the other day about belief and its ability to propel or hold back.

As far as I can ascertain, those who are avid practitioners in mindfulness and Buddhism say that the Buddha himself was not a Buddhist. Buddhism is a word that was coined by Europeans in the 18th century, Buddhists never thought of themselves as Buddhists.

It seems that it is hardly a religion in the sense that it's really about a way of being. There's not even a deity in Buddhism, so it doesn't really conflict with any belief system that one might already carry out of one's family.

And as I understand it in its purest form it's not about trying to turn anybody into anything, but simply recruiting one's deep interior capacity for awareness and for the attention that gives rise to awareness, and train that so that the mind has its full repertoire online for dealing with this stress, pain and illness and challenges of living life.

But then again, the more I contemplate life and living, the more I am convinced that pidgeon holes are so very limiting. I guess having an insatiable curiosity is most important in this journey.

Nothing but the best...

Olmate

[Karmoh]

Hi,

All true, olmate, all true.

Buddhism in its truest form in not religion per se, but a philosophy and mindfulness is the psychology.

It was unfortunate for me that I got caught in the New Kadampa Tradition and they worship rather than practice. The deities I speak of are all the different real or imaginary Buddha’s that abound in the NKT Tibetan Buddhism.

I do find I have a liking for The Thai Forest tradition as taught to the western world by Ajahn Chah. I still read Buddhist books and have Buddhist friends, I just cannot abide the way it has been stretched and twisted to suit.

[GilesC]

Originally Posted by olmate

Giles made an excellent point to me the other day about belief and its ability to propel or hold back.

As far as I can ascertain, those who are avid practitioners in mindfulness and Buddhism say that the Buddha himself was not a Buddhist. Buddhism is a word that was coined by Europeans in the 18th century, Buddhists never thought of themselves as Buddhists.

It seems that it is hardly a religion in the sense that it's really about a way of being. There's not even a deity in Buddhism, so it doesn't really conflict with any belief system that one might already carry out of one's family.

Yes, Buddhism is not about hierarchy and following what someone else says, it is about Dharma, which means "The Way" or more simply put "The teachings". The dharma is about contemplating these teachings and discovering the Self for yourself.

And as I understand it in its purest form it's not about trying to turn anybody into anything, but simply recruiting one's deep interior capacity for awareness and for the attention that gives rise to awareness, and train that so that the mind has its full repertoire online for dealing with this stress, pain and illness and challenges of living life.

spot on, yes. Unfortunately, as with any form of teachings, be they christian, buddhist or whatever, there are always people with ego's who use those teachings for control and power.

But then again, the more I contemplate life and living, the more I am convinced that pidgeon holes are so very limiting.

Absolutely. Why put yourself in a hole when the hole is part of the whole.

Originally Posted by Karmoh

It was unfortunate for me that I got caught in the New Kadampa Tradition and they worship rather than practice. The deities I speak of are all the different real or imaginary Buddha’s that abound in the NKT Tibetan Buddhism.

I learnt my initial insights into Buddhism from NKT meditation workshops. They were very enlightening and a pleasure to attend. Of course they try and get people interested in getting involved in the NKT movement, and we were happy to help out at their summer fayre (teaching Juggling to members of the public and raising funds for them ) and did a sponsored walk with them. They are lovely people, but I could never tie myself down (or pidgeon hole myself) to their strict ways of living and worship. To me, that is not what Buddhism is about.

I do find I have a liking for The Thai Forest tradition as taught to the western world by Ajahn Chah. I still read Buddhist books and have Buddhist friends, I just cannot abide the way it has been stretched and twisted to suit.

Let go of the ill feelings you have towards them, as they have their own paths to follow in this lifetime and we have ours. Be happy in the fact that they are happy to follow that way and that you are happy to follow your own.

Hugs

Giles

[Karmoh]

Humble apologies to everyone, I think I have got off on the wrong foot.
Thank you guys for your gentle admonishment, I didn’t mean to offend anyone, sometimes I just runaway with trivial musings.
I have so many ideas about what might be, and it is important for me to be clear in my future postings what it is I’m trying to say.
Basically I was trying to say, the Buddha taught freedom from suffering, from the contracted view of who we are. Freedom is not a licence to do whatever we want, though our society and religions seems often to have this view of freedom.

[GilesC]

I dont' believe you got off on the wrong foot at all, perhaps it is our answers that are being misunderstood, if so I apologise. Certainly I haven't taken any offence by what you've written, and I don't think anyone else did, in fact it's good to have another voice of experience on the forum, and your topic is certainly an interesting one.

If anything, I agree with what you've said, there is great value in Buddhist Dharma.

Hugs

Giles

[olmate]

Hi Karmoh,

Absolutely no need to apologize to me. If anything I am cautious on what I write on my posts so as to convey accurately my message. In that sense I look forward to the day words become redundant - except perhaps when it comes to poetry.

Life experiences can be painful or cause regret. But on reflection I welcome those experiences when they result in learning.

I look forward to your posts...

Giles... thanks again. I deeply appreciate you sharing your wisdom.

Olmate