I'm going to a Buddhist temple tonight

[Droopy]

I've been interested in Buddhist philosophy for a long time and have read several books on the subject, but this will be the first time I've ever set foot inside a temple and talked to some real Buddhist monks. I'm going tonight when they have meditation instruction between 7-8 pm.

The monks at the temple live like the monks do in Asia. They are totally reliant on the community for their welfare. In return they give spiritual guidance to all who want it for free. They practice in the Theravaden tradition and they are from Thailand.

I'm really excited about this. It took a lot of guts for me to call the temple and inquire about services and tell them I was coming. I'm really not one to initiate contact with someone. I've always been kind of shy and timid.

What I really like about Buddhism is that there is no god that you have to worship. They look upon the Buddha as more of a role model for you to pattern your life after. Anybody who follows the path of the Buddha can realize salvation. It is a very open minded religion. They are accepting of all people.

What I'm looking for is some peace of mind. I'm haunted by things I've done in the past that a Buddhist would say were not "wholesome." If they can teach me to control my own mind and emotions then it will be worth it to me.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. WAAAA TRAITOR THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION CHRISTIANS ARE PERSECUTED WAAAAAA

</sarcasm>

May you find the peace of mind you seek. :hi:

[Droopy]

3. LOL!

Thank you, CPD.

[demnan]

2. I'm sure it will be a very emotional experience

especially given the tragedy that occurred Sunday.

[Droopy]

7. Yeah, I guess I was kind of insensitive

Because I didn't really consider that when I called them. I don't know if they are going to be doing something special because of that tragedy or not. It will be interesting to see.

[ZenLefty]

4. Seek not to follow in the footsteps of the wise...

Seek what they sought. :o

Have a good time, and be sure to let us know how it goes.

[Droopy]

9. I'll give you a full report when I get back. n/t

[fujiyama]

5. I hope you have a good experience

that sounds really interesting.

[Droopy]

11. Thank you. n/t

[frictionlessO]

6. funny enough when you and I were talking about prescriptions

a while back, I was gonna suggest meditation. You might find some real peace and balance for yourself there.

Im very happy for you... overjoyed even. Nirvana is only a thought away and then no thought.

well you know what I mean.!!

just cool!

[Droopy]

13. Yep

Medication has help me a great deal, but there are just some things that it can't do, like overcome conditioning. One of the things I'm going to ask them is how there instruction might affect the mental illness that I suffered from for so long and will the fact that I take some heavy duty medication affect my practice.

[crispini]

8. You might be asked to take off your shoes...

Wear socks without holes. :)

If you're a female, don't touch the monks. If male, don't touch the nuns.

You might want to take a small offering of food. Canned something, rice from an Asian store, etc. But if you don't have time it's not really necessary.

Enjoy! I lived in Thailand for 2 years and am a Buddhist, although not of the Thai schools. There is much to understand. Peace!

[Droopy]

10. I've got good socks on

I am a male. They only have monks there, but I don't plan on touching any of them anyway. I meant to ask if I needed to bring something with me, but I forgot. Maybe I should call them back.

[myopinion]

12. Wish it works out for you.

To find inner peace is almost impossible, I am still looking.
Have an open mind, but do not expect a change suddenly, it is a long path that few complete.

Good Luck

[Droopy]

14. Peace of mind is difficult to attain

in the culture in which we live. I don't know anybody who's not worrying about something. And the Bush administration isn't making matters any easier for us.

[bettyellen]

15. I'm really interested to hear how it went... can you send me

the new thread, or pm me your post after? i have been thinking of doing the same, and i would love to hear about it!

[Droopy]

17. Hopefully I'll remember to write a thread about it

When I do I'll look you up and pm you a link to it.

[bettyellen]

23. thank you droopy, i hope it's a good experience for you!!!!

[patcox2]

16. There are lots of Buddhist traditions. Some have many gods.

This idea that Buddhism is somehow above western religions is nothing less than reflexive cultural chauvinism, I think it comes from the fact that we know our culture, and we know its flaws, so many of us percieve estern religions negatively, whereas we know relatively little of eastern religions, we don't know their flaws, and we tend to view them much more tolerantly.

I mean, for silly fairy tale superstitions, nothing beats the idea that you can write a prayer on a wheel and spin it and each revolution counts as a prayer.

In many forms of buddhism their are demons and deities in abundance, with various powers and influence over various parts of existence.

Good for you, its wonderful to go, spirituality is a necesary part of life, in whatever form you find it.

I am just amused by the "pass" buddhism gets from so many who are intolerant of other religions. Buddhism was first popularized in the west by christian monk (the author of Zen in the Art of Archery) and a more recent book titled "Living Buddha, Living Christ" was written by a buddhist monk, detailing the similarities of the religions. And some speculate that Christ may even have studied buddhism, though its not likely. Its not that different from higher lever christian theology, God is unknowable, human thoughts and ideas are inherently incapable of fully comprehending godhead, we use our flawed symbols as fables pointing to truth, blah blah blah.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

19. Do Buddhists believe you'll be tormented forever if you're not Buddhist?

Yes, this is rhetorical. I know the answer.

[patcox2]

31. They beleive you are doomed to misery unless you follow the way.

Don't they? I mean, they do beleive that unless you follow the path to enlightenment, you will be doomed to endless reincarnation, plagued by your karma, (which is not payback, but rather self-induced torture caused by the fact that the unremembered bad habits of your previous incarnations will lead you into error, which will make you miserable, because all unhappiness is caused by desire and only enlightenment can free you from desire.

Whats so different? Christians beleive that you are separated from God by sin, and that its a voluntary choice you make to separate yourself from god, and that hell is nothing more than the absence of god, the absence of love and good. Only children or childish people like Falwell beleive it is a lake of fire where you are tortured by demons.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

34. It's VERY different

In THEIR mythology, there's always hope, and a "bad life" is only a temporary setback in the path to Nirvana. No comparison with the Christian Hell whatsoever.

[patcox2]

37. Of course, eastern religion good, western religion bad, got it.

Thank you for setting me straight.

[Droopy]

20. First of all

I'm not intolerant of any religions. I've been a Christian in the past and I did not find what I was looking for, but I by no means am intolerant of it. If you like that religion then good for you. I have never written negatively about Christianity here.

Secondly, I just read today that Buddhists do not worship a god. There may be traditions that I'm not aware of, but tonight I'm going to find out first hand what it's really all about.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

22. See post #1

Didn't take long, huh?

[roenyc]

28. You will be fine

you will be among the finest people in the world in my opinion.

and the feeling you get when in the temple will be overwhelming and you will be just fine.

We have a museum here http://www.tibetanmuseum.org/ and there it is incredible. i go there whenever i need to be still or find some solace.

i have not been since last year. after seeing a panel the other night on Larry king with religious leaders along with deepak chopra I had the urge to start reading about spiritual matters again. and perhaps forget the horrors of our government for awhile.

enjoy tonight.

[Droopy]

29. I hope that is the case, roenyc

And I don't doubt it when you say I'll be among some of the finest people in the world. My main concern is making some cultural mistakes. I'm sure that is bound to happen since I know nothing of their culture. Hopefully they'll be patient with me.

[patcox2]

36. I am sorry, I didn't think you were intolerant.

I was seeing it in some of the posts in reply, and expecting more of it to come.

I do believe that its easier to accept buddhism for intelligent and sceptical westerners because the variety of buddhism that is imported to the US is the highest, most intellectual form, it is not the superstitious and ritualistic form as practiced by the masses in buddhist countries. And thats a good thing, it makes the spirituality more accessible to intelligent, sceptical minds out there because it comes to you freed from all the silly baggage that christianity comes with.

What many sceptical westerners find difficult to accept is that there is also an intellectual and high form of christianity which is free from reliance on ritual and achives a transcendant agnosticism of its own, very similar to buddhis. They insist on holding to their conception of the christianity they learned when they were young, a childish version that resembles Family Circus cartoons where god and grampa are up on a cloud looking down at little Billy. They are right, that conceptualization of christianity is idiotic, but of course it is, its what children are taught. If they were to study the theology of most mainline protestant seminaries, it would be a very different thing.

But anyway, the good thing is you can approach buddhism with fresh eyes and without the baggage clinging to it and you can reach right to the highest essence of it in a way that can be difficult with christian theology if for no other reason than because the Falwells of the world have poisoned christianity for you.

Good luck, good wishes, be well.

[Droopy]

39. Thank you, patcox2

If you are interested and you are on later on this evening, I plan on writing a post about my experience. It'll probably be around 10pm eastern.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

40. Insightful

I met one of the intellectual/high form Christians in high school. He was an Episcopal priest. I asked him how is it that only people who believed in Christ can go to heaven.

He said that it is not the only way, just the easiest.

[redqueen]

18. Whatever you do, if you see a bug, DON'T KILL IT!

Jeez Louise that'll get you in trouble!

[Droopy]

21. Just a little more bad karma I guess. :-) n/t

[myopinion]

24. Gees Louise,

Yes in the teachings of Buddha there are kings, princes, gods and demons, they are there as stories and examples to help you understand the conflicts inside your own mind.
Has Buddhism been exempt and placed above other religions, any practicing Buddhist would not want that to be, we are all equal, and yes I will not kill a bug.

It is about turning away from earthly desires, giving, sharing and being a good person.
That is why there are no republican Buddhist.

[Droopy]

26. Thank you, myopinion

You can have an opinion on one of my threads any day.

[BluePatriot]

25. Well, I have nothing substantial to say,

...but that sounds really neat, and I am glad you are forging your own path in the world. Good luck :)

[Droopy]

27. Hopefully I'm forging my own path to being a better person. n/t

[anonymousdemocrat]

30. That sounds wonderful.

I'm something of a practicing Buddhist myself. I wish you peace.

a.d.

[Droopy]

32. Thank you, a.d.

Have you ever been to a temple? What should I expect?

[anonymousdemocrat]

33. I have lived in a monastery/meditation hall

in Berkeley, CA. It was very, very, very quiet and serious. The monks were kind and genuinely caring. The experience was altogether marvelous; there was traditional singing/chanting of the heart sutra in Korean, and bowing. Then we had 45 minute meditation. This was done morning and evening; I did a work-study in the monastery for one month, about 2 years ago.

I hope you enjoy yourself, too.

[johnnie]

35. I've had an interest in eastern Philosophies for many years

I would love to go to a temple like that. I consider myself a Buddhist more than any other spiritual definition. I have found it to change my life in so many ways and I have learned to deal with life on a more logical basis rather than a guilt-ridden, stressed out existence that I was used to under my "religion" I was raised on.
I have turned people on to a lot of the teachings and people come to me for some of the answers.
I'm sure it will be an enlightening experience. Take care...

[Droopy]

38. OK, johnnie

Hopefully it will be something that I can do on a regular basis. They have services every day in the morning and in the evening. My work schedule is going to knock out one of those, but I have some time off right now and if everything goes well tonight, I'll be doing this until after the new year.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

41. This is very interesting

Coincidentally I have been doing some reading on Buddhism, particularly Theravaden, in the last few days. It sounds like a wonderful experience.