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Is everybody addicted to something?

Its a win, I dont use chalk.

"I dont belive" and "It doesnt exist" are two different things.

I'm not going to list an endless set of philosophies and what constitute their 'temples'

Buddism is not considered a religion by those who choose to adhere to its principles, I agree with them.

You can believe whatever you like but my attempt here was to address the misconception that Buddism is a religion, which it is not.

Also, you know he's doing it, you know he's doing that new thing, you know gods doing it...
 
smoky...you so reasonable, I apprecaite your calming influence and might I ask what is smeared on your avatars hand?
 
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Take your paws off me, you damn filthy ape!

...

Buddhism and Christianity are my favorite "religions", by the way.
I refer to myself as a Buddhist Christian or a Christian Buddhist, depending on my mood.

...

me said:
What are abstinent monks addicted to?
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herbavore said:
Routine?
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Sharks have routines.
Are sharks addicted to blood?

Bees have routines.
Are bees addicted to pollen?
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murphythecat said:
in the beginning of each moment :p

one simply need to know at all time his state of mind. Just ask yourself, what am I doing? thinking about the past, the future, craving, remembering, judging negatively, having ressentments about the past? ect. One need to always be mindful of his thoughts if he has thoughts. ideally, its much calmer to focus solely on the body and the sensations that arise right now but if you have thoughts, you need to know its content and replace the negative with the positive because you realize quite fast that any negative thoughts makes you uncomfortable and stresses oneself so tis a bit useless to maintain negative thoughts.

if his mind is encouraging unwholesome thoughts about the past or the future, one need to encourage himself to stop that non sense negativity and go back to the present moment.

you cannot think and be in the present moment as the experience of the present moment is much faster then thoughts and well with thought, we judge and try to define but when you are mindful, you experience without judgments the present moment which is mainly calm and peaceful.

but this is a practice and its a bit hard in the beginning but like everything, with practice, it becomes habitual and not difficult, it bceomes second nature almost.

the 4 great efforts concerning mindfulness of thoughts are:
avoid unwholesome thoughts
being able to maintain a wholesome thought
replace a unwholesome thoughts that arise with a wholesome thoughts
to stop a unwholesome thoughts that hasnt yet arised
basically "avoiding," "overcoming," "developing," and "maintaining,"


this is the beginning...
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Exactly!
 
Smoky said:
Thank you for clarifying your meaning of the beginning. It's wonderful you have your own tool for living ...
Buddhism has it's place indeed, and has helped many transcend their daily sufferings, through practice, it brings much clarity to daily living. Many psychological therapeutic practices for 'in the moment' type maps for changing or reframing one's psyche or thought streams/behaviors are derived from buddhist practices. Maps, models or humanistic type in the 'now' therapies, like solution focused therapy, dbt, cbt rebt and so on can be very beneficial, and are borrowed from the East.
Yes - Thoughts will always arise, it's important to notice this ime, not give meaning or attachment to them… They don't come in sizes… they just come it's what one does with the thoughts. And to be able to thread back to the nature or origin of the programming… and be able to observe them and not personalize or make thoughts real

My only qualm is we can't ime, avoid unwholesome thoughts… In attempts to avoid something there is a blocking happening of what simply IS, or what is happening. For example, Who is it that is doing the avoiding? This is important to understand. In deep meditation there is an understanding of the witness. There is no separateness either between wholeness or un-wholeness. This is still a duality, that will remain in attempts to avoid, verses 'invite in' and let pass through, transcendence … healing.

I agree, it takes time to unlearn what is learned and have a new lens to see through. Conditioning or negative thoughts can often arise first based on what was internalized early on. :)
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interesting!

unwholesome thoughts are created by ourselves, by our judgments about what we think should and shouldnt happen. if you stop the thoughts very very fast, they dont really have a force of their own and will vanish. the goal of the practice is eventually seeing the cause that make any unwholesome thought arise and stop that as well so yes I believe that one could stop having unwholesome thoughts all together, with practice.
Even wholesome thoughts are to be avoided in profit of mindfulness of the body ime because thoughts are more stressful then simply being aware of sensations in the body.

in meditation, I have learn that the present moment is much different that I think it is and that theres a beauty in every little second and moments, but we have to train ourselves to enter the present moment, to be rather then to think. The only way to be, is by stilling the mind, stopping his non stop talking and movement. its the only way to experience fully each and every moment.
 
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Smoky said:
Religion can come with an illusory security sometimes… promises, depending on the person…. Does buddhism do this? Bring security based on belief? People use buddhist practices for living. Are they buddhist? Are they religious? Do they call themselves religious? Do they consider it a religion? Is it a way? A path? How organized is it? Does this matter?

Within psychology some buddhist practices might be utilized for therapeutic purposes. In this construct, it's not religious but might be pulled from religious type practices.

For others it's a belief system, does this make it a religion? It's up for debate for sure. What defines religion to one doesn't to another. Is there a right answer?
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exactly, the definition of the word religion is a bit too broad. why not simply talk about one religion at a time :p
IME, your a buddhist once you begin the practice. as imo, buddhism is a practice, you can call yourself a buddhist practisioner only once you practice.
just like with sports. I used to play soccer evey day and could call myself a soccer player. but since its been 3 years I havent played much, I couldnt really call myself a soccer player anymore.
I still love soccer but I couldnt really call myself a soccer player anymore...
 
murphythecat said:
interesting!

unwholesome thoughts are created by ourselves, by our judgments about what we think should and shouldnt happen. if you stop the thoughts very very fast, they dont really have a force of their own and will vanish. the goal of the practice is eventually seeing the cause that make any unwholesome thought arise and stop that as well so yes I believe that one could stop having unwholesome thoughts all together, with practice.
Even wholesome thoughts are to be avoided in profit of mindfulness of the body ime because thoughts are more stressful then simply being aware of sensations in the body.

in meditation, I have learn that the present moment is much different that I think it is and that theres a beauty in every little second and moments, but we have to train ourselves to enter the present moment, to be rather then to think. The only way to be, is by stilling the mind, stopping his non stop talking and movement. its the only way to experience fully each and every moment.
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Yes, To experience, rather than to interpret what's happening…

About unwholesome thoughts. I might say we can integrate them and allow them in and let them go. Contaminated thought systems though are part of society, the cultural social enterprise. The thought systems take place in a disturbed organism neurologically, us - the human beings…
It's important to not identify with the thoughts, I am not these thoughts etc. To see through this ego, this separate self (thoughts create division, conflict), we can be freer to some extent. I think we might be on the same page somewhat, just a different perspective on origin of thoughts…and process. It's wonderful to be aware… regardless of how one comes to be so….
In meditation one can open the window and see through.
 
To be honest I think I would cease to exist without my unwholesome thoughts, they are the tie that binds me to this plane of existence
 
I would be a terrible Buddhist but I really dig, Siddartha by Herman Hesse
 
WantToBeReborn said:
What does a meditative trance feel like?
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calm, happiness, satisfaction and contentment, ect

i meditate every day and my practice is progressing quite fast as you cannot just live your life and do hundred time at the same time and then be successful in meditation. you need to integrate mindfulness in every moment as often as possible. I am still new to it, but I get fairly deep now and you learn a great deal but most importantly, love and gratitude for everyone becomes your state of mind.
I cannot even hate someone anymore or even think much about someone as I know that this is not a person but simply a changing phenomena and that judging his mistakes isnt conductive to my happiness anyway.
but it would be long to explain as its changing my total relation with life.
 
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Birc0014 said:
To be honest I think I would cease to exist without my unwholesome thoughts, they are the tie that binds me to this plane of existence
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This is a profound insight! What would cease to exist without the thoughts? When you say ' I ' per say. Who is I? :)
 
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