Buddhist Children

I came across this amazing resource for Buddhist teachings geared towards children (not to say that adults can not use this just as effectively) at BuddhaNet.net.

You will find syllabi (primary and secondary) and texts, ebooks, bibliographies, and an awesome audio library that I am still exploring.

Yesterday morning we listened to the morning bell chant (in Vietnamese) that is said in Buddhist monasteries.

Transcendent.

Tricycle, the Buddhist magazine, just sent out an email this week regarding the inception of their guest bloggers.

I am reading through Stephen Bachelor's blog now where he discusses his journey into Buddhism from an agnostic background and how an agnostic integrates (or not) the core tenants of persistent soul-ness (beyond the mortal coil) and rebirth.

My flavor of Buddhism is Zen Buddhism where these sorts of issues are not core. If one is caught up in the logistics of one's soul then satori will remain infinitely inaccessible. The same goes for involvement with any sort of question such as the logistics of attaining enlightenment. To strive purposefully towards that goal results in failure.

Bachelor speaks of belief in our physical reality. This is close to a true seeing because what we perceive of as "reality" is a concoction of our personal delusion. Belief is required to assume that it is THE reality. The belief is something humans need to forget that they have forgotten.

Bachelor speaks of his revelation of how, even if one "chooses" to not believe in the core precepts of common Buddhism, the functional aspects of being Buddhist remain strong and relevant. He says:

"To live according to Buddhism's ethical precepts, to apply its instructions on meditation, and to engage with its philosophical ideas seemed sufficiently self-validating and worthwhile in themselves. None of these activities needed to be justified or motivated by arcane theories of multiple lives and karmic causation.

Practices such as generosity, tolerance, compassion, non-violence, detachment, mindfulness, concentration and enquiry into the nature of emptiness and contingency were not only compatible with my post-Christian, secular humanism and its scientific worldview, but appeared to enrich and enhance them."

Do, do not think.
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Just Saying - A political moment

Taking a moment to step outside of the usual HS topic to bring you an interesting image. If you are familiar with christianity (being christian or not) this may give you pause to consider our "Fearless Leader" (tm).


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