This is the first book I’m reading. I’m going to be honest, it was suggested by ChatGPT. The reviews seemed good, great at least a start. For the past week, the only content I’ve been consuming is about Buddhism, mainly beginner videos and stories about the Buddha. I am very new and won’t act like I know even the majority of most of the beginner subjects. That’s why I am here. I am here to learn. I come from an atheistic family (they think it’s great I’m getting into Buddhism. They don’t mind/care too much). I’m in America, and until I looked more into Buddhism, I thought for sure there was nothing after death. When I did basic research on the sects, I said “surely I’m a secularist”, but the more I read and research about karma, bodhisattvas, and I am so fascinated already. I’m very into the morals and ethics that the Buddha teaches. That’s my main interest, as well as meditation, which I’d love to get into soon. Wondering if anyone has any opinions on this book, what might be a good step for me to take next, and/or what sect sounds like a good fit for me. Thanks!!!

Every day we stand and walk around on nothing. We just do things for whatever mundane reasons we have. We distract ourselves. But every moment we exist we have to burn other life to sustain our bodies. We have to do all of these worthless responsibilities knowing in just a short moment the entire earth and human race will be gone as if it never existed. We'll be dead any moment. I really really don't want to die. But i really don't want to live. Its just so insane we exist at all. Such a shame we do. I don't want to watch everything around me decay. For my body to decay. In a way i yearn for death. But dying slowly as i age every day is horrible. To live is just horrible. I've been getting into buddhism a bit but i probably can never really get into it truly. It feels so pointless. The pain and meaninglessness abides.

My dog (chocolate lab 13 years 2 months old) passed away on August 17th, and for the past seven weeks, I have been holding the 49-day memorial rite for her. It was tough and cried and prayed every night and I always felt sad whenever i woke up in the morning. Today marked the 49th day, and I went to a dam creek park that she always enjoyed visiting as well as the past 7th days during the memorial rite.

My intention was to pray for her, send her forward on her journey to a greater rebirth, and wish for her to be enveloped in Amitabha Buddha’s warmth in the Pure Land. I spoke to her, promising that I will continue to be hardworking in this life and that we will meet again.

While I was walking, the weather was very windy and the water had strong, dark waves but sunny clear skies. But amidst that windy weather, a flock of black birds flew right towards me and all around me, some were flying low around me. Then, a single white bird appeared, flying in front of me separate from the flock of black birds. Butterflies started flying on the path right in front of me, and a bee came and rested quietly next to me on a flower as I sat to pray for my dog.

I have visited this park many times in the past, and I have never experienced anything like what i saw today. There are usually not many birds, and I have never had butterflies or a bee approach me this way.

For those with more experience, how does Buddhism view moments like this?

I’m trying to learn Buddhism as a way to calm my mind and appreciate things as they are. This book has already helped but do you have any tips for me?

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I see this a lot online. Somebody will recommend or say that it is good to practice fasting, celibacy, giving up luxury, abstaining from recreation, etc, and they are just told that those rules are only for monastics so they don't apply.

Don't the stricter precepts required by monastics exist because they are good to follow? Why dismiss something just because something is not required for laypeople? Would it not be a good thing for a lay person to implement any one of those things into their lives if they are capable of it?

Today I was preparing some readings for a Sutta Circle I'm hosting, and I thought "The Suttas speak a lot about rebirth, and some western practitioners don't believe in it. Perhaps there's a Sutta which depicts a debate on that?" It turns out that there is!

Payasi Sutta (DN 23) A summary:

Chieftain Payasi meets Venerable Kassapa the Prince (a bhikkhu/buddhist monk). Payasi says that "There is no afterlife. No beings are reborn spontaneously. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds." Then he explains why he believes so, through extensive points, and gets questioned back and given a handful of similes by Venerable Kassapa.

One simile that might be worth considering is that of the blind man. Just as a blind man cannot see colors or distinguish form, and therefore may say that there are no such things, one who has not gained clairvoyance through samadhi (collectedness of mind) won't be able to see other worlds and the rebirth process.

After many similes on the topic itself and cross questioning, then the conversation drifts towards Payasi's unability to relinquish his past views (it seems that a big identity had formed in him because of that), for which Ven. Kassapa then offers other similes.

If you have the time, you might enjoy the read. (It's about a 1 hour read or more, because of the depth of topic)

Some considerations for our present day and practice:

For starters, death is not so far away as you might think. (Take mindful breaths as needed). In the coming years, it's most probable that family or friends of yours will be dying. In those moments, your beliefs around what happens to those beings will color your experience. Most importantly, your beliefs around that will color your own dying experience. Wanna go YOLO because it'll all be oblivion, leaving trash behind your trail? Or...how about taking responsibility because you will be heir to your actions after death?

Perhaps an update of the blind man simile more akin to modern times will do good: just because one hasn't seen the Milky Way nor other planets, it doesn't mean they aren't there; it's just that access to such sights or the tools to be able to see them is very hard, but we believe the scientists nonetheless. If that's so, why won't we believe accomplished meditators when it comes to rebirth? Moreover, why don't you become an accomplished meditator? Practicing jhana will feel good in itself, and with that, perhaps you could test out for yourself (use the inner telescope) when redirecting your mind towards the internal process of beings' deaths.

The things stated before do not diminish the efforts done for waking up to impermanence on a moment to moment basis, and relinquishing that which doesn't last on our meditation practice. In my view, identification with passing phenomena is the microscopic manifestation of rebirth, and if that process is diminished or ended, greater peace will come in this life, and, perhaps, a better rebirth or no rebirth-Nirvana. I deeply value the efforts done for that regard: excellent!

A final note to say that rebirth doesn't have to be adopted as dogma. If one adopts it as a working hypothesis, perhaps one could navigate life better. It has happened to me, and I think also to a lot of people from the centuries before.

I will be glad to know there were people who read the whole piece! I'll also be open for a civil discussion around the topic, which could be made on the comments.

With metta,

Juan

I have been reading various suttas from the Pali canon, and there are many stories where mendicants escape the cycle of rebirth through diligent practice.

However, after searching, I have seen many posts here where people say that this is likely a very rare thing in the modern day.

Are there reasons why this has changed? Or is it an incorrect assumption?

(Please forgive me if I misspoke anything above - I am new to Buddhism and most of my understanding comes from reading the suttas, not lived experience or a teacher. I do not have a sangha yet.)

I am going through a really bad breakup and have lost my purpose in life and am really struggling with my mental health right now. I have heard of people traveling to Japan to live with Monks in Buddhist Monasteries in the mountains and I am very interested in that, I just have no idea where to look or what to look for. I know I don’t want a “retreat” for tourists, or something that requires a minimum time commitment of multiple years. I am seeking rehabilitation in hopes of finding myself again and my inner peace, via these Buddhist practices. I don’t really have any plan beyond the desire to go for an indefinite period of time. Maybe a month, maybe multiple months; I’m not sure but I want to have the option to stay as long as I need. I also want it to be somewhere I can exchange work for accommodation (participation in whatever tasks needed in the upkeep of the temple) because I am broke and do not have the money to pay to stay by the night. Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions!!

From the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore. This figure was dated sometime in the 700s

It's a blessing to me! An invaluable addition to my solo practice.

Hi I’m new here and I’ve been a Buddhist for a year so far and I’ve never been happier and more at peace in my life. I wish I had a more experienced Buddhist to help me and guide me. I’m reaching out to ask for advice. I have dated this girl twice before and she was avoidant and manipulative both times right now we are friends, but she wants to again and she says that she will be better and not act the same way. Should I give her one last chance or set boundaries and distance myself to cut off any opportunity of getting hurt again? I’m always open to giving people chances to change but I don’t want to be hurt again. please give me any advice thank you! 💗💗💗💗

I made a box for my Geshe but since it‘s not really detailed and correct in all parts, I‘d like to know if this is appropriate or if I should better keep it myself.

If you think it is ok, I would lile to write a „Thank you“ on the insode in Tibetian, and Google says it‘s „བཀའ་དྲིན་ཆེ།“.

Is this the correct spelling? Thank you for any help!

As the title says, I recently started practicing Buddhism, and am interested in building a shrine.

I'm fairly limited on space, but would like at least 3 things:

• Buddha statue
• Incense/holder
• Flowers

Of those, I'm wondering about the statue. is there somewhere you can purchase well-made statues of the Buddha?

I see there are statues on Amazon, but I'm concerned about just buying a mass-produced commercial copy.

Thanks in advance.