Buddhists Moderated

Interview with Ingrid Jordt, anthropologist and former Buddhist nun, re: Buddhists in Myanmar/Burma

2008-01-29T20:27:13Z

I caught the second half of American Public Media's radio program, Speaking of Faith, this morning and thought folks in this community would be interested.

The program is called Burma Buddhism and Power and is described as:
"A look inside the spiritual culture of Burma, exploring the meaning of monks taking to the streets there in September, the way in which religion and military rule are intertwined, and how Buddhism remains a force in and beyond the current crisis."

It features an interview with Ingrid Jordt, "an assistant professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, former Buddhist nun, and author of Burma's Mass Lay Meditation Movement."

I found her words about the bravery of the Buddhist monks, as well as her take on the need for compassion in confronting oppression, incredibly powerful and moving.

Here's the website, which includes a link to hear the radio program as well as to hear the complete interview with Jordt (they couldn't fit the entire interview into the hour-long show):
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/burma/index.shtml

Cross-posted to:
buddhists
buddhists_fyad
buddhists_m
zen_buddhists
zen_recovery

buddhists_m @ 2008-01-29T14:08:00

2008-01-29T20:26:58Z

can anyone tell me specifically where this quote comes from? " Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense"
Thanks in advance

What's wrong with anger

2007-09-12T15:26:11Z

Nothing. Nothing at all. If I'm angry, I'm angry. Maybe it's a sign of attachment, or maybe buddhism has it all wrong, and it's only natural to get angry at times. In practice, it doesn't make any difference. My anger is totally okay. Even acting out that anger is totally fine. Even harming other living beings is fine. It's only enlightened world playing with enlightened world.

So is there any benefit, any one AT ALL in NOT acting on my anger, in viewing it calmly, in practicing awareness and lovingkindness?

Yes. It's really about freedom, nothing else. It's about realizing that I don't really gain anything if I act out my anger. Just one more game played, nothing else. As far as I understand that, I can decide, with real liberty, how to act.

Yeah, nothing so new here. It just struck me so intensely, I wanted to share...

Dickens and Nonattachment

2007-09-03T19:55:14Z

I'm reading Great Expectations for my Victorian lit seminar, and I came upon the following passage:

"So, throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of people whom we most despise."

Which made me think about emotions and attachments, and how they interfere with our lives. I think there is quite a lot of truth to this observation. How many times have we done something out of revenge, or to have (perceived) power or one-up someone we dislike? How often do we find ourselves trying to compete with people we shouldn't be competing with, because that type of competition is not healthy? (I maintain that competition can be healthy, but definitely not in all contexts, and not when you're competing with someone who isn't a positive force in your life and you're just trying to best because you dislike them).

welcome, and a topic for discussion

2007-09-02T19:43:36Z

I finally got tired of all the crap at the other community and thought, there has to be a better way. Here's my attempt at finding it. All posts will be moderated, at first, until I get the hang of things and perhaps a few other mods to keep an eye on things while I'm AFK.

The discussion: with everything that's going on with Michael Vicks, I've been having a hard time coping with the feelings of horror and anger his issues create in me. He's definitely at the top of my personal shitlist at this moment, thought I, before realizing that it's not very Buddhist to even have a shitlist in the first place. What to do, what to do?

I returned to practicing tonglen, the specific meditation for coping with those who stir up ugly emotions. Concentrating on how people are unmolded clay when they're born, and only become what they've been shaped to be, helps me to release that rage and grief over the misery and anguish they cause.

Also, Buddhistically speaking, we've all been born so many times, it's likely that at least once, I and Michael have been related-- perhaps even parent and child. Just like I'd find it in myself, somehow, to work through my feelings about what he's done because of my love for him as my child or parent in this life, if I recall that probable relationship in the past, I can do it again.

So, what do youall think? Do you have any techniques or tips for loving with the unloveable, and finding compassion for the uncompassionate?