Reading the Lotus Sutra, it is obvious that Buddhism is a religion with mythology and supernatural ideas like any other. So, I wonder why so many people insist that Buddhism and Daoism are "philosophies, not religions." I was taught this in school and many Western books on Eastern spirituality say the same thing.

I think it is good that Buddhism is adaptable enough to be secularized, but the complete ignorance of the other stuff even existing is crazy. When I was in school I was taught about meditation, but never anything about bodhisattvas or the six realms or things like that. Maybe my teacher had never heard of them.

#MastoDharma #LotusSutra #Buddhism #religion #Taoism #Daoism #SecularBuddhism

INTRODUCING: #Mastodharma

A weekly, low-pressure Buddhist sutra discussion group for the Fediverse.

Each Saturday, we read and discuss one chapter of a Buddhist sutra starting with the Lotus Sutra.

We’re kicking off this week with Chapter One, which sets the stage with a cosmic gathering of dragon kings, bodhisattvas, and deities and then the Buddha shoots a laser out of his face. yes, really

How to Join

Read Chapter One before or on Saturday, Sept 27

Post your thoughts on Saturday using the hashtag #Mastodharma

Follow and/or pin the hashtag #mastodharma so you can keep up with the discussion and boost others

Where to Read or Listen

text (html) https://sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/index.htm

text (pdf) https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/06lotusVimalakirti/Lotus%20Sutra.doc.pdf

audio (youtube). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHD7YkSRLo&list=PLSWzchdLomhjuEFt8D_T4-hSqvduWysIt

audio with on screen text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuDIXfSUTI

#buddhism

INTRODUCING

#Mastodharma

Each Saturday, we read and discuss one chapter of a Buddhist sutra (starting with the Lotus Sutra)

(we will only be doing one chapter per week to keep things easy and low pressure for everyone)

This is our first week so we’re starting with Chapter One

chapter one is the stage setting chapter. there's dragons and bodhisattvas and the Buddha shoots a laser out of his face

all you gotta do to join in the discussion is read the chapter and post on Saturday (Sept 27) with the hashtag #Mastodharma (which you should also follow and possibly pin)

text is available several places online for free like here:

https://sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/index.htm

or pdf
https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/06lotusVimalakirti/Lotus%20Sutra.doc.pdf

there's also audio versions on YouTube if that's better for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHD7YkSRLo&list=PLSWzchdLomhjuEFt8D_T4-hSqvduWysIt

this one also has the text on the screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuDIXfSUTI&t=7s

#Buddhism

Reading the Lotus Sutra, it is obvious that Buddhism is a religion with mythology and supernatural ideas like any other. So, I wonder why so many people insist that Buddhism and Daoism are "philosophies, not religions." I was taught this in school and many Western books on Eastern spirituality say the same thing.

I think it is good that Buddhism is adaptable enough to be secularized, but the complete ignorance of the other stuff even existing is crazy. When I was in school I was taught about meditation, but never anything about bodhisattvas or the six realms or things like that. Maybe my teacher had never heard of them.

#MastoDharma #LotusSutra #Buddhism #religion #Taoism #Daoism #SecularBuddhism

INTRODUCING: #Mastodharma

A weekly, low-pressure Buddhist sutra discussion group for the Fediverse.

Each Saturday, we read and discuss one chapter of a Buddhist sutra starting with the Lotus Sutra.

We’re kicking off this week with Chapter One, which sets the stage with a cosmic gathering of dragon kings, bodhisattvas, and deities and then the Buddha shoots a laser out of his face. yes, really

How to Join

Read Chapter One before or on Saturday, Sept 27

Post your thoughts on Saturday using the hashtag #Mastodharma

Follow and/or pin the hashtag #mastodharma so you can keep up with the discussion and boost others

Where to Read or Listen

text (html) https://sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/index.htm

text (pdf) https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/06lotusVimalakirti/Lotus%20Sutra.doc.pdf

audio (youtube). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHD7YkSRLo&list=PLSWzchdLomhjuEFt8D_T4-hSqvduWysIt

audio with on screen text https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuDIXfSUTI

#buddhism

@Taweret fabulous idea! Needs the #buddhism hashtag

INTRODUCING

#Mastodharma

Each Saturday, we read and discuss one chapter of a Buddhist sutra (starting with the Lotus Sutra)

(we will only be doing one chapter per week to keep things easy and low pressure for everyone)

This is our first week so we’re starting with Chapter One

chapter one is the stage setting chapter. there's dragons and bodhisattvas and the Buddha shoots a laser out of his face

all you gotta do to join in the discussion is read the chapter and post on Saturday (Sept 27) with the hashtag #Mastodharma (which you should also follow and possibly pin)

text is available several places online for free like here:

https://sacred-texts.com/bud/lotus/index.htm

or pdf
https://huntingtonarchive.org/resources/downloads/sutras/06lotusVimalakirti/Lotus%20Sutra.doc.pdf

there's also audio versions on YouTube if that's better for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHD7YkSRLo&list=PLSWzchdLomhjuEFt8D_T4-hSqvduWysIt

this one also has the text on the screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuDIXfSUTI&t=7s

#Buddhism

i'd post more if i had anything to say

-
🍃
#silence #buddhism

I try to keep #books in every bag I regularly use. In my backpack I always have my Kindle and currently have The Mothman Prophecies and a #truecrime book by the legendary Ann Rule. In my messenger bag I rock when I'm walking sometimes, I keep The Way of Zen by the great Alan Watts. And in my secondary backpack (I own three) I currently have Seven Plays by Sam Shepard. You never know when you've got some time to kill.

#bookstodon #buddhism

Stoicism and Buddhism are both pagan philosophies.

I don’t make the rules.

#philosophy#Stoicism#Buddhism #paganism

happy to keep connected, always happy to discuss Snowdrift.coop @snowdrift and related crowdmatching, funding, etc

and glancing at your other interests, #Buddhism and #meditation all very much aligned with my other focus, FLO-Conscious-Living https://codeberg.org/FLO-Conscience/Conscious-Living

not to mention Portland area etc.

Cheers

"Compassion calls forth our best human capacities—attentional balance and caring, unselfish intention and insight, and ethical action—in a way that no other response does."

— Roshi Joan Halifax

#buddhism #dharma

"Compassion calls forth our best human capacities—attentional balance and caring, unselfish intention and insight, and ethical action—in a way that no other response does."

— Roshi Joan Halifax

#buddhism #dharma

"Oppression is never justified and it is not destined. When those with power oppress others, this injustice should be resisted and transformed. The changing nature of life’s circumstances is not an excuse to avoid actively responding to and disrupting social injustice, to sidestep our responsibility to speak up.

When we can do something to change things, we must."

— Kaira Jewel Lingo

#buddhism #dharma #zen

"Oppression is never justified and it is not destined. When those with power oppress others, this injustice should be resisted and transformed. The changing nature of life’s circumstances is not an excuse to avoid actively responding to and disrupting social injustice, to sidestep our responsibility to speak up.

When we can do something to change things, we must."

— Kaira Jewel Lingo

#buddhism #dharma #zen

Be a guard for those who are protectorless, a guide for those who journey on the road.
For those who wish to cross the water, be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

— Śāntideva

#dharma #buddhism

Raining down a flood of food and drink,
May I dispel the ills of thirst and famine.

In the aeons marked by scarcity and want,
May I myself appear as drink and sustenance.

— Śāntideva

#dharma #buddhism

Raining down a flood of food and drink,
May I dispel the ills of thirst and famine.

In the aeons marked by scarcity and want,
May I myself appear as drink and sustenance.

— Śāntideva

#dharma #buddhism

Our real enemy is not man, is not another human being. Our real enemy is our ignorance, discrimination, fear, craving, and violence.

— Thich Nhat Hanh

#buddhism #dharma

We won’t bring about peace in the world merely by praying for it; we have to take steps to tackle the violence and corruption that disrupt peace. We can’t expect change if we don’t take action.

— H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama

#buddhism #dharma