If you build it...

Re-format

Cultmember, I re-formatted your post.

Please, everyone, put quotes in a blockquote box. Select the text that is a quote, then click the handy "quote" button. Your quote will automatically be formatted with blockquote tags.

Also, please cite the source of your quote with a link if possible.

Cultmember, when you say "They used to tell us..." are you talking about SGI or some other cult or who?

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by: buddhajones @ Thu Jul 22, 2010 at 21:14:18 PM UTC

Sorry

I forgot. "They" is SGI leaders. Source...  uh, Facebook. Always reliable!

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by: Cultmember @ Fri Jul 23, 2010 at 04:55:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Impermanence

Cultmember, I realize that some sects of Nichiren Buddhism do not emphasize the study of basic Buddhist principles. Or perhaps you raise these issues in jest or as brooke said in a previous thread, "trolling."

In the event this is a serious query, I'll respond. You said:

If you believe the euphoria of love won't last long, it won't. Why shouldn't love last? Our lives are temporary, but they last a lifetime. Why shouldn't love, or anything else desirable?

Buddhism recognizes the impermanence of all phenomena. All phenomena that arise may persist for a time, but they necessarily fade away. Simply put, nothing lasts forever. Not even love. Certainly not euphoria.

Impermanence is not the result of "negative thinking." Rather, it is fundamental to the nature of our human existence, oriented as we are in time and space. It's not as if we can overcome impermanence by having a better attitude or believing more intensely in permanence.

Similarly, Buddhism teaches that the fundamental quality of human existence, oriented as we are in time and space, is suffering. This is often referred to as the "first noble truth." For all of us, our lives are characterized by suffering.

Buddhism teaches a path by which suffering can be transcended -- overcome in the sense that we can recognize the bliss that permeates existence. Various sects emphasize differing approaches, ideas, and advice regarding the path to overcoming suffering, and most are rooted in something referred to as "the eightfold path."

Perhaps you disagree that life is suffering. Or perhaps you believe that suffering can be overcome by a mere change of attitude. Perhaps you are right. Speaking for myself, I find the the general worldview of Buddhism to be much more convincing.

As for the arising of obstacles in the course of Buddhist practice, this concept is well established in Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren wrote often of the obstacles that necessarily arise when one embraces the Lotus Sutra.

Again, you might disagree with this, and believe that obstacles are the unnecessary creation of our own faulty systems of guilt or morality. However, you cannot claim that this notion -- obstacles arising in the course of Buddhist practice -- is contrary to the principles of Nichiren Buddhism.

I'm afraid I have to agree with the statement attributed to Ikeda:

As long as we remain unable to redress our own weaknesses, we will be miserable no matter where or to whom we may take flight.

This is, I believe, entirely true and entirely consistent with the teachings of Buddhism.

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by: auntie @ Sat Jul 24, 2010 at 16:47:53 PM UTC

Why

are Buddhists such jerks?

Cultmember, I realize that some sects of Nichiren Buddhism do not emphasize the study of basic Buddhist principles. Or perhaps you raise these issues in jest or as brooke said in a previous thread, "trolling."

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by: Cultmember @ Sat Jul 24, 2010 at 19:24:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Pleasure vs. happiness

Applicable quote from Matthieu Ricard on Tricycle Editor's Blog...

Thinking that happiness is just an endless succession of pleasant experiences seems more like a recipe for exhaustion than it is for happiness. Happiness is a way of being, not a sensation. If you are only looking for pleasure, then you need to know that there's probably no way that the brain could sustain pleasurable sensations forever.

Buddhism is about dealing with suffering and cultivating happiness. Not about maximizing pleasure.

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by: brooke @ Sat Jul 24, 2010 at 19:13:35 PM UTC

relationships

I would agree that the source of happiness is not romantic relationships or our illussions about them. Certainly people can "lose' themselves in unhealthy relationships. But I also think that all of our relationships are important to our spiritual life and a relationship with a signidficant other is a great opportunity for spiritual growth if one approaches it consciously.
I think there is a principle that whatever you get you have to pay for so anything that is a source of happiness can be a source of suffering but to avoid relationships because they are neither the source of enlightenment or happiness is to miss one of the most wonderful parts of life out of fear.
I'll roll the dice and take a chance on love knowing it will likely end badly. Maybe happiness is over rated.

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by: clown hidden @ Sun Jul 25, 2010 at 16:06:53 PM UTC

Twisted philosophy

Thing is, just about any common sense statement or lofty philosophy can be twisted into harmful advice or used to manipulate people into doing things that are against their best interests.

This is what a cult does. It's really very simple. Someone asked me point blank, "Is Nichiren Buddhism a cult?" That's like asking if Christianity is a cult. So the answer is no, Nichiren Buddhism is not a cult.

HOWEVER there are cults that twist Nichiren Buddhism and use it to control members, make money, glorify certain leaders, etcetera etcetera.

This is the difference between a religion and a cult, and YES there is a difference.

So yeah, Cultmember, we agree that when a basic Buddhist truth or principle is twisted to convince people to stay in abusive relationships, for example, it's evil. It's evil.  

"If only I had a nickel for every time I've heard someone say that the Soka skunk has changed its stripe." -- auntie

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by: mroaks @ Mon Jul 26, 2010 at 21:04:46 PM UTC