Buddhism

[Bosphorus1982]

An ideal religion to end spiritual suffering.

One day i asked God how does it feel to be a buddhist.

After a few moments, i began to feel differently.

It was as if my spirit had gotten number and lighter.

Though it feels number, all your spiritual suffering goes away.

Also i began to view God from a different perspective. It was as if there is a Force in the universe Who is guiding and protecting us.

If you ask if there is any negative side, i say yes.

After you practice Buddhism, you feel spiritually numbed and your fighting force lessens considerably. If you're in the military, consider carefully.

In addition, though Buddhism is not godless, you feel something is missing in it. It's humanistic, not godless, yes. However if you're previously a God believer, you notice the absence of a All mighty God.


An essay i wrote about Buddhism

Thanks for reading

[sillypumpkins]

very nice bosphorus

one thing that really resonated with me when I began looking into buddhism was the teaching that even the buddhist teachings are 'empty'........ I think I read something like that in thich naht hanh's book? just.... very profound and was a bit a "click!" moment for me

[Asolsutsesvyl]

Someone I briefly discussed Buddhism with not so long ago made a few interesting distinctions.

Firstly, there's a big difference between the standardized versions of the religion practiced by the many, even "normal" groups of monks, and that practiced by the few, lone yogic people who now and historically stay physically apart from any religious community. It's a difference in the essence of what it all ends up amounting to. (But people who don't personally go and study such differences have, in almost all cases, only vague ideas about such differences. I only have vague ideas.)

Secondly, a second big division in the spirit of it all can be seen in the historically more new and widespread "great vehicle" (Mahayana) vs. the older branch. In practice, the older is more focused on individual spiritual development, while the newer views that as less important than spreading the message like missionaries in order to help the rest of the world first, the "preach first, practice second" approach seen as the most enlightened and compassionate thing to do, much like Christian missionaries view the salvation of the world as more important than the fate of a single individual. As a result, there are the same basic problems resulting among the majority, with a hollowness of deeper development in their lives excused with the righteousness of representing a movement greater in value than the development of the individual.

So, there may be a path with twists and turns towards finding the most essentially valuable in Buddhism. Note that I have not myself set out on such a journey, I only summarize ideas here. The gist seems to be that, for those who view their own development into better people as the most valuable or the real starting point in becoming able to help others spiritually, there are basic divisions in attitudes and traditions that roughly allow sifting through different types of Buddhism. In part, what's widely available differs in how close a match it may be for a serious seeker. In part, the most advanced varieties in which nothing is missing belong to the isolated few whose non-standard mentalities are not at all in line with any usual teaching.

[MrWho]

The numbing I experience! It is quiet the concern! I seek to be more childish and excitable to counter this feeling.(while seeking spiritual balance and clarity as well)

[flofrog]

Thank you Asolsutsesvyl, great post.
I am with you MrWho with the sometimes feeling of numbing, though could that be part of the earlier phase of doing practice ?

The Noble Eightfold Path is just a great thing to practice, even to just delve briefly into it, as it instantly gives you the perspective of great respect for any outside life. I had a friend who was a buddhist monk for a long time before stepping out, and I feel very grateful towards him.

There used to be a great book, I don't know if it is still published today, titled Buddhist Wisdom for Daily Living, by Christopher Titmuss, who is, if I remember well, himself a former monk.

[confusedseeker]

Yes, I know some people who became sort of empty and numb when practicing...almost like everything was pointless.

[heartovthesun]

The "numbness/empty(ing)" portion seems like it might be unavoidable upon "the path" as most sects of spiritual development make note and describe the state in various ways. Perhaps this state is the result of the true merging of opposites/a "true" and undistorted realization of unity. Experiences are not any longer perceived in the dichotomies; good/bad, happy/sad, contentment/restlessness, etc. etc. Everything just finally becomes "is" and things just stop being "are". Trying to perceive this state/catching glimpses of it while dwelling w/in the realm of polarity will always lead us to see it as "numb/empty" because we are tied to the opposite distortion/emotion of it. Perhaps "empty" is the ultimate state for now One/All has the space to become a "container" of All/One. I feel this may become more and more true in the hierarchal layers of the metaphysical. Makes me think of how our magnificent Sun is the "container/projector" of our illusion and seems to do it w/out much, albeit realitive, distortion (well at least in our senses of understanding distortion).
For does not the Sun shine upon "the sinner and saint" with equal life giving measure?

[Ohr Ein Sof]

Yes, I know some people who became sort of empty and numb when practicing...almost like everything was pointless.

The glamours to seem to disappear leaving some to believe when they see your life, they see it as a lackluster life in appearance or you are personally somehow distant, removed and chilly. It is so to the contrary however. Life becomes rich, deep and abundant. It takes on an entire different meaning when you look out your window in the morning and see the birds at your feeder or the intense blue sky.

[sillypumpkins]

The "numbness/empty(ing)" portion seems like it might be unavoidable upon "the path" as most sects of spiritual development make note and describe the state in various ways.

I wonder if perhaps the "numbness/empty" feeling is linked to the so called "dark night of the soul".....

[MrWho]

I believe it has to do with activating certain energy bodies in the incorrect way that may cause a "short circuit".

[Patrick]

When this happened to me I thought there was no point to anything in life.

[sillypumpkins]

I remember the feeling of being rather numb from meditation. I don't feel it much at all anymore.

Relating to what mrwho said, I remember about 3 years ago I had quite an intense awakening. It felt, very premature. I hadn't done the foundational work. I was taking psychdelics and meditating, but I wasn't "chopping wood, carrying water," yknow? i think personally i feel very comfortable with these unseen "things" more than the physical stuff, so I just beelined straight to what felt easy for me :p it was not very obvious to me that I had to take care of more basic things. I learned my lesson though, im glad it happened

[AnthroHeart]

In Buddhism there are 3 paths to liberation: enlightenment, devotion and works.

I am pursuing devotion to the deity Anubis and Ra.

[Ming the Merciful]

An ideal religion to end spiritual suffering.

One day i asked God how does it feel to be a buddhist.

After a few moments, i began to feel differently.

It was as if my spirit had gotten number and lighter.

Though it feels number, all your spiritual suffering goes away.

Also i began to view God from a different perspective. It was as if there is a Force in the universe Who is guiding and protecting us.

If you ask if there is any negative side, i say yes.

After you practice Buddhism, you feel spiritually numbed and your fighting force lessens considerably. If you're in the military, consider carefully.

In addition, though Buddhism is not godless, you feel something is missing in it. It's humanistic, not godless, yes. However if you're previously a God believer, you notice the absence of a All mighty God.


An essay i wrote about Buddhism

Thanks for reading

What is Buddhism? It is accepting the fact that the true understanding of Buddhism, is not the Western misinterpretation of Eastern values. To comprehend the Buddhist mindset, you first have to interpret life as envisioned from the Eastern life, (and lifestyle). That begins when we learn to observe life intuitively, (as opposed to intellectually). Zen could never have happened in the West, because the Western Mind does not, (naturally), analyse intuitively. The only way that can be done is by retraining the Mind. Such things as Universal Consciousness instead of a "God" or "Creator", which only complicates things and Zen, (and Buddhism), go beyond that. The deep-rooted core of Buddhism, is to destroy all intellectual values. Everything exists in Mind. The Pure Mind State is the neutral Mind. A Formless Mind. Meanwhile, a part of Universal Mind. Liberation in Buddhism, (I lean more towards Zen in that Zen and Buddhism are two separate entities living in one body). Buddhism is Philosophical while Zen is the Great Destroyer. The Zen of no Zen. When you have comprehended Zen, (not that we ever understand Zen), you must destroy Zen, or it will become a millstone around your neck, dragging you back into the abyss of misconception. Letting go of the letting go. Or, in the attachment of seeking Liberation, it also becomes an attachment. The understanding of Buddhism is when we understand there are no opposites. That is an illusion created in Mind. The easiest way to overcome that, is to imagine the Yin-Yang symbol folding-in on itself and destroying opposites. That is Zen in a nutshell. After saying all that, I have now gotten to the point of going beyond Buddhism and Zen. What is beyond Buddhism and Zen? The Absolute Nothingness. Simply because all interpretations, (or), any Philosophical Discourse leads to attachment and conjecture. Believe in nothing, (and encompass everything). Accept the AS IT IS. Nothing more, (nothing less). The Pure State of Being. That is where I am now.

[Ohr Ein Sof]

The "numbness/empty(ing)" portion seems like it might be unavoidable upon "the path" as most sects of spiritual development make note and describe the state in various ways.

I wonder if perhaps the "numbness/empty" feeling is linked to the so called "dark night of the soul".....

From my personal experience the dark night of the soul is like being caged by raw emotions and facing parts of the self that one was not able to face before but NOW is the time. It is a sort of initiation....if you will take that lightly as possible. Many people commit suicide during this time btw. One would feel filled with everything they hate or cannot accept rather than numbness imo.