All posts by brian@brianschell.com

Daily Buddhism

Buddhist Tattoos and Books

17 Comments

Question:

Hello Brian, Which podcast discusses books that you and others have read? Best of luck with the new job! I miss getting semi daily tweets.

PS- what is a Buddhist opinion on tattoos? Are tattoos considered desecrating to the human body and isn’t the body considered a temple?

Art-Tat-01Answer:

Thank you, the new job is going well, and I’ve finally managed to shuffle things around to hopefully make time for everything. I may not be Tweeting as much anymore, but at least the blogs and emails are going out regularly again.

The post about books was called “Beginner’s Buddhism Books,” and you can find it here: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1186 , or listen to the podcast version here: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1191

If you or anyone else has recently found a book that you recommend, feel free to add it to the post in a comment.

Tattoos? Hmmm. I don’t know of anything Buddha himself said about tattoos. I think that the whole idea of “Your body is a temple” is more of a Christian idea than Buddhist. Remember, Buddhists believe that the body is just a temporary shell, to be discarded when we are doe with it.

Tattoos and how they are looked upon is more related to culture than religion in my experience. In Japan, for example, no “civilized person” shows tattoos publicly. Americans who have tattoos and visit Japan are advised to cover them up, as only the “Japanese Mafia” wear tattoos openly. I’m not going to say there aren’t exceptions to that, but it seemed pretty accurate as far as I could see. I don’t have a tattoo, but my roommate did, and he absolutely got a negative reaction out of it. On the other hand, it’s not that unusual for children to have tattoos in America; they’re simply everywhere.

In countries where tattooing is socially acceptable, there is a huge variety of very beautiful tattoos of Buddhist imagery. A quick Google of “Buddhist Tattoos” will show many examples.

Daily Buddhism

Learning Non-Materialism

15 Comments

Question:

I am fairly new to Buddhism, though I have been interested in the Buddhist system of beliefs for many years. I am wondering if you can suggest any practices to help develop non-attachment, particularly in regards to food and material things. Perhaps you have covered this in a previous episode, I have not listened to all the back podcasts yet. Thank you for your time and for the work you put into the website and podcasts. It is very helpful to a novice Buddhist like myself.

Answer:

No, I don’t think we’ve covered this before, at least not from the “how-to” perspective, and yes, it’s a difficult thing to master.

In the Four Noble Truths, Buddha himself explained that one of the primary causes of suffering is attachment. He meant more than just attachment to material things; he meant attachment to ideas, people, emotions, beliefs, and much more. But let’s focus on just worldly material possessions for today.

In the East, historically, it has been tradition for householders to support wandering monks, mendicants, ascetics, and other traveling “holy men.” It was completely possible for these men to survive owning nothing but the clothes on their backs, and in some regions, even clothing was an option. With modern society in the East, and even moreso in Western countries, this lifestyle just doesn’t work well anymore. Generally speaking, we don’t look at “homeless people” as holy men; often it’s quite the opposite. Clearly, for most of us, we need to find some kind of middle way between being totally homeless and propertyless and blatant greedy materialism.

There’s nothing wrong with having a job, driving a car, wearing decent clothes, and owning a few “toys.” The trick is not to get too attached to them. How would you react if somehow you lost it all tomorrow?

In my own life, I never really learned this lesson until I went to Japan. Basically, all I took with me was the contents of two suitcases, and had to make do with those items for the duration of my stay (finding clothing in my size over there was not something I ever managed to do). It was tough, but it was also easy to visualize how it could have been worse; I wasn’t broke and I did have options if there was something I really needed. Still, I had a house full of possessions back in the States that I was giving up, and it turns out after a couple of weeks, I didn’t miss those possessions at all. Upon my return, I have been slowly working at getting rid of many of those things. It’s just “stuff” now, and I see now that “stuff” is just another ball & chain.

So I’ll open up the question to all of you: How do you manage your attachment to material things? Is it a problem for you, and if it’s not, then why not?

Daily Buddhism

Don’t Fear the Karma

3 Comments

FearImageQuestion:

I have only recently started listening to your podcast. Listening to it has been part of my seeking of a belief system. I have found it extra-ordinarily difficult to find something to believe in be it spirituality, ideas, people and even myself. Though I know this issue has to do more with my own psychology then a faith structure, I have found the notion of Buddhism to be most in line to what I think is true of my reality.

My question has to do with the concept of karma. I understand that it is a central part of Buddhism, but I find that I fear it the most. I know it is perhaps an irrational fear, but could you explain to me the causal affects of karma? There have been things which I have done in my life that I am not particularly proud of, and I have done my best to make amends to those that I have hurt (emotionally). But, I do not believe that I have ever been forgiven, I don’t know what this means for me in terms of karma. If I am destined to this feeling of sadness or not being able to understand that was my past and now I live in my present.

Answer:

There are a few things to consider with karma. First, karma is simply the way the universe works, it’s like gravity. There’s no “mind” controlling it, nor does it seek “revenge” on people.

You say you have done bad things, and since I don’t know you, I won’t argue that point. On the other hand, you say you have made amends to those you have hurt. If you have truly made amends, then it seems likely that karma will balance out. You say that you have not been forgiven… by whom? The person you wronged or by some idea of “God?” If the person forgave you, then that’s all that matters. If you have truly atoned for whatever it is that you did, then karma will take care of itself.

There are some things that you might not be able to truly atone for having done. Some things, you cannot simply just “undo.” So, yes, your actions do have consequences in the next life (lives). You cannot know the ultimate effect on your karma or what your next life will be, so there is no point in getting “attached” to the outcome. If you want to influence your future life, then work hard to live a good life NOW. Maybe you’ve messed up in the past, but you still have a future to make up for it.

The important thing is not to suffer needlessly over the worry. Whatever happens will happen whether you fear it or not. Learn to act in a “good” way simply because that is the best way to act, not because you want some future reward.

Good luck!

Daily Buddhism, Koans

Koan: The Dead Man’s Answer

7 Comments

The Dead Man’s Answer

When Mamiya, who later became a well-known preacher, went to a teacher for personal guidance, he was asked to explain the sound of one hand.

Mamiya concentrated upon what the sound of one hand might be. “You are not working hard enough,” his teacher told him. “You are too attached to food, wealth, things, and that sound. It would be better if you died. That would solve the problem.”

The next time Mamiya appeared before his teacher he was again asked what he had to show regarding the sound of one hand. Mamiya at once fell over as if he were dead.

“You are dead all right,” observed the teacher, “But how about that sound?”

“I haven’t solved that yet,” replied Mamiya, looking up.

“Dead men do not speak,” said the teacher. “Get out!”

Daily Buddhism

Update

2 Comments

Hello all,

As I mentioned a while back in the podcast, my real-life job has grown to insane proportions in the past couple of weeks. I had planned to keep the site going on an every-other day basis, but obviously, I haven’t been doing that. I do apologize for the interruption. That being said, the site is not closed and I haven’t “quit.” I love what I’m doing here, and have no plans to ever stop.

I’ll be returning full-time on the 6th, and I still hope to make some posts between now and the 6th. In the meantime, send in your questions or topic suggestions to give me something to work with. If you are subscribed to the newsletter, podcast, or RSS feed, don’t change anything, and we’ll just continue from where we left off then.

I’ve got some big plans for the site, and one of them involves automating things to where I can send out scheduled posts. This will let me send out a daily post even on the days when I’m not actually “here.” That will eliminate this problem returning in the future.

Daily Buddhism

Paradoxes

6 Comments

Question:

I was listening to one of the many comments that you were reading on your podcast regarding attachment to enlightenment, and I had a delightful series of thoughts that I felt compelled to share with the Daily Buddhism sangha. I was listening to your commentary on the issue and realized that it may not be a question of determining the meaning of desire and attachment, as is so often discussed. At the present moment I consider this dilemma of attachment to enlightenment to be a paradox. The less attached you become to enlightenment (and all other things, of course), the closer you get to it. I have in my mind a picture of a person who has attained enlightenment, who, when asked about it, simply laughs and talks about the mosquito on his arm, and how much of a good mother she is.

It always delights me when I find paradox in this world because it inevitably breeds more paradox. For example, once I had the thought to share this insight on enlightenment, my desire to share it with you actually pushed me farther away from enlightenment, because I had been spending so much energy “grasping” this thought until I could write it down to share it. Even the desire to share this thought in this current moment is, in itself, a paradox that brings me farther from the message I am trying to convey because it is simply a thought that, if I were being truly mindful, I would notice and move on. I’m sure by now I have you and your listeners’ heads spinning with this idea, and usually when I find myself crawling deeper into this particular rabbit hole (which is so tempting to do), I like to smile and say to myself, “ah, Paradox.” And move on with the rest of my day.

Of course, what I actually did was proofread the message to make sure it’s clear enough. Yet another paradox!

And now I’ve seen the Buddha on the road, so I must kill him.

Your comments are always appreciated, and thank you for the wisdom that you’ve shared with me through the podcast and your emails.

Answer:

Yes, those mosquito stings hurt.

Oh, you want more?

It’s not unusual for me to get a message that I shouldn’t have explained the topic about such-and-such, as some things are beyond words. Some topics cannot be explained in words, and I do realize this, but I have the “teacher mentality” coupled with the responsibility of “informing” my readers, so I feel a need to put some of the complex ideas of Buddhism into words. Sometimes it works out very well, sometimes it doesn’t, but in many cases, I just cannot leave the topic unmentioned or the question unanswered. I probably should leave some topics alone, but if I don’t bring them up, they might not be considered at all.

I guess that’s the same thing you describe; I often explain terminology and ideas here, simply because that’s my job. Yet by doing these things, I run the risk of getting bogged down in labels and terminology. A good example of this was the “Am I Buddhist Enough” post a few months back. I tried to explain what a Buddhist is and does, but there were several reader comments that correctly pointed out that “Buddhist” is just a label and doesn’t matter anyway. Yet, there does seem to be a need to define and understand what it means to be one. It’s another contradiction or paradox.

I suspect that paradox is much more common in our lives than we tend to believe. You know things should be done one way, yet you do them in just the opposite way. Why is this? Comment with your own examples!

Daily Buddhism

What Do I Need To Do?

5 Comments

Question:

Hello, I am a student, and I grew up in a Extremely Catholic home and have found that I do not agree with the Catholic way of life but more of the Buddhist ideology of Karma. I was wondering if you can give me any guidance as to be more of a Buddhist and a better one. What do I need to do?? Thank you for your time

Answer:

Some people look at Buddhism as a religion. Others see it as a philosophy. Most, however, will agree that it is first and foremost a practice; it’s something that you do. It’s a way of life.

I’ll recommend three things that I think are essential to calling yourself a Buddhist. I will point out that “Buddhist” and “Catholic” are just labels and concepts, and should not be taken too seriously. There are people who live their lives following the five precepts who have never heard the words “precept” or even “Buddhism.” Here are my three things:

1. Follow the Five Precepts – I think this is the big one. I have a link below to read more on the details, but essentially, they tell us don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t have inappropriate sex, and don’t get intoxicated. These are the general rules that the vast majority of Buddhists try very hard to follow. There is always some debate on the interpretation of some of the meanings (is caffeine an intoxicant? What is “inappropriate” sex?), but the overall rules are generally accepted.

2. Learn more and continue studying – I believe that more than any other belief system, Buddhism appeals to “thinkers.” Buddhists concentrate on ideas and situations and try to use logical thought to come to conclusions. Unlike Christianity, which has only one “must read” book, there is no single set of documents that claim perfect truth. It’s a good idea to read from a wide variety of authors and thinkers, both inside and outside the world of Buddhism and apply these ideas to what you already know. There is a definite sense of “continuing education” within Buddhism. It’s easy to learn the basics, but there is so much more to learn once you get comfortable with the foundations.

3. Meditate – In our busy society, this one doesn’t get enough emphasis. The Buddha wasn’t born enlightened, he got there through meditation, and so can you. Set aside a certain amount of time a few days a week and just sit quietly, trying your best to empty your mind. Once you get into the habit, learn more about meditation and try various techniques to see what works best for you. Then it’s practice, practice, practice!

These are my choices. #2 and #3 above aren’t strictly necessary, but I believe them to be very important. You’ll notice I didn’t mention any rituals; some might consider them necessary, but I don’t. Others will probably add their own ideas at the bottom of this article, so read on!

Read about the precepts here:
The Five Precepts: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1153
My audio show on “The Foundations of Buddhism” http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1156
And a search for “Precepts” brings up many other posts: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/?s=precepts

Special Guided Meditation Audio Show: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1048

Daily Buddhism, Koans

Koan: Joshu’s Zen

3 Comments

Joshu’s Zen

Joshu began the study of Zen when he was sixty years old and continued until he was eighty, when he realized Zen.

He taught from the age of eighty until he was one hundred and twenty.

A student once asked him: “If I haven’t anything in my mind, what shall I do?”

Joshu replied: “Throw it out.”

“But if I haven’t anything, how can I throw it out?” continued the questioner.

“Well,” said Joshu, “then carry it out.”

Daily Buddhism

Being In The Present

7 Comments

Question:

I have recently been trying to understand the concept of being present. I think I am finding slightly difficult to grasp and certainly don’t feel that it is always beneficial. However, on occasions I begin to think that it a very profound and helpful idea! Is there a danger of us losing sight of the future or not remembering and learning from the past if we stay ‘present’? Certainly the feeling or being present is great… but is it actually beneficial in terms of day to day activities…? It just seems that being in a strong state of presence can be harmful to one’s goals or purpose…. Wasn’t it Sou Yen Shaku – the first Zen teacher to come to America who said – ‘do not regret the past, look to the future’…this seems to contradict the idea of being ‘present’… Anything you have to say is much appreciated – as usual!

Answer:

This seems to be confusing to many people. You often hear the phrase “Be Here, Now,” and that’s usually a reminder to keep your mind on the present moment and focus on the now, as opposed to worrying about the past or future. We often move through our days more or less on “auto-pilot,” doing routine things without paying much attention. Do you remember putting on your socks this morning? Do you remember the first sip of coffee/tea/whatever you had today? How about the physical sensations of putting your key in the ignition and starting your car? Some of us do these things day in, day out, and give absolutely 0% conscious thought to those things.

Where is our mind when we do these routine “no-brainer” activities? Usually wandering around in the future, working out what we’ll be having for breakfast tomorrow or about that conversation with the boss later this afternoon. Or perhaps reliving the past, thinking about what you should have said to that jerk in the subway yesterday. Or maybe you’re just off in a complete fantasy, thinking about last night’s episode of LOST. The problem is that you aren’t paying any attention to the now.

It’s perfectly OK to make plans and have hopes and expectations for the future. The future is going to become the present eventually, and we all like to be prepared for that when it happens. The trick is not to get attached to those hopes and plans, and not to move through the present while on “auto-pilot.” You have no control over the past at all, and only a little control over the future. On the other hand, your present is entirely yours.

Right now you’re probably sitting in a chair reading your computer screen or a printout with these words on it. Some of you are listening to my voice on an MP3 player while you are doing something else. Are you paying any attention to the background noise in the room you are sitting in? Can you hear birds or cars or music or children playing? Are there any smells in the room? Is your chair perfectly comfortable or does a part of it painfully poke you somewhere? Were you aware or midful of these things before I mentioned them? Being in the present means really experiencing the present, as much of it as we can at any time.

When we are meditating, it’s common to get yourself to the point where you feel your attachment to everything around you (“one with everything”). That’s great if you can do it in a silent, meditative posture, but can you do it right now without stopping what you are doing? This idea of being in the present is one reason Zen monks (and probably others) work so hard. It’s just as valuable for them to be outside working in a garden or washing dishes as it is to sit in zazen. Experiencing life in the present is a big step toward realizing your oneness with everything around you.

It’s easy to do when you give it active thought, but it’s so easy to get lost in day-to-day life that it becomes a real challenge to stick with it. Try not to fly through life on autopilot.

Daily Buddhism

Closet Buddhism

12 Comments

Question:

I am very new to the podcast and am currently downloading as many past shows as my computer will allow! I am also a new Zen Buddhist after researching the different secs. While I have yet to sit formally with a sangha as I am not near a Zen centre. I am moving to Calgary, Alberta for college this fall and have found Zen(!) there and plan to make myself known to the sangha there and absorb as much information and gain much experience to continue and further my training.

My situation is very common; I’m currently living with my parents in the lead up to starting school in a different city and have found myself missing my privacy (though my parents are not intrusive) but I find I practise in private and have not really ‘come out’ as a Buddhist. I’m finding it hard to practise behind closed doors and hide my alter. After watching my sister convert to Judaism from Christianity, I do not wish to cause emotional pain or suffering to my parents. I read the Buddha would not accept students without their parents’ permission, while I’ve taken a long time to ask, I’m wondering if Zen teachers uphold this and also should I just bite the bullet and talk to my family?

Answer:

Buddha had cultural reasons for asking for the parents’ permission (often the child was needed to support the family); you don’t have that restriction.

I can’t answer your question directly, as I don’t know your family. You stated that your sister’s conversion to Judaism caused some friction within the family, so I must assume that your conversion to Buddhism would too, and you are hoping to avoid the inevitable battle. I also assume that your parents are reasonably devout Christians, although it’s not really a requirement for them to be super-religious to have this argument.

Unlike god-based religions, there’s no judgmental God to strike you down if you deny him, so there is no mortal “danger” in keeping it from your parents if you choose to continue doing so. That being said, keeping secrets could damage your karma in the long term, and hiding the truth is going to cause you a certain amount of guilt and mental suffering. It’s almost certainly better to just be open with it, but the trick is in minimizing the impact the revelation will have.

If you simply walk in the front door and announce “Guess what? I’m converting to Buddhism!” they’re going to freak out. If it were me, I’d ease them into the idea slowly. Let them see you reading a book on Buddhism; maybe use it as an excuse to explain some things to them about what Buddhism is all about: “Hey, did you know that Buddhists believe ______?” Get them to the point where they are comfortable talking about the subject and subtly teach them a few of the basics. Lay the groundwork. Eventually, when the time is right, tell them you consider yourself a Buddhist.