Category Archives: Daily Buddhism

Daily Buddhism, Meditation

Schizophrenia and Buddhism

1 Comment

A Reader Wrote In: 

Hello, I’ve just found your website and podcasts. I’ve wanted to start studying Buddhist philosophy since 2008 when I was volunteering in Nepal, but only now I feel like I have the dedication to really pursue it.

Right now I’m listening to podcast 46, and there was a part that I wanted to address. In the podcast, you briefly talk about addiction and mind-altering substances, and how they can make the mind less clear and so on. I do understand this perfectly clear, it makes sense, but I was just wandering what would a buddhist say about psychiatric disorders? I myself am schizophrenic and more or less I understand that most “heavier” drugs imitate the effects of schizophrenia. That’s why it sort of sprung to my mind. What’s also interesting is that I’ve been told that intense meditation can actually be harmful for schizophrenics, that it may trigger hallucinations. Are there some precautions I should take before taking on meditation?

So what would be your Buddhist view on schizophrenia and the like? I’m sorry if this has been answered somewhere on the site before, but I just felt like asking it myself. I’ve often wondered why I am schizophrenic and what kind of attitude I should have about the whole thing. I’m not anywhere near finding my own answer, most of the time I just dismiss the question and try not to think about it. I hope you could give me some insight into how Buddhism sees my disorder as. Maybe I then can find a new way of looking at the whole situation of my sickness.

Best regards!
J. from Finland

And my Response:

Just last week, I put up a post “Magic Mushrooms” which revisited the topic of drugs and addictions. Generally speaking, most Buddhists see mind-altering drugs as bad, but there are limitations on that. I don’t know the specifics of your case, but since you are on these medications based on your doctor’s prescriptions, I would assume that you would suffer more without the drugs calming your mind than if you did without.

From the Buddhist perspective, having a clear mind is very important to successful meditation, and good meditation is necessary to attaining Enlightenment. Depending on the symptoms or effects of your schizophrenia, you probably have a hard time meditating on your own. The drugs may actually be beneficial in your case. It’s unfair and a unfortunate that you have this condition, but there isn’t much you can do about it on your own, at least so doctors would tell us. If current science says drug X will help you, then by all means use it until something else comes around. Some drugs have side effects, and only you and your doctor can judge whether those effects (hallucinations in your case) are bad enough to merit changing prescriptions.

Either way, you are going to have a hard time of it. Do your best, keeping in mind the rules of karma, make the best of the hand you’ve been dealt and live as an example for others.

 

 

Daily Buddhism, Meditation

Guest Post: What Does Meditation Do?

And now we have our first guest post in ages. This one is by Dr. Douglas Gentile, who writes the American Buddhist blog at usbuddhist.blogspot.com.  He has been training in multiple Buddhist traditions since about 1989.  In his professional life he is an award-winning researcher, author, and university professor.

What Does Meditation Do?

By Douglas Gentile

Western stereotypes about meditation are interesting.  People often initially come to meditation because they believe it will bring them bliss, or bring sudden enlightenment, or at least be a relaxing break from the stresses of the day. Yet, instead, it often feels really bad, and people then believe they’re doing it wrong or that it doesn’t work.  But what does meditation actually do?

There are many answers to this, at many different levels of analysis, but at least in the beginning stages for most new meditators, it allows us to see how the mind works.  It is constantly jumping — emotions follow thoughts which follow emotions which follow thoughts and on and on ad nauseum.  Sometimes this is called “monkey mind,” although I personally think that’s somewhat unfair to monkeys.  By recognizing how easy it is to get trapped into this pattern of chasing every thought and feeling to the next, and how difficult it is to slow that pattern, it teaches us that we don’t need to put quite so much faith in our thoughts and feelings.  They will all change, even if we try to hold on to them.

This can allow us to not react when under their influence.  We can refrain from automatically reacting.  We can pause briefly and add some space, and perhaps even relax to see what will happen naturally.  This can allow for a much gentler approach both to oneself and to others.

As an example, my girlfriend once told me that she didn’t trust me entirely.  She wasn’t being unkind or attacking me – it was simply true.  My immediate reaction was to feel hurt and I immediately thought of all sorts of angry things I could say in response or to make a pronouncement about how we couldn’t be together then.  But it was bedtime, so instead I lay in bed and let my thoughts and feelings flow as they would until I finally slept (not particularly well).  The next day I was able to express my disappointment with her lack of complete trust, but I could also see how my behaviors had caused it.  She was right not to entirely trust me – I had told her not to in several small ways.  My disappointment was, in fact, equal to hers.  She was disappointed that she wasn’t able to trust me completely and to always be feeling as though she might lose this relationship soon.

By recognizing that my immediate thoughts and feelings were not “truth,” and indeed were limiting my view as long as I focused on them, I was able to not be trapped into believing I had to act on them at the minute I was thinking/feeling them.  Adding a pause allowed for a better view on the situation, and ultimately meant that we didn’t even argue at all – instead, we had a good conversation and a better understanding of each other because of it.

If we consider the stereotypes about the outcomes of meditation, this example doesn’t fit any of them.  At no point in this experience did it feel blissful, enlightened, or relaxing to me.  But meditation had allowed me to see the nature of mind, so that the thoughts and feelings didn’t feel so solid or overwhelming that I had to do something at the minute I was caught in them.  If I had, it would invariably have been less than skillful and would likely have made the situation worse rather than using the opportunity to make our relationship better.

Comment here, or on the original post at http://usbuddhist.blogspot.com/
Daily Buddhism

Frustration, Anger, and Buddha

1 Comment

A reader writes:

I have been living in China for three years now. I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness and Non-denominational Religions and do not believe in the whole deity being god thing.  Not that I do not believe in the concept of a divine creator but something is out there. So I am in China and visit the temples, take photos and stuff and have become interested in the philosophy.  Am I correct that Buddha is not a God? Buddhism is a philosophy?

I have read a few web pages and see this may be a way to help me curb my anger issues; my anger manifests as frustration. Why frustration?  Because I am trying to find out information and others do not understand or I do not understand. So why the anger?  Because I did not step back to figure out with Understanding or Enlightenment.  I did not know what the real issue was to start with, that it was me not understanding all the variables  of communication, others not understanding, and so on. So am I on the right path of choices to understanding to go forward?

My Response:

There are a couple of different questions here. First, Buddha is no god, just a very smart/wise man who lived around 2,500 years ago. He came up with a few very simple, yet profound ideas that some call a philosophy, and others do, in fact, treat as a very elaborate religion. You can go either way with it. Read more about Buddha and these ideas here on the site, or download the 60+ episodes of the podcast and start from the beginning. (There’s also a book, which I’m trying very hard not to mention in every single post, but it’s called “The Five-Minute Buddhist” written by me and is available at the link above).

It sounds like you’ve given the second part of your question a great deal of thought. Yes, anger does often come from frustration, and frustration can come from miscommunication, inability to express oneself, and simply not knowing things you are expected to know by their society. After living in Japan for a time, I know well how frustrating it can be.

Meditation can help with anger issues, regardless of the cause. Also, as you say, simply understanding the root causes of the frustration can help. You know now that the anger comes from not understanding, and the best way to resolve that anger is by learning. Realizing how much you don’t know, and making positive strides to learn can make all the difference. To answer your final question, yes, it sounds like you are indeed on the right path now.

 

 

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Genetic Enhancements, Abortion, and Buddhist Ethics

5 Comments

14-1(22)About a year ago, I was asked to do a short email interview concerning the Buddhist viewpoint on genetic manipulation and PGD (Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis). Essentially, this is a process that involves artificially fertilizing a number of human eggs, taking out a few cells and checking them for abnormalities, and then implanting the best ones. This removes the chance of a “bad egg” (pun intended). The very idea opens up a can of ethical worms. Here are the rapid-fire Questions and my Answers. I don’t pretend to be an expert on the science behind it, but I have to say it’s a fascinating topic. What do YOU think? Comment below:

 

Q. According to Buddhism, is it moral to have a baby to provide for the medical needs of an already existing child?

A. Probably not, but it really depends on whether or not the second child suffers.  All of Buddhism revolves around relieving suffering, and if the new baby will suffer to fulfill the role of “spare part donor,” then that’s not going to work out. If you mean the second child will be a caregiver of some sort, that’s not necessarily suffering in itself; a lot of good comes from helping others, both in this world and in the realm of karma. 

Q. According to Buddhism, is it moral to attempt to have a child when genetic factors make it likely that the child may be mentally or physically handicapped?

A. Doesn’t really matter. All life is sacred, even mentally or physically handicapped people.
Q. According to Buddhism , is it moral to try to select the sex of one’s baby?

A. Doesn’t apply; the majority of scientific and medical advances are embraced by Buddhists.  If they are used to relieve suffering, they are considered overall a good thing.
Q. According to Buddhism, is it moral to abort a foetus if it prone to obesity of a chronic medical condition?

A. Generally, most Buddhists are against abortion, but it does depend on the situation. Your case would probably not be acceptable if there were no other extenuating circumstances.
Q. According to Buddhism, what is the moral worth of an embryo?

A. That, just like with any other religion, depends on whether you consider an embryo a “person” or not.  Buddhists arguer over this just like everyone else. Generally speaking, it’s probably safer to assume an embryo is a person, or at least a potential person. This leads to the whole abortion discussion, which isn’t what you’re looking for here.
Q. According to Buddhism, who should determine the genes of a person- doctors, parents, or God?

A. Buddhists do not have a God.  Karma perhaps, but many would just attribute this to random luck beyond whatever the parents bring to the genetic table. 
Q. What perspective does Buddhism take on the use of PGD treatment, for both medical use and the enhancement of genes? Has the view on medical treatment changed amongst Buddhists or has certain ideologies continued since the foundation of Buddhism (particularly on the issue of genetic enhancements and PGD treatment)?

A. Many say that the original Buddha was a doctor.  Medicine that relieves suffering is a great thing and is always good.  Medicine that causes suffering, addiction, grasping at a life that may be unnaturally long, and other “wrong” uses are not acceptable.  PGD, like any of these other things, really depends on the motives and reasoning behind their use,
Q. Why do you think religious groups accept the use of gene therapies and even the use of genetic modification for medical reasons but reject use for physical attributes only?

A. With Buddhists, fixing a medical problem would be relieving suffering, while choosing genes to have a prettier nose is simply vanity, which is unhealthy.

Q. In your opinion, do you think religion and science can ever complement each other? Or are they constantly conflicting each other?

A. When science contradicts religion, religion must bend and adapt, according to the Dalai Lama. Some religions go kicking and screaming into the future. You know who I mean.

Q. Do you agree to dealing with prejudices (such as skin and eye colour) by biomedical fixes as a way of solving our social problems?

A. No. If everyone were the same color, we’d find something else to hate people over. Racism aside, I think most people recognize that there really is strength in diversity,

Q. If PGD treatment becomes increasingly popular, what do you think the consequences will be on society AND on the relationship between science and religion?

A. I have no idea, but I think we’d all adapt.

Comments? Agree or disagree with me? There’s a lot of room for discussion on this topic, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Comment below:

Daily Buddhism, Koans

Koan: The Stone Mind

1 Comment

The Stone Mind

Hogen, a Chinese Zen teacher, lived alone in a small temple in the country. One day four traveling monks appeared and asked if they might make a fire in his yard to warm themselves.

While they were building the fire, Hogen heard them arguing about subjectivity and objectivity. He joined them and said: “There is a big stone. Do you consider it to be inside or outside your mind?”

One of the monks replied: “From the Buddhist viewpoint everything is an objectification of mind, so I would say that the stone is inside my mind.”

“Your head must feel very heavy,” observed Hogen, “if you are carrying around a stone like that in your mind.”

Daily Buddhism, Meditation

Staying Focused and Working on Mindfulness

1 Comment

A reader writes:

I am a sort of Buddhist novice, trying to reach mindfulness, and practice mindful action even in ordinary life.

What I don’t know and would like to ask you is – are there any specific techniques / tools to discern the moments of weakness when you are slipping and losing your concentration, succumbing to ones fears and anxiety, both in meditation and/or in one’s everyday life (with its pressures and all)?

I’m asking that because I feel that if I improved in this, I could make a huge progress in my practice.

O. R.
Czech Republic

My response:

This is something that we all have to work through, myself included. It’s a matter that falls under the concept of “Right Mindfulness.” Staying focused on the task or problem at hand and not getting distracted.

You have the right idea when you say you have trouble both while meditating and out in everyday life. This is the point of Right Mindfulness, which is often confused with Right Concentration, which is not the same thing, but definitely have some overlap here.  If you can stay on task, keeping yourself focused on the job, you’re doing better than many of us. Most of us have great plans to live a Buddhist lifestyle and then before we even get to work, we’ve given someone the finger on our drive or smoked a cigarette on the way to work. It’s easy to forget and be distracted by real-world events.

You would think things would be different at home or at a meditation center, when you’re sitting on a cushion, in whatever position works best for you. Staying focused should be easy, right? Nope– Quite often it’s even worse. This is where the idea of “Monkey Mind” comes in. We all have a little thought-monkey in our heads that jumps from mental tree to mental tree, making as much noise and chatter as it can– but only when we’re trying to clear our minds of all thoughts. These mental distractions can be just as bad or worse than the external distractions that we run into daily.

Clearing out these distractions is the goal of all meditators, whether you’re meditating on a koan, doing walking meditation, or simply trying to clear your mind. The path to eventual victory is continued practice and knowledge that we all have this problem to some extent, even the monks who meditate all day have the problem from time to time. They have, however, learned to deal with it. When they feel their minds wandering, they immediately recognize that their minds are wandering and re-focus. It sounds a little redundant, but they are mindful of their distractions. This is what you need to watch for, and realize when you have wandered. Don’t chastise yourself for the monkey-attack, but instead just refocus and get back to it.

Another possible suggestion is to vary your style of meditation. Instead of sitting in the same place doing the same thing all the time, try some walking meditation, or try doing a mantra. Mix it up a little. When walking or repeating a mantra, your mind is, while not exactly busy, at least doing something, and this might be enough to make a difference.

Just remember to be here in the present moment, doing whatever it is you’re doing. Be here now.

 

 

Daily Buddhism

Judgmental Family and Hypocrisy

1 Comment

A reader writes:

I am from Kentucky and was raised in a very strong Christian home. Within the past couple of years I have rejected Christianity and my parents and family are none too happy to say the least. I am the black sheep. Not only am I gay but an atheist who has been looking to Buddhism as a way to deal with the stress of my family. So my question is this. I have a cousin who is very judgmental of everyone. She is one of those Christians who knows she is always right and it’s her duty to tell the rest of the world how wrong we all are. She preaches harshly towards me about going to Hell and how wrong I am for being gay. Funny thing is, she has many skeletons in her own closet she wouldn’t want anyone to know about. I can honestly say, I don’t like her.

How do I deal with these feelings? I know we will see each other many times at family functions but, I want to be able to talk to her with out my very strong negative feelings for her getting in the way. Any insight would be helpful. And please keep in mind, I really don’t like her. 🙂 also, when are you going to start more podcasts? I have not heard all of them yet so you may have answered this and I just not gotten there yet.

Thanks again! Your show has been the best help for me in searching and learning the Buddhist way so far. I have much respect for you!

My Response:

First of all, accept that you can’t change her. I know how it is when you want to prove someone else’s beliefs are wrong. You use logic and common sense, and facts and science; the other person may defend their beliefs for a little while, but eventually just reverts to “Well, that’s what I believe anyway, it’s all just faith.” You cannot win this argument at a family gathering. It just isn’t going to happen, especially in a discussion with a woman who has zero respect for your thoughts, wishes, and choices. You are wrong in her eyes, and nothing short of time and exposure to you can change that.

As far as her being a hypocrite with her own skeletons, I assume you aren’t the only one in the family who realizes this. It’s been said that you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family. Sometimes we get stuck with someone we’d rather not have to deal with; you don’t get that choice either. One of your big consolations is knowing that everyone else knows she’s a hypocrite, even if they aren’t her target or victim.

None of the above is especially Buddhist, and I’m sure anyone could have told you that. If you don’t like her as much as you say, it would probably just be to everyone’s benefit to avoid her, but that’s not always going to be possible with family gatherings and the like.

Probably the worst problem I see here is that you are holding onto this anger and hate. That’s not good. Rather than dwell on this hateful woman’s words and attacks, just drop it. Give it no more thought than last Tuesday’s weather. A Buddhist wouldn’t attach any importance to her words. You realize her words are only words, and they are impermanent. Let them go right through you or make them slide off. Is she going to change anyone’s mind with her ranting, either yours or someone in your family? Probably not. Most of all, don’t extend the argument or fight back.

She is as impermanent as you are; don’t dwell on the argument; there are some things you cannot change.

At least that’s my opinion. Others, feel free to chime in on this in the comment section below.

Announcements, Daily Buddhism

Book: The Five-Minute Buddhist by Brian Schell

Book:

The Five-Minute Buddhist
by Brian Schell

Buy for Kindle from Amazon

Buy Paperback from Amazon

The_Five-Minute_Budd_Cover_for_Kindle

A jargon-free, plain language introduction to the foundational ideas of Buddhism and real-world tips for practicing Buddhism while balancing life in the real, modern world. This book goes easy on the mystical mumbo-jumbo and simply introduces the ideas that will help you live in the present and feel different about the world and your place in it.

Geared towards people who were raised outside of Asia and people with a secular or Christian background who want to learn more of the philosophy that can change your life. This toolkit gives short lessons in what Buddhism is, and more importantly, how to apply it in situations with which you are already very familiar.

Section I: The Basics

What is Buddhism?
Who was Buddha?
What Buddhists Don’t Believe
The Four Noble Truths
The Eightfold Path
Five Precepts
Five Faultless Gifts
Three Poisons
Theravada & Mahayana
Pure Land
Tantric Buddhism / Vajrayana
Tibetan Buddhism
Zen Buddhism
Buddhist Symbology
Lotus
Conch
Parasol
Golden Fish
Treasure Vase
Victory Banner
Endless Knot
Dharma Wheel
Buddha Jokes

Section II: Q&A And Special Topics

Vegetarianism
Beginner’s Advice
Global Suffering
Souls, Karma and Moving On
Disappointment
Buddhist Movies
Zen Enough?
The Three Jewels include the Sangha
Self-Help Buddhism
Koan: A Diamond In The Road
Suicide?
What are Stupas?
Yama & Naraka: Death and Hell
Mara The Tempter
Bodhisattvas
Book Review: The Universe in a Single Atom by the Dalai Lama
Koan: Is That So?
Creation and Evolution
The Other Precepts
Koan: Obedience
Mandalas
Namaste!
No-Self
Dependent Origination
So You Want To Be A Buddhist?
Buddhist Weddings
Dealing with the Family
Book Review: The Accidental Buddhist
Faith or Not?
The Pesky Fifth Precept
Koan: Great Waves
Do Christians Have Karma?
Buddhist Jargon and Terminology
Buddhist Pet Food
The Karma of Performance Reviews
Controlling Karma
Book Review: Buddhist Scriptures, by Edward Conze, Ed.
Buddhist Service Obligations?
Koan: A Buddha
Koan: The Muddy Road
Meditation
Breath Watching & Insight Meditation
Empty Mind Meditation
Walking Meditation and Kinhin
Mindfulness Meditation
Mantra Meditation
Conceptual Meditation
Other Forms of Meditation
The Forty Meditation Themes
Buddhist Rosary Beads
Book Review: Footprints in the Snow
Prayer in Buddhism
Fat Buddha, Skinny Buddha, Laughing Buddha
Zen Gardens
Maya
Pajapati / Mahapajapati
Kwan Yin
Koan: Not Far from Buddhahood
If You Meet the Buddha on The Road, Kill Him
Buddhism and Homosexuality
Book Review: The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination
To Meat or Not to Meat?
The Four Seals
The Four Immeasurables
Koan: The Strawberry
Koan: The Sound of One Hand
A Sensitive Topic: Masturbation
Buddhist Parenting and Discipline
I, Cannibal: Horror and Buddhism
Buddhist Temples
Why Do Buddhists Pray To Idols?
Just Sitting or Just Goofing Off?
Rebirth, Death, Heaven and Nirvana
Am I Buddhist Enough?
War and Peace
Rebirth and Karma
Why Do Buddhists Fall In Love?
Koan: The Voice of Happiness
Hinduism and Buddhism
Does Nirvana Mean Death to Everything?
Compassion and Pity
How Can I Desire Enlightenment?
Stringing Us Along
Reincarnation, God, and Other Things You Don’t Believe
Creation and the Origin of the Universe
Closet Buddhism
Being In the Present
Koan: The Dead Man’s Answer
Learning Non-Materialism
Wishing Your Life Away
Attachment To Buddhism
Depression and Drugs
Koan: The Stingy Artist

 

Paperback Details

  • Paperback: 152 pages
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1481950975
  • ISBN-13: 978-1481950978
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches

Kindle Product Details

      • File Size: 848 KB
      • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
      • Language: English
      • ASIN: B00B0G1QH4
      • Text-to-Speech: Enabled

 

 

 

Announcements, Daily Buddhism

Returning

3 Comments

A reader wrote (Back in 2010):

I listened to all 60 of your podcasts about a year ago and just recently started listening to the ones still available on itunes again. I feel I’ve learned more from your podcasts than any other website or book about buddhism. Is there any chance you would resume the dailybuddhism.com podcasts?

My response:

Yes and no.

It’s been four years since the site was really active, other than the occasional poster adding to the comment sections of many of the posts. As you may know, I revisited, re-read, and collected most of the old topics into my recent book, “The Five-Minute Buddhist” just recently. It really got me back in the mood and the mindset to return to things.

I had to give up writing for the site because of my job, and I’m still working, but I’ve been doing it long enough now that I think I can manage doing that and still find time to run a website or two, so I think it’s high time to get back to Daily Buddhism. I’m back!

That being said, there are a few things I’m going to do differently this time around.

First, I still get a request probably every week about bringing back the podcast. The podcast, to be honest, was one of the things that drove me away from the site before. I never much enjoyed making the recordings, audio editing, and all that stuff; I’m a writer, not a “radio personality.” So my answer is no, the podcast isn’t coming back. I won’t say never again, but I have no plans for it. All the old podcasts are still available on the site, and always will be.

I’m also not going to do the email list again, at least not right away. This one isn’t entirely my choice. I always liked getting the daily bits of Buddhism into people’s email boxes, but my mailing list is four years old. If I started sending stuff out now, I just know there’d be problems. Maybe I’ll start that from scratch sometime; let me know what you think.

Which leaves what? This website. I can still post articles and information here just like I always did, and the improvements in RSS technology over the past couple of years makes it easier for you to get the updates as I post them. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good place to restart.

Over the years since I stopped writing for the site, people have still been sending me emails with questions. I’ve answered most of them privately by email, but I’ve also saved them for eventual posting here. I’ve got material for close to a month, but after that, it’ll be up to you guys to submit new questions and topic requests. Wanna see me cover it? Let me know!

So get those questions coming in, and I’ll get on the answers.

as always, dailybuddhism@gmail.com

Daily Buddhism

Buddha: Evil Spirit Repository

2 Comments

A reader wrote:

I’ve been studying Buddhism and meditating.  A Christian friend (7th-Day Adventist) told me that quoting Buddha on Facebook is evil because he has a hole in his back that they put evil spirits into.  Has anyone else ever heard this ridiculous belief?  I just don’t know how to respond to her because I’m new to all of this, and I don’t want to offend her.  I didn’t answer her at all.  Maybe that’s best anyway.

My Response:

Wow. That’s a new one to me. Never heard that before.

It’s got the ring of truth to it, so I wouldn’t say there’s absolutely nothing to it. I suspect there’s probably some group out there that has some tradition or ceremony where they write down their troubles on a note and drop them into a hole in his back. I can imagine that being a tradition somewhere, sure. Is it an accepted thing among Buddhists in General? No, of course not. There’s not a thing I have ever seen in any historical text that comes anywhere close to this story.

It’s probably similar to a non-Christian assuming that all Christians handle snakes. Yes, some do it, but it’s absolutely not typical. This is probably the way I’d try to explain it to your friend. The world is a big place, it’s dangerous to make assumptions and generalizations.