Tag Archives: help

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Buddhist Helpers

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Buddha Tech Support
Buddha Tech Support

Buddhist Helpers

A Reader writes:

Do Buddhist monks work on an individual case-by-case basis with lay Buddhists who seek advise on a specific problem in their lives and then offer a diagnosis and prescription in, of course, Buddhist terms? Or are the 4 noble truths, 8 fold path, 5 precepts, etc., always to be generically self-prescribed? I suppose this question arises from vestiges of Catholic confession, the psychoanalytic model, and just a plain old desire for commiseration.

My Response:

It depends. Monks and monasteries vary a lot depending on denomination, leadership, community involvement, etc. Some don't interact much with the lay community, while others are a central part of it.

I suspect very few monks would turn down a request for help if it were made.

Keeping that in mind, you mention Catholicism. Catholic priests undergo MANY years of training in working with the community. They take courses in counseling, psychology, social work, etc. They are heavily educated in these areas. Many high-ranking Buddhists, on the other hand, have very little formal education. What I'm saying is that most Buddhists would be willing to help you, but they are sometimes limited in their real-world applications of Buddhism outside the monastery.

I'd like to hear about others' experiences with this. Anyone have any really good stories of Buddhist Helps? About bad stories/disasters?

Another answer to your question is that I seem to do it all the time; what can I help you with? 🙂

 

 

Announcements, Daily Buddhism

A Heroic Resolution for the New Year

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Once again, I wish each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year. I appreciate your readership over the past year, and this year, I hope to continue along the same path here at the Daily Buddhism. I don’t have any major changes planned; things should continue as they have been.

Yet, I want to do more.

I know my blogs, especially the Daily Buddhism, have been a real help to some people. Teaching the path of Buddhism relieves suffering for many of you, and it’s wonderful that I can help in that way. Still, I’d like to be doing something on a bigger scale, with people who really need help. How can I help reduce suffering in the world?

With my financial situation, anything involving money is out of the question, but one thing I do have is a large and growing number of readers and listeners. I want to use my blogging skills and listener/reader base to do some good for people who are doing good. I can “give” publicity to those who need it, and that’s exactly what I am going to do this year.

Take a look at http://www.herobulletin.com

There’s not much there yet, I only set up the site this past weekend. But as you can see, the plan is to feature individuals who are making a positive difference in the world. With any luck, as the site grows, some of those Heroes may gain new donors, or volunteers, or whatever it is they need.

Why am I telling you all this?

As Buddhists, it is our goal and our duty to relieve suffering in the world. This is my new project, but I would suggest each of you decide if there is something you can do to make the world a better place and help end suffering in some way, even if only in your own neighborhood or workplace. Meditation is nice, and an important part of Buddhism, but actions matter just as much.

If you know of someone who is already working hard to make a difference, nominate them to be featured on the new site. They deserve the recognition, and they’ll sure appreciate any support that flows their way. I can come up with a few starter Heroes to feature on the site, but I’m going to need names and suggestions fairly quickly.

Be a hero by nominating one today.

http://www.herobulletin.com

Sign up for the newsletter there if you would like to get updates by email. I don’t know the frequency of updates yet, but I doubt it will be more than one a day, certainly less in the beginning.

Podcasts

Re-Introductions, Buddhist Temples and Idols

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Podcast Episode 42: Re-Introductions, Buddhist Temples and Idols

This upcoming week marks the first anniversary for the show, and I think over the next few weeks, we’ll be re-visiting some of the basics. Over the past year I have revised my way of thinking on some topics, and better learned to explain others, while gaining many, many new listeners and readers who weren’t around a year ago. Since the show is aimed toward new Buddhists and others curious about Buddhism, I don’t think we can cover the beginnings too much. So February will be “back to basics” month here on the Daily Buddhism. Don’t hesitate to email or phone in your questions as always, but the “lesson” portions of the show will be on some of the early material.

On that note, it’s been a while since I’ve done a full introduction to the Daily Buddhism and everything available through the site. So here goes:

The Daily Buddhism is an Email Newsletter and Website dedicated to explaining the basics of Buddhism to people who have been raised in a traditional Western setting influenced primarily by Christianity. We avoid all the Buddhist jargon and as many foreign words as possible; there’s no need to learn all that terminology to understand what Buddhism has to offer and how to practice it. I tend to emphasize the practice, real-world benefits of meditation and the Buddhist lifestyle, as well as the ethics and philosophy of Buddhism. I follow the Zen approach to Buddhism, although I have no problem discussing more religious approaches to Buddhism when the topic comes up.

The Daily Buddhism is set up to send out five main newsletter emails each week, one topic per weekday, and they can be about anything; lessons, questions and answers, reviews, koans, and the occasional guest post. Every Saturday, I do an audio show, or as some people call it, a podcast. This is usually me reading the daily emails aloud, and maybe adding a little commentary after the fact, along with any announcements that have come up during the week. On Sunday, I release the “Weekly Buddhism PDF Magazine” a printable version of what has gone before in that week, with full-color pictures suitable for printing out. It also usually has some additional material related to the week’s material. This week, for example, it will contain the full text of the “37 Practices of the Bodhisattva”, which is mentioned in one of the daily articles. The Weekly PDF Magazine is a low-cost paid subscription at $1.25 or less per issue, but it’s the only thing offered that you don’t get for free. Everything else, the newsletter, website, blog, and audio show are completely free. I also run a few other website which may or may not interest you; check out the list of links on the dailybuddhism.com website.

My favorite part of the show is where I can answer your questions on Buddhism and related topics. Anything goes, from the deathly serious to silly stuff; you choose the topic. You can email me at brian@dailybuddhism.com or phone in and leave a voice mail message at 937-660-4949 at any time of the day or night. Remember: I answer ALL questions. If it’s something personal and private, say so, and it’ll be just between us. Otherwise, I’ll try to use it on the show; all your personal information is private and confidential however. If I don’t answer your email within a few hours, be patient; I’m probably waiting to use it in the newsletter. If it’s something urgent, I’ll email you back right away. There is also space underneath every single posting on the website for you to enter your own ideas and comments; more and more people are taking advantage of this in recent weeks, and sometimes the comments are better than the posts. So do definitely take advantage of that.

I mentioned before that we have the occasional guest post. If you have some story, experience or lesson that you’d like to write up and share with everyone, send me an email with the basics of your idea and we’ll see about you doing a guest post. You don’t need to be a Buddhist Master, just have a good story with some kind of Buddhist point to it. It’s easy!

One last thing; The show is supported primarily by your donations. You can find more info about that on the website, but there are many options available for any amount you want to send. If you enjoy the show, or it has helped you in some way, please help back; I do put a lot of time and effort into all this.

And now let’s get to this week’s material!

[Read the past five blog posts or emails for contents of the show]

This Week’s Links:

Buddhist Temples
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1131

Why Do Buddhists Pray To Idols?
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1140

CD Review: Sitar Secrets by Al Gromer Khan
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1129

Koan: Eshun’s Departure
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1128

Just Sitting or Just Goofing Off?
http://www.dailybuddhism.com/archives/1126

Free Newsletter: http://www.dailybuddhism.com/sign

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