Becomning spirtual?

[Die Rote Fahne]

For most of my life i have identified as atheist/agnostic.

I'm starting to question those beliefs, and be lenient to a more spiritualist (spirit flows through all things type - earth mother type) and Buddhism.

I'm by no means looking for organized religion. Anyone care to tell me more about buddhism/spirit-mother earth-native-hippie shit like Serj Tankian is about :P There gotta be at least one Buddhist here.

[Thug Lessons]

I don't know much about that but if you're in the US next year you should go to Rainbow Gathering, this kind of annual hippie-spiritualist party in the wildness. It's similar to Burning Man but it started earlier and people feed you and give you water instead of making you bring your own. They hold it every year July 1-7, with the 4th being the culmination, but there's people there long before it starts.

Mostly it's free drugs and naked people running around but you're bound to find a good number of people that want to give you their serious views on the great mother spirit, plus you'll have fun in the meantime.

[Die Rote Fahne]

I don't know much about that but if you're in the US next year you should go to Rainbow Gathering, this kind of annual hippie-spiritualist party in the wildness. It's similar to Burning Man but it started earlier and people feed you and give you water instead of making you bring your own. They hold it every year July 1-7, with the 4th being the culmination, but there's people there long before it starts.

Mostly it's free drugs and naked people running around but you're bound to find a good number of people that want to give you their serious views on the great mother spirit, plus you'll have fun in the meantime.

I doubt that'll happen. In that time i'm hoping to be training as a paramedic or going to school.

[Invincible Summer]

Robocommie, Buddha in Babylon, and couple of other users are Buddhists. x359594 and Thomas Sankara also seem to be quite knowledgeable on the subject. You should message them (although I think Robocommie may be away or something cuz he hasn't replied to a PM I sent him).

I've also moved from being a fairly militant anti-theist to being more open-minded. I really like Buddhism, although I'm still learning about it.

This is a great site: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/index.htm

[Adi Shankara]

While I'm not a buddhist (I'm converting to Hinduism), I am very knowledgeable to a high degree in most strains of Dharmic thought (excluding Sikhism) and can help you with any question you may have in regards to Buddhism.


I've also moved from being a fairly militant anti-theist to being more open-minded.

wasn't expecting that 0__O

[Sentinel]

While I'm not a buddhist (I'm converting to Hinduism), I am very knowledgeable to a high degree in most strains of Dharmic thought (excluding Sikhism) and can help you with any question you may have in regards to Buddhism.

What are your views on the caste system? I'm by no means an expert on the subject of hinduism, but from what I've gathered it does sort of strike me as a bit ..classist, and hard to combine with communist ideas (not that other religions don't, of course)?

This is not a combative post, I'm genuinely interested.

[Adi Shankara]

What are your views on the caste system? I'm by no means an expert on the subject of hinduism, but from what I know it does sort of strike me as a bit classist, and hard to combine with communist ideas? (not that other religions don't, of course)?

This is not a combative post, I'm genuinely interested.

The caste system was never meant to be implemented on earth by a worldly bureaucracy, nor was it an inherent part of Hinduism; it was associated with Hinduism only through Portuguese propaganda and wrong interpretation of the Manusmriti, of which wasn't created to dictate laws on earth, nor assign people's karma to worldly occupations, or even to decide how to interpret karma in such a way that it could be assigned to birth, clan name, or skin color.

In all the Vedas (Hindu holy texts), the Caste system has a single mention, and even so, this seems to have been added to the Purush Sukta Veda hundreds of years after it was first composed.

So the caste system is mutually exclusive from Hinduism,and isn't even partial to India alone; In fact, many other societies, from the Italians to the Khmer, had caste systems of their own. People just seem to think that the caste system in India was religiously endorsed since many of the benefactors claimed it was (they can never back this up with scripture) and because of it's longetivity into the 20th century.

[Die Rote Fahne]

While I'm not a buddhist (I'm converting to Hinduism), I am very knowledgeable to a high degree in most strains of Dharmic thought (excluding Sikhism) and can help you with any question you may have in regards to Buddhism.



wasn't expecting that 0__O

What are the Buddhist sects, I know of Theravada, and what do they believe?

[Adi Shankara]

What are the Buddhist sects, I know of Theravada, and what do they believe?

Well, there are a few Buddhist traditions, but many Buddhist sects, everywhere from Pure-Land Buddhism (which may take on aspects of Christianity) to Vajrayana, etc. etc.

the two largest Buddhist schools are what I'll explain; There is Therevada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Therevada is the oldest school of Buddhism and is closest to what the historical Buddha Gautama preached.

Mahayana, on the other hand, truly flourished under Tibetan rule, and established most of what is seen as the Buddhism we are familiar with in the west.

in Theravada, the goal is to become an Arhat, which is something like a disciple to a buddha. that is a high enough goal of achievement in Theravada, but it is not buddhahood, hence why some call it the Hinayana or lesser vehicle school.

in Mahayana, the goal is to become a Boddhisattva, and thus let one's positive lack of negative karma help all of humanity reach boddhisattva status, only then, will the vow be complete and all boddhisattvas will become Buddhas.

There are many many more differences, but those are the most fundamental.

[Blackscare]

Rainbow Gathering happens all over the country all the time, it travels. The trick is knowing what time of year it comes to your area and what region of out-of-the-way woods it'll be held in.

[deLarge]

I'm not a Buddhist, but I was influenced by it. If you want someone who speaks in rather plain, but eloquent terms about Buddhism, try Alan Watts. He wrote specifically for a Western audience. Keep in mind that while he may be questionable in some areas (e.g., zazen), he provides a great introduction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dtixs0UhkI&feature=related - The Unsettling Truth About Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MbNN9jXTQA&feature=related - Intro to Buddhism


"Ware, nor of good nor ill, what aim hath act?
Without its climax, death, what savour hath
Life? an impeccable machine, exact
He paces an inane and pointless path
To glut brute appetites, his sole content
How tedious were he fit to comprehend
Himself! More, this our noble element
Of fire in nature, love in spirit, unkenned
Life hath no spring, no axle, and no end.

[BuddhaInBabylon]

Indeed, indeed. Alan Watts was also a prominent Taoist mind. His work was instrumental in bringing "eastern religion" a little more into focus here in the west. Especially Tao.
If i were to recommend some reading though for anyone who is interested in Buddhism for the sake of Buddhism, not religion, i would point out the incomparable Thich Nhat Hanh. His work is indescribably beautiful, simple, and meant solely for the purpose of easing the suffering of human beings all over this planet. He truly manifests the heart of buddha in his life. and represents what Dogen used to refer to as "buddha ancestors."
As Basta said, i would very much enjoy the opportunity to discuss anything relating to buddhism with anyone, should they desire to do so. I am not an expert, hell i am not even a very good buddhist, but i have been practicing over ten years, and have made many, many, many mistakes from which i have learned a great deal.

on a side note, that rainbow gathering thing can't be healthy in the long run (spiritually). Spiritual experiences gained through the onset of drugs are usually intensely inspiring, sometimes confusing, and can be too much for someone who isn't ready for what they may find. Not to mention, gained through exterior means, which is just as good as lying to yourself. Real spiritual insight and understanding is truly witnessed through the everyday, mundane, take for granted phenomenon that you pass everyday and don't notice, IMHO. The real secret to life is there is no secret to life, and that our existences are more amazing than we can know, it's just we are busy looking everywhere else except for the right here right now, in the palm of your hand, in the eyes of a child, in the fallen leaves of a tree on a rainy day, in a hot cup of coffee, in a blank sheet of paper, in the voice of a homeless man, the sound of the wind...i could go on but you get my point. It's all about waking up to this moment. Coming home to who, where, and what you really are.

[danyboy27]

For most of my life i have identified as atheist/agnostic.

I'm starting to question those beliefs, and be lenient to a more spiritualist (spirit flows through all things type - earth mother type) and Buddhism.

I'm by no means looking for organized religion. Anyone care to tell me more about buddhism/spirit-mother earth-native-hippie shit like Serj Tankian is about :P There gotta be at least one Buddhist here.


you can have a developped spirituality and be an atheist.

enlightenement, self revelation of your own self is not a theist exclusivity, its a human exclusivity.

you can medidate, isolate yourself in nature in order to comprehend and appreciate it, discover the marvel of your spirit and of the world without having any kind of religious belief.

[Adi Shankara]

you can have a developped spirituality and be an atheist.

enlightenement, self revelation of your own self is not a theist exclusivity, its a human exclusivity.

you can medidate, isolate yourself in nature in order to comprehend and appreciate it, discover the marvel of your spirit and of the world without having any kind of religious belief.

an atheist who believes in spirits? now I seen everything.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

an atheist who believes in spirits? now I seen everything.

Oh, good grief!



Metaphorical usage

The metaphorical use of the term likewise groups several related meanings:

1. The loyalty and feeling of inclusion in the social history or collective essence of an institution or group, such as in school spirit or esprit de corps.
2. A closely related meaning refers to the worldview of a person, place, or time, as in "The Declaration of Independence was written in the spirit of John Locke and his notions of liberty", or the term zeitgeist, meaning "spirit of the age".
3. As a synonym for "vivacity" as in "She performed the piece with spirit" or "She put up a spirited defense".
4. The underlying intention of a text as distinguished from its literal meaning, especially in law; see Letter and spirit of the law
5. As a term for alcoholic beverages — stemming from medieval superstitions that explained the effects of alcohol as demonic activity.
6. In mysticism: existence in unity with Godhead. Soul may also equate with spirit, but the soul involves certain individual human consciousness, while spirit comes from beyond that. Compare the psychological teaching of Al-Ghazali.

It's quite obvious that even a strictly materialist atheist can use "Spirituality" as a metaphor for the whole gamut of human consciousness, from subjective internal mind-states to outward manifestations of a group ethic and everything in between.

Do you take the Bible this literally?

[danyboy27]

an atheist who believes in spirits? now I seen everything.

haa my favorite theologian, you will never cease to amaze me.

Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or immaterial reality an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of their being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.

you can discover your inner self and increase your perception of the world without believing in spirits or witchcraft.

[Raúl Duke]

I don't believe in spirits unless I'm entertaining the thought under the influence of certain drugs.

"Meditation" and "self-enlightenment" stuff are still practiced by some atheists; particularly those who look at Buddhism as philosophy (i.e. the teachings of Buddha). I wouldn't be surprised if some psychonauts (people who take psychedelics to "explore" themselves) are atheists.

Also, 'spirit' can be used as a metaphor (for "inner self" or subconscious) although I tend to avoid these kinds of metaphors in certain cases so I don't go misunderstood.

[(DSL)Mai68]

fuck spiritual!

be happy. be revolutionary. be good.

fuck spirits!

[Adi Shankara]

fuck spiritual!

be happy. be revolutionary. be good.

fuck spirits!

...thanks for sharing :rolleyes: