your scholarly approach, in positive meaning, indepth, insightful straightens the paths of my practise. I didn't know about boundless radiating practice being older and I mixed first feeling compassion towards myself with radiating it around then. I'll stick with the explanation of old practice you presented for a time at least.
@DougsDharma2 жыл бұрын
Sure! My pleasure, vyderka. 🙏
@xiaomaozen3 жыл бұрын
That the person-oriented practice might reify the (notion of) self (and the "radiance-practice" thus is kind of superior) is obvious, very obvious indeed! 😳 But I've never considered that before! 🤔😂 So I'm very thankful that you mention it here! 🙏
@DougsDharma3 жыл бұрын
Yes it's pretty interesting! That said, I find the person-oriented practice much easier than the earlier one ... probably because I'm still a beginner at all this! 😄
@xiaomaozen3 жыл бұрын
@@DougsDharma Yes, indeed! Yesterday I practiced the radiate-thing for the first time, and it was way harder. I think that's because it's more abstract. To visualize/imagine something concrete like faces/persons comes much more naturally... Anyway: Zen mind 🔁 beginner's mind! 😁🙏
@andrewseely16773 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for your videos and teaching Doug. I feel I have learned and benefitted from them greatly. As for this subject of compassion, I have a couple of comments. Regarding compassion for those who are “evil” or who do harmful things, I find I can feel compassion for them due to what I imagine is their past and present, as well as their future. I think of karma as all of time interconnected. Does that make sense? As for compassion for the self as being potentially problematic, my sense that as long as one associates the self in an interconnected means with others, then it would be fine. But to be compassionate for oneself as a separate individualistic self may be unhelpful. Again, does that make sense to you? Both thoughts stress interconnectedness, one of time and the all beings. Last, I find when I am trying to radiate compassion across the globe, I find it helpful to think of individuals in different cities as the generic wave of compassion wraps the globe. But I am still a neophyte in this practice and have much to learn. Thanks again so much, from my heart to yours. Andrew
@DougsDharma3 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome Andrew! Yes, lots of good thoughts here, I think these are practices we have to feel out on our own, seeing what works best for us.
@sharan123able4 жыл бұрын
I have just came across teachings of Thai monk Bhikkhu Buddhadasa. If I have understood correctly,I think he seems to say that later commentary tradition such as that of Buddhaghosa didn’t catch real essence of Buddha’s teaching especially when it comes to ‘not self ‘ . From my obvious observation most present day Theravada sounds more like Buddhaghosa’s commentary and sub commentary traditions with all superstitious trappings . I am still very new student of Dhamma but I am naturally attracted to more open logical discussions rather then blind faith some Buddhist traditions are inclined to . Good job Dough. Please make an honest Video on S.N Goenka’s claim that his technique is originally taught by Buddha and Buddha prophesied that someone ( supposedly Goenkaji) will revive Dhamma back to India and through out the world . I have attended to 3 of his 10 day courses. The whole vibration theory , kalapas , cleansing of old Sankhara by remaining equanimous, Bhanga body and so on sounds very non Buddhist and new age to me . On top of that vulnerable people are told to take their mental health episodes and posture related pains as just Sankhara cleansing and to remain equanimous.They are doing much harm to people then any good.
@DougsDharma4 жыл бұрын
Well yes but also Buddhadāsa’s approach was unique to him and did not very precisely follow the early teachings. There are many paths and what is most important is to find one that speaks to us and that therefore can make us wiser, kinder, and calmer. My approach is generally to follow the early teachings with an eye to a contemporary audience, but this isn’t for everyone. Some prefer Goenkaji’s approach, which is similar but as you note does contain other elements as well. I think rather than criticize other approaches it’s better just to focus on our own and try to get better in that way. 🙂
@photistyx4 жыл бұрын
It's fascinating that the Buddhaghosa style progression from the self to, ultimately, the difficult person is seen as inferior, and of course it does make sense in terms of the issue of the self. I have never had any luck with the Buddhaghosa style progression, and I must admit I have never really tried the Metta Sutta radiation method because it has always seem too abstract, but now I am determined to give it a serious go. I actually searched for this video because I was wondering what you might have say on the topic, because I was thinking about it, and had occurred to me that all of these practices were developed in the rather odd context of monastics living in a particular cultural setting, and that it might be more effective to develop compassion by actually going out and trying to be helpful and compassionate to people who are suffering, such as, for example people looking for help at soup kitchens or homeless shelters, or prisoners, or people who are old and lonely, etc. I get the impression that those were not the sort of thing that Buddha and is disciples spent a lot of time on, and I'm guessing that issues of social rank would've made that difficult at the time. One somewhat related practice that I have had some success with, while not something that made the list of Brahma viharas, is gratitude. It's quite effective to make a list of things/people/circumstances for which you are grateful each day, and doing so does seem to have noticeable impact on one's outlook. I might consider trying it as a warm-up to some kind of compassion practice.
@DougsDharma4 жыл бұрын
Yes all of these can be great practices. I think the socioeconomic context in which Buddhism began was just very different from ours today, so there are going to be some approaches that we may find more useful.
@evienleema1013 жыл бұрын
It s true 🙏❤️
@DougsDharma3 жыл бұрын
🙏🙂
@patrickcahill43966 жыл бұрын
Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośabhāṣyam is on offer at £143. I think I will take 2 ;-)
@DougsDharma6 жыл бұрын
😄 I think that's actually a very good price! 🤓
@patrickcahill43966 жыл бұрын
Everything is relative I suppose. :-)
@bornuponawave4 жыл бұрын
I enjoy and appreciate your videos. Very helpful. Do you have recommendations for resources or other sacred texts on meditation techniques and teachings similar to the ones you mentioned in this video? Thank you!
@DougsDharma4 жыл бұрын
Thanks GD! My focus is on early Buddhism and there are many texts in that tradition that are relevant, too much to discuss here. I have several videos on books that discuss these, as well as videos on cultivating the boundless states, here: kzfaq.info/sun/PL0akoU_OszRi-PrNLubfI0LVwkjXbZ-c7
@bornuponawave4 жыл бұрын
Doug's Dharma Thank you Doug! 🙏🏼
@patrickcahill43966 жыл бұрын
Hi Doug! I'm a little confused by the Subha Sutta. In it the Buddha speaks of the Brahmā realm and also companionship with Brahmā. I thought that was Hinduism and that Buddhism does not teach of a creator God.
@DougsDharma6 жыл бұрын
Hi Patrick, thanks for the question, it's an important one in the history of Indian belief systems. To begin with, speaking of Hinduism at this early date would be anachronistic. During the Buddha's lifetime the competing ideology in question was Brahmanism. In that belief system, Brahmā was the creator god, or a creator god, and could be seen as identical with the universe (Brahman), depending on who was doing the teaching. For the Buddha these were real gods (Brahmā and the others), but they were all mortal, and none of them was perfect, nor were they creator gods. That said, Brahmā was thought of by the Buddha as a god of kindness and compassion, in that to practice lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity was to practice "the Brahmavihāras" or "the abodes of Brahmā", that is the psychological places in which the god makes his home. To practice them is to find companionship with Brahmā in his heavenly realm, if you like. We can, of course, take these as simply metaphorical.
@patrickcahill43966 жыл бұрын
Doug's Secular Dharma thanks for the reply and for the clarity. I'm surprised I haven't come across this before now. I have only been studying a short time though. There is so much to learn and I'm very grateful for your guidance. Perhaps you could do a video following the theme of the book 'What the Buddha Thought' and explore the relationship the Buddha had with Brahmanism and Jainism. What he may have adapted etc.
@DougsDharma6 жыл бұрын
Thanks Patrick. That would be an interesting topic, it's really very cutting edge just now and a lot of the material relating to Brahmanism and Jainism remains controversial and speculative. That is a lot of what scholars like Richard Gombrich and Johannes Bronkhorst have debated. FWIW I have an earlier video on whether Buddhism is atheist where I get into some relevant material ... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h7WBnL2TprbYh2g.html 🙂