tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post7147318311296556072..comments2024-03-18T16:28:06.364+07:00Comments on Buddha Space: FaithGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11820006311674418847noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-84346941131632216632008-09-09T20:06:00.000+07:002008-09-09T20:06:00.000+07:00Thanks for the insights into Buddhism in Korea, Ma...Thanks for the insights into Buddhism in Korea, Marcus - much appreciated. The image of foreigners sat in meditation and locals chanting Amitabha's name is somewhat amusing - and most relevant to some points in the blog's article on faith.<BR/><BR/>Namo Guanshiyin Pusa!<BR/>GGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820006311674418847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-62635174339495058732008-09-09T18:12:00.000+07:002008-09-09T18:12:00.000+07:00Hi,Thank you! Lovely of you to respond.Yes, Pure l...Hi,<BR/><BR/>Thank you! Lovely of you to respond.<BR/><BR/>Yes, Pure land is very popular here, even within the Zen tradition. <BR/><BR/>All Zen temples have images of Amida Buddha, Kwan Seum Bosal and Ji Jang Bosal, and chanting their names is a highly popular practice......much much more so than meditation.<BR/><BR/>In fact it is funny, if you go to Hwa Gye Sa on a Sunday for example, the foreign crowd is all upstairs sitting in strict meditation (zen sticks, facing the wall, the lot) while the Koreans are downstairs doing 108 bows and chanting Amida's name!<BR/><BR/>There is belief in the Pure Land and in rebirth there, and from my experiences and discussions there is no hard and fast distinction made here between a 'mind-only' and a 'real' Pure Land approach.<BR/><BR/>My own temple (http://www.hanmaum.org/eng/) is part of the Jogye Order and therefore Soen (Zen), but it encompasses a real wide scope of practices - many of them focused upon Kwan Seum Bosal - and emphasises the role of faith in practice.<BR/><BR/>For myself, I tend much more towards Pure Land and faith in Amida Buddha than Zen, and that fits right in with my Sangha and practice here in Korea.<BR/><BR/>All the very best again G, and thank you again for such a wonderful blog.<BR/><BR/>Namu Amitabul,<BR/><BR/>MarcusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-9936196896250113922008-09-09T12:49:00.000+07:002008-09-09T12:49:00.000+07:00Hello Marcus!I live in Ubon Ratchathani in the nor...Hello Marcus!<BR/><BR/>I live in Ubon Ratchathani in the northeast of Thailand, so I'm not familiar with the 'Little Bang Sangha', but I've been checking the link you gave me and they look a nice Buddhist group, for sure.<BR/><BR/>Glad that you liked the piece on faith, Marcus. Is Pure Land popular in Korea? (From the books I've read, it seemed that Zen Buddhism is the predominant form of the Dharma there, unlike China & Japan.)<BR/><BR/>Have a safe trip back to the UK when you go - and stay in touch!<BR/><BR/>Namo Amituofo,<BR/>G.Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820006311674418847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-400390234778966412008-09-08T19:34:00.000+07:002008-09-08T19:34:00.000+07:00Hi,A wonderful piece of writing. Thank you.Like yo...Hi,<BR/><BR/>A wonderful piece of writing. Thank you.<BR/><BR/>Like you, I'm also a British Buddhist with strong ties to Thailand (many years teaching English there and two Thai children) but also drawn to Pure Land (I'm currently on my third stint in Korea - but am heading back home to the UK soon).<BR/><BR/>I wonder where in LOS you are based? If Bangkok, I'm surprised there's no link on your blog to the wonderful Little-Bang Sangha:<BR/><BR/> http://littlebang.wordpress.com/<BR/><BR/>Anyway, all this is just by way of saying hi!<BR/><BR/>All the best,<BR/><BR/>Namu Amitabul, Kwan Seum Bosal,<BR/><BR/>MarcusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-81586935521948665452008-08-15T12:20:00.000+07:002008-08-15T12:20:00.000+07:00Thanks for the comments, Justin.What are the cause...Thanks for the comments, Justin.<BR/><BR/>What are the causes of materialism and atheism? The decline of the Buddhdharma! The Buddha himself in both Theravada & Mahayana scripture predicts the falling away of the true Dharma & the arising of false doctrines and materialism. It is the natural cycle of things, and as wonderful as it is, the Buddhadharma is a created thing also that will eventually cease to exist. Then we will have the Buddha Maitreya, of course, but that's a long, long, way away, according to Buddhist tradition. <BR/><BR/>Right now, we should be grateful that we have some faith in a world that's losing it's faith. Not only is Buddhism in decline, but also the other religions too, often becoming violent & confrontational parodies of their greater forms. Evolution theory and materialism are symptoms of this natural process. Richard Dawkins is simply another suffering human being, caught up in a fog of views that negate any chance of religious faith. <BR/><BR/>Be well in your faith, Justin.<BR/>GGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820006311674418847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-70059171115996094652008-08-15T02:48:00.000+07:002008-08-15T02:48:00.000+07:00I have always been more of a faith character then ...I have always been more of a faith character then a reason one, but I understand why so many in the West are not. <BR/><BR/>Ever since Charles Darwin and on up to the present day, nihilist/materialist standardbearers like Richard Dawkins have put forth views that pretty much denounce faith or the possibility of transcendence and instead postulate a view wherby we are simply animals on our way to oblivion. <BR/><BR/>I hope that more Western Buddhists can free themselves from the insidious wrong views that are set out by some and learn to show a little more faith. In some ways, faith is a sort of renunciation because it is a letting go of the certainty that the rational mind always wants to have.JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07062221333467776105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-79732139121073825972008-08-15T02:40:00.000+07:002008-08-15T02:40:00.000+07:00G-Awesome piece on faith. You managed to talk abou...G-<BR/><BR/>Awesome piece on faith. You managed to talk about it in a very skillful way, much more skillful then the way I have in the past. I wish you well.JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07062221333467776105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-7897457839010986532008-08-12T10:19:00.000+07:002008-08-12T10:19:00.000+07:00In both the Chinese and Thai forms of Way that I&#...In both the Chinese and Thai forms of Way that I've studied (representing the Mahayna and Theravada forms of Buddhism respectively), faith is an important aspect of the Path.<BR/><BR/>As the comments of both Gregor & yourself show, there are Westerners with faith in the Triple Gem and its more challenging aspects to the occidental mind. Ultimately, of course, whether Western or Eastern, we must transcend all our ideas of what constitutes the Dharma, and then we might see the Truth for ourselves, without interference from our limited & limiting thoughts.<BR/><BR/>It's nice to make salient points once in a while!<BR/><BR/>Be well, Walter.<BR/>GGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820006311674418847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-49822935029658863772008-08-12T04:54:00.000+07:002008-08-12T04:54:00.000+07:00An excellent article.Buddhism is constantly misrep...An excellent article.<BR/>Buddhism is constantly misrepresented in the West, and when Western Buddhists do discover elements of faith, prayer and supernaturalism in the everyday religious practice of Asian Buddhists they become disenchanted, implying that traditional practice is somehow corrupted.<BR/>You made some very salient points.Walter Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780247928442366936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-64495850916605198972008-08-11T13:04:00.000+07:002008-08-11T13:04:00.000+07:00It's good to read of your faith in the Way, Gr...It's good to read of your faith in the Way, Gregor. In the early years of practice, I struggled with faith, doubting now & then various aspects of the Buddhadharma. But, it's just like you wrote, in that seeing the truth of the Dharma in this life gives us a faith in those parts of it that we've yet to witness. <BR/><BR/>Having faith strengthens conviction, too, giving one the mental space to further one's practice without the hindrance of constant doubts whilst meditating and generally walking the Path.<BR/><BR/>Be well in the Dharma, Gregor;<BR/>G.Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820006311674418847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-595900014735598043.post-88406840624514790592008-08-11T06:54:00.000+07:002008-08-11T06:54:00.000+07:00Wonderful and poignant article here.Faith and conv...Wonderful and poignant article here.<BR/><BR/>Faith and conviction really are needed for us to keep upon the path.<BR/><BR/>Faith has not been a large problem for me, I have really seen the truth of the Dharma in my own life. Perhaps, its the conviction and perseverance I stumble with. <BR/><BR/>However, I feel blessed that I've been able to discover the way in this lifetime and will continue with it regardless of falling down numerous times.Gregorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02973104331951938134noreply@blogger.com