"Devotion vs. Cultishness" in Buddhism

[@DougsDharma]

🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive videos, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂 📙 You can find my book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

I remember a Tibetan monk telling me years ago : 'Everything that happens in the West , happens in the East. In our monastaries there is abuse, bullying, greed, addiction. You name it, we have it ' That was the cold shower my young impressionable mind needed at that moment. 😄

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, human nature being as it is ... we are all prone to greed, hatred, delusion. 🙏

[@khinwin9925]

I love to follow the beautiful teaching of Kalāma sutta..

[@malwar21]

I learned this myself after observing and contemplating life. I find the most happiness when I am alone - playing video games, investing, and meditation. It's better to love humans from a distance and find ways to reduce your dependency as much as possible.

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@malwar21 I'm not saying it's all bad. Just that people tend to idealize (or demonize !) cultures that are different and far away.

[@malwar21]

@@spiritualanarchist8162 🙏

[@chilldragon4752]

Thank you Doug. I recently left a Sangha that I felt was leaning towards being cult-like. It became clear that the teacher enjoyed being the guiding teacher more than teaching the Dharma. Have a great week Doug.

[@berrycrawford5579]

what sangha was that?

[@stevenwilliams5531]

Yeah. Same thing I experienced in the Kwan Um School.

[@timetoreason181]

I too left my monks. I joined a "tradition" who still claim they inherited the original pure version of the teachings. I was following a dogma of that tradition. It happened to be no better than the religion I left behind. Since then I study dhamma on my own. Sadly I do not understand Pali or any other but rely on Bhikkhu Bodhi's English translations and few other KZbin Channels. I am not seeking Nibbana but try to learn the basics of Buddha vachana. I came from a tradition who performed miracles, healing amongst many other things except for holy water. Hence I do not want to be part of "mine is better, pure, the oldest" cult or tradition, and as far as I know Buddha himself rejected that sort of renderings. Hope you will find your way reading Dhamma, rather than joining a tradition and to be a slave or a promoter of that tradition.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Chill. Hope you find a better group! 🙏

[@malwar21]

I don't think I will join a Sangha, ever! Maybe I am deluded about this - But I can already sense Sangha today is full of petty politics, restrictions, and dependencies. I will follow the path as best I can and rely on life itself as my teacher.

[@stevenwilliams5531]

After sitting for awhile with the Kwan Um school, some teachers and things have definitely made me think it leans a little more to the cult side. I left and now sit with a different Sangha.

[@ikkong8436]

Thank you Doug for a very well presented video talk. i am on the same page as you with regards to the understanding and practice of the Dhamma. i actively study the Nikayas and carefully analyse what i read. i practice Anapanasati daily and use the thus sharpened mind to contemplate on what i had gathered from the suttas. It's a lot of hard work but i am a firm believer of being 'my own island and taking refuge in the Dhamma' , with no other refuge. For many years, i had the good blessing to have the spiritual support of a very capable good monk, who actively advocated and propagated early Buddhism, but since his passing i had relied almost wholely on the Samyutta Nikaya and the Majjhima Nikaya to continue my study and practice of the Dhamma. i am most glad to come across your website and find it an added support to my practice. Thank you, Doug. Sadhu sadhu sadhu

[@DougsDharma]

Wonderful to hear, I K. Hopefully you can find other good teachers nearby. Meanwhile enjoy the videos! 😊

[@missmerrily4830]

I don't know how i missed this when first posted, but I am so glad to catch up with it now, as it's something I've always worried about a bit. I've never really taken to just one school of Buddhism and tend to take what I feel is helpful from any of the traditions. But sometimes this makes me feel a little less than 'authentic'. I really enjoy rituals too, and feel they keep me grounded in my practice. But I do think it's very possible to become slavish to rituals or a teacher or tradition and lose the actual message I should be receiving. It was reassuring to understand that the bottom line is really taking responsibility for oneself and not to just assume that a teacher automatically knows more, or better than I do. This IS a very important talk from Allan Wallace and a great reminder that the Buddha actually said the path is being walked through our own efforts. No-one can walk it for us, only help to show us the way. Great video Doug!

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for your comment! Yes I thought Alan Wallace's talk was very good as well. 🙏

[@vajraman2067]

Well done. Great Video. After the mess surrounding Trungpa Rinpoche in the late 70's early 80's, I have been a solitary practitioner of Vajrayana for the last 45 years. One must also evaluate, critically and constantly, the Sangha. Because they, are the real "indoctrinators" for what can become, cultish devotion, especially by senior students at perhaps multiple Dharma centers (Sanghas) where direct contact with the guru is minimal. If you can find Shakyamuni's passage that begins "Oh monks, be lamps unto yourselves"...that passage, essentially, nullifies almost the entire structural system of the Vajrayana. Not its insights mind you, or all of its teachings, but it places 90% of spiritual growth and responsibility at the feet of the students.

[@fingerprint5511]

Attadiipaa Sutta, An Island to Oneself. I believe its the Worldly Dhammas that keep those kilesa bubbling up from the lower realms, intoxicated with fame, pleasure, praise and gain 🙏🏻

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@vajraman2067]

@@fingerprint5511 Thank You.

[@hotuish]

My experience with Buddhism (formal student for 10 years, zen priest for 7) is the opposite of submitting all my thoughts, beliefs and actions to some guru. Great doubt is what drew me to zen. Of course, I am not the best student! Because I may challenge too much! 😅

[@エルフェンリート-l3i]

That's nice to hear. In the meantime, did you find out what's the sound of one hand clapping? ;)

[@DougsDharma]

😄😄 Yes, great doubt can be liberating!

[@johnhaller7017]

Those qualities make you the best student. If you can defeat the teacher with challenges, then the teacher has no answer. Who will be your teacher in that case?!

[@DoreenBellDotan]

Just found your channel. It's the best channel for Westerns to learn about Buddhism that I've seen. It is heartening that you're not being a Buddhist by shaving your head and putting on a saffron-colored robe. The message is that you're true to yourself, relatable to Westerners and not just putting on a cool costume.

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@carpenterfamily6198]

7:30 The hard work is your own, don’t rely on an outside guru to do the work. ‘ take refuge in yourself.

[@DougsDharma]

🙏

[@thedjc100]

Super happy to have found this channel.

[@DougsDharma]

Welcome aboard! 😊

[@rajendramenon6610]

I feel the Buddha advocated respect for a teacher, but not blind faith. Obviously one needs some confidence in a system before practicing it, but it should not lead to shutting up our own mind. Guru only shows the way. False Gurus don't even do that.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, thanks Rajendra. 🙏

[@timetoreason181]

Wonderful video. You explained more eloquently than anyone else. Your touch on the "Early Buddhism" will clear up what we need to do in following the Buddha Dhamma, Buddha 'vachana'. This is a follow up to a reply I made to someone else's comment. In a nutshell, you are rephrasing what Buddha asked us to do, to be a light unto yourself, not to rely on others in understanding the reality of our own existence. After Buddha it is the Dhamma which play the biggest role, not the monks/gurus or soothsayers. Dhamma will prevail even without monks or gurus, as we have texts whether they are the original and or pure version.

[@ikkong8436]

well said, Bro

[@timetoreason181]

@@ikkong8436 Thanks for the feedback. I may add, the Dhamma will prevail even without temples. It is the corrupt monks in all traditions who destroy these precious Dhamma. One can see the riches, luxury, privileges and utter corruption in South Asian Buddhist temples. I have first hand experience visiting them often, in search of a teacher, since I left my own faith, evangelical Christianity. What I had seen was no better than what I practiced till my late teens. I seek no pure Buddhism, but to know my own first few steps, in this short life my own, to understand my own existence as well as of all beings, and our own suffering and how to alleviate them. This channel, my beloved Bhikkhu Bodhi, Ajan Sona and the rest do a yeoman service for people like us, without rituals, dogma and superstition. Metta to all sentient beings

[@ikkong8436]

@@timetoreason181 very true! From my own experience and understanding, i must say if one has a good grounding based on the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha, one need not seek a guru or teacher in any monk or lama. If one has the good kamma to meet a good kalyanamitta as a spiritual guide, well and good, but to place unquestioning blind faith in any person or monk is tragic. The Buddha had made it clear before his parinibbana, "that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master (Teacher) when I am gone"

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, well said. Thanks TTR! 🙏

[@penguins0392]

Thank you for your videos! I just found them so I have a lot of content to drive into. But I have to say, I found your videos at the perfect time

[@DougsDharma]

Welcome aboard, glad you're enjoying them!

[@toddviv]

To me, Buddhism has a very sound philosophy but I think it has been taken too far with worshipping images of buddha and I don't think he ever promoted this practice. I for one felt uncomfortable bowing down to a statue but what the buddha represents to me is a person who taught us some great truths about life

[@DougsDharma]

Yes the role of icons in Buddhism is one I discussed in a past video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4PUqaiuiJaki8k

[@jebroe860]

I belong to a GURU yoga oriented Dharma school. While being authentic, we are over our heads in deep samsara. The teaching is that ehen the gurus fail, it's the lay practioners who hold up the mystic umbrella, are real important, like the new growth and tiny roots of the Bodhi tree. Cant live without them. I take refuge in the three jewels . I do daily practises. Thanks the teachings.

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure!

[@SteveHorne]

Interesting, Doug. I find the Tibetan tradition to be much more of a "religion" than Theravadan traditions, which seem more of a philosophy or psychology.

[@DougsDharma]

At least on the surface I'd agree that there are more complex, baroque elements to Tibetan practice than to the Theravāda we normally see. But I'd hesitate to make too much of that. Both are very extensive and complex systems of belief and practice.

[@timetoreason181]

If you ever have been to Sri Lanka you will definitely change your mind! One may say they have the Theravada tradition, which is full of endless rituals and superstition. Visit any temple on a full mood day and witness what all the devotees do, no need to go deep into villages, the main cities will fulfill your curiocity. I wonder is that what Buddha asked us to do. Most younger people congregate to get divine blessings to pass exams, get good jobs, some come to get their sickness or wounds healed, and almost all of them visit to accumulate more and more merit for a much better future lives. Not forgetting the veneration and worship (rituals, making vows and sacrifices) of Hindu deities with the blessing of monks. Strangely the government, academics and monks promote these activities. Last year or so the Govt and senior Buddhist monks organised a 21 day ritual to Goddess Kali to end Covid epidemic in Sri Lanka and that was held in the heart of Colombo. Holy water was in very high demand for Covid. It is not the place that used to be, sadly! I do not need to talk of the riches of the temples, super luxurious lives of the monks, and their involvements in politics and protests.

[@fingerprint5511]

@@timetoreason181 Ajahn Chah tje Thai Forest Tradition said that all these are conventions and nothing to do with Buddhism, that it is for the people, the traditions. The real practice is tje Vinaya and Meditation.

[@5piles]

real tibetan buddhism has nothing to do with religion. tantric deities are what appear when the advanced nalanda indian buddhist version of emptiness is realized, which is beyond the scope of theravada emptiness

[@buddhism-lr1yt]

​@@5piles Mahayana buddhists are so full of themselves, please read that sentence, do you not see how conceited you sound? You are asserting as if it were truth, there is a maha-emptiness and there is a hina-emptiness, that's your theory buddy. Your view is so unexamined, you are probably just parroting what your teachers say or what you have read. Let me explain to you what your teachings teach. Some indian scholar, decided to use his intellect to understand the Buddhas teachings, sound like something teh Buddha would recommend right?, his name was Nagarjuna, through concepts he cut through more concepts, and saw that everything was empty, even emptiness itself was empty! Of course, this is all intellectual acrobatics, and by no means an experiential truth. Through his endless conceptualization, he then corrects the Buddha, and asserts, not only samsara is empty, but nirvana is as well! Therefore, he then posed a different view of reality, an interpretation of the Buddhas words. The Buddha just couldn't explain it, so we had to wait for Nagarjuna to clarify things, thanks Nagarjuna, all clear now. Theravada or as you demeaningly call it, Hinayana, a teachings for wandering ascetings, beggers, renunciants. These teachings have no place in society, well, the could only thrive in societies like ancient india (places like Burma is similar to ancient india). But how can we spread the true teachings of the Buddha? We can't teach everyone to abandon society, we must change this, so we turn the teachings into it's exact opposite. Instead of leaving samsara, let's tell everyone to stay in it, and we will all see nirvana together, kumbaya. Doing an arduous practice to see nibbana is very selfish! What about all sentient beings that have been your mother in past lives...! And in any case, if samsara and nibbana are the same, as they are both empty, what's the point of enlightenment in the first place?! We are all already enlightened, but we just don't see it! Now sir, you conflate Mahayana and Theravada as if they were some how part of the same canon of teachings, that somehow one is lesser and the other is greater, that one is prior to the other. You think because they both call themselves 'buddhism' or follow the same teacher 'Buddha', this means anything. They do not. These are in fact Buddhism's, they are completely different teachings and have radically different metaphysics. Your maha-emptiness, is a theory, the theory of non-duality. The result of doing philosophy, intellectual work, and not rooted in experience, rather, an interpretation fo experience. There are elements of monism, and even panpsychism, I do commend the efforts, as this view may unite all world religions. However there is Right View and there is Wrong View. In the nondual metaphysics, there is no point for a being to leave samsara, there is no being, all is empty, samsara is empty, nirvana is empty, all beings are empty. Everything is pointless. Let's create this new philosophy, make it very esoteric and complicated, called Tantra, and incorporate all experiences in it. Regrardless of experiences having greed, anger and delusion. You wan't to have sex and achieve enlightenment, sure! Just imagine yourself as a Buddha or a tantric deity, if you can do this, you have such a high degree of realization as you abide in the maha-emptiness, that you might liberate all sentient beings while having sex! Yeah, with a mind full of lust, or as you think, "detached" from lust (as if that were possible....). You can even have sex with 12 year old girls. Nice! I really do wonder what is the karma for beings that corrupt the buddhas teaching completely, it really sounds like the work of Mara to me, a teaching made to keep all beings bounded by samsara. Incase you are wrong, I would recommend you keep that conceit to yourself, leave Theravada out of that nasty mouth, becuase if you start influencing others, who knows where your next rebirth will end up. The cosmic Buddha - God, Amitabha will save you? If you keep repeating his name? If I repeat "wining the lottery" a gazillion times do I win the lottery? You know if Mara can't make you do bad actions, he will make you do good actions, as heaven is still samsara. Accumulating merit is for lay people, for people seeking enlgihtenment, they must transcend merit. All this boddhisattva merit won't help you achieve liberation. It only ties you into delusion. These deities are delusion View reality as it is. You are confabulating, contriving reality with these deities, they only exist in your imagination. Wake up man.

[@middlewayers]

Can you make a video on Yogacara Philosophy of Buddhism. Monk named Vasubandhu was very popular in Indian history and he is one of the pioneers of this Philosophy called Philosophy of Representations. Yogacara Buddhism has been more popular in India than Mahayana..it was later given the umbrella of Mahayana although it was distinct

[@DougsDharma]

Most of my focus is on the early material, and Yogācāra is a later tradition. I may however discuss it more in depth eventually.

[@DrSiddha]

Very good topic, well done!

[@DougsDharma]

Thank you, Valerio! 🙏

[@poppywindstockings4930]

Thanks for another great video 🙏

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure, poppy!

[@knightsremains]

What an important discussion Doug! This topic can be easily underestimated and I encourage your willingness to highlight the pitfalls of blind devotion. Yes, it is true that embracing our intelligence and ability to question is compatible with following a guru. I find that the Tibetan tradition is fraternal (non-gender) and in many ways collaborative. Very much aligned with a communal philosophy. Indeed philosophy is where I like to appreciate Buddhism as opposed to religiosity. While this is subtle, the intent is so distinct. A philosophy is an explanation of our human nature, and the religious may have as a goal the conversion of non-believers. I am going off tangents but this video hit a chord and one that finally illustrates why Buddhism and studying the Dharma is so inviting, rewarding and even shamelessly forgiving. Your eloquence in word selection is inspiring. Cheers!

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks so much Eigh, glad you enjoyed!

[@syahmiahlami2501]

Thank you for the video

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure, Syahmi. 🙏

[@nordmende73]

Thank you!

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure, Mende. 🙏

[@carpenterfamily6198]

This is so important ~ thank you for sharing it 🙏 BTW, I’ve also seen this in supposedly ‘ Christian ‘ sects. So, IMHO, spiritually can be a real, powerful and beautiful part of life ~ don’t be lead astray by people who are not healthy for you.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, exactly so. 🙏

[@thegreen2504]

Hi I hope all is well. I’m in a bit of a moral quandary, I’ve searched through your videos to see if you’ve addressed it but couldn’t find it. My question relates to jury duty and what the Buddhist view on it would be. While I certainly believe in doing one’s civic duty, I wonder if sending someone to prison, in which I know conditions will be cruel and inhumane (I live in America) would be a violation of the principle of ahimsa. I understand the need for a society to have a functioning justice system but I don’t feel comfortable harming another human being through my judgement. I’ve only been practicing for about 4 years so I’m still quite a novice. The only thing resembling this in my recollection is the story of Temiya Jātaka in which the Buddha pretends to be a crippled mute to avoid passing harsh sentences and suffering in hell realms. Which would seem to suggest my apprehension is correct but I could be reading out of context. Love your content thanks again if you have time to respond

[@middlewayers]

Trust Majjima Nikaya..other texts maybe corrupted

[@DougsDharma]

It's hard to give specific instructions on these topics, Green. Make them part of your practice, and do as you see best. Though do remember that sometimes jail may be for the safety of the public as well. (Which isn't necessarily to say it's right or just, only that it might be).

[@thegreen2504]

@@DougsDharma thank you for your help

[@Hattie2m]

One perspective my dad told me once (not budhism related) is to remember that, as a jury member, you are only deciding if the person has committed a crime or not. You and the jury are deciding the fact of the case. You are NOT judging the ethics of their actions, the reasons behind the actions, nor are you condemning them for their actions. It is the job of the judge to decide their actual fate, the punishment, the consequences, not the jury. If you are interested, do some research on the formation of the American justice system and its history, and decide for yourself if you wish to participate.

[@clydebink]

@@Hattie2m As a jury member, part of your duty is to affirm or deny whether the law is just and the punishment is reasonable/ethical. If you are interested here is an article about jury nullification in the United States. It has long been a tool of abolitionists and pacifists. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification_in_the_United_States

[@saralamuni]

O bhikshus and wise men, just as a goldsmith would test his gold by burning, cutting, and rubbing it, so you must examine my words and accept them, but not merely out of reverence for me.

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@johnhaller7017]

Hi Doug. Here are two examples of similar problems in Buddhism. It's the "I can't touch that" kind of seized up momentum that devalues at least the notion of truthfulness in especially Theravada teaching and practice. Full ordination for women in Thailand the first and the secondly Samma Samadhi. I'm about to invite the wrath of some Buddhist followers here, so hold on tight. I don't believe that Samma Samadhi is correctly defined as the four Jhanas. It is actually a convention. Samadhi is a slippery word that can be known in a Hindu context as a "certain level" and above of meditational attainment. In Buddhism it almost certainly means a Dharma driven insight, direct knowledge, into the Buddha's teachings of an intensity at the upacara level or above, ie, appana samadhi . When I say direct knowledge here, I am asserting that at this particular point the direct knowledge is not yet supramundane, but still productive of significant insight and later rumination about it's content, post meditation. Jhana cannot by definition, provide any Dharma insight due to it's focus being on the Jhana factors of Sukha, piti, ekkagata and equanimity themselves. There's no room for Dharma insight in the Jhanas Of course the tranquility generated by the Jhanas can be used(after the fact) as a kind of magnifying tool to more deeply examine the Dharma and this is a well known practice. But Samma Samadhi(short of the supramundane ) at the upacara level , and above, will be generated by Dharmanupssana, which at some stage should reveal a direct insight, or deeper understanding of the teachings. Jhanic practice, pre dates the Buddhist era and as far as we can tell, never produced Nirodha, because Jhana cannot achieve this. "Dhamma In Practice", a publication centred upon the teachings of Acharn Thate, makes this distinction abundantly clear. Samma Samadhi can only be cultivated by a practitioner that has significant prior Dhamma knowlege, Four Noble Truths, anicca , anatta , Dukkha etc. Often called pariyati Dharma. What has been heard or recited. Many Buddhist teachers seem to use the words Jhana or samadhi interchangably, which may cause the listener to think they are the same. The concentration level may have an equivalence, upacara, appana across the two(Jhana, Samadhi) but that's where it stops. It's apples and oranges here folks. As this applies in Thailand regarding female full ordination (Bikkhuni) the same seized up inability to bring the truth to bear upon the problem of no fully ordained Bikkhunis, at least until the recent past, has a similar intractable"can't touch this" feeling about it too. Another convention. It's a vicious circle. There are no Bikkhunis so we can't ordain any further Bikkhunis. The cycle repeats. Achan Brahm and the existing Committee{s}BSWA in 1998, short circuited the problem by establishing Dahmmasara female Buddhist Monastery in Western Australia where there are now, numerous Bikkhunis in residence. Keep up the good work Doug and remember, if you have too much "incoming"....."Duck and cover"

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks John, lots of controversial stuff!

[@johnhaller7017]

@@DougsDharma Thanks Doug. It's what we are here for right?!

[@lobsangsherap2559]

Devotion to real master and real teaching is very essential . Take the case of Milarepa to his teacher Marpa .sometimes devotion to fake teacher is a real danger. Now only student is responsible to test his or her teacher before one is accepted as a teacher. So do not blame anybody for your disappointment. Buddha said no blind faith, the Dalai Lama said test someone for atleast 12 years before you take him or her as a teacher. I see these days some monks doing abusive things in West and people in the west blaming His Holiness for their doing. I say open your eyes and open your minds and choose your lama correctly if you are planning to take to the path.

[@wriptag3]

Wasn't there a debate on the subject of creating the female Sangha, which resulted in Buddha changing his mind?

[@timetoreason181]

I don't think it was or there was a debate, between concerned 'parties', but a *request*, which was granted according to Theravada. Nevertheless it was sanctioned.

[@DougsDharma]

I discuss some of this in my video on women in Buddhism: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmeXnKZ6hL-qjs0

[@fingerprint5511]

Tibetan Buddhism I find so confusing, this Guru worship and the abuse you hear..., it was Theravada where finally began to practice and reallysee results, minusthe Popery, so to speak. I know of no Sutta of The Tagatha debating, if he debated then the Dhamma would not be the Dhamma. He taught how to practice the Dhamma. I practice teaching by Ajahn sumedho and even he says don't follow me or believe me but test and practice as Buddha instructed 🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🏻

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks, FP! There are quite a few suttas that involve the Buddha debating with others. For example, MN 93: suttacentral.net/mn93/en/sujato . But yes, to my knowledge he didn't debate with his own monastics.

[@tombahma]

The few guru abuse incidents should not be equated to the whole of Tibetan Buddhism. Would it be fair to call all Theravedans bloodthirsty racist murderers because of a few nutjobs in Myanmar? Like Doug said the Dalai lama who is undoubtedly the most famous Tibetan guru encourages debates and regularly tells his followers to doubt him and challenge his ideals.

[@buddhism-lr1yt]

I rejoice. I faced a similar experience with Tibetan Buddhism. Glad you escaped before it was too late. Theravada is the true teachings of the Buddha. I can't be sympathetic to this school anymore, I was so fragile when looking for the Buddhas teachings, and the Lamas are just so full of themselves. they are so enlightened, and you are nothing, being a servant to them is for you, not for them. The centre I go to there are 50-70 year olds that fight like little kids and are basically servants to this Lama. He charges lot's of money for dharma. They paid $30.000 for a new car for him! Hes too good for a second hand car. I don't even own a car, I take the bus, is he too enlightened to use a bus? A lifetime of buses won't reach no where near those 30k (+ expenses, insurance, etc.). They continuously pay for his flights to Asia. It really looks like they are being taken advantage of. I was spiritualy thirsty and good job as a student I hadn't enough money to keep going. Becuase my economic restrictions have allowed me to find true dhamma, Theravada, instead of that. Once got charged $100 for a 2 hour tantric visualization. I am too igrnorant to see the wisdom in this practice, yeah... A load of rubbish. Absolutely nothing to do with the sattipathana. The realized Gurus, are so enlgihtened, they have transcended pain and pleasure, and therefore resort to pleasure? I coulnd't believe it. Here I am sleeping on the floor, not eating past noon, and the master has a big ass comfy bed, eats all day long, etc. Pain and pleasure are nondual, so defilements have no bad karma, just realize the emptpiness and its no longer a defilemente! Ha, genius! You need to continously provide for him so you make more karma to stay together in next rebirth. It's all a big fucking scam. Fuck the greedy Gurus worship.

[@fairytalejediftj7041]

Guru Doug Ji has spoken. Bend the knee, peasants!

[@DougsDharma]

😛

[@RyanJamesHampton]

This was one of Mao's points. Everything was going to the gurus lamas. Some where so holy people would have to lay on the ground for them to walk because they where so holy. Now clearly the way he went about eradicating that was not good.

[@TitoTimTravels]

I am trying to stay away from some of the more dogmatic Buddhists. The institutions, power, and pomp that built up are unnecessary, and in many ways detrimental to the teachings. Reminds me of my old Hindu days. "Debate" is encouraged as long as you arrive at the correct answer... which just happens to be whatever the guru says. 😎

[@DougsDharma]

Right, dogmatism is something to watch out for. Do your own investigation, see what works for you. But be open to wisdom as well! 😊

[@TitoTimTravels]

@@DougsDharma Thanks, and I do try to keep an open mind. But after 27 years as a Hindu... I am about done with all the pomp and guru worship. And since there is no Buddhist center anywhere near me... I am bound to be a solo practitioner anyway. 😎

[@jaydenclowers2616]

What about Bottishivas in Buddhism

[@DougsDharma]

How do you mean?

[@默-c1r]

🙏

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@dorjetashi5503]

Dr, in Hinduism called Bhakti and in Buddhist guru devotion,is there any perceptional difference between these two?please comment 🙏

[@DougsDharma]

Which two? Bhakti is to my knowledge usually devotion to a deity or deities.

[@governingbodylanguage2025]

Guru: gee, you are you.

[@noahdanielg]

Stay away from “Lama” Ole Nydahl, and Andrew Cohen everyone!

[@middlewayers]

Thats what we call the "Peril of the teacher." Ie falling for fame and Followership

[@DougsDharma]

Yes. It can be insidious.

[@johnmonk3381]

Do you consider yourself enlightened Doug? You made a video where you made the distinction between attempting to understand buddhist ideas intellectually versus personally. So personally, how would you "grade" yourself in attaining "the nirvana"? I am able to understand the ideas of selflessness, impermanence and being subject to constant change in a crude sense. The idea of nirvana as being in a state of being okay with everything as it is, having no wants or desires (or at least a toned down version of it) and not being so dissatisfied with life, in general. But then, isn't awareness of a self an inherent part of a highly evolved mind, which we all possess as human beings? Also is a state of not wanting anything possible? What about basic needs like air, food and water? Surely these are needed to sustain this form now in order to not expire prematurely? So isn't that a self as wanting those things? How could a self not exist if I am unique, because I have a unique genetic blueprint, a unique appearance and personality? Aren't these convincing manifestations of a self? If buddha wants to argue that self doesn't exist, how would he respond to that? Or how would you, you are free to quote your extensive knowledge of the buddhist scriptures to make your point? If anyone wants to argue the notion of no self, then it is only possible under two circumstances that I can think of. 1. Well that person would have to be deceased, only then would he be free of all the cravings, temptations and the "corruption" that are accrued from the five aggregates which leads to the mind being judgmental or biased and therefore being in a state of unsatisfactoriness. 2. That person would acknowledge his higher mental capacity but chooses consciously not to exercise it, kinda like a human being behaving like a much simpler lifeform such as a fruit fly, which arguably has no concept of self and therefore free from all these "trappings"? So then, the question becomes: does attaining nirvana literally mean being dead or just plain "dumb" (having the mental capacity of a fruit fly)? Also, what would the buddha teach today in light of all the scientific knowledge that's available? Would he change anything? If suppose science were to one day advance so dramatically that it became possible to banish old age and therefore death, by say, cloning human organs and replacing them as each one wears out including the brain with all its memories and being capable of transferring consciousness as if transferring personal data between phones, wouldn't the concept of self then change? Then the idea of a self becomes relevant because science found a way to make the human body and consciousness permanent. Your comments or thoughts?

[@DougsDharma]

I'm certainly not enlightened! I'm just someone along the path, both practicing and learning the dharma. To understand what it might be like to become enlightened, one only has to look at the suttas and how the Buddha behaved. That should give us some idea. It's just to be without greed, hatred, or delusion with respect to the Noble Truths. Finally, I don't think science will ever banish old age or death. It may extend life, but that's a different thing.

[@johnmonk3381]

@@DougsDharma Thank you for your reply. I don't think buddha himself claimed he was enlightened either! Perhaps you are just being modest.

[@jimwalker5412]

I left my sangha, along with a number of others, after it was taken over, by left wing, green haired, humourless, ladies of a certain persuasion, It was pointed out to me, that originally, Buddha was reluctant to allow women to join the sangha, I now know why

[@brianstevens5547]

I'd like to invite you to reconsider your statement and the implications it makes

[@timetoreason181]

I too left my monks. I joined a "tradition" who still claim they inherited the original pure version of the teachings. I was following a dogma of that tradition. It happened to be no better than the religion I left behind. Since then I study dhamma on my own. Sadly I do not understand Pali or any other but rely on Bhikkhu Bodhi's English translations and few other KZbin Channels. I am not seeking Nibbana but try to learn the basics of Buddha vachana. I came from a tradition who performed miracles, healing amongst many other things except for holy water. Hence I do not want to be part of "mine is better, pure, the oldest" cult or tradition, and as far as I know Buddha himself rejected that sort of renderings. Hope you will find your way reading Dhamma, rather than joining a tradition and to be a slave or a promoter of that tradition.

[@buddhism-lr1yt]

The jewish communist lesbians... Yeah, they've taken over western dharma.

[@stonew1927]

The journey to self-realization is a pathless one. No need for a guru, religion, or text. You can arrive to the same conclusions as the saints by your own accord. As far as the danger of bypassing one's faculties of discrimination to follow another, the root of that lies in emptiness. Following a guru, saint, savior, or mesiah, allows the seeker to rest in the grace of the other. It is no different than believing in a god. The ever critical, continuous journey of evolution of the self can finally be laid to rest, as all spiritual and intellectual debates are a promotion of the ego. To be quiet and still the mind; to come closest to the consciousness of emptiness, therein lies the secret to peace and enlightenment. Let the pundits debate the texts. They will sound intelligent, but they will not have the experience of true inner peace . . .

[@xiaomaozen]

I recommend the documentary film _Kūmāré - The True Story Of A False Prophet._ It should cure any kind of guru devotionalism very effectively. 😁 And now let's bow down before Doug, the Only One! 🧎‍♂️🤣🤪

[@DougsDharma]

😆