Introduction to Buddhism

[@martynsnan]

I love these videos and have subscribed. The comment below about the loud music is correct. I hope you can solve the problem soon or even leave the music out. Keep up the good work. Metta.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for subscribing, martynsnan. We'll get the problem solved one way or another! 😄

[@reloadfast]

Hi Doug. I really appreciate your videos and all the effort that have gone into creating the content. For this particular video, I would suggest re-editing the video reducing the volume of the music as it does make it difficult to understand the voice at points and it distracts from the narrative.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks ReloadFast, several of my earlier videos had music that was a bit on the loud side. Unfortunately KZbin doesn't allow us to re-edit a video once it's uploaded. I have a newer video on Buddhism for Beginners if you're interested in a similar somewhat-updated topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppPRmH6Fisx2ers 🙂

[@coke39stgo]

Thank you Doug. This video touched my heart and gave me inspiration for my work. Besides anesthesia, I am about to start the last meditation course of 2018. I’ll be teaching Vipassana and our students will have to learn about the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the 4 Noble truths, the five aggregates and many more themes you point out so clearly in your videos. I will advice them to subscribe to your channel so maybe you’ll be hearing from more people in this remote country. Chile. Thanks again.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks very much Jorge! We have friends who are from Chile and I know it’s a beautiful country. Enjoy teaching! 🙏

[@Lickiecat]

My good friend killed himself for some reason.. He identified a lot with Buddhism. Thank You for helping me to understand it, and him more clearly.

[@DougsDharma]

I'm so sorry to hear that Roberto.

[@matthew9488]

many thanks.🕊

[@DougsDharma]

You're welcome 😊

[@nyimasherpa511]

The Buddha was born in Lambini, Nepal

[@DougsDharma]

That's right Nyima, thanks.

[@patrickcahill4396]

Hi Doug! Not directly related to this specific video but I wanted to ask you what your thoughts were on Thich Nhat Hanh's interpretation of the second of the four noble truths? I have very often seen that it is stated that craving/desire is the cause of suffering. TNH however states that it is only one of a list of things that causes suffering, (anger, hatred, jealousy etc), saying that it is only because craving came first on the list that it is said to be the sole causation for sufferring. Would this be your interpretation also? As I find it to be a more sensible one and not so exclusive.

[@DougsDharma]

Hi Patrick, and thanks for the interesting question! I'd want to read Thich Nhat Hanh first, since I'm not really sure I'd understand him otherwise. These issues can be pretty subtle. But if I can hazard a guess, in this case I think the point would be that craving leads to anger, hatred, and jealousy when it is thwarted somehow. (And leads to greed, clinging when it is indulged in). Without the craving first there would be no anger, etc. afterwards. Therefore, if we felt no attachment, we would be freed from anger, etc. So sure, we can say that anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, etc. also cause suffering, but they do it indirectly. The direct route is craving. Or at least that's the general story. But this may seem nit-picking, and if so that's OK. It's certainly true that one way or another they all lead to suffering.

[@patrickcahill4396]

Doug's Secular Dharma "Another common misunderstanding of the Buddha's teaching is thatt all of our suffering is caused by craving. In the 'Discourse on Turning the Wheel of Dharma', the Buddha did say that craving is the cause of suffering, but he said this because craving is the first on the list of afflictions (kleshas). If we use our intelligence, we can see that craving can be a cause of pain, but other afflictions such as anger, ignorance, suspicion, arrogance, and wrong views can also cause pain and suffering. Ignorance, which gives rise to wrong perceptions, is responsible for much of our pain. To make the sutras shorter and therefore easier to memorize, the first item n a list was often used to represent the whole list. The word 'eyes' for example, is used in many sutras to represent all six sense organs and form is often used to represent all Five Aggregates (skandhas). If we practice identifying the causes of our suffering, we will see that sometimes it is due to craving and sometimes it is due to other factors. To say 'Life is suffering ', is too general. To say that craving is the cause of all our suffering is too simplistic. We need to say, 'The basis for this suffering is such and such an affliction' and then call it by it's true name ." Thich Nhat Hanh 'The heart of the Buddha's Teaching' p22-23. I think what he is saying is quite clear. Perhaps further investigation may be in order Doug as it goes against much of what is said. I think it is quite an important point that he is making. Broadening the causes of suffering.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for the quote Patrick, I think the point he’s making is pretty similar to what I was saying before, that is that there are many causes of suffering though in many early texts (not just the Discourse on Turning the Wheel) those are traced back to craving, and indeed eventually even to ignorance as the root cause. This is more a question for the abhidhamma to answer! The main thing is that craving, or identification, or ignorance, depending on how one sees it, is a key player so in a sense it is the focus of practice. But that should not be to the exclusion of other unskillful states such as hatred, arrogance, greed, and so on. As you say, they are all causes of suffering.

[@patrickcahill4396]

Hi Doug again :-) If I may ask another possibly silly question. Are the 'Three Marks of Existence' the same as the 'Three Dharma Seals'? If so, Thich Nhat Hanh replaces 'Suffering' with 'Nirvana' in his interpretation. He states "In several sutras the Buddha taught that Nirvana, the joy of completely extinguishing our ideas and concepts, rather than suffering, is one of the Three Dharma Seals. This is stated four times in the Samyukta Agama of the Northern transmission." "To me, it is much easier to envision a state where there are no obstacles created by concepts than to see all things as suffering." Any thoughts?

[@jsohi0082]

Could you republish this video without the music or is it not possible anymore?

[@DougsDharma]

Unfortunately KZbin doesn't allow us to edit videos that are already up. I have other videos on the same topic such as: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppPRmH6Fisx2ers

[@stevenkok1926]

Shadu Shadu Shadu Meaningful.

[@DougsDharma]

Thank you Steven. 🙏

[@AllanAlach]

Background music is distracting and makes it difficult to hear what you're saying.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks very much for the feedback, Allan. The music is a bit of an experiment, and may indeed prove unnecessary or as you say a distraction going forward. I have a few more with music ahead though, fwiw.

[@AllanAlach]

Turn the music volume down a bit? That may solve it. Thanks for the vids - very good.

[@DougsDharma]

Yep, that's one option to consider going forward. It can be hard with my rudimentary iMovie editing skillz to get the levels right. Apologies in advance if some other vids seem out of kilter. I'll definitely keep it in mind and may indeed ask for opinions in a future Q&A.