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PowerTrip
Polypharmaceutical Shaman



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Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people?
#5915912 - 07/30/06 06:30 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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If you consider what is required for a true following of Buddhism, the life, dedication etc.. it seems that anyone who seeks out this life is probably very inside of their head. Buddhism more or less requires a rejection of the reality present before you, and calls for you to search inside of yourself for answers. Also when you consider the life that Buddhist monks live you see that they spend most of their time in complete silence. Alone with their own thoughts and not spending time conversing with others. Are most Buddhists on that path because of their very introspective personality? Perhaps they would tell you that the karma of their past actions has allowed them to be born into this life with a natural tendency to have those types of thoughts, which will ultimately lead to their liberation.
Just a thought I had about the personality traits of those who seek out Buddhism.
-------------------- I spit reality, instead of what you usually learn and I refuse to be concerned with condescending advice cause I'm the only motherfucker that can change my life
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DadeMurphy
H4x0r

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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: PowerTrip]
#5915923 - 07/30/06 06:33 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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I don't think buddhism asks you to reject the reality in front of you...it's the opposite, it asks you to accept it without judgement. Much of what buddhism is about is outwardly oriented ie. loving compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings. Obviously meditation is an inward activity...
All that said I think most buddhists in the world are buddhist by inheritance/culture. Naturally if a huge portion of asians are buddhist there is going to be a large diversity of personality types involved in the religion.
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PowerTrip
Polypharmaceutical Shaman



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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: DadeMurphy]
#5915989 - 07/30/06 06:51 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
DadeMurphy said: I don't think buddhism asks you to reject the reality in front of you...it's the opposite, it asks you to accept it without judgement. Much of what buddhism is about is outwardly oriented ie. loving compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings. Obviously meditation is an inward activity...
All that said I think most buddhists in the world are buddhist by inheritance/culture. Naturally if a huge portion of asians are buddhist there is going to be a large diversity of personality types involved in the religion.
I understand that Buddhism has a certain philosophy of how one should live out their life in respect to others. I meant that the actual practice at its core is about contemplation and the self. I knew this would turn into an argument over semantics.
While I agree with you that most people choose a religion based on what they know growing up, there are those who seek out something which they feel fits with their view best. I didn't mean every person who practices Buddhism though, as some live by the morals and philosophy but do not follow the more devoted practices such as meditation. I was referring mostly to those who seek to attain liberation and ultimate understanding through Buddhism.
-------------------- I spit reality, instead of what you usually learn and I refuse to be concerned with condescending advice cause I'm the only motherfucker that can change my life
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MarkostheGnostic
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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: PowerTrip]
#5916942 - 07/30/06 10:58 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Good question, but you are talking about monks not run-of-the-mill Buddhists. Tonight in a Thai-Japanese restaurant I saw a mediatating Buddha with a flicker-flame light bulb on each side. I did not harbor any belief that I was in the midst of sacred sushi chefs.
It is likely that Introverted types will be drawn to monasticism - I was, but I compromised with monogamy instead of celibacy (even though we should acknowledge that a great number of monastics are homosexual or, less frequently, asexual).
I have known one silent Cistercian (Trappist) monk - a decided introvert. Dependent arising caual factors are postulated for all phenomenon in certain branches of Buddhism. A cause turns out to be an effect of a prior cause as well, and effects are the cause of future effects. In effect, so what? Even sitting and doing nothing is a form of drama that creates karma in principle.
Edited by MarkostheGnostic (07/31/06 05:17 PM)
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The_Hobbit
Bilbo Baggins


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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: MarkostheGnostic]
#5919144 - 07/31/06 04:56 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
MarkostheGnostic said: Even sitting and doing noting is a form of drama that creates karma in principle.
I thought so, too.
There was a point in time where I pretty much did nothing but lay on the ground, gathering energy to work out, eat, and repeat the process. This lasted a few weeks. The months surrounding this time were heavily devoted to similar practices, but these few weeks were especially directed.
I grew incredibly strong. That is sure.
I also changed my mindset alot. I experienced very slow cycles of emotions where I could consider, consider the consideration, consider that, and consider that - etc. etc. etc.
I feel like I delved into the mind of a monk. Sure, I know that I am not as disciplined as them just for spending a couple months doing activities similar to what they do, but I did catch a glimpse.
And I feel like it's all a matter of adapting to what you're doing. Your mind and your body will get used to doing what they do. So, if you take the time to be aware and be peaceful and flow, then you will do that. If you get used to building up anger in order to get things done, that is your way.
What I think is that there is no one right way. I think that having such practices in your arsenal is a good thing because there is a time and place for everything. If you feel that a retreat into peaceful self awareness will do you well, then do it. It will offer you profound insight in many respects. However, for me personally, it is not the answer to life. There is a whole world out there - why meditate all day for the rest of your life? To me, that is for the purpose of religion. Nobody who was a baby, growing up in a utopian society where nobody judged you or shoved ideas in your face, would say, "hey, I think I should sit in a cross legged position for the rest of my life and control my posture and my breath and my focus in order to be best at that." There is too much to miss. Try going to the beach and swimming out into the wavebreaks, jumping off a cliff into the water, seeing the beautiful fish and all that. Then you will say - holy crap. There is this type of beautiful stuff all around the world? Time for an adventure.
-------------------- Smoking my hobbit leaf... Please keep in mind that I am just a human being. Please read my posts carefully and interpret their meaning for yourself.
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Deviate
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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: DadeMurphy]
#5919166 - 07/31/06 05:03 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
DadeMurphy said: I don't think buddhism asks you to reject the reality in front of you...it's the opposite, it asks you to accept it without judgement. Much of what buddhism is about is outwardly oriented ie. loving compassion for the benefit of all sentient beings. Obviously meditation is an inward activity...
All that said I think most buddhists in the world are buddhist by inheritance/culture. Naturally if a huge portion of asians are buddhist there is going to be a large diversity of personality types involved in the religion.
buddhism asks you to reject the illusiory reality you have created for yourself.
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redgreenvines
irregular verb


Registered: 04/08/04
Posts: 37,534
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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: Deviate]
#5919244 - 07/31/06 05:22 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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yup they are but as mta says the monks are the introspective buddhists and we should qualify that as the meditationg monks, since a huge proportion of hinayana monks don't practice they just read and chant.
In america when a christian, muslim ,or jew (others too) adopt some buddhism it is usually for the purpose of insight practice and if you call them buddhists you are actually equating them with the meditating monks. which is actually a funny thing, I mean, that there may actually be more cristian and jewish meditating buddhist monks in america than born buddhist ones in the far east.
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Ped
Interested In Your Brain



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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: PowerTrip]
#5919868 - 07/31/06 08:41 PM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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I was extremely introverted and introspective in my childhood, and still am today. Speaking as a Buddhist, I would say that this trait definitely suited me to the practise and study of Buddha's teachings. It is consistent with Buddha's teachings to spectulate that past practise in a previous life may have contributed to inward-focused tendencies in this life. This may explain why twin siblings occasionally have dramatically opposite personalities, with one behaving as an extrovert and the other behaving as an introvert.
However, my girlfriend, who has been a Buddhist now for 5 years, is a very extroverted and outgoing personality. Maybe it's because she's a terrible, terrible Buddhist. 
(That's a joke babe)
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redgreenvines
irregular verb


Registered: 04/08/04
Posts: 37,534
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Re: Are Buddhists naturally very introspective people? [Re: Ped]
#5921089 - 08/01/06 05:36 AM (17 years, 5 months ago) |
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religious types judge eachother terribly because they are concerned that others will identify them (as part of the group) and judge them based upon the behavior of their mates (in the group) it is a terrible quandry and might be useful to marry (out side the group) and not to judge and to be judged by someone who has no intention of following your faith. this might be a paradox.
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