Buddhism

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spk_0 This is Quinn. Hello and welcome to the podcast all about Buddhism. This is

spk_0 I'm Harper and I'm Quinn and this is all about Buddhism. This is Quinn. So

spk_0 Buddhism has the main idea of reaching an end all life goal of enlightenment.

spk_0 This end all life goal is called Nirvana. So how does someone who is

spk_0 practicing Buddhism achieve this idea of Nirvana? This is Harper. It is

spk_0 difficult to achieve this state of mind. Many people view it as

spk_0 impossible but Buddha says it is not impossible. To reach Nirvana you must live a

spk_0 life free of killing, wrongful speech, promiscuous sex and theft. You must also

spk_0 avoid craving desire. If you constantly crave something that you can't have

spk_0 then you won't get it and that becomes the main focus. Once the desire is

spk_0 released then eventually it is replaced by a state of perfect contentment and

spk_0 serenity also known as Nirvana. Those who obtain it are fully liberated from

spk_0 suffering and therefore enlightened. This is Quinn. How did how did Buddha reach

spk_0 Nirvana? It it first started when Buddha was young. He lives in a very rich

spk_0 and pro very lit rich and privileged life but that's not what he wanted. He

spk_0 spent six years basically meditating. Buddha spent almost his whole life trying

spk_0 to figure out how to reach Nirvana. He spent the rest of his life explaining

spk_0 his discoveries and teaching it to others so that everyone could be free from

spk_0 suffering. Once he was done with this he had reached Nirvana. I feel like Buddha

spk_0 makes reaching Nirvana seems so simple. However he does explain how it can make

spk_0 many lifetimes take many lifetimes to reach Nirvana. Yeah the concept of

spk_0 Nirvana seems so simple yet so hard to obtain or reach. This is Harper. Violence

spk_0 is frowned upon in Buddhism and many other cultures and religions. However

spk_0 what does Buddhist take on it? Yeah so Buddha is very against violence. You could

spk_0 say he has a legendary role of non-violence. He believes in not killing the

spk_0 five more precepts that are the pillars of his path. So where if you kill by

spk_0 accident? What if you accidentally kill fly by stepping on it or hit a deer with

spk_0 your car and it dies? So it all depends on your motive. If you get mad at

spk_0 someone and purposely kill someone out of spite or malice then that is against

spk_0 what Buddha believes in. However if you innocently kill something then it

spk_0 justifies it. However if you kill the deer or the fly and it makes you feel

spk_0 happy or you don't feel remorse for the being then that is what Buddha is

spk_0 against. What about verbal violence? Like verbal abuse. Observing the way we

spk_0 speak can be a guide to what we are subconsciously thinking. What comes out of

spk_0 your mouth may be very different from what you are thinking inside or you want

spk_0 to come out of your mouth. Awareness of speech can be a guide to your inner

spk_0 life. It can lead to understanding yourself better and when you can

spk_0 understand yourself better then you can control your speech. This is hard

spk_0 to remember. How would one start doing this? This is Quinn. Someone who speaks truthfully

spk_0 makes their mind quieter, softer, more open and overall at ease. If we lie it's

spk_0 because we have a fear and anger therefore we lie to protect ourselves. Overall we

spk_0 need self protection because we are insecure. This all leads back to self

spk_0 desire. In Dharma we practice making a commitment to speaking truthfully. If you

spk_0 speak truthfully then you are practicing Dharma. The second guideline is

spk_0 speaking in a way that unity is speaking in a way that unity and brings people

spk_0 together. For example you want to speak peacefully and give other space and

spk_0 acceptance. Speak when something needs to be said and challenge when something

spk_0 needs to be challenged. This is Harper. How does someone speak sarcastically

spk_0 without being religious respectful or just harming Buddha? What if someone is

spk_0 speaking sarcastically as a joke? So basically just don't. You always have to be

spk_0 aware of your tone and how you speak. Always be aware that you're always be

spk_0 aware of your intentions of speaking and always be mindful of how it might affect

spk_0 others.

spk_0 This is Harper. Buddha talks a lot about this thing called the seven qualities. I've

spk_0 heard about them but I'm not sure what they actually mean. Basically this is

spk_0 Quinn. Basically they are seven qualities that can help better yourself and

spk_0 make being a Buddhist easier. They are like tips. This is Harper. What are their

spk_0 names? This is Quinn. First it starts with the empirical quality. The empirical

spk_0 quality is based on your own observation and experience and your belief only

spk_0 what agrees with your reasoning and common sense. This is Harper. So you should

spk_0 let other people influence your reasoning? Yes exactly. The second quality is

spk_0 scientifically. Basically if science proves that Buddhism is wrong then

spk_0 Buddhism must change its ways. Also adapt to always adapt to according to the

spk_0 facts. This is Harper. So science plays a big role in Buddhism? Yes this is

spk_0 Quinn which leads to the third quality called pragmatic. Pragmatic is

spk_0 pragmatic. The base is basically being practical useful and effective. The

spk_0 power of giving is very important in being pragmatic. This is Harper. So giving

spk_0 in a way that is useful and effective like giving to a homeless shelter is

spk_0 being pragmatic. Yes that's a great example. The fourth quality is really quite

spk_0 simple. It is called therapeutic. Basically don't warn the past and you should

spk_0 always worry about the future and educate things. But do all of this wisely. This

spk_0 is Harper. Wouldn't that be hard? This is Quinn. Yes it can be hard to balance being

spk_0 wise and not dwelling on the past but if you can focus on not dwelling then it

spk_0 makes reaching enlightenment easier. The fifth quality is psychological. Making sure

spk_0 you focus on the mind and becoming what you think. Life is shaped by our minds.

spk_0 This is Harper. So if you think you can do something that it makes it easier to

spk_0 become that thing. This is Quinn. Yes exactly. The sixth quality is called E. Ego

spk_0 Littarian. A gallecerian. Sorry. It means to be inclusive and open to all.

spk_0 Humanity is renewed by generous heart, kind speech and compassion. Basically being a

spk_0 good person. This also connects to the final and seventh quality of individual.

spk_0 Mainly you want to support yourself but you also want to have compassion for

spk_0 others.

spk_0 This is Harper. Buddhism seems so complicated. How does Buddha make it easier or less confusing

spk_0 for someone to follow? Well, Buddha didn't want it to be easier, simple or simple. However

spk_0 he also didn't want it to be something that was impossible to follow. So he created a

spk_0 list. It's that simple? Well, yeah, in a way. What we call it today is the Eightfold Path.

spk_0 You start with any of the steps. There is no specific order of the Eight Steps. You also

spk_0 have a lot of lifetimes to master the Eightfold Path. In morality, there's speech, action

spk_0 and livelihood. In mental culture or meditation, there is effort, mindfulness and concentration.

spk_0 And then right understanding, there's wisdom and thoughts. This is Harper. Well, how does

spk_0 one do this? Well, to have right speech, your speech should be positive and not wasted.

spk_0 It should be used to benefit others. Always be true or fool and you should always be gentle

spk_0 and encouraging. Right speech is sweet like honey and wrong speech is unwholesome like

spk_0 filth. Action is a set of rules that you follow that is humanly right, no killing, drugs,

spk_0 alcohol, no stealing or sexual misconduct. Vivalighood is about earning a living without violating

spk_0 the moral principles of not trading in human beings, trading in flesh, trading in weapons,

spk_0 trading in poison, trading in intoxicating drinks and drugs. To be indefinitely, it requires

spk_0 right effort and it is the constant watching or observation of your own body actions, feelings,

spk_0 thoughts and mental objects. And it enables you to check any subconscious or careless,

spk_0 mental, verbal or physical actions that are negative or bad. And to have right understanding,

spk_0 you need to acknowledge all the four noble truths, understanding of these things as they truly are.

spk_0 A person with complete right understanding is free from ignorance. This is important because

spk_0 one's thoughts either purify or defile a person. This is Harper. So to follow the Aful Paths,

spk_0 you have to experience and do all these things to reach enlightenment or Nirvana. Quentin, yes.

spk_0 So in Buddhism being mindful is very important. Mr. Kerr, hello. You had us practice being mindful or

spk_0 giving up something. So Harper, can you share your experience with me? So on the, you told us to give

spk_0 up something for a day. I gave up music, music, I listened to music to do everything. Clean my room,

spk_0 do my homework, work out. It's a part of my everyday life. And going without it for a day was very,

spk_0 very difficult. I really hated it and I really did not enjoy doing my homework without music or

spk_0 cleaning my room, doing my laundry, even like my workout, which is miserable because I didn't have

spk_0 anything to like focus on. I just had my thoughts, which I got a lot of thinking done and it was nice,

spk_0 but it just was not fun. I mean, I think if I practice this for a few more weeks or like days,

spk_0 then it would get easier. But that first day was really, really difficult. Quentin, I know you gave

spk_0 up coffee. What was that like? I know it seems kind of simple, but it was honestly really hard. I

spk_0 addicted to caffeine that when I didn't have it. I got like headaches. It was really hard for me to

spk_0 motivate it. I had a hard time doing my homework because I was tired and I didn't like give in and

spk_0 drink like tea or anything like that with caffeine or any other caffeinated drinks, but it was honestly

spk_0 really challenging. It didn't kind of clouded my thoughts. Like I could only think about how negative

spk_0 this was. So it was harder for me to get a positive experience out of giving it up. However,

spk_0 on Monday, when I did drink that first cup of coffee after not having it Sunday, it made me enjoy it.

spk_0 A lot more kind of take it for granted. Yeah. All right, that's it. That's it for this podcast.

spk_0 That's it for this episode. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening. Thank you.

Buddhism

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