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Buddhists/Questions Answered by Expert Laurie McLauglin
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Wakes in Buddism | 5/7/2011 |
| Q: Do Buddists have "Wakes" after death for the living? A: Since Buddhism is practiced in so many countries, it is really up to the traditions of that ... | |
| Bodhisattva vs. Buddha vs. God | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: As you certainly already know, Mahayana Buddhists (including myself) believe that the ideal is for ... A: They are good questions. Yes, the Buddha did pass into parinirvana. But there are two things that ... | |
| Systematic Approach to Meditation? | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: I have been meditating and reading/practicing Buddhist principles for about 3 years or so. I read ... A: I am going to answer strictly from my own personal experience which does not necessarily reflect the ... | |
| the book of dying | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: Forgive me if this is long. My life partner died three weeks ago. Niether one of us is a Buddhist ... A: First let me say that I am so sorry to hear that he has died. Although it is good to hear that he ... | |
| Seeing yourself as you are | 3/29/2011 |
| Q: I am reading the book Seeing yourself as you really are and I read a response you gave a while back ... A: Do you mean His Holiness' book "How to See Yourself As You Really Are" ? I was able to read an ... | |
| Buddhism | 3/26/2011 |
| Q: I have read some of your answers to another student and I really liked how you answered her ... A: 1 - Buddhism has shaped my life by teaching me to let go of me ego, to put others first and embrace ... | |
| Interview questions | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: I am doing an essay for school and I would really like to ask you some questions about your beliefs. ... A: It sounds like by the way you are asking the questions that you want personal answers not answers ... | |
| Why is enlightenment not a mug's game? | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: Why should I work towards enlightenment? I don't expect to attain enlightenment in my current life, ... A: > Actually I have believed in reincarnation since I was 13 and someone explained it to me. This ... | |
| Why is enlightenment not a mug's game? | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: Why should I work towards enlightenment? I don't expect to attain enlightenment in my current life, ... A: Although I get the concept I am curious what specifically is "a mug's game"? To answer your ... | |
| How Do I Pray To Buddha? | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: I Was Wondering How To Pray To Buddha (My Type Is Tibetan Mahayana). I Have Recently Became ... A: Sorry it took me so long to respond. I was getting ready for a retreat I was co leading. I rejoice ... | |
| Near Death Experience Questions | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: I have some questions on near death experiences. Please read the following quote I got off the ... A: I was not sure about the answer to your questions and was curious myself about how the near death ... | |
| powers of a lama | 12/24/2010 |
| Q: What can a lama see when he looks into the mind of another? A lama did this to me, once, I think. I ... A: Your question is a bit like asking "What can a doctor see". Well, it depends on if it is an intern ... | |
| Tara | 12/21/2010 |
| Q: Firstly, I just want to say how much I appreciate your thoughtful and informed answers to the ... A: I totally understand how hard it is to not to live near a dharma center, so if I can be of any help ... | |
| Zen and Gelug Buddhism | 12/21/2010 |
| Q: Please excuse the directness I recently joined a Tibetan Buddhist Centre in my hometown. I ... A: Hey Clint - I hope you had a great Christmas Thanks for writing again. That is cool that you are ... | |
| How buddhist practices can improve my mindset? | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: While learning Reiki, I read few books that relate to Buddhism, though Reiki itself has no roots in ... A: I am sorry that you have lost your happiness and are depressed. I hope doing Reiki helps you with ... | |
| Zen and Gelug Buddhism | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: Please excuse the directness I recently joined a Tibetan Buddhist Centre in my hometown. I ... A: To the best of my understanding of things, the answer is a qualified no. Changing from one Buddhist ... | |
| Tara | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: Firstly, I just want to say how much I appreciate your thoughtful and informed answers to the ... A: I am glad you find the answers I write helpful. I just try to study hard, be mindful and keep the ... | |
| Converting to Buddhism | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: I was baptised as a baby but would now like to convert to Buddhism. however, i am not sure how to go ... A: Fleur. I am glad you are looking into Buddhism. It is certainly useful whether you adopt it as a ... | |
| Becomming Buddhist | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: First..thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions for me. It is greatly ... A: I am so glad that you are getting benefit from what I have written so far. Much rejoicing. I sense ... | |
| Becomming Buddhist | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: First..thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions for me. It is greatly ... A: I am so glad that the answer helped you. You cannot go wrong with any of the books by His Holiness ... | |
| Becomming Buddhist | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: First..thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions for me. It is greatly ... A: I am sorry about the death of your uncle, but I rejoice that you are pursuing your spiritual path. ... | |
| impermanence vs rebirth | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: I am unable to reconcile what seems to me a contradiction in Buddhist philosophy. I am taught that ... A: which is a good one. From my side, and from what I have learned so far, the term impermanence does ... | |
| Rebirth/Realm Questions | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I'm a college student who has been researching Buddhism for a theology course. My mind is boggled ... A: The reason it has taken me so long to answer your questions is that I was waiting for some of my ... | |
| nichiren buddhism | 9/10/2010 |
| Q: is there a difference between nichiren buddhism and tibetan buddhism, somebody took me to a chanting ... A: The reason I switched from Nichiren to Tibetan is because growing up Catholic, there were the Latin ... | |
| Sisters | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: I have 3 sisters 2 of which are twins. I am the youngest of the 4 of us. When we were younger the ... A: I rejoice that you have been meditating to try to come up with an answer to your painful situation ... | |
| Buddhism and Physics | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: Is Newton's Law of Motion, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" another way ... A: I have heard the phrase “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” used as a simple ... | |
| a few questions | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: 1. Is it okay to have sex before your married? 2. Is there any prays you can say? 3. is there any ... A: These are good questions. To the best of my knowledge, the Buddhists do not have any rule about ... | |
| meditation & self-awareness | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: I'm doing some research on yoga & meditation, as planning on making it a daily thing for me. What ... A: From what I have learned from studying meditation in a Tibetan Buddhist context so far about ... | |
| What your teachers are called... | 7/24/2010 |
| Q: I am very new to learning about Buddhism. I was looking at a local temples web site and saw that ... A: From my experience at least in the tradition I follow and the ones with which I am familiar the ... | |
| rebirth | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: If we're all reborn when we die, how does Buddhism explain the world's increasing population? ... A: It is a good one. The answer is that there are many, many sentient beings. From what I understand ... | |
| Genuine? | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: I have followed Matthieu Ricard lectures and book. But fpmt.org and various other sources makes me ... A: The Buddhist religion traditionally does not proselytize. So no Buddhist group should be out ... | |
| Questionable Zen Sect | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me figure this out. One of my friends who is Buddhist suggested I ... A: I have done a bit of research based on what you have provided me and here is what I found. SGI is ... | |
| Refuge Prayers, Gelug | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: Please could you tell me the Refuge Ceremony Prayers I need to learn for the Gelug Refuge Ceremony, ... A: I rejoice that you are going to take your refuge vows next March. From what I know, one usually ... | |
| How to get to tibet | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: I´m thinking about becoming a monk and i wish to know if i can go and travel from my Iand and go on ... A: As you probably know the Chinese have taken over Tibet. As you probably know, the Chinese are not ... | |
| Mahayana Buddhism | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm currently doing an assignment on Buddhism and Bioethics. Could you please provide me with your ... A: My view on abortion and euthanasia follows along the same lines as His Holiness the 14th Dalai ... | |
| kamamudra | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I want to know about kamamudra. I have searched the internet but without success. All i know is that ... A: The website "The Shadow of the Dalai Lama" is an intense site. As with all things, everyone ... | |
| kamamudra | 5/12/2010 |
| Q: I want to know about kamamudra. I have searched the internet but without success. All i know is that ... A: Very sorry it took so long for me to answers. I got suddenly very busy at work. I believe the term ... | |
| Fire path | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: it's much appreciated. Since I took refuge and became a Tibetan Buddhist my life has been ... A: From everything I have experienced in the nine years I have practiced on the Vajrayana path, it is ... | |
| Chan / Zen Buddhist lay practice | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: What role does group meditation play in lay Buddhist life? I take refuge in the Buddha, I take ... A: There are many different Buddhist traditions. In each of them the role of meditation is different. ... | |
| Atman & Anatta | 4/16/2010 |
| Q: I read some great answers given by you on this post and I think you would help me clear my confusion ... A: It took me so long to write back because I wanted to ask my guru his oppinion of the answer to the ... | |
| Atman & Anatta | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: I read some great answers given by you on this post and I think you would help me clear my confusion ... A: They are good questions. As you are reading and I am typing no, this is not a dream. Buddhism ... | |
| Atman & Anatta | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I read some great answers given by you on this post and I think you would help me clear my confusion ... A: I will do my best to help answer your question. It is true, Buddhism teaches that there is no self ... | |
| Homosexuality and Mahayana Buddhism | 4/3/2010 |
| Q: What is the Mahayana Buddhist teaching on homosexuality and homosexual sex acts? A: Western Mahyana Buddhism has no teaching on homosexuality that I have come across.Since Mahayana ... | |
| spirit world | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: Namaste Laurie, thank you for your time and wisdom.I have practiced Siddha Yoga for 13 years. I ... A: I rejoice that you are doing so well with your Siddha Yoga practice and that you are getting ... | |
| NKT | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: I've recently been going to classes in the NKT, they charge £5 a class for about an hour & a half of ... A: Sorry it took me so long to answer - Thank you for letting me answer your question. I, myself ... | |
| Buddhism | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: I am doing an interview paper for class and are looking for some additional answers to the below ... A: Sorry it has taken me so long to answer your questions. As this is a volunteer position, sometimes ... | |
| questions for college term paper | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: 2. In your opinion, what is the most common Western misunderstanding of the Buddhist faith? 3. How ... A: I think the most common Western misunderstanding of the Buddhist faith is that meditation is simply ... | |
| Greetings | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: 1. How did you discover the Buddhism? 2. What is your favorite aspect about the religion? 3. In ... A: I discovered Tibetan Buddhism from someone I met on vacation. I was not practicing any religion at ... | |
| Buddhism | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: What is the most unique aspect of Buddhism, in your opinion? Do Buddhists believe in a form of ... A: In my opinion, the most unique aspect of Buddhism is that Buddha used logic and wisdom to figure out ... | |
| Becoming a Buddhist | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I have recently found a lot of comfort in books by Thich Nhat Hahn, Pema Chodron and others, as well ... A: John. I myself came to Buddhism from Catholicism. I am glad that you have found peace in reading ... | |
| Buddhism CD'S/Book's | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: What Buddhist book's and CD's can you recommend ? A: As far as the best place to look for books and CD's on Buddhism, that’s a tough question. There are ... | |
| Nirvana | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: I have two questions, One - How do we reach Nirvana in our lifetime. Two - Will our family and ... A: To answer your second question first, Nirvana is not a place like heaven so when you reach Nirvana, ... | |
| Buddhism | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: What is the basic outlook on life formulated by Buddhism? 4 major yogas 4 noble truths 4 castes or 4 ... A: As a Western Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist, we do not deal with all of these in our practice. For ... | |
| Mahayana vegetarianism | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: If you become a Mahayana Buddhist do you have to be a vegetarian as I am deeply considering it ? A: There is nothing in the Mahayana teachings that tell you that you have to be a vegetarian. What ... | |
| Buddhism | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: What are the main similarities and importand differences of the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana A: The Buddha taught 84,000 teachings. He geared each of his teachings to a specific audience based on ... | |
| Recognised actions..... | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: ... If the world that we live in is becoming destroyed by our somewhat greedy actions then is the ... A: Well, you are in a human incarnation currently but you have the Buddha nature inside you and life is ... | |
| Recognised actions..... | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: ... If the world that we live in is becoming destroyed by our somewhat greedy actions then is the ... A: There are a few ways to know for yourself is something is true. One is take it on authority from ... | |
| Recognised actions..... | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: ... If the world that we live in is becoming destroyed by our somewhat greedy actions then is the ... A: The best way I can answer your question is by saying that whatever karma we have sewed individually ... | |
| The Burning of Incense | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: Being new to the practice of Buddhism, I have observed the burning of incense in temples and at ... A: I am not sure if there is a specific answer to your question. I know that incense is used for ... | |
| Salvation | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: Is there Salvation in Buddhism? This is for a discussion group.mglhw A: The answer is yes - though perhaps not the way Christians would call "Salvation". We do not believe ... | |
| karma | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: quick question, if one dies and one has negative karma and is therefore reborn into lets say a boar ... A: You are correct. If one is reborn in the animal realm, especially if one is born as a carnivorous ... | |
| devas | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: why do some Buddhist believe in Devas but not in God, shouldn't the same logic apply to both? A: I understand your confusion I believe. The difference comes from spelling God with a capital G and ... | |
| renunciation in buddhism | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm 25, female, British and have been practising Buddhist meditation for about a year. I have a ... A: From my side, it stems from trying to understand and answer the question you are asking and not ... | |
| self vs service | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I understand the idea of serving others & being selfless, however what I find is that I end up being ... A: Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Thank you for letting me answer your question. You are ... | |
| renunciation in buddhism | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I'm 25, female, British and have been practising Buddhist meditation for about a year. I have a ... A: I am happy to try to answer your questions again. I will answer your questions from the bottom up. ... | |
| renunciation in buddhism | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I'm 25, female, British and have been practising Buddhist meditation for about a year. I have a ... A: This worldly life is called "Samsara". It is the cycle of birth, ageing, sickness and death. It is a ... | |
| Rephrase... | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I have looked into the teachings and principals of Buddhism and I'm not sure what type is best for ... A: I will do my best to give you a jumping off point to your search for what spiritual practice might ... | |
| you being lazy | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I asked a question a few days ago, you HAVE not responded yet, and the recipt email even says you ... A: I am very sorry you are unhappy. Allow me to explain things from my side. I answered your question ... | |
| intrusive father | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: I am wondering if there is a specific mudra or breathing exercise or meditation you can tell me of ... A: I am sorry you are having trouble with your father. You are right. The only control one has in ... | |
| buddhism | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: yeah ok, buddhism is often misunderstood because of this set of wrong set of words like anatta is ... A: From my side, it is not just that one sees a deity such as Manjushri in one's meditation. From my ... | |
| meaning | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: other religions believe in a Creator God and that concept gives tgheir belief meaning. IE, the ... A: It is a good one. The Buddhist belief in creation in some ways is like all religions in that none ... | |
| is buddha God ? | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: how are you Laurie, sorry, i am not sure if you would like to discuss these question, my entire ... A: I chose to take refuge in Buddha because his teachings gave me a path I could follow to become a ... | |
| buddhism | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: yeah ok, buddhism is often misunderstood because of this set of wrong set of words like anatta is ... A: I am not sure I understand everything you say in your first paragraph, so I cannot comment. I used ... | |
| Ignorance leading to lust | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: I am in the process of reading "How to See yourself As You Really Are" by HH the Dalai Lama. One ... A: I am not sure I am qualified to interpret what His Holiness, the Dalai Lama said or meant, but I ... | |
| buddhism | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: i want to learn about the theory of rebirth, what is reborn in the next birth journey? a soul, a ... A: Jaya Thank you again for letting me answer your questions. From what I understand, Nirvana is not ... | |
| Right way to pray | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: What is the right way to pray when you are visiting a Buddhist Gompa or a monstary eg in places like ... A: Unfortunately, I may not be able to give you as complete an answer as you might wish. I, myself ... | |
| buddhism | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: i want to learn about the theory of rebirth, what is reborn in the next birth journey? a soul, a ... A: From what I understand, it is the very subtle nature that goes from one life to another. Our very ... | |
| forgiveness | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm struggling with forgivness and compassion at the moment. My partner cheated on my last year and ... A: I rejoice in the fact that you were able to forgive your partner for cheating on you. However, if ... | |
| buddhism | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: i want to learn about the theory of rebirth, what is reborn in the next birth journey? a soul, a ... A: As far as I have learned thus far, what remains after your death is what Buddhists call “Very ... | |
| Is the journey to Self a part of the Buddhist's road to enlightenment? | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I'm writing a paper where the issue is "Does Buddhism honor the individual and address the journey ... A: From what I have learned so far in studying, Buddhism does not really teach about honoring one's ... | |
| Is the journey to Self a part of the Buddhist's road to enlightenment? | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I'm writing a paper where the issue is "Does Buddhism honor the individual and address the journey ... A: It's a good one. I will do my best to answer it based on what I have learned so far. I will ... | |
| New to Buddhism. | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I'm new to Buddhism and looking to begin practice. I was wondering what the best place would be to ... A: I am glad you are looking into Buddhism. It is certainly useful whether you adopt it as a religion ... | |
| Eternal Happiness | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: What then is Eternal Happiness? How do I obtain it? Can you provides with a diagram of Eternal ... A: From what I understand about Buddhism, which is still so little, we believe that eventually all ... | |
| Retreat Center | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: I find the Buddhism very interesting. My knowledge of Buddhism is somewhat limited to what I've been ... A: I think it is great that you are interested in learning more about the Mahayana path. I noticed ... | |
| moving... | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I was hoping after sometime of study, I would move in to a retreat or monastery of some kind. what ... A: Cody - Thank you for letting me answer your question. If you are willing to move to India, Japan, ... | |
| Eternal Happiness | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: What then is Eternal Happiness? How do I obtain it? Can you provides with a diagram of Eternal ... A: Henry Thank You for letting me answer your questions. From a Mahayana point of view, Eternal ... | |
| overall question | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: This is for a paper I am to write on Buddhism. These are questions that I am to ask someone as an ... A: Your first question is a bit difficult. The reason is because just in Christianity, there are ... | |
| Religions of the world (Buddhism) | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I am doing research for a paper and I have compiled a list of questions that I would like to ask ... A: Sherita. Your first question becomes a bit difficult. The reason this is, is that just in ... | |
| Beings from other dimentions | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: I was initiated into Buddhism about 5 years ago. Call me restless but I explored outside the ... A: I am glad you are returning to pursuing only one major religion as I believe that will help you ... | |
| book reccomendations, and a question about a particular book | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 questions: 1) Do you have any book recommendations for people who are new to Buddhism and ... A: Kate. I am very glad you are looking at Buddhism as a spiritual path. I have been practicing ... | |
| monks and meditation | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: how do I answer an elderly man, who asks "why do monks do nothing but meditate yet expect the people ... A: Lee. Perhaps the question your elderly friend should ask is not why should they eat when all they ... | |
| questions about Buddhism | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: Good afternoon. I'm writing a school paper about Buddhism and have a few questions. 1. What is ... A: Some of your questions are fairly easy to answer, the others are somewhat more difficult and I will ... | |
| outsider question about Buddhism | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: I have 4 questions about Buddhism. 1) Do they still follow the same teachings today? 2) Do these ... A: The answer to question one is yes, Buddhists follow the same teachings today as they did in Buddha’s ... | |
| what is moral to Buddhism? | 5/30/2009 |
| Q: i am currently research on the viewpoints from the Buddhism of mechanical heart, stem cells, ... A: I am not a true expert in these types of matters, nor because there is no edict that I know of ... | |
| lost | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: Im 24 years old i feel like ive lost my inner self i want to find the real me there is a void in me ... A: Greetings Jerrod. Thank you for letting me answer your question. I will do what I can to help. ... | |
| Is Buddhism a religion? | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I am currently studying at the University of Brighton on a Religious Studies teacher training ... A: From your question it seems that you want people’s personal beliefs. So, my answers will be more ... | |
| Buddhist "baptism" | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: Is there any Buddhist equivalent to a baptism or a blessing for a new baby? A: Emmy - Thank you for letting me answer your question. To the best of my knowledge, in my eight ... | |
| Karmic effects on "beauty"? | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: I hope you are well.Imagine two people who are both identical in terms of qualities such as ... A: Jordan. It is a good one. If you ask ten Buddhist practitioners, I suspect you will get ten ... | |
| Anatta, Anicca, Sunyata? | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: A thought occurred to me - aren't these all essentially the same concept, merely stated ... A: Howard for letting me answer your question. From what I understand, Anatta means no self – Anicca ... | |
| Meditation | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: is meditaion really necessary for someone if they are a buddhist? Or can you be a buddhist without ... A: From what I have observed and experienced, meditation is an important part of Buddhist studies. It ... | |
| Buddhist requirements | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I have been interested in Buddhism a long time, and I have followed its way of life as best as I ... A: Luke I am glad to hear you are following Buddhism and trying to follow it as a way of life. Thank ... | |
| Buddism | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: 1. Do Buddists believe in a Devine God or in a human being? 2. Who is the Dali Lama? A: Sorry it took so long to respond, iroically, I was out of town attending a lecture by His Holiness ... | |
| desires | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: I am confused about the whole concept regarding desires in Buddhism. I understand that I am always ... A: I will answer your regular question and your follow up question in this one answer as they both deal ... | |
| buddhist and death penalty | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: I'm writing a paper for my class and was wondering if you could help me out. If you were sitting ... A: That is an interesting question. Thank you for letting me answer it. It is a bit of a difficult ... | |
| confusion on buddhism | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand that ceasing one’s desires contributes to their ... A: Joey. You ask many interesting questions. I will try to answer them to the best of my ability. ... | |
| karma | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: a month ago I asked a question about karma, that was to the nature, that if a child were born blind, ... A: It's good to hear from you again. Thank you for letting me answer this question. First off though I ... | |
| Working With Anger | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: I'm not really a buddhist, but I am learning buddhist technigues to better manage my anger and ... A: I am glad that my last answer was of use to you. Thanks for letting me answer your question about ... | |
| buddhism and christianity | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: is it possible to follow both Christian, and Buddhist views? Basically I'm asking if you can live ... A: Tyler. Thank you for letting me answer your question. From what I understand, the two questions you ... | |
| astral travel | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I am a meditation instructor from the Christian contemplative tradition. I have a student who is ... A: You pose a very interesting question. You have an advantage over me in that you are a meditation ... | |
| Beginners Books | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: Could you please let me know of some good books as I am interested in knowing a little more about ... A: I am glad you are interested in Buddhism. I will be happy to recommend some books for you to read. ... | |
| discovering buddhism | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I am going to buy the DVD on Discovering Buddhism,now will this be sufficient or do I have to buy ... A: Charmaine, That is great that you are going to do the Discovering Buddhism series. I have taken ... | |
| reason and faith | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: Buddhism is based on reason, not faith. However, after we die, a Buddhist believes that karma, to ... A: No problem. I hope I can clarify things a bit. As far as what you were told that Buddhists, ... | |
| Theravada Budhists and Amulets, Superstitions | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: as I learn more about Buddhism and the teachings of Buddha being related to insight and ... A: Russ for letting me answer your question. Here is a website on life in Thailand and one of the ... | |
| reason and faith | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: Buddhism is based on reason, not faith. However, after we die, a Buddhist believes that karma, to ... A: Marc You have asked a very interesting and kind of tricky question. I’ll do my best to answer it. ... | |
| where do I start? | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: I went to see his highness the Dalai Lama last year in Normandy and he gave me an inner peace, I ... A: I rejoice in hearing that you wish to practice Buddhism. Since you seem to be drawn to His ... | |
| creation | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: I understand that Buddhist generally don't accept the concept of a god of creation, if so, what then ... A: Marc. You ask what the purpose of the creation is. As you mentioned, Buddhists do not believe in a ... | |
| suffering | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: I know all life is suffering but some of us suffer much more than others, ie cancer, starvation, ... A: Marc. Thank you for letting me answer your question. It does seem curious why some people suffer ... | |
| Class assignment | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: I am in an Eastern and Western thought class, and one of our assignments is to interview an expert ... A: Marcus. Thank you for allowing me to answer your questions – First however, let me just say I am ... | |
| buddhism | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: how can we reconcile the concept of the bodhisattva and the arhats? since the arhat is the first ... A: According to the Mahayana Buddhists, and perhaps all Buddhists, every sentient being has the Budddha ... | |
| How to practice Buddhism | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: I have read numerous books on buddhism and would like to learn how to practice correctly. My ... A: Walt for letting me answer your question. It is a good one. I am glad you have been reading books ... | |
| buddhism | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: how can we reconcile the concept of the bodhisattva and the arhats? since the arhat is the first ... A: Greetings, again, Lance. You sure ask some amazing questions. I am having a bit of trouble ... | |
| The Need for Re-Birth or Enlightenment At All | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: I understand the believe about suffering, craving, the different realms of existence,re-birth, etc., ... A: Russ. Thank you for letting my answer your question, which is a good one. Although you did not ask ... | |
| buddhism | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: how can we reconcile the concept of the bodhisattva and the arhats? since the arhat is the first ... A: Lance, very much for giving me a chance to answer your question. The answers I will give you are ... | |
| New to learning about buddhism | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: As an ENFP type who struggles to say no and seems to wear a large badge saying 'here to help'! How ... A: Emmanuel . Thank you so much for letting me answer your question. I really like your question ... | |
| Anatta | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: I am a beginning theravada buddhist (I realize that we may have different beliefs, but I think that ... A: Wow – you sure ask tough questions for only being a Buddhist for a month! Because you are Theraveda ... | |
| I'm a beginner | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: I am very interested in becoming a Mahayana Buddhist and am curious as to whether or not there is a ... A: I rejoice in your decision to engage in a spiritual practice to help you let go of your anger and ... | |
| enlightenment | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: What would enlightenment look and feel like ? Is it a process and are there signs or steps along the ... A: Jenna – Thank you for letting me answer this question. You have asked tough-ish questions, for two ... | |
| My wife had had a verystrangedream! | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: My wife had a dream that intrigues me and puzzles her. She's not a very religious person, and what ... A: First off, though I am supposed to be somewhat of an expert, I am not in any way an expert on dream ... | |
| I'm a beginner | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: I am very interested in becoming a Mahayana Buddhist and am curious as to whether or not there is a ... A: Namaste – I am very happy that you are interested in possibly becoming a Mahayana Buddhist. Thank ... | |
| Appropriate attitude on hatred | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: There's a question bothering me for quite a long time. The purpose of asking is actually simple: to ... A: Glad I could help –As for your current question, I cannot tell you whether or not to teach or ... | |
| awakening to reality | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: I have been meditating for years. And last night I had a realization . I have been frustrated with ... A: It is wonderful you have been meditating for so long. Yes, a goodly majority of people do appear ... | |
| Appropriate attitude on hatred | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: There's a question bothering me for quite a long time. The purpose of asking is actually simple: to ... A: Namaste, Albert. Thank you for allowing me to answer your question. First off you clearly have a ... | |
| buddhists and Mahayana | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: how are these two relate to each other A: Greetings, Isabel, Mahyana is related to Buddhism because it qualifies what type of Buddhism you ... | |
Buddhists
Answers by Expert:
Laurie McLauglin
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer certain questions about the Tibetan Mahayana path as well as many questions about basic Buddhism. If I do not know the answer chances are I can find out very quickly as I live in a Buddhist retreat center.
Experience
I have been practicing Buddhism for over seven years and have had teachings from many very qualified Mahayana teachers such as Jon Landaw, Tubten Pende and Venerable Robina Courtin
Publications
I have written articles on Buddhism for the on line magazine, Suite 101
Education/Credentials
I have a BA in theatre from The Unversity of South Florida
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