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Buddhists/Questions Answered by Expert Joe McSorley
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Buddhism | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: What are the Buddhist views on divorce? I've got homework and i cant find anything on the Internet! ... A: There are no prescribed Buddhist views on divorce. This is more of a cultural issue and not a ... | |
| advice? | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: Im only learning about Zen and Buddhism,I may find the Zen Buddhism somewhat more down-to-earth than ... A: I can't really give you love advice here, this is not what this site is about, but hopefully I can ... | |
| The difference between Roman Catholic's tradition's to Buddhist's tradition's | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: How R U? I wanted to contact you again.To ask you,about the difference between Catholic's & ... A: I am completely sorry to take so long to answer you. I competely spaced on this question. Where ... | |
| questions about Buddhism | 7/8/2011 |
| Q: Greetings, I am trying to learn the underlying teachings of Buddhism to better understand the over ... A: Buddhism is not about trying to establish or explain universal laws. In essence it could be said to ... | |
| dissapearence of tao | 6/27/2011 |
| Q: After only 16 verses of the Tao Te Ching, I felt such intense vitality arise within me and i knew ... A: It is good that you got to experience something good from reading the Tao Te Ching and I am glad it ... | |
| Oneness vs Duality? | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I'll get right to the point - it just seems to me that zen is in direct opposition to everything ... A: I’ll get right to the point; your understanding of Zen is misinformed. It is not a mindless oneness ... | |
| Do we have a rebirth choice | 6/20/2011 |
| Q: I heard a Buddhist teacher say that at death before one enters a new body one can choose the body to ... A: I don’t know if you intended this question to come to me. My name is not Justin. If I assume you ... | |
| Romance vs Buddhism? | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: I was pondering whether or not romantic love and relationships can be compatible with a buddhist ... A: I asked Masao Abe Sensei this question decades ago, particularly the part: “How can you perceive all ... | |
| School project | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: I am currently do a school project on religion and how it affects fear of death. I was wondering if ... A: I don’t normally answer homework questions but for some reason I am moved to answer yours. 1. ... | |
| Keeping a focused mind | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: I'd like to ask you about meditation.I've heard that the longer you do it.It can change your brain ... A: This is a good question and it shows that you are thinking about this deeply. Often what appears as ... | |
| Meditation | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: What is(are) the ultimate goal(s) of meditation? ANSWER: Hello Kyle, There are many types of ... A: This is a good question. When I first started studying Eastern philosophy years ago teachers would ... | |
| Meditation | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: What is(are) the ultimate goal(s) of meditation? A: There are many types of meditation and different schools of Buddhism. There are those who use ... | |
| grief | 3/29/2011 |
| Q: I lost my 43yr son 3yrs ago through drug addiction. his death was sudden .we are a very close family ... A: I am truly sorry for the grief and suffering you and your family are going through. This pain has ... | |
| Dillemma? | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: this is in response to my previous question... thank you for the answer by the way. Again this is a ... A: The demon in your head does not exist unless you give it existence. When your mind is quiet when ... | |
| Keeping a focused mind | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: I'd like to ask you about meditation.I've heard that the longer you do it.It can change your brain ... A: Conas atá tú Julie-ann? There is a lot of research on how meditation affects the brain. There ... | |
| awakening | 3/7/2011 |
| Q: Good morning Mr McSorley, How may I set up the right conditions to awaken in this lifetime? And what ... A: Yours is a good question but it’s like asking ‘how do I set up the right conditions to succeed at ... | |
| How? | 3/3/2011 |
| Q: This is a difficult question for me to phrase... I'll try my best to explain. In short everything I ... A: Actually Nicholaas you stated it very well and it shows that you are now grasping the dilemma of the ... | |
| Five Questions I'd like to ask. | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: How far should inaction go? Are Taoists comfortably with the possibility that without working they ... A: You did not define what you are calling inaction. Non- action/inaction or non-doing is generally a ... | |
| Zen and Kharma | 2/26/2011 |
| Q: Joe, I, like many westerners I suppose, am interested in Buddhism but have trouble comprehending ... A: It might be more relevant to ask yourself, what is known? What is it you actually know? Do you ... | |
| Zen and Kharma | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: Joe, I, like many westerners I suppose, am interested in Buddhism but have trouble comprehending ... A: We, as humans, always want a reason why something happens. The randomness of life is quite ... | |
| Yin Yang | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if it was possible for a being to become netural, according to yin yang beliefs. ... A: Some of the earliest known sources of the idea of yin-yang date back to the carvings on oracle bones ... | |
| Yin Yang | 2/11/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if it was possible for a being to become netural, according to yin yang beliefs. A: I don't know what you mean by neutral, this is not a concept of Taoism. The idea of Taoism is to ... | |
| Non- Taoist Dealing with Taoist | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to understand a problem I am having and I need the perspective of a Taoist. Although I ... A: Clearly you are in pain and you want a solution to your pain. You want to know why it is happening ... | |
| How Zen and Tao can change my life? | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: While learning Reiki, I read few books that relate to Buddhism, though Reiki itself has no roots in ... A: I cannot sell Zen or Taoism as a cure for your suffering as many religions are sold to the public as ... | |
| wu-wei | 12/13/2010 |
| Q: I am writing a paper exploring how the concept of wu-wei is important to followers of Taoism. ... A: I would more say that Taoism is practiced than followed, you have to incorporate it into your daily ... | |
| "Who Are You?" Buddhist Poem | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: I was told that this poem would be a good introduction to the concepts of Buddhism. However, I don't ... A: I get the point the poem is trying to make but it is a bit too convoluted for my tastes. This all ... | |
| Method of meditation | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: Do you know of any method of meditation that can help purify the mind from defiled thoughts and ... A: I can understand your frustration and anger in trying to understand this. I had similar reaction to ... | |
| Method of meditation | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: Do you know of any method of meditation that can help purify the mind from defiled thoughts and ... A: I think most forms of meditation would claim to help purify the mind. From the Zen standpoint the ... | |
| the Unconsious | 9/21/2010 |
| Q: Can you explain the Unconscious and how it relates to the conscious If I understand DT Suzuki's ... A: You are trying to grasp the ungraspable. You are trying to understand with thought that which ... | |
| the Unconsious | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: Can you explain the Unconscious and how it relates to the conscious If I understand DT Suzuki's ... A: Richard, I am a little unclear as to what you want me to address here but I will give it my best. ... | |
| free will | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: How is free will possible if conditions determine the outcome of everything? ANSWER: Hello Richard, ... A: The conditions do not change every second but it is the perspective of the observer of the ... | |
| conscious and unconscious | 9/4/2010 |
| Q: Can you explain the Unconscious and how it relates to the conscious If I understand DT Suzuki's ... A: To answer this question in a strictly Zen sense my first response is; who is it that is ... | |
| the Unconsious | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: Can you explain the Unconscious and how it relates to the conscious If I understand DT Suzuki's ... A: I am not familiar with that particular quote of D.T. Suzuki. If you would send me the book and page ... | |
| free will | 9/2/2010 |
| Q: How is free will possible if conditions determine the outcome of everything? A: To answer this question in a strictly Zen sense my first response is; who is it that is ... | |
| Teacher? | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering, how important is it (in zen) to have a teacher? You see, I´ve been thinking that I ... A: Strictly speaking, no, you do not need a teacher but it is a rare individual that can do it all on ... | |
| to know tao | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: maybe i'm not right to say so. But anyway, can you please explain what is tao and anything to do ... A: It’s clear that you have thought about this in depth and I would like to perhaps add a little more ... | |
| to know tao | 5/12/2010 |
| Q: maybe i'm not right to say so. But anyway, can you please explain what is tao and anything to do ... A: Lao Tzu begins the founding book of Taoism, The Tao Te Ching, with these words, “The Tao that can be ... | |
| death of pets | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: I think I may have had my elderly lady cat euthanized too soon and now and I feeling terrible about ... A: I am sorry for taking so long to respond to this. I've had no internet since last week. I am ... | |
| Good/Evil, the moment of death | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: I heard that some buddhist teachings mentioned that a person who always do good during his life but ... A: There is no concept of heaven and hell in Buddhism so I don't understand where you may have heard ... | |
| How to develop detached love for a dear friend | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: I became best friends with a girl in the 2nd year of our college. We used to spend a lot of time ... A: The idea of detachment is often misunderstood in Zen. It is often taken as a removal from the world ... | |
| How to make pracice more 'active'? | 3/19/2010 |
| Q: I've stumbled across a bit of a problem - you see, I'm not quite sure what I should be looking for ... A: When you first asked me about meditating I told you that I am not a meditation teacher and I do not ... | |
| Buddhism and the origins of creation..... | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: greetings! i am a newbie to Buddhism and was wondering if the Buddha advanced an explanation for ... A: There is no creation myth to Buddhism and no deity that creates. The self in Buddhism is not the ... | |
| self-affirmation | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: Question on Karma and health. Many of us have daily habits that, in reality, are harmful to our ... A: I understand your point and why you feel this way. For a long time I felt very strongly about this ... | |
| Questions about Taoism for a school assignement | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I am currently a ... A: Below are my answers to your questions: 1) Do you view Taoism as a religion or a philosophy? Why? ... | |
| Polar-related understanding of reality and "The Diamond Body" | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: This is a subject I am deeply interested in. You replied to another questioner, Joe: " There is a ... A: I don’t think there is an explicit definition of two schools of Taoism but I definitely think that ... | |
| Frustration caused by meditation? | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: I was just wondering - do you have any tips on how not to get attached to progress while meditating? ... A: We get attached to the process because we think there is something to gain to our self. The self ... | |
| Zen & The Depressed. | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I want to know, can Zen liberate abused people, depressed and suicidal people, people with deep ... A: It is according to the source of the depression whether on not Zen can help. If it is biochemically ... | |
| Me Buddha. | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: Last time I realized that in reality I cannot be enlightened. Honestly, none of us can be ... A: The entire purpose of Buddhism and the teachings of the historical Buddha is to eliminate suffering. ... | |
| Zen & The Depressed. | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I want to know, can Zen liberate abused people, depressed and suicidal people, people with deep ... A: I did say at the bottom of my response that very few people will follow this path of self-inquiry so ... | |
| On Meditation. | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I realized a concept of meditation but not sure if its sufficient enough to help me achieve higher ... A: In a word, yes, this is correct but it is only the beginning of the task. This is precisely why I ... | |
| Me Buddha. | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: Last time I realized that in reality I cannot be enlightened. Honestly, none of us can be ... A: Even the idea of Buddha itself is a projection. The Buddha does not come and go, does not return ... | |
| Zen & The Depressed. | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: I want to know, can Zen liberate abused people, depressed and suicidal people, people with deep ... A: Anyone who is willing to undertake the task can transform his or her mind by deep self-inquiry. You ... | |
| satori | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: Over the last 3 or 4 years I have become heavily interested in many aspects of 'Eastern Wisdom'. I ... A: First of all I applaud your efforts and hope you continue in your pursuits. Learning the heart of ... | |
| How to treat thoughts while meditating? | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: Should we simply let our thoughts flow, and not try to stop them or interfere, while simply ... A: Yes Nicholaas, your idea of the back door thinking is correct, it is still thinking. To observe ... | |
| belief | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: I've asked you a few questions before, and I've touched on this topic though never directly so I ... A: You are right, reason is one of the hallmarks of Buddhism in that you can come to the problem of ... | |
| KOAN? | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: McSorley, I have read your answer about zen koans. You said anything could become a koan, it cannot ... A: When I say anything can become a koan I mean that when a question is faced ultimately it can become ... | |
| Know yourself | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to determine what tradition "to know yourself is to know God" comes from. Do you know? ... A: Sorry for the delay in answering, I was actually in Quebec when you sent this and now I am back in ... | |
| Karma? | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about karma. You see, I think I have a different interpretation of what Karma is ... A: One of the first problems we have is knowing the Buddha’s own words. It is my understanding that ... | |
| kundalini-shakti & meditation safety | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: Hey there Joe, I had the most lovely experience, return to reality, time of Bliss, gift of ... A: Sorry, but I have to start with these caveats. Lately I’ve been starting a lot of my answers with ... | |
| renunciation | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: i just wanted to say thank you again for your answer to my question. i've just read it again (for ... A: You are quite welcome. Just a caveat; don’t accept an answer just because it works with you, it ... | |
| renunciation | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I'm 25, female, British and have been practising Buddhist meditation for about a year. I have a ... A: This is one that arises commonly in Buddhism and I think the issue is rarely addressed in a ... | |
| Anxious while meditating? | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I just had a question about meditating. You see, whenever I meditate, I tend to get anxious about ... A: Once again I must reiterate that I am not a meditation teacher nor do I tell people to meditate. I ... | |
| lay buddhism | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: Joe, I recently became buddhist, and I was wondering what is lay buddhism? What do you belive in ... A: Since you recently became a Buddhist and you are not a priest, monk or nun, then you are a lay ... | |
| Meditating while stick? | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I just have a question - I'm sick ^_^, and I'm not sure what to do with regards to meditation. My ... A: As you have most likely already noticed my view of meditation is different from most of the Zen that ... | |
| Zen Buddhism | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I have to write a paper on any area of Zen Buddhism. For this class, I usually like to compare the ... A: There are quite a few people that think there is a commonality between Zen and Christianity though I ... | |
| 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 fully understand your question and the problems that arise when dealing with someone who is ... | |
| meaning without God | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: I know there a many different schools of Buddhism bu thtey tend not to accept a creator God but some ... A: The meaning of existence for a practicing Buddhist is to be an expression of the entire universe ... | |
| Zen Buddhism | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: what responsibility does an individual have to society in Zen Buddhism? ANSWER: Dear Dana, In ... A: Zen is not a religion, it has no god, faith or dogma although there are those that might argue ... | |
| Zen Buddhism | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: what responsibility does an individual have to society in Zen Buddhism? A: In Zen, as in all Buddhism, other is to be realized as self. This is the root of true compassion in ... | |
| you! | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: I am interested in you. In your thoughts, your way, and if you have time I would love to know if ... A: It's nice of you to ask about me but this forum is about Zen so I like to keep my answers on that ... | |
| creation theory | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: what is a buddhists beliefs on creation? A: There is no creation myth in Buddhism. The Buddhist idea is that the universe is ever coming into ... | |
| feelings of unsatisfactoryness | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I would like to ask about how to make future plans such as future career moves. I have been trying ... A: I am not sure of what you are referring to when you say you have feelings of things being not ... | |
| Mindfulness? | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I have been reading books, watching videos, and searching the internet over and over because ... A: You are not a dummy. This can be a very confusing topic and I fully understand your frustration. ... | |
| Final goal? | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I have recently become confused as to what exactly the final goal of zen is. Is there a final goal? ... A: You ask a very good question and it is one that is dear to my heart. One this topic here is a ... | |
| Final goal? | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I have recently become confused as to what exactly the final goal of zen is. Is there a final goal? ... A: The goal of Zen is the goal of all Buddhism and it is to stop suffering, this is what the Four Noble ... | |
| hello | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: i am new to zen buddhism and i know that you are not supposed to harm other people but i like to do ... A: The only mistake you can make is not trying your best so don’t worry about mistakes. There is ... | |
| I seek enlightenment | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: Joe, Two days ago I came across the book 'the power of now' by Eckhart Tolle. I am entranced by the ... A: How to find enlightenment, well, the quick response to this is simply to say, who is it that asks ... | |
| consciousness | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: McSorley, I was lying in bed and a thought came to me. At what moment is consciousness active in the ... A: One of my favorite quotes of all times comes from Chuang Tzu , “using anything other than a hand to ... | |
| awakening response | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: How come when I read information about awakening, and I feel a connection to it/I feel as though I ... A: This all comes down to self-identity, or philosophically put, who am I? We can’t talk about ... | |
| patient endurance | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I know different schools oaf Buddhism have different thoughts. I have come across the term Patient ... A: Sorry for the slow reply here, for some reason I just got this follow up. I cannot speak from my ... | |
| awakening | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: How come when I read information about awakening, and I feel a connection to it/I feel as though I ... A: You answered your own question; you don’t let go, you still want to be Christopher in the world. ... | |
| patient endurance | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I know different schools oaf Buddhism have different thoughts. I have come across the term Patient ... A: Patient endurance refers to the attitude while practicing, to quote my teacher, “no matter what, put ... | |
| Question about mindfulness? | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I have read some articles from Zen teachers critisizing our understanding of mindfulness. ... A: The nature of Zen practice is not to maintain some state of non-duality any more than mastering bike ... | |
| Question about mindfulness? | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: I have read some articles from Zen teachers critisizing our understanding of mindfulness. ... A: I know that this is particularly difficult to understand. When Masao Abe first went to the ... | |
| Mindfulness? | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about mindfulness. I do breath meditation twice a day, each time for about 20-30 ... A: Mindfulness, as all Zen practices do, is trying to create a pseudo living in the moment. It is ... | |
| Mindfulness? | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about mindfulness. I do breath meditation twice a day, each time for about 20-30 ... A: When you are being mindful during activity there is an object of your mindfulness, that being what ... | |
| can dharma help me.. i am depressed, lonely and have gone astray | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: Sir : After my divorce around 6 years back, I was in deep depression and terrible stress. Due to ... A: You have a Western concept of dharma and this is very understandable. Dharma may mean truth or ... | |
| Buddhism and Love | 6/19/2009 |
| Q: I am fairly new to Buddhism in terms of practice and I have been running into some trouble in ... A: As you cannot nourish another by your own eating and drinking you cannot spiritually nourish them ... | |
| lesser known Tao writings | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I know the Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu are the most important Tao writings but I am wondering ... A: Yes, there is value in reading these authors/writings but it is really contingent on what you bring ... | |
| Breath-meditation? | 6/12/2009 |
| Q: Would you agree that breath-meditation is only a sort of 'base' that we can use to reach ... A: I am not quite sure of the use of the word ‘base’ here; I would rather use the word ‘tool’. Masao ... | |
| Buddhism,violence and war | 6/11/2009 |
| Q: I have recently been reading around Buddhism, and it has raised some interesting questions. I really ... A: It is hard to develop the skills to truly question deeply and earnestly. I came from a Christian ... | |
| Buddhism,violence and war | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I have recently been reading around Buddhism, and it has raised some interesting questions. I really ... A: You have encountered the problems that any idealized form of religion has and this is why I say that ... | |
| Learning Zen | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: Good evening sir, I want to learn zen. Is it a meditation, or a kind of practice, pls enlighten me. ... A: To even attempt to say what Zen is becomes a problem in itself. In today’s world it has come to ... | |
| meditation | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: what is the best first meditation, bearing in mind that i am a beginner? how does one begin true ... A: First let me make it perfectly clear that I am not a Roshi and not qualified to teach meditation. I ... | |
| buddhism | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I am a mother of 2 children there father and I are divorced. Since I moved out of state I get very ... A: I am sorry for the predicament you are in and the pain it is causing you. There are many ways to ... | |
| Can meditation help? | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: Joe, Can meditation alone help resolve a person's past grudges and trauma that have been buried deep ... A: How you look at this depends on what you consider meditation to be. If it is sitting detached, as ... | |
| meditation | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: I want to ask if with meditation i can cure depression. Thanks. A: It is possible that mediation might help overcome depression but it is really dependant upon the ... | |
| desires follow up | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: I am confused about the whole concept regarding desires in Buddhism. I understand that I am always ... A: By ‘without craving for something else’ or desiring for something else I mean that you are satisfied ... | |
| desires | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: I am confused about the whole concept regarding desires in Buddhism. I understand that I am always ... A: It is good that you think about these things and take them to task. It is through looking into ... | |
| buddhism | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand that ceasing one’s desires contributes to their ... A: It is good that you think about these things and take them to task. It is through looking into ... | |
| Confusing | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I've been reading through some of the questions and your answers. I understand what you are saying ... A: .. The difference between Eastern and Western philosophy is that Western philosophy loves these ... | |
| Confusing | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I've been reading through some of the questions and your answers. I understand what you are saying ... A: .., Basically what you are saying is that you’ve reached an existential dilemma. You realized that ... | |
| Confusing | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I've been reading through some of the questions and your answers. I understand what you are saying ... A: I understand that this is frustrating and confusing and I really don’t know that what I write now ... | |
| Learning Zen? | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I am a 17 year old High school student, and I would like to learn how to practice zen. I don't ... A: You may well be content living as austere as you say but it is generally a good idea to have a ... | |
| regret | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I once lived with a roommate who was verbally abusive to me. Every day she would scream at me and ... A: There is no way of knowing if they will ever regret their actions. You would hope that they would ... | |
| meditation | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I have been meditating three hours daily for eighteen years. I wanted to get your viewpoint on the ... A: The first thing I would like to make very clear is that I am not a Roshi and therefore not an expert ... | |
| karma | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: I've asked a couple of questions in the past and I would like to ask one more that I hope will ... A: I, again, reiterate that I am writing about Zen and not the religious practice of Buddhism as it is ... | |
| creation | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: a week or so ago I asked if Buddhist accept the idea of a creator god and the answer I received was ... A: Marc, You seem to be missing my point about using the word creation; it immediately implies a ... | |
| creation | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: a week or so ago I asked if Buddhist accept the idea of a creator god and the answer I received was ... A: When you ask about creation you are already positing the idea of creator and creation, it assumes ... | |
| suffering | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I know life is suffering. But with war, disease, starvation, some of us suffer much, much more than ... A: As usual, I cannot speak for all Buddhists and make a blanket statement of what a Buddhist would ... | |
| Knowing the 'wuwei'... | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I've been studying Daoism's strong connections with nature and also the aspect of wuwei, ('action ... A: Forgive me if I sound nitpicky here but it’s not that we are connected to nature, we are nature ... | |
| detachment | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: I see a counselor once a wk. This wk I told him how I was feeling detached and how this is how I ... A: I am a little confused by your question because I see some contradiction in it. You say,” I said it ... | |
| Chan (zen) buddhist sanghas | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: How does a Chan or Zen Buddhist meditation group compare and contrast with the typical American ... A: First of all, people are people no matter where you go. There are paradigms for personalities that ... | |
| Questions | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: I have read many books on Buddhism. After reading about your experience I feel you can help me with ... A: As part of my description for this forum I talk about the poison arrow sutra, that’s the story about ... | |
| suffering of not having basic need for life | 2/5/2009 |
| Q: I am very interested in Buddhism. I start to understand the no-self(anatta). The cause of suffering ... A: Yes, awakening or enlightenment frees us from suffering. The Third Noble Truth states that there is ... | |
| Q | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: A couple of weeks ago I went to this talk by leo houlding a famous, young climber and base jumper he ... A: What you describe in the story is more like wei-wu-wei (doing without doing) or no-mind in Eastern ... | |
| suffering of not having basic need for life | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: I am very interested in Buddhism. I start to understand the no-self(anatta). The cause of suffering ... A: My view on this is through Zen school of Buddhism so other schools in your country may have a ... | |
| Meditation Practice | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: Joe, I've studied martial arts for many years, but I'm new to zen meditation. In the past, I sort ... A: You may perceive it as a long way to go but once you lock into it, it could be very fast, so don’t ... | |
| Meditation | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: Joe, I've studied martial arts for many years, but I'm new to zen meditation. In the past, I sort ... A: I don’t mean this to be in any way harsh but you are in fact judging people to think they are not ... | |
| god | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: why does belief in Buddhism preclude a belief in God? Please explain, thank you ANSWER: Zen, ... A: When I last wrote you I mentioned that I was speaking about the Zen school’s view specifically ... | |
| The experience of tea and awakening | 1/19/2009 |
| Q: What is your stance on how drinking tea affects the chance at the awakening experience you seek in ... A: I don't see how tea has any effect on seeking awakening other than if you drink an extreme amount of ... | |
| Theory of existence | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a few questions, it is said that Buddhism is not exactly a religion. The only reason that it ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| Non-Dualism | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I've been grappling with heavy meta-theoretical questions about 'life' that I can't seem to put ... A: You are misunderstanding what I am saying here. When you talk about walking through walls you are ... | |
| Non-Dualism | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I've been grappling with heavy meta-theoretical questions about 'life' that I can't seem to put ... A: I do not ascribe to the theory that we all create our own reality. To those who present this to me ... | |
| question on Buddhist concept of person | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: compliments to you Joe. firstly, how dose the Buddhist define a person. in the Buddhist concept of ... A: The Buddhist definition of a person precedes the conditions of both family and humanity though it ... | |
| zen buddhism | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: what happens to a fully enlightened being when they die? If there is no self and they have lost all ... A: Since you seem to have some understanding of the language of Zen I will present this in the ways ... | |
| How to get started | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: I am a twice divorced, 38 yr. old male who was raised as a Southern Baptist. I have made some bad ... A: When you talk about perhaps not wanting to be happy it makes me think of a few things. The first is ... | |
| How to get started | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: I am a twice divorced, 38 yr. old male who was raised as a Southern Baptist. I have made some bad ... A: I am sorry for the pain and distress you are undergoing. One of the most important lines in your ... | |
| Awakening | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: Without going into all the details of the past 10 months of my life, what would you say if I said I ... A: Awakening is not confined or defined by Buddhism so you don't need any background in Buddhism to ... | |
| Taoism and Buddhism | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: I was surprised and elated when I found your site so easily this morning. Forgive my ignorance ... A: Your question regarding ‘Zen Taoism’ is confusing because there is no such thing as I know it. Did ... | |
| meditation | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: Ive been working with zen style meditation trying to keep my mind clear letting thoughts come and go ... A: I apologize for the delay in answering. You should do whatever practice takes root in you. You are ... | |
| Wealth | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: Buddhism does not believe in God? Does Buddhism stress how to obtain wealth? I mean I want to ... A: Here are the answers to your questions: Buddhism does not believe in God? Buddhism is ... | |
| Daoism | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I take a philosophy class that studies eastern and western thought. Right now we are focusing on ... A: Here's your questions: How do you explain the Dao? To try to define Taoism or the Way ... | |
| Buddhism | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: Alright, so I'm taking a course on Eastern and Western thought and we have an assignment to ... A: Lauren, Your questions: : What is it about Buddhism that intrigued you? I was not intrigued by ... | |
| General questions about Buddhism | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: Buddhism for my philosophy class. 1. How do you think the practice of Buddhism has changed the ... A: You are asking me questions about Buddhism in general but my expertise is in Zen which does not hold ... | |
| Buddhism | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: I am currently in a class called Eastern and Western thought and we are supposed to ask an expert ... A: Casey, Here's your questions: What in your mind are the most important aspects of Buddhism? I ... | |
| Buddhism | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: I have three questions: What similarities do you see between Buddhism and other religions and ... A: Yes, many, if not most, take Gotama’s awakening to have made him somehow supernatural and godlike. ... | |
| Buddhism | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I have three questions: What similarities do you see between Buddhism and other religions and ... A: Here are your questions: What similarities do you see between Buddhism and other religions and ... | |
| Energy question | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: You responded to another question recently as follows: "The problem is that when New Age people ... A: From the Zen standpoint as soon as you say ‘allow the energy to pass through us’ you are immediately ... | |
| Don't completely understand | 9/13/2008 |
| Q: What if someone wants to fight you or they make it seem like you have no other choice, but to fight ... A: I must say you made me laugh when you asked, “ Do you have a way that helped you solve that problem. ... | |
| learning | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: What is the single most important lesson you have learned? A: This is like asking,"what is the single most important link in a chain"? Each one relies on the ... | |
| meditation | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I have practiced Zazen for two years off and on, most recently (last 5 months) I have been ... A: This is always a very difficult question for me to answer. It is very difficult to find a legitimate ... | |
| Caste System | 8/29/2008 |
| Q: Why exactly did Buddha reject the caste system? A: The caste system indicates that there is a difference in people, that some are higher than others ... | |
| Does the reality exist? | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I have read article from some website...and I have some issue concerning the existence of science ... A: For every question of yours that I answer another question will emerge. You will find another ... | |
| Does the reality exist? | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: I have read article from some website...and I have some issue concerning the existence of science ... A: There are two answers to your questions. They can be answered from the scientific and philosophical ... | |
| Buddhism and Western Philosophy | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: I have recently started to read, study, and discuss Buddhism (especially Zen) and am truly in awe. ... A: I truly believe that intellectualism is the greatest motivator of true insight into Zen. It is not ... | |
| awakened | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: Do you agree with these sentences: "Someone who has recently awakened --having had a powerful ... A: Luke, My teachers always made it clear to me that the grand awakening does not fade or alter, the ... | |
| Morality | 6/29/2008 |
| Q: I'm not a Buddhist, and forgive me, but my knowledge of Buddhism is rather limited. I was wondering, ... A: Our inherited nature is not nature at all but a contrivance of cultural mores. It is not our ... | |
| Morality | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: I'm not a Buddhist, and forgive me, but my knowledge of Buddhism is rather limited. I was wondering, ... A: The goal of Buddhism is to realize that our minds create an illusion of reality rather than to see ... | |
| Taoism | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: Taoism asserts that right being leads to right doing and Confucianism says that right doing leads to ... A: These are both folds in the same cloth, just two different ways of viewing things. In Taoism the ... | |
| experience | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: for one of your answers you stated this: 'Many in history have come to a religious or existential ... A: There are references to this type of experience scattered throughout history and throughout the ... | |
| sociology ethnography | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: I am currently a high school senior currently taking Sociology. For this class, I was assigned to ... A: I don't know that I fit into some ethno-subculture since my background is Irish American and there ... | |
| zen | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: In what ways does zen differ from buddhism? (i.e)beliefs,rituals, and so on A: It's not that Zen differs from other schools of Buddhism but that it is a distilled form of ... | |
| creation | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: in the buddhist faith who created the earth and all around it A: Buddhism is not a faith in the Western sense of it. It is not a belief system but a matter of ... | |
| 4 nobel truths | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: can you explain the four noble truths? and what are the some items in the 8 fold path? A: The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are: Life is suffering ( dukkha) This means that life for ... | |
| Buddhist teacher | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I began to read Buddhist philosophy back in 2003 or so. So far, I read about 15 books. With time I ... A: You ask me one of the most difficult questions I face. It is generally very difficult to find a ... | |
| Q | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: I don't think i know anything for certain and its really troubling when I'm trying to get a handle ... A: My teacher, Dr DeMartino, always referred to the self as the ‘ever-regressing self’ and described it ... | |
| Bad karma from feeding pets? | 12/27/2007 |
| Q: I'm a vegetarian and sometimes it seems hypocritical for me to buy pet food for my cats and dogs. ... A: If you ask several different Buddhists this question you will most likely get several different ... | |
| Taoism | 12/9/2007 |
| Q: I am currently in a World Religions class and I am writing a reflective paper on Taoism. I am ... A: Taoism is not a religion like there is here in the West. It does not worship any creator nor does ... | |
| buddism and budda | 11/30/2007 |
| Q: My name is Jerrica and i am during a paper on Buddism and Budda and i was wondering if you could ... A: Here is a very brief outline of Buddhism. You should be able to find much more on the web. The ... | |
| What does Mr. McSorley believe? | 11/13/2007 |
| Q: Besides yourself Joe who else or what do you believe in? Where will Joe go when Joe ceases to exist ... A: Hello, Thank you for your questions. Since you have several of them I will try to deal with each ... | |
| q | 11/11/2007 |
| Q: been thinking...the idea of zen buddhism that i'm forming is this existense beyond human form, ... A: You have a dichotomy set up between body and spirit. This is a creation of the dualistic thought ... | |
| quote | 10/14/2007 |
| Q: Last time I asked you about enlightenment and how to know that you or someone else is enlightened. ... A: Here’s your line: “ How about this quote: "Enlightenment or delusion? Who is to say which person has ... | |
| Q | 10/10/2007 |
| Q: What I mean is does zen Buddhism believe that the infinite universe has purpose? or is there no need ... A: Sorry for the delay, I’ve been out of town and just got back. Purpose is a huge question in the ... | |
| enlightenment | 10/7/2007 |
| Q: In Buddhism they talk a lot about enlightenment. Buddha himself achieved enlightenment and his ... A: Enlightenment is a hard thing to talk about because it is the ordinary mind itself that prevents us ... | |
| Wakefullness | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: I've not in this life time met anyone who said "Yes, I am awake" In your experience, has wakefulness ... A: You use a term I never use, ‘wakefulness’. There are a lot of terms bandied about these days in ... | |
| Taoism | 9/23/2007 |
| Q: What is the basic teaching of Taoism? What do Taoism says about marriage? Is arranged marriage any ... A: To try to define Taoism or the Way immediately creates a problem. It’s a problem because it is not ... | |
| Nirvana | 9/20/2007 |
| Q: I want to understand: Is the goal of Buddhism to end a cycle of rebirth and death and the suffering ... A: You have a very good question here. Many years ago when I first learned about Eastern mysticism a ... | |
| stop rebirth | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: In Tibetan Buddhism(a.o) one believes in rebirth in a non-personal sense (karmic forces leading to a ... A: Sorry for the delay on this, I actually sent you an answer last week but AE has no record of it. ... | |
| mental illness, zen | 7/25/2007 |
| Q: Joe, I'm an MD in primary care. As such I get to see a large variety of people of all walks and ... A: I am not sure I am reading you correctly but I don’t think that the historical Buddha ever said that ... | |
| Rubbing Buddah's belly | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: I thought of it as a harmless goodluck superstition. I don't do it but saw no harm in it. My ... A: There's not a lot about this that I can tell you. I have spent decades around the Chinese and have ... | |
| karma confusion | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I understood karma to be created by the mind (cause and effect) but in terms of future lives, I ... A: Karma or Karmic law is one of these nebulous terms that is thrown about and can mean just about ... | |
| mind training | 6/25/2007 |
| Q: Joe! While reading I have come across such sentences: 1. "Regard all that you see, hear, taste, ... A: Here goes: 1. "Regard all that you see, hear, taste, touch, smell, think, feel, value, or believe, ... | |
| Pantheism | 5/31/2007 |
| Q: I was reading a book on Zen called “Buddhism and Zen” recently and came across something I found ... A: This is what happens when you try to put two paradigms together. If that author wants to use the ... | |
| calmness | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: Joe! How to achieve a calm mind? Sometimes I think that in order to be calm you have to become ... A: Why the emphasis on calming the mind? I hope this is not something I’ve talked about. I have ... | |
| meditatin 'on' a subject | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: I've been practicing for about 10 months now: nightly sits at home and once a week at a Zen center. ... A: I don’t know what in particular you are being taught in the Zen center so I’ll do my best at this. ... | |
| Zen buddhism as opposed to other buddhist traditions | 4/19/2007 |
| Q: I'm fairly new to the Buddhist tradition and although I have a profound interest in Buddhism and ... A: Zen today has really become two different schools. I don’t mean the difference between the Soto and ... | |
| rubbing Buddha's tummy | 4/3/2007 |
| Q: Many Westerners have a statue of Buddha in their homes and rub the tummy for "good luck". What would ... A: This is like asking what a Christian's response is to genuflecting or something; it is entirely up ... | |
| to know yourself | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: Joe! Henry David Thoreau wrote that: We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among ... A: You can only know the answer to this by finding out yourself. You say, "If I get to know myself..." ... | |
| Mind | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: "it could be said that mind is awareness and yet not awareness". The part of Mind that IS aware is ... A: I realize that I am not the most intelligent or articulate person when it comes to trying to ... | |
| Afterlife? | 3/4/2007 |
| Q: I've noticed that in several answers you've insisted that Zen does not believe in reincarnation. If ... A: If you’ve been reading some of my past answers then you’ve most likely noticed that when ... | |
| Rebirth-Karma | 3/2/2007 |
| Q: I'm something of a student of Theravada and Zen in that I've studied more Theravada literature and ... A: As far as rebirth goes I suppose your point could be argued but the point is really; who/what is ... | |
| Mind | 3/2/2007 |
| Q: joe, By "Mind" I refer to Ocean (as in Suzuki's Ocean/Wave analogy). Please explain how it is ... A: It comes down to the dichotomy/non-dichotomy of wave is wave, is not wave is ocean is not ocean, ... | |
| Mind | 3/2/2007 |
| Q: Does Mind possess the quality of awareness? A: This question can get sticky with semantics because it is what you mean by mind. Mind does not mean ... | |
| perceptions | 2/27/2007 |
| Q: "It is only when you realize that any of the views you have, all of them, are false. " But may be my ... A: You asked this question on the Buddhist board here. From the Buddhist perspective all human views ... | |
| perceptions | 2/27/2007 |
| Q: How do you understand this: "Only when a person loses everything and his constructed perceptions of ... A: It is deeper than you just losing your philosophies. It says ,” Only when a person loses ... | |
| questions on bhuddism | 2/22/2007 |
| Q: and i have a few things that im confused about. Im somewhat confused on the subject of ridding ... A: You’re right the natural question that arises is: if desire is bad then what about the desire to get ... | |
| What is Sacred? | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: I've been thinking about this, and I've reached that conclusion that love is not sacred. In fact, no ... A: There are many ways to look at your letter. What is the meaning of sacred, for one thing. Is there ... | |
| past lives | 2/9/2007 |
| Q: Is it possible for me to discover the my past lives and the past lives of others in my life? If so, ... A: Zen does not believe in reincarnation and admonishes that if it were true then it is of the utmost ... | |
| mind | 1/17/2007 |
| Q: This may be a strange question but I was wondering what your thoughts are. Let's say someone does a ... A: The mind does not grasp enlightenment. In the words of Dogen and many others “awakening is mind and ... | |
| Question about buddhism | 12/28/2006 |
| Q: ..but I still don't quite understand. If "We don’t see reality.Our minds distort what is real; we ... A: When you say, “the world we living now real”, what is that world? Do we live in the world or do we ... | |
| Question about buddhism | 12/27/2006 |
| Q: I am a Buddhist for many years,but recently I started to get really interested in the topic of ... A: It is not that the world is an illusion, it is what we think is the world that is the illusion. We ... | |
| nirvana state comparison | 12/22/2006 |
| Q: Wow! Where do I begin?? I agree with success/materialism being abominations of religious thought. ... A: The logic I give you is not some scientific reductionism but Buddhist and Vedic thought that ... | |
| nirvana state comparison | 12/18/2006 |
| Q: If I understand that attachment is the problem to the question, "wouldn't you run out of souls if ... A: You bring up very good and valid points that many do not think about. There is definitely a ... | |
| Buddhist Friend | 12/11/2006 |
| Q: I know that this seems superficial and I am not really asking about you religion, but just wondering ... A: I don't know how much I can help you here but I'll try. Buddhism isn't like other religions, in ... | |
| Eternal Soul??? Western- Eastern Concepts of!! | 12/5/2006 |
| Q: Joe I was surfing the web and read your response 3-20-06! Do you mean that the Eastern version of ... A: I don’t know what my response was on 3-20- 06 or how to retrieve it. I hope that my response here ... | |
| .. | 11/30/2006 |
| Q: If Buddhism is to reach enlightenmaent, then why do buddhists keep prayer beads, even in death? I ... A: I find many contradictions in the teachings and practices of both Buddhism and Taoism. I have ... | |
| Buddhism | 11/21/2006 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions I hope you can help me with. The first is who was Buddha? The second ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| Reiki | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: Joe, You've been very helpful in the questions I've asked before. I'm trying my best to stay the ... A: Although I am deeply involved in Eastern Philosophy and martial arts I am also a great lover of ... | |
| zen meditation/ zen buddhism | 11/3/2006 |
| Q: my name is Kalino I got into zen meditation three months ago my question to you is there anything ... A: The object of Zen meditation is to stop your mind and you can do this from chanting to. There are ... | |
| True enlightnement | 11/2/2006 |
| Q: They have been very insightful. I've been reading previous questions and responses from other ... A: It is almost impossible to give a good example of flowing freely unencumbered by normal ... | |
| True enlightnement | 11/1/2006 |
| Q: 1. Is Buddhism a religion? 2. Why has there not been a second Buddha? 3. If there is only one ... A: 1. Is Buddhism a religion? Buddhism is non-theistic and does not have a savior so it would be ... | |
| True enlightnement | 10/31/2006 |
| Q: I've been doing some research in paganism, Taoism, Buddhism and other belief that follows closer to ... A: There is no easy answer here. What it takes to move you to the point that you change your life is to ... | |
| budda | 10/31/2006 |
| Q: how do Buddhists calm their mind and focus? A: Meditation is the most common technique used by Buddhists to still the mind and to focus. There are ... | |
| Where is God? | 10/19/2006 |
| Q: Did Buddha really said there's no God? Or is there no Buddhist scripture that mention anything about ... A: I don't know if anyone said that the historical Buddha actually stated there is no God. Buddhism ... | |
| Buddhism | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: my name is Kelly and I live in Boston Massachusetts. As an assignment for my philosophy class, I was ... A: . Hi Kelly, First let me give you a little synopsis on the foundation of Buddhism. Technically ... | |
| Meditation, Nirvana, and Taoism | 10/10/2006 |
| Q: I hope you do not mind, I actually have several questions... 1. I once read somewhere that ... A: Yes, you have revealed an inherent contradiction in some Buddhist teachings about permanence and the ... | |
| Taoism | 10/10/2006 |
| Q: I have three qusetions for my Eastern and Western Thought Class. If you could, please respond as ... A: Taoism is not organized like other religions. It is not communally based like Judaism or ... | |
| Taoism and Buddism | 10/6/2006 |
| Q: I have read the I Ching, but I'm still a little unclear on it's meanings. First, how does one go ... A: There is no clear instruction on how to obtain the Tao in I Ching and it is not the central book of ... | |
| fundamentals | 9/29/2006 |
| Q: I'd like to know: What are the fundamental principles of buddhism? I mean what are the beliefs ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| Daoism | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: Joe, I am trying to prepare for a test and seem to have run into a little difficuly with a question ... A: I don't know enough about all of the world's ethical systems and religions to give you a good answer ... | |
| tao and buddhism | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: I don't understand something. The heading you have states "taoist philosophy" and Zen Buddhism. ... A: I don't believe I've said Taoism and Buddhism are the same, though they share similarities at their ... | |
| Buddhism and the Absolute | 8/31/2006 |
| Q: I would rather this be a private question but nevertheless I can't control that. My question is as ... A: You ask a very important question here. We mostly think of religious experience as wonderful, ... | |
| reincarnation | 8/30/2006 |
| Q: i have a very difficult question i was wondering if you could help me answer. i was contemplating ... A: You raise a very valid question about reincarnation because it is a problematic idea. Zen does not ... | |
| healingtao | 8/22/2006 |
| Q: According to your expertise information, you are not only a buddhist, but also an expert on taoist ... A: In the early 1980’s, about 10 years into my kung fu practice, I learned about Mantak Chia who was ... | |
| channeling & new age | 8/13/2006 |
| Q: What do you think of all this new age stuff where people claim that they can channel ascended ... A: In my travels and studies over the years I have met several of these channelers. I've always found ... | |
| Tao and Buddhism | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: A couple of questions; I know Taoism is not a religon but does Taoism believe in God (it talks of ... A: You didn’t say what it was you saw as contradiction so I don’t know what to address there. I don’t ... | |
| history | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: hi id like to know what language did the first buddhists speak? are there certain "bibles"? and in ... A: I would think that the first Buddhists spoke Pali, the language before Sanskrit as I understand it. ... | |
| Taoism | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: It was very informative and will require some reflection on my part. I would like to ask something ... A: I’ve been told that a more accurate translation of avidya is ‘anxiety without an apparent cause”. ... | |
| Cat behaviour | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: My friend is struggling with a problem and I'm hoping you might be able to offer some advice. She ... A: I understand your friend’s dilemma. Nature does what nature does and it is not necessarily what we, ... | |
| Taoism | 7/17/2006 |
| Q: To simplify, and in general terms, I understood that following Tao meant not going against the way ... A: The problem here is exactly what the definition of Nature is and I don’t know that anyone can claim ... | |
| atma VS anatma | 7/4/2006 |
| Q: It was interesting to read your views about having a teacher or not, and with your guitar analogy ... A: Buddhism does not reject both the self and not self but says they are mutually defining. There ... | |
| Zen teacher/no-teacher | 6/25/2006 |
| Q: I am student of religion, from Sweden, and i got a question. Always when i debate with zen ... A: This is always a two sided question and answer. What comes up first is ‘What is Zen’ or ‘what is ... | |
| Friendship | 6/15/2006 |
| Q: This question may be a little off topic for you, but I rather seek the wisdom of someone ... A: You’re right, this question is out of the norm for me. I will answer it from my personal ... | |
| Bhuddist- Catholic | 6/11/2006 |
| Q: I wondered what Bhuddists believed about Jesus. I am a Roman Catholic and so I believe in God as the ... A: This is a question I've been asked many times. There is really nothing similar between the lives of ... | |
| Intrusion on subject | 6/7/2006 |
| Q: Mr McSorley, Pardon my uninvited intrusion. The World Council Of Buddhists had agreed to not to ... A: I sincerely appreciate the information you have sent me. You are absolutely correct in what you ... | |
| On | 6/6/2006 |
| Q: Erm... let me refresh your memory: It was your answer the the question "Different Branch of ... A: I did not realize I wrote that 2 years ago. When you wrote the first letter I went through my last ... | |
| self | 6/5/2006 |
| Q: I'm confused about what enlightenment means as far as one's "self" is concerned- is Nirvana a state ... A: Very good question and you already have an idea of the answer. The idea of individual awakening or ... | |
| Theravada clarified | 6/1/2006 |
| Q: Mr McSorley, I am a born Buddhist following the Theravada tradition. I am now in my 50s. I chance ... A: I will pay attention to it and amend my description in the future. After receiving your letter I ... | |
| becoming a buddhist | 5/29/2006 |
| Q: Mr. McSorley, After much reading and soul searching I have come to realization that being a ... A: This is always a very difficult question for me to answer. There is a ton of Buddhism out there, ... | |
| Buddhism in general | 5/26/2006 |
| Q: What would you say are the basic beliefs of Buddhism? Would you say Buddhism is a religion or a ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| nirvana | 5/24/2006 |
| Q: what is the meaning of nirvana A: I assume you are talking about the Sanskrit word here and not the band from Seattle. The word ... | |
| nagarjuna | 5/8/2006 |
| Q: I have a few questions I hope you can help. 1. Can you explain what it means when nagarjuna says ... A: The questions you are asking me are not Zen in particular. I will give you some general answers ... | |
| Buddhism | 5/1/2006 |
| Q: A project that I'm supposed to do for a religious class is to interview a person by email or ... A: The questions you are asking pertain to someone who practices Buddhism as a belief system or a ... | |
| How would I approach Zen Buddhism?... | 4/20/2006 |
| Q: How would I approach Zen Buddhism? What would you recommend? What are the main points of ZB and what ... A: I suppose it could be argued that Zen is a religion and/or a philosophy but it is really neither. ... | |
| Heaven | 4/11/2006 |
| Q: is there such thing as heaven in Taoism? If yes, how is it like? Is like like heaven in christiaity? A: There is no place called heaven in Taoism. In Taoism the ultimate is to be at perfect harmony with ... | |
| Sickening Lies Part 2 | 3/26/2006 |
| Q: Last time you wrote that only western religions give false hope by promising a place in heaven or ... A: You make many assumptions in your letter about me and Buddhism. I do not beleive in reincarnation ... | |
| Zen and Tao | 3/25/2006 |
| Q: What is the difference between Buddhism and Taoism? As I see Taoism focus on praying to gods and ... A: In one sense Buddhism and Taoism are completely separate and arose independently of each other ... | |
| Eternal soul | 3/20/2006 |
| Q: *According to many beliefs the soul is eternal, but then doesn't it cease to exist after Nirvana, ... A: There is a big argument over this in some Buddhist circles, a few who believe in a soul and others, ... | |
| Tao | 3/13/2006 |
| Q: What is the basic teaching of Taoism? Are the gods almighty? Who is the almighty god in taosim? A: Taoism is more a philosophy than a religion. There are no gods in the original teachings of ... | |
| Sickening Lies | 3/7/2006 |
| Q: You know religious people said that the purpose of life on earth here is to serve. Nothing else. If ... A: These religious ideas you talk about are prominent in the Judeo/Muslim/Christian religions but not ... | |
| Tien Tao | 3/1/2006 |
| Q: I go to a meeting of Tien Tao, a Chinese religion that says you can cultivate the Tao by following ... A: There were some strange script problems with your letter so I am not sure I understand all of it. ... | |
| Taoist philosophy | 2/28/2006 |
| Q: I am a student in an Eastern philosophy course. I have a few questions pertaining to Taoism and ... A: Question 1: What do you find is the most important element gained from the study of Taoism? To ... | |
| Daoism | 2/27/2006 |
| Q: I am a student in a online class titled “Eastern and Western Thought”. As a project in the class, my ... A: Here are my answers: 1)According to some encyclopedias, Daoism is classified as a philosophy rather ... | |
| Zen | 2/24/2006 |
| Q: What is Zen Buddhism? How does it differ from other forms of buddhism? What are the main forms of ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| Some general questions about Taoism | 2/24/2006 |
| Q: I have some questions about Taoism for a project I'm working on for this Tuesday; thank you so much ... A: To try to define Taoism or the Way immediately creates a problem. It's a problem because it is not ... | |
| 'Interview an Expert' Class Assignment +Please respond A.S.A.P+ | 2/23/2006 |
| Q: My name is Tiffany Thomas and I am part of an Eastern and Western Philosophy class on www.govhs.com. ... A: Here goes: 1. Do you think one can successfully incorporate an Eastern religion/philosophy, such as ... | |
| Buddhism as an education | 2/23/2006 |
| Q: I heard that Master Chin Kung consider Buddhism to be an education. I plan to study Buddhism. Do you ... A: Master Chin Kung is a Pureland Buddhist which is very different from Zen. There are many types of ... | |
| 5th precept | 2/22/2006 |
| Q: I was wondering whether zen interprets the 5th precept differently than other forms of Buddhism. ... A: No, Zen does not traditionally interpret the 5th precept differently and it is not concerned with ... | |
| ------------------------- ... | 2/17/2006 |
| Q: my name is Linus I'm 16 years old and from sweden. I've writtent to you once before and got a very ... A: Inreality I have met several Buddhist monks and priests who have taught things totally wrong. It's ... | |
| impermanence | 2/15/2006 |
| Q: If everything is impermanent than isnt the idea of impermanent actually permanent which therefore is ... A: Well, if I am going to answer you in typical philosophical language used by Eastern religion I would ... | |
| Five Precepts | 2/14/2006 |
| Q: I've read about the Five Precepts of Buddhism and the first says that one shall not directly harm ... A: This precept, if not taken literally, not only conflicts with your career path but also with life in ... | |
| Hi, my name is Linus I'm 16... | 2/6/2006 |
| Q: my name is Linus I'm 16 years old and from sweden. I've writtent to you once before and got a very ... A: Who knew that table tennis was such an angry sport?! I know some table tennis champs from China and ... | |
| Being alone | 1/31/2006 |
| Q: Joe, Still moving down the path of life trying to sort things out. I've stumbled upon an ... A: I think there is a lot to this situation. There is a difference between being isolated and being ... | |
| A Question | 1/19/2006 |
| Q: I want to know how many people out there who are well-educated in religious and spiritual matter ... A: There is really no way to know the answer to this question. I have no idea how many people have had ... | |
| I'm not sure | 1/17/2006 |
| Q: I'm 16 And about 2 mounths ago I started reading about buddhism, the first I read was Good Question ... A: First of all let me commend you for using your intelligence and not just accepting Buddhist ... | |
| Karmic Cycle | 1/1/2006 |
| Q: and it seems to me, it is a counter logic that you are proposing. I cannot disagree with your ... A: You have exactly pinpointed the problem with the idea of reincarnation and that is the beginning. ... | |
| Karmic Cycle | 1/1/2006 |
| Q: My question is, if we are subject to numerous rebirths, within the karmic cycle, owing to our merits ... A: I think reincarnation has as many problems as creationism does and neither make a lot of sense to ... | |
| homosexuality | 12/31/2005 |
| Q: I am wondering what a Buddhist would say regarding the subject of homosexuality. Can sexual ... A: I cannot speak for all Buddhism and there is no one Buddhist view of things. I don't know if sexual ... | |
| career and dharma | 12/30/2005 |
| Q: Is it possible 'see things as they are' and still - strive for success? Is success completely ... A: What is your definition of success? If to strive for success is futile then to strive for awakening ... | |
| Hello Mr Joe, how are you! I'd... | 12/20/2005 |
| Q: how are you! I'd like to ask you about these words: "THERE IS NO TIME AND SPACE BEFORE UESHIBA OF ... A: For there to be a time and space there has to be a self that separates itself from time and space. ... | |
| Hello Mr Joe! I read somewhere... | 12/7/2005 |
| Q: I read somewhere that "existing without desires allows us to blend with the natural law of existence ... A: I am glad you are thinking about these things before you ask me. The natural question that arises ... | |
| Zen Buddism and Nirvana | 12/6/2005 |
| Q: What is your understanding of the difference between either of the two main philosophies (Theravada ... A: Generally the distinction made between the schools of Buddhism is between Theravada and Mahayana and ... | |
| Zen Buddism and Nirvana | 12/6/2005 |
| Q: Since Zen Buddhism is not cognitive, how would a Zen Buddhist know whether or not they have attained ... A: You are right, ultimately Zen is not cognitive but in the beginning you must make a cognitive choice ... | |
| Hi. Thanks for answer. I decided... | 12/5/2005 |
| Q: I decided to ask you this question cause a few days ago i was reading some thoughts of Morihei ... A: Ueshiba was an exception to most martial artists. It's what he brought to the art and not how the ... | |
| Hello I know that you are... | 12/2/2005 |
| Q: I know that you are not dealing with martial arts on this forum but maybe you could give me an ... A: First of all what is it we are talking about when we say spirit? Terms like this are constantly ... | |
| temple | 11/28/2005 |
| Q: What does a Buddhists temple look like? What kind of features might you find? A: There are many types of Temples and they vary greatly from sect to sect. I would suggest googling ... | |
| Mindfullness | 11/26/2005 |
| Q: Joe, hope you're well.I know mindfullness and the whole idea of being fully present in the moment ... A: Mindfulness has nothing to do with being obsessive or thinking. It is not ‘thinkfulness' or ... | |
| Theachers | 11/20/2005 |
| Q: I have started following the path through knowledge gained from reading and I understand the ... A: This is something I've never thought about before. I met my teachers through academic institutions ... | |
| Which path? | 11/19/2005 |
| Q: I came back to Christ exactly a year ago after twenty two years of being away from Christ. I had ... A: Let me first say that I am not here to convert anyone to Buddhism or anything else. Conversion is ... | |
| School project on Buddhism | 11/18/2005 |
| Q: I am taking a class called world religions and writing a paper on buddhism. 1. What goes on in a ... A: There are many sects of Buddhism, Zen, the one I write about does not have the traditions and ... | |
| Meaning of Phrase | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: Id really appreciate your help with this....I have just written to someone who has come back to me ... A: Since I don't know the quesiton you asked its hard to give an accurate answer here but I do get the ... | |
| Dear Joe, the little reading... | 11/1/2005 |
| Q: the little reading I have done on Buddhism leads me to say that there seems to be an awful lot of ... A: It makes sense and you already know the answer to your questions. It's not about studying, it's ... | |
| School Paper | 10/30/2005 |
| Q: My questions are less about the technical aspects of Buddhism and more about your personal beliefs ... A: I am impressed that a course on religion in actually asking you to think critically about these ... | |
| - | 10/23/2005 |
| Q: how are you! While reading i came across such a sentence: "I say never be complete, I say stop ... A: You connect this to Eastern or Western thoughts. Reverse it a little; what does it mean to be ... | |
| general questions | 10/10/2005 |
| Q: im interested in understanding buddhism better and wanted to aske you a few questions about it. ... A: This is always a difficult question for me to answer. There isn't one thing called Buddhism just as ... | |
| Neti Neti , no soul fallacy | 10/6/2005 |
| Q: Why do you presume modern buddhism is so heretical in its attempt to deny/negate the Soul ... A: I have never made a comment about 'modern Buddhism being heretical ....' nor presumed as much, nor ... | |
| buddhism and struggle | 8/21/2005 |
| Q: I have recently become very interested in Buddhism and have come upon a wall. Buddhism teaches that ... A: I don't know what your source for Buddhism is to say <”. Buddhism teaches that one must accept ... | |
| What is the point of buddhism? | 7/17/2005 |
| Q: You say "The heart of Zen is to 'see things as they are' here and now". So what is it that one sees ... A: Zen is approached by people in two ways; as something to study and as the hopeful answer to an ... | |
| - | 7/11/2005 |
| Q: While i was surfing in the net i came across such words: "when you get to the top there is nothing ... A: There's many ways to look at this statement. One way is that most people don't realize that the ... | |
| The similarity between Zen Buddhism and Christianity | 7/7/2005 |
| Q: It's nice to send you e-mail. I'm a college student in Japan. Now I'm writing a paper about the ... A: I don't know what reference book would tell you that Zen and Christianity are similar because they ... | |
| Love, Celestine Prophecy | 6/28/2005 |
| Q: I've got two questions. 1. If we are to work toward an existence in which we do not "cling" to ... A: Although many might say the object of Buddhism is to not cling or to have desire these things miss ... | |
| is life suffering or not? | 6/27/2005 |
| Q: I felt this a negation of the human experience. I now understand that this is just a mental attitude ... A: I can't tell you how other sects look at the first Noble Truth or how others take it but I can tell ... | |
| dependent arising again | 6/1/2005 |
| Q: Am I right is saying that the links in the 'dependent arising' are only logical in the buddha's time ... A: First of all I don't know that the historical Buddha himself came up with the links. I think any ... | |
| 2nd link to 3rd | 5/26/2005 |
| Q: Im a student from the philippines. I see truth and I want to know more and clearly. In depent ... A: This is very much a chicken and egg situation. How can you have volitional forms without ... | |
| - | 5/22/2005 |
| Q: What do you think about this: "Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything" I think it ... A: Yes, you are pretty much on the mark here. I am glad you applied yourself to the question. It has a ... | |
| Buddha Statue | 5/16/2005 |
| Q: In school I am doing a report on Buddha and Buddhism. I am trying to figure out information about ... A: Buddhists do not worship the statue of the Buddha just like Christians hopefully do not worship ... | |
| Zen Humor | 5/9/2005 |
| Q: I am especially interested in Zen humor as it relates to waking up. Can you suggest books or ... A: What do you mean by wake-up? Did you mean 'awakening"? I don't know why Zen humor would be ... | |
| What is Zen Buddhism | 5/6/2005 |
| Q: i can not seen to find out what zen buddhims is. Could you give me a brief out line of it. What is ... A: It is easy to understand your confusion here. Zen is hard to define because it is not a thing or ... | |
| Buddhism and the old | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: I don't known if it's possible to throw some light into this matter. I would like to know, briefly ... A: I think it would be hard to isolate a Buddhist perspective on this apart from the culture it is ... | |
| death/i ching | 4/15/2005 |
| Q: I have just recently decided to convert from being catholic to being Buddhist. I realized I do not ... A: Why do you believe Buddhism is best suited for you? Are you sure you're not trading one belief ... | |
| - | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: This is an excerpt from the Bible, Jesus said "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back ... A: I cannot comment on the biblical meaning on this but in an Eastern sense it might mean that those ... | |
| some of your thoughts... | 4/3/2005 |
| Q: my name is Alejandra Aliaga and I am writing a research paper on Buddhism. If you wouldn'd mind, I ... A: For some reason I did not get your question earlier and I am sorry this took so long to get back to ... | |
| Jesus etc. | 3/29/2005 |
| Q: Joe, I read a while back, multiple times, your answer/essay about trying to unite Christianity and ... A: Having been a member of the Church for years I don't try to explain it, it doesn't make any sense. ... | |
| Buddhist Schools | 3/25/2005 |
| Q: How does Zen Buddhism view the individual? Is it's view unique in the world of Buddhism? Thank You. ... A: I am sorry for the delay in answering. Zen's view of the individual is pretty much in line with ... | |
| question | 3/9/2005 |
| Q: While reading i've found such a passage: "Blend with (ki-musubi) the Universe of Heaven and Earth ... A: Luke, Do you really want to understand what's going on here or do you just want some text book ... | |
| Shaved heads | 3/9/2005 |
| Q: Why are monks shaving their heads? What are the reasons? A: The idea of a monk shaving their head goes along with the idea of the plain robe too; it is too ... | |
| Am i right in thinking that... | 3/8/2005 |
| Q: Am i right in thinking that all chinese are Buddhists ? also are in Buddhism, are the women allowed ... A: The predominat religion in China is Buddhism but most Chinese practice a mish-mash of Taoism and ... | |
| the eternal | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: ------------------------- I am attempting to reconcile two entirely oppostite views of the "soul" ... A: You are clearly being pounded here. I would like to respond to this in a manner that is more ... | |
| the eternal | 3/3/2005 |
| Q: Joe, please reconcile your "no-soul" view with: “What do you think, is form lasting or impermanent? ... A: George: This is the first question you sent to me: “There are several passages in the earliest ... | |
| Tao interview | 3/3/2005 |
| Q: I'm a high school student, enrolled in an Eastern/Western philosophy class. My assignment is to ... A: Here's my answers to your questions: 1. In our hectic modern society, is it sometimes difficult to ... | |
| the eternal | 3/2/2005 |
| Q: Joe, I found your answer to be profoundly thought-provoking. I have a follow-up to your ... A: Ultimately a verbal/cognitive answer will never do in this situation. With that limitation in mind ... | |
| the eternal | 3/1/2005 |
| Q: There are several passages in the earliest suttas in which the Buddha very clearly denies the ... A: This is the type of question where a Zen master does something enigmatic to answer it and no one ... | |
| interview for online class | 2/28/2005 |
| Q: 1. Please explain the coming of Taoism, and will you also explain why it has diminished. 2. Is the ... A: 1. Please explain the coming of Taoism, and will you also explain why it has diminished. I cannot ... | |
| About Lao Tse... | 2/26/2005 |
| Q: The reason I asked about Lao Tse as a god is because I had read conflicting stories about him. My ... A: Joseph, The problem is; what really is Taoism? Is it what Lao tze and Chuang tzu wrote about or ... | |
| I am currently taking a philosophy... | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: I am currently taking a philosophy course, and I had a couple of questions about Taoism. If you ... A: Here goes: Do all Taoists have a strict moral code, or instead does each basically decide what is ... | |
| learning | 2/15/2005 |
| Q: i am intrested in zen buddhism. i have some books i have been reading. is there a school online that ... A: This is always a difficult question for me to answer. It is good that you are self motivated and ... | |
| Entering a retreat | 2/3/2005 |
| Q: I currently work self employed as a business and IT consultant. for over 20 years (I am 45 and ... A: From what you describe it sounds like you are looking for more of a refuge from society then a ... | |
| illusion | 1/24/2005 |
| Q: Is it true that Buddhists claim that reality is only an illusion? If so, how to explain that reality ... A: Buddhists do not think reality is an illusion but that our version of what we think reality is, is ... | |
| question | 1/20/2005 |
| Q: "The heart of a human being is no different from the soul of heaven and earth. In your practice ... A: Luke, Yin and yang is the interaction and complementation of opposites. In the superficial sense ... | |
| truth | 1/9/2005 |
| Q: I have found such a passage in "The Secret Significance of Aikido, poetic Songs of the Way" "A ... A: I will help you with this but the true answer needs to come from your own experience and not from ... | |
| question | 1/2/2005 |
| Q: These are the words of Morihei Ueshiba, a japanese martial artist. "Ultimately you must forget ... A: This is a great question but one that is difficult to answer. Most people take this as there being ... | |
| Some Doubts | 12/28/2004 |
| Q: I'm quite new here in Buddhism so i wanted to know some doubts: First: What's the main difference ... A: My knowledge of Zen is much greater than that of Tibetan Buddhism (TB) so I cannot give an in depth ... | |
| hello i am curently writing... | 12/21/2004 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could tell me if followers of the zen buddhism follow the dala lama , and if ... A: No, Zen Buddhists do not follow the Dalai Lama or anyone else for that matter. It is the essence of ... | |
| knowledge please | 12/20/2004 |
| Q: Is there a relation between the two? I really don't like saying Christianity because people have ... A: There is really nothing similar between the lives of Yeshua (Jesus, the Christ) and Siddhartha (the ... | |
| repentance in buddha | 12/5/2004 |
| Q: I want to know if there is any kind of repentance in buddha. and if it is, how and where it would be ... A: There are sects in Buddhism that might teach there is repentance in the Buddha but it really goes ... | |
| WEI WU WEI | 11/15/2004 |
| Q: Who/what acts? sorry this is all a bit garbled- and reads more hostile than I intend. For example ... A: You're on the right path here as frustrating as it might seem. The self that seeks to solve the ... | |
| Buddhism | 11/10/2004 |
| Q: What are the most important elements of Buddhism and how do they distinctly separate themselves from ... A: As far as the Vedic traditions go, that is too far in my past to recall the particulars and you need ... | |
| death &dying | 11/2/2004 |
| Q: I am studying at college and have been given this category to research, whilst i have found some ... A: These types of questions are difficult to answer because they assume that there is one type of ... | |
| death &dying | 11/2/2004 |
| Q: i am studying at college and have been given this category to research, whilst i have found some ... A: These types of questions are difficult to answer because they assume that there is one type of ... | |
| prayer | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if Buddist monks or people that practice Buddism say prayers before meals or and ... A: There are some Buddhist prayers in other sects of Buddhism but not in Zen regarding meals. I don't ... | |
| holidays | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: What are some of the major Buddhist holidays? Also is it true you are alowed to celibrate any ... A: You can go to this website for Buddhist holidays: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/holidays.html ... | |
| Reincarnation | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: Can you be reincarnated as a animal? A: Zen does not have reincarnation as part of its philosophy. I think other sects like Theravada and ... | |
| Religion | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: How do you prepare for your daily worship? A: Daily worship is not part of Zen and worship is not really part of Buddhism. The historical Buddha, ... | |
| the buddah staue | 10/29/2004 |
| Q: Who is the statue of buddah resembled after? A: There are many different Buddha's depicted in statues and I don't know if you are referring to a ... | |
| meditating | 10/28/2004 |
| Q: When you were meditating has a hurricane or tornado ever come and you had to stop or did you just ... A: I suppose you might find some fellows in history that would try to meditate through a hurricane or ... | |
| Taoism and Buddhism | 9/30/2004 |
| Q: My name is Tyler Bellstrom and for my online course on "Eastern and Western Thought" I am supposed ... A: Tyler, I am sorry for the delay in answering this but I have not been receiving my questions from ... | |
| Wicca and Buddhism | 8/23/2004 |
| Q: In your answer to Lianne, you seem to paint a very black and white picture: combine Buddhism with ... A: If I was a smarter man I might be able to answer this more concisely but I am not so please bear ... | |
| man nature and disaster | 8/21/2004 |
| Q: As far as we know earth is the only living planet in the universe.How man can preserve it and make ... A: Yes, it would be wonderful if humans could awaken love and compassion in their hearts and ... | |
| Conflictions | 8/3/2004 |
| Q: How can Taoism and Buddhism related when Lord Buddha rejected the idea of gods? And if Buddha says ... A: In once sense Buddhism and Taoism are separated by time and geography but their cores are similar. ... | |
| Beginning of time, Happiness | 7/20/2004 |
| Q: Followup To Question - Hi Joe, First off thank you so much for answering my questions. I was ... A: You might be 16 and not know what makes you happy but that doesn't matter because most people at any ... | |
| Beginning of time, Happiness | 7/19/2004 |
| Q: First off thank you so much for answering my questions. I was wondering what Buddhists say about the ... A: You stated, “The main question is, is their a God or no God?” you should have said that in your ... | |
| Beginning of time, Happiness | 7/18/2004 |
| Q: First off thank you so much for answering my questions. I was wondering what Buddhists say about the ... A: You are starting off with a lot of assumptions not the least of which is your view of Buddhism which ... | |
| Dharma Guardian | 7/16/2004 |
| Q: Followup To Question - Hi Joe, The label "Dharma Guardian" was used as an introduction. One ... A: Still I have never heard this phrase in connection with any Rinzai or Sotoh school nor have I ever ... | |
| Dharma Guardian | 7/15/2004 |
| Q: I am writing to find out what it means to be a Dharma Guardian relating to Zen Buddhism. I would ... A: I think you are referring to Dharmapala and this name means "defender of the Dharma" in Sanskrit ... | |
| crime & punishment | 7/9/2004 |
| Q: What would be the buddhist approach to crime & punishment, never mind the moral error by the ... A: I don't know that I can speak for Buddhists but I can give you my approach as being Buddhist ... | |
| Karma and rebirth in Zen | 7/7/2004 |
| Q: I wish to know more about the concepts of Karma and Rebirth in Zen Buddhism. I think I understand it ... A: Zen does not believe in reincarnation and admonishes that if it is true then it is of the utmost ... | |
| way to the zen path | 7/4/2004 |
| Q: ..my question is a difficult one....i was brought up in at atmosphere where there was always ... A: First of it it is entirely possible to change your behavior. You are, in fact, in half way there ... | |
| buddhism | 6/25/2004 |
| Q: so avalokitesvara manjushi they are only myth as u say are they just symbols how do bodhisatta ... A: When I talked about the Bodhisattva I used the term myth on purpose because it really doens't work. ... | |
| buddhism | 6/19/2004 |
| Q: is budda a god are bodhisatta worshipped as gods A: Sorry, I never got this question from All Experts. No, Buddha is not a god but a man who becomes ... | |
| divorce | 6/17/2004 |
| Q: Having a little trouble with my situation, right & wrong? What does Buddhism say about divorce? I ... A: Buddhism or Taoism are not socially organized or congregational religions like those in the West ... | |
| Buddha Dharma | 6/15/2004 |
| Q: What is your understanding of "form is emptiness, emptiness is form. form is not other than ... A: This question can be answered on so many levels that it would take a book to do it. Immediately, ... | |
| Zen | 6/4/2004 |
| Q: What exactly is the Zen sect of Buddhism, and as a new Buddhist, how do I know if that is the right ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| koan | 5/30/2004 |
| Q: McSorley, I'm sure you are familiar with this koan from the Mumonkan. Tokusan one day came down to ... A: First let me say that I think real koan practice is one of the most beneficial techniques in Zen ... | |
| Buddhism & school age children | 5/24/2004 |
| Q: I'm taking a class called diversity in education and am researching the buddism religion and its ... A: My focus is Zen Buddhism which is vastly different from the other sects in that it requires arduous ... | |
| Zen Question | 5/12/2004 |
| Q: I appreciate your time and information. I've begun zen practice under a roshi in the salt lake city ... A: Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I do not speak Japanese but the expressions you use are ... | |
| zen/teacher? | 4/23/2004 |
| Q: Is there any way for a beginning zen student (me) to correspond semi-regularly with a dharma ... A: I am always very reticent to answer this question. My instinct is to ask you ‘why do you want to ... | |
| aggression vis-a-vis Taoism & Buddhism | 4/10/2004 |
| Q: Joe McSorley, 1. The 'Tao Te Ching' states that we should transcend good and evil. Yet that same ... A: It would have helped me if you had given me the tract in the Tao Te Ching you are talking about. ... | |
| Best advice from your topic of expertise | 4/10/2004 |
| Q: I'm doing a personal research project on intelligence, genius and peak performance. I was ... A: I cannot speak for other people, including the Buddha or other Buddhist teachers, you need to ask ... | |
| Buddhists | 4/6/2004 |
| Q: what is that red cloth lamp found in every house, shop and temple in buddhist country maily in china ... A: I do not know about the folk traditions in Buddhism, however, I wrote to a friend of mine in Hong ... | |
| Beginning the faith | 3/30/2004 |
| Q: I am interested in buddhism but I don't know where to begin learning about the faith. Do you have ... A: There are many types of Buddhism. I teach Zen which is very different from the other sects and does ... | |
| Buddhist musical instruments | 3/23/2004 |
| Q: I am writing a paper for a World Music class on music/instruments/chants of Buddhism Zen/Tibetan. ... A: Karen, Though I am a musician I have never associated music with Buddhism, no Kum bye Ah ( or ... | |
| Why do I feel there is no... | 3/21/2004 |
| Q: Why do I feel there is no real purpose to life? I am fundamentally unhappy and apathetic about ... A: There can be many reasons for this from biological to existential. If you have some sort of ... | |
| Buddhist teachers | 3/21/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know whether Buddhist teachers or missionaries are working among peoples who are ... A: You make the assumption that the lifestyles of the ‘loincloth' people have been made better by ... | |
| My purpose | 3/11/2004 |
| Q: My purpose --- I am a buddhist and realized that this life may be my last reincarnation. I realized ... A: Awakening is not a matter of degrees or steps. If you feel one step above someone else then you are ... | |
| My purpose | 3/11/2004 |
| Q: My purpose --- I am a buddhist and realized that this life may be my last reincarnation. I realized ... A: Awakening is not a matter of degrees or steps. If you feel one step above someone else then you are ... | |
| Black magic and Buddhism | 3/8/2004 |
| Q: greetings, i am a buddhist. i lived at malaysia at south east asia. i don't really know whether you ... A: You are asking me to defend or to justify the practices of a sect that I do not agree with nor do I ... | |
| Zen | 3/4/2004 |
| Q: If Zen Buddhism has no ceremony, dogma or ritual, then how is it practiced? What does it have in ... A: Zen is different from the other forms of Buddhism precisely because there is no dogma, creed, ritual ... | |
| Teaching in public schools | 3/3/2004 |
| Q: Your answers have helped me a lot in the past. I am writing again about something that may seem ... A: ear Jill, Your heartfelt letter and honesty touch me. I completely understand where you are ... | |
| different branches of Buddhism | 3/3/2004 |
| Q: What is the difference between Mahayana, Theravada and Zen Buddhism? A: Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism are from India. Theravada (originally Hinayana) is considered more ... | |
| Taoism | 3/2/2004 |
| Q: My name is Krista, and I am looking for answers about Taoism. What does it really mean to be one ... A: Here's my answers for you: What does it really mean to be one with the dao? I understand that it has ... | |
| Practicing while still young | 3/1/2004 |
| Q: this time I won't be asking questions for a project, instead for my own personal practice. I have ... A: You are by no means too young for investigating Buddhism and many of the great sages of the past ... | |
| Buddhism | 3/1/2004 |
| Q: I'm a student studying eastern religion at a high school level and I would appreciate some answers ... A: 1. How (if at all) has buddhism adapted from ancient times to make it more usable in our modern ... | |
| Buddhism and meditation. | 3/1/2004 |
| Q: I have a few questions about Buddhism and meditation. I have been practicing meditation for a few ... A: If you were grounded in reality you would not be having these problems, it's precisely because we ... | |
| Eastern Religions | 2/29/2004 |
| Q: McSorley, Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions for me. First, I think I'd just like ... A: Here's my answers with your questions: Are you Taoist or a Buddhist? If so, did you choose to be or ... | |
| Buddhism and Taoism | 2/29/2004 |
| Q: I am a student taking a philosophy course online and am very interested in learning more about the ... A: Eastern religions do not have the social structure that the Judeo/Christian religions have. They ... | |
| General Buddhist Morality | 2/29/2004 |
| Q: I'm currently doing a project on Buddhism for a class, and hoped you'd be able to clear up a few ... A: I would say that the most important teaching of the historical Buddha is that we do not see reality ... | |
| Buddhism | 2/27/2004 |
| Q: Once a person is reincarnated, do they know anything of their past lives? In the eye of a ... A: Zen does not believe in reincarnation and admonishes that if it is true then it is of the utmost ... | |
| Combining Buddhism with another belief | 2/24/2004 |
| Q: My husband and I are very intersted in learning Buddhism. But we have also been studying Wicca. ... A: First of all I don't know what you mean by a ‘book religion' regarding Zen. Zen is often described ... | |
| east and west | 2/21/2004 |
| Q: Joe...I don't mean to leap to conclusions but a man with your name might have had the same early ... A: Maybe these questions are not keeping you awake at night but my answers might put you to sleep. Are ... | |
| Recommended Reading | 2/19/2004 |
| Q: Mr. McSorley, I have recently begun reading somewhat randomly about Buddhism. It's teachings, and my ... A: I would strongly suggest “Zen Essays Series Two” by D.T.Suzuki. It's out of print but I find it now ... | |
| Feeling disconnected | 2/18/2004 |
| Q: For the past few years I've felt disconnected or disintegrated as a person. I talk and yet don't ... A: There can be many reasons for this from clinical depression to an existential plight. As far as ... | |
| Buddist Theories | 2/17/2004 |
| Q: I am working on a debate and presentation for a University of Phoenix course. The topic is "The use ... A: Buddhism is not going to help you in this regard. It is not an ethically based system and does not ... | |
| buddhist matter | 2/12/2004 |
| Q: i am a devoted buddhist.and i do have a question on the following matter which really confuse me.it ... A: The first question I would have for you is what is Buddhism? If this website seeks to redirect us ... | |
| I am . . . | 2/9/2004 |
| Q: I don't know why this question about "who am I?" is so popular but I want to know the answer ... A: You want to know the answer directly from me as to who you are? This is like asking me to tell you ... | |
| general knowledge | 2/7/2004 |
| Q: i am a world religions student and a chirstion who is seeking additonal informaiton regarding the ... A: This topic of a Buddhist- Christian synthesis is one that arises often. Both of my teachers have ... | |
| Free will & Truth | 2/6/2004 |
| Q: Your answers are very much the same as my friends gave me. My reason for saying there's no free will ... A: Choo, if I am understanding you right you think there's no free will because life is conditioned. ... | |
| Buddhism and poverty | 1/4/2004 |
| Q: Buddhism and poverty --- I decided to devote myself to buddhism and as one of the buddhism doctrines ... A: I fear you have a misunderstanding of the heart of Buddhism. Why would poverty bring about ... | |
| The Three Refuges | 1/1/2004 |
| Q: I would appreciate if you would elaborate on the 3 refuges: 1. I take refuge in the Buddha before ... A: Being from the Zen school I take a more direct approach to dealing with the problem of human ... | |
| kwan yin medallion | 12/9/2003 |
| Q: My sister in law recently found a small red brocade pouch with a swastika in a circle and chinese ... A: I am no expert on Chinese artifacts but the swastika you refer to is actually a Tibetan symbol the ... | |
| The Basics of Buddhism | 11/13/2003 |
| Q: I would like to know what the basics of the buddhist religion are. When did it start? What is it ... A: Technically speaking Buddhism is not a religion; it is not theistic and does not have an external ... | |
| Buddhism in China | 10/25/2003 |
| Q: McSorley, I was assigned a project to research gods and goddesses of the chinese version of ... A: There are no gods of any type in Buddhism. In Chinese mythology you might find them but they really ... | |
| God | 10/20/2003 |
| Q: Do Buddhist believe in God? A: ALthough there are some people who claim to be Buddhist that believe in a God there is nothing in ... | |
| Buddhism | 10/15/2003 |
| Q: Would you say that this motto is relevant for Buddhism: Illness and Death are part of life's circle ... A: Sorry for the delay for some reason AllExperts no longer sends me my questions. Yes, Buddhism could ... | |
| Questions regarding Shaolin Philosophy | 10/13/2003 |
| Q: Greetings, I have looming curiosity about the Shaolin Philosophy. I was Christian, until I realized ... A: There is no Shaolin Philosophy per se though there are lots of people parading around the US saying ... | |
| I hope I'm not being a nuisense | 10/6/2003 |
| Q: But I'm afraid that my post didn't go through or that I gave the wrong email. And I need this ... A: No, you are not a nuisance and there's no need to apologize. This is the first post I've received ... | |
| Buddhism & death | 10/4/2003 |
| Q: I know this is asking for simple answers to profound questions, and I will welcome your response in ... A: I, too, find this to be a difficulty with their teachings. If the self is ultimately empty then what ... | |
| Getting a teacher. | 8/27/2003 |
| Q: I actually stumbled on to this web site to ask a question about fixing my truck but this is much ... A: I don't get the Lennon reference, do you mean the Mahareshi or Yoko? I don't know which one was ... | |
| diffrence between Zen and Buddhism | 8/16/2003 |
| Q: please explane the diffrences between Zen and Buddhism. I saw a book on the web called "Zen for ... A: Zen is a branch of Buddhism and some argue that it is the purest form of Buddhism for it strives to ... | |
| taoism and buddhism | 7/30/2003 |
| Q: would you agree that there are times when conditions for spiritual activities are ripe, which are ... A: First of all we have to define what karma is. The term originally comes from Jainism and meant “ ... | |
| No Buddhism/Zen in my area | 7/27/2003 |
| Q: I have so many questions, but we have to start somwhere... I am a 15 year old who is searching for ... A: First let me warn you that no religion, philosophy or person can tell you the meaning of life, this ... | |
| I am God! What should I do?! | 6/15/2003 |
| Q: I am God! What should I do?! ---------------------------- Today I realized that I am God. And ... A: God does not need to do, in this sense God is, so why do you need to do anything? Would God really ... | |
| human nature | 6/10/2003 |
| Q: I'm asking you this question as I am closer to being a Buddhist than anything else. My recent ... A: I don't know what sect of Buddhism you are looking at to come to your conclusions. Perhaps ... | |
| 3 questions about Taoism | 2/20/2003 |
| Q: I have three questions for you, actually. I am not nearly an expert in these ... A: Good questions and not so easily answered. In regards to Hindus and Taoists there is an assumption ... | |
| Superstitious Rituals | 2/3/2003 |
| Q: In the Buddhism religion: In your opinion, Do superstitious rituals really work or are they just ... A: LaPlant, When you ask if “superstitious rituals really work”, then the answer would have to be ‘no' ... | |
| Afterlife | 12/26/2002 |
| Q: McSorley, I have read through the "Tibetan Book of the Dead", briefly, and also some of ... A: Sorry for the delay in answering. You bring up some good points which I find problematic in some of ... | |
| Buddhism and Christianity | 12/12/2002 |
| Q: I have one question and please don't worry that if the answer is "no" that my next email will be a ... A: If you are asking, 'do Buddhists beleive in the divinity of Christ', the answer is 'no'. It's like ... | |
Buddhists
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Joe McSorley
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I can answer questions dealing with Taoist philosophy and Zen and not the historicity and religion of Buddhism and its different schools. I studied under Dr. Richard DeMartino and Masao Abe of the Kyoto School of Zen.
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