My fledgling Buddhist Dharma Punx meditation/discussion group expressed at our first meeting last week that they would like readings on "rubber meets the road" Buddhism, or the practical application of Buddhist principles in everyday life. Whatcha got, Mefi? No more inside!
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas on Aug 27, 2009 - 15 answers

What is the origin of this quote - "We're as dead now as we'll ever be."? [more inside]
posted by jay.eye.elle.elle. on Aug 21, 2009 - 5 answers

What are the basic differences between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism? [more inside]
posted by ninotchka on Jul 14, 2009 - 9 answers

I want to become a Buddhist monk at some point in my life and live out my days in a authentic monastery, preferably in a traditionally Buddhist country. Please advise. [more inside]
posted by DetonatedManiac on Jun 3, 2009 - 17 answers

Trying to remember a quote relating to Confucianism and Buddhism and comparing them to different types of stores. [more inside]
posted by Anoxs on May 7, 2009 - 6 answers

What are the differences between Zen and Vipassana meditation? [more inside]
posted by Picklegnome on May 7, 2009 - 6 answers

Curious to find help in decoding a Buddhist mural... [more inside]
posted by garethspor on May 5, 2009 - 3 answers

How much should of a donation should we give to the Buddhist temple for our wedding service? [more inside]
posted by bobbyno on Apr 17, 2009 - 5 answers

Where can I find a Nepalese-style Buddha statue in Australia? [more inside]
posted by LongDrive on Apr 7, 2009 - 4 answers

I'm interested in going to a buddhist monastery or retreat for two weeks to a month. Preferably somewhere in the northeast US. [more inside]
posted by hazyspring on Mar 19, 2009 - 19 answers

Tibetan art filter: what are these sculptures holding in their hands? [more inside]
posted by Mender on Jan 27, 2009 - 6 answers

Depression therapy via buddhism regarding relationships? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jan 21, 2009 - 8 answers

Has anyone studied Pali in Southeast Asia or Sri Lanka? I have an extensive background in Sanskrit and Buddhism, and I'd like to spend a summer or a semester reading a few Pali texts with a highly qualified private tutor overseas.
posted by AArtaud on Jan 18, 2009 - 2 answers

Buddhism question about what happens before we are born and the lives we choose for ourselves. [more inside]
posted by ttyn on Jan 16, 2009 - 14 answers

"Mudita is a Buddhist (Pali and Sanskrit: मुदित) word meaning rejoicing in others' joy." The Wikipedia description is really, really good. Where can I find more really good information about the brahmaviharas? [more inside]
posted by zeek321 on Jan 9, 2009 - 7 answers

So I've recently read Anathem. And I rather liked it. In particular I was inspired by avout, and am wondering how to restructure my life to be more like them. Details and slight spoilers inside. [more inside]
posted by curious_yellow on Nov 21, 2008 - 17 answers

On a whim I bought a cheap electronic Buddhist Chant Box off Ebay--Not FM3's Buddha Machine, but one of the myriad (so I'm led to understand) cheap boxes sold outside temples in China. [more inside]
posted by Chrischris on Nov 11, 2008 - 4 answers

Whose writing would I benefit most from reading if I'm a non-buddhist who sees some value in buddhist teachings? [more inside]
posted by scabrous on Nov 10, 2008 - 29 answers

My friends are not religious but are having a Buddhist blessing ceremony for their baby's first birthday. Help me pick a gift. [more inside]
posted by AnyGuelmann on Nov 8, 2008 - 5 answers

I want to find popular songs with Zen/Buddhist themes, such as living in the moment, rejecting materialism, desire as suffering, non-attachment as freedom. The artists themselves need not be Buddhist and the entire song doesn't have to have a consistent theme. I know I'm using a loose interpretation of Buddhism. Any genre is fine; prefer pop/hip-hop. No chanting. Excerpted examples inside. [more inside]
posted by desjardins on Nov 6, 2008 - 29 answers

Anyone know Sanskrit? Are you familiar with the phrase "Love Your Fate" (and this is the Western version of "You Art Thou")? I have a translation, now I need validation. [more inside]
posted by panoptican on Oct 21, 2008 - 7 answers

Do you have any recommendations on youth meditation groups in the Bay Area? [more inside]
posted by ebness86 on Oct 1, 2008 - 2 answers

After living most of my life in a secular bubble, I've been asked to fill in as a producer for a religion-focused public radio show. Religious folk: please help me to do the best job I possibly can. What's going on in your religion or faith community right now? And what should I, as a secular humanist journalist, know in order to broadcast respectfully about your faith? (anonymous because my question relates to my job and employer, which could be identified from my posting history) [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 12, 2008 - 27 answers

We want to incorporate some sort of sand design into our wedding as an alternative to a unity candle. This would be sort of like a Tibetan sand mandala but nowhere near as complex. How the heck do we go about this? [more inside]
posted by desjardins on Jul 30, 2008 - 9 answers

Today at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, a Buddhist monk (Mahayana, since he was from Bhutan) tied a yellow piece of yarn around my wrist. Being as this was in a temple, I'm assuming this had some religious significance. [more inside]
posted by QIbHom on Jul 4, 2008 - 2 answers

In Buddhist philosophy, how is one supposed to do anything? [more inside]
posted by phrontist on May 18, 2008 - 45 answers

Looking for examples of temporary asceticism. [more inside]
posted by Cucurbit on May 6, 2008 - 15 answers

How would a westerner go about participating in the Theravada tradition of Vassa in Thailand? [more inside]
posted by paradoxflow on Mar 7, 2008 - 4 answers

Help me continue my Zen education. [more inside]
posted by Roman Graves on Mar 2, 2008 - 13 answers

What made the scars on the Dalai Lama's arm? [more inside]
posted by arcadia on Feb 7, 2008 - 7 answers

What's that incense I've smelled at Zen centers and where can I find it? [more inside]
posted by sneakin on Feb 2, 2008 - 11 answers

DocumentaryFilter: In search of BBC's "What is Religion?" [more inside]
posted by mjklin on Jan 17, 2008 - 3 answers

How can you trust a temple/church/etc if its leader has had moral failings? [more inside]
posted by desjardins on Jan 15, 2008 - 23 answers

Has there been higher criticism (such as the documentary hypothesis) or textual criticism of religions other than Christianity and Judaism?
posted by Pants! on Jan 10, 2008 - 10 answers

Can cognitive behavioral therapy be reconciled with mindfulness into a single, integrated approach to the world? [more inside]
posted by Gordion Knott on Jan 10, 2008 - 18 answers

What do you know about the Japanese word/concept of 'Ma'? I know it denotes the negative space between objects and it relates closely to the similarly used Japanese word 'Mu'. [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Dec 27, 2007 - 15 answers

Which European artists and writers visited Asia between 1900 and 1950? [more inside]
posted by arcadia on Dec 7, 2007 - 6 answers

I'm looking for a book that will serve as a good introduction to Buddhism. [more inside]
posted by freetheyams on Nov 8, 2007 - 21 answers

Did Alexandra David-Neel ever meet Georges Bataille? [more inside]
posted by arcadia on Nov 3, 2007 - 2 answers

How do I found out about books, museums, exhibitions, and artifacts relating to Buddhism in Paris in the 1920s? [more inside]
posted by arcadia on Oct 19, 2007 - 3 answers

Hey, I'm trying to find a decently-sized image of the word 'dukkha', written in sanskrit. On the Wiki entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha) you see a very small icon of it, but I can't enlarge it in a satisfying way (it needs to be replicated by an artist friend of mine) Thanks muchly.
posted by heylight on Oct 6, 2007 - 13 answers

What is a buddhist to do about bullies? [more inside]
posted by rubberkey on Sep 20, 2007 - 19 answers

I'm looking for thoughtful, down-to-earth blogs (and other websites) that concern themselves with matters of spirituality. [more inside]
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas on Jun 9, 2007 - 18 answers

Non-Buddhists: Would you recognize the Dharma wheel as a Buddhist symbol? [more inside]
posted by aebaxter on Jun 2, 2007 - 53 answers

We're looking for advice on how to make a successful interfaith marriage. No, not those two faiths. A different two. [more inside]
posted by nebulawindphone on Apr 12, 2007 - 21 answers

My wife and I are Buddhist. We have a four year old daughter who we would like to see get a great education. In our area/county, some of the better (academics, arts, and athletics) schools are Catholic schools. Would it be a good idea to send my daughter to a Catholic school? [more inside]
posted by jasonspaceman on Feb 3, 2007 - 68 answers

My girlfriend wants somewhere to, in her words, "detox" in the USA. But it's not drug or booze related. She wants somewhere go, chill, clear her head, be quiet for a while and concentrate on starting her life again. And she wants to do it for free. Any ideas? [more inside]
posted by rileyray3000 on Dec 31, 2006 - 37 answers

I used to be a devoted catholic. I quit the church years ago, but still miss the spirituality. Buddhism should fit me, but I feel like such a poser. [more inside]
posted by davar on Nov 25, 2006 - 36 answers

Spiritually questing Chicago MeFite seeking Mefites' personal experiences with Unitarianism, Theravada Buddhism, Quakers, and neopaganism. [more inside]
posted by WCityMike on Nov 1, 2006 - 19 answers

Everything I've read about Buddhism tells me that it's the religion to fill in the holes I feel with my current faith. Unfortunately everything I've read is thousands of years old and while it leaves me with many helpful tips on how I should/could go about the general living-of-life, it leaves me with no clue as to how to go about finding a good temple, organization or place where I can learn meditation technique from a live person in the here-and-now, which is Chicago, Illinois. I was hoping y'all could fill me in. [more inside]
posted by elr on Oct 5, 2006 - 13 answers