Brain Scans: Buddhists really do know secret of happiness

If we could take our spine off, wash it, wring it out, and iron it, Buddhism would go out of business.

truth
Thanks, Tywvel. I'm glad you read it. Noone else did, it seems.

I seem to have a misunderstanding of Buddhism, I have always regarded it as a quest for disengagement from secular life. Perhaps i am wrong?

truth
Dysl, that's right; you're wrong. The NON-attachment practiced by Buddhists can occur in the midst of a busy life. It is a very subtle mental posture, not to be confused with DE-tachment or 'disengagement'. The latter would seem to be the case for monastic buddhism. But that is only a means, not the end of buddhist practice--as I understand it.

I like that distinction, JL.

You probably know several Buddhists, dys, without being aware of it. Or maybe not. Hmph.

It's always seemed to me that it's up to the individual what they use and what they don't. Buddhism offers a variety of tools to reach a place where no importance is given to the material (though the suffering of others is grievous, because it inhibits their ability to reach that place as well), but there's no punishment for not using those tools, or believing this or that.

That's been my impression, anyway. I haven't really known any Buddhists who had been immersed in it; all the Buddhists I've known have come to it by choice.

truth
Patiodog.

Someone needs to make an interactive smiley face-thing, some "onmouseover" trick or something...

i remember reading this in my psychology textbook. similar results were found in the brain scans of catholic nuns in prayer.

which would you rather prefer? a religion that brings you love and happiness or a religion with just plain happiness and nothing more?

juic3z, from your reply, I can see that your understanding of Buddhism is low. Please do find out more about other religions, before saying others as "plain happiness and nothing more". Buddhism teaches Metta, known as "loving kindness". In buddhism, "Hatred cannot be overcome through Hatred, Hatred can only be overcome through love." For example, it is true that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is possible to physically overcome terrorists and their hideouts, but will they ever overcome Hatred? This hatred will continue to draw out terrorists all over the world. I'm not saying that the wars must not happen, some wars are better to have happened to prevent catastrophic disasters. However there are almost always better alternatives rather than war, which should be the last resort. Anyway, not only do we practice Metta, we practice Compassion and tolerance. Buddhists are proud that not a single blood is shed on true Buddhism, yet Buddhism is a popular religion in the world. I can garuntee- the world will be at peace and there will never be any more wars in the world, if everyone practices what Buddha taught. How can you ever say that Buddhism does not bring love?

"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural & spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity" Albert Einstein

Buddhism is growing in the United States. Already, it is the fastest growing religion in Australia. Why is that so? It is because of the very foundation of Buddhism which does not accept dogmas. Rather than limiting your knowledge to Christianity, perhaps its time you should find out more about other teachings. I hope you will spend some time checking out www.buddhanet.com, so that you can better understand Buddhism.

Here is another website, about the growing religion of Buddhism in the west: http://members.tripod.com/anatta0/ats07-the_bird.htm

truth
XYb3Surf, gassho.

Buddhist Monk Completes 7-Year, 24,800-Mile Run
Sep 19, 2003
Buddhist Monk Completes Seven-Year, 24,800-Mile "enlightenment" Run Ritual
By Kenji Hall
Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) - A Buddhist priest dubbed the "marathon monk" has completed an ancient running ritual in the remote Japanese mountains that took seven years and covered a distance equivalent to a trip round the globe, wearing only a flowing white robe and flimsy straw sandals.
The 44-year-old monk, Genshin Fujinami, returned Thursday from his 24,800-mile spiritual journey in the Hiei mountains, a range of five peaks that rise above the ancient capital of Kyoto.

Dressed in his handmade sandals and robe, with a straw raincoat draped over his head, Fujinami was greeted at the end of his journey by a crowd of worshippers, who knelt to receive his blessings, said an official at Enryakuji Hoshuin, the temple that is guardian of the grueling tradition.

"I entrusted everything to God. I am satisfied," Fujinami was quoted as saying.

Since 1885, only 46 other so-called "marathon monks" of the Tendai sect have survived the ritual, which dates to the 8th century and is believed to be a path to enlightenment, according to temple officials. The last monk to complete it returned in 1994.

A few have done it twice; many more have not lived to finish. Traditionally, any monk, or gyoja, who can't continue to the end must take his own live, either by hanging or disembowelment.

A rigorous regimen dictates that in each of the journey's first three years, the pilgrim must rise at midnight for 100 consecutive days to pray, run along an 18-mile trail around Mount Hiei - stopping 250 times to pray along the way. He can carry only candles, a prayer book and a sack of vegetarian food.

In the next two years, he has to extend his runs to 200 days.

In the winter, the pilgrim runner takes a break and spends the days doing temple chores.

His most difficult trial, however, comes during the fifth year when he must sit and chant mantras for nine days without food, water or sleep, in a trial called "doiri," or "entering the temple."

In the sixth year, he walks 37.5 miles every day for 100 days. And in the seventh, he goes 52.5 miles for 100 days and then 18 miles for another 100 days, before returning to the temple, located in Otsu city, about 234 miles southwest of Tokyo.
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This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAX71AISKD.html

Nice article, its the first time I heard about such marathons. I think about that hanging part.. is a way for commitment. There have been no cases of suicide since the 19th century. I believe such pilgrimage are designed for someone to cultivate his mind, speech, and actions through chanting. I believe this pilgrimage is only practiced by the Tendai tradition, it isn't what Buddha told his practitioner to do. Also, not all buddhist traditions practice chanting. Don't worry, one doesn't have to do a marathon in Buddhism.

hello
i think that what you guys dont realize is that we are walking drug factories. that is why we experience such odd things. now buddhistism, which is topic, teaches us how to controll the chemical factories that we are. now on the fact that they are happier than the rest of us. wouldnt you be happy if you were always high.
to prove that im right i suggest taking a through non biased study in the history, action, and effects of drugs. i have found that what we have learned about drugs is that our bodys produce chemicals that are almost identical to the ones that our plant friends produce. our bodys(mainly brain parts) produce produce chemicals that ultimatily produce the same effects that as the drugs that we take. now one might say, but theryre addictive. well we can become addicted to soberness. i see it every day. these people will not do anything that will substantally alter their conciousness. me i experience changes with or without them. i can actually will this very pleasent tingling sensation that is quite similar to a drug induced feeling. it also happens when i hear great music, or when i hear some one who seems to know what reality is. there is all kinds of factors.
anyways this is an example of my own experience with one of a whole multitudes of willfully(non-drug induced) changes in perception.
another good thing to research is shamanism. the one thing that i think that all spirituality and religion has originated.

hey, if you dont agree set me straight. i will then attempt to further clarify my position on the subject....

speak free

oh yeah, thats why the buddhists know the secret. they are willfully manufacturing altered perceptions within themselfs.

or jesus or gandhi.
not a single blood is shed on "true buddhism"? i can say the same about "true christianity" or "true islam."
but blood has been shed in the name of buddhism though you would probably call it "fake buddhism."


because christianity has reached saturation.
asian studies is growing in the US at a faster pace than western studies. why is that so? because we never had asian studies before.
i believe the fastest growing religion in the US is wicca.

What I'm trying to say is that Buddhism clearly disapproves wars to uphold its name, and if one does not follow that, he isn't a true buddhist. In fact, there is a special sutra (scripture) specially written for Peace. There are many cultist religions in the east which practices worshipping of spirits or even Buddha and does not follow his teachings, who call themselves Buddhists. There is one such worshipping cult which even threatened to kill the nobel prize winner Dalai Lama, which I believe you all have heard of. This is what I call "fake buddhism". In which, some of them are militaristic. My defination of "true buddhism" is any buddhist sect that teaches Buddhist teachings (Dharma) and practices it. There was not a single war fought on "true buddhism" in history. Buddhism has been peaceful since the very beginning, no wars and conflicts with other teachings.



Reaching saturation doesn't mean that another teaching has to rise with it. Also, I feel it is ultimately up to one's individual to choose his religion/teaching. Of course the growing of Buddhism depended on the willingness of individuals and many factors like modern transport and stuff which in the past we do not have. In my opinion, which I think I do not wish to dicuss here.. is that Buddhism will continue to be increasingly popular as the years go by.



Buddhists do not practice Buddha's teaching to become happy or high. The ultimate goal of Buddhist is Nirvana, and Nirvana does not mean "highness" . The reason why Buddhists are happy is because of the teaching that we should not attach on something that creates disturbing emotions in us. Of course we must face reality, but we do that without the disturbing emotions. Does facing reality has to mean being sad and miserable? There is this saying "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." We do not seek hapiness, hapiness comes naturally. Are you saying we must force ourselves not to be happy even when our minds are at peace?



Buddhists accepts reality and disagrees on disturbing emotions, in which we call Mara, aka "The Devil", "The Evil One", and hapiness comes naturally. In fact, Buddha said that it is our false ego (self) that creates false perceptions, and thats why we learn Non-Self (non-ego). Here's another quote from Albert Einstein which better describes it:

"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us "universe", a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

So without our delusions, good buddhists treat everything as equal, and do not get affected emotionally by things easily.



And that secret lies in non-attachment, non-self.

Im willing to bet that apon chemical analysis of the buddhists brain dopamine luvels will be higher. That is one of the many neurotransmitters that are problly present in elevated luvels in their brains. The concept of thinking patterns is what leads to the change in brain chemistry. Dont think philosphy, think chemistry analysis. We are chemical reactions, thats why they feed depressed people pills. In reality these depressed people do have some sort of control over themselfs. The proof is in the chemical which is precursed by thought.

Speak Free

Honestly.. I know little about chemistry , because I'm only 13, and have just started learning it this year. But what I'm saying is that the hapiness isnt what buddhists desire. Buddhists feel happy not because buddhists keep on thinking about happy things, but its the way buddhists face reality. Hapiness in buddhists isn't a sense of excitement, but a "side" effect of liberation from disturbing emotions, stress and depression. Maybe that is the "liberated way" of thinking pattern.

truth
X-Surf, I find it difficult to believe that you are only 13. Your level of understanding is impressive. I've been toying around with buddhism since 1960, and I consider your views quite advanced. I understand bongstar's notion of the chemical basis for feelings of "enlightenment." Chemistry is a COROLLARY of all experience, but not its cause. I would say, however, to X-surf that the notion of "attachment" is not only that it is something to avoid as a way evading "disturbing emotions." Attachment (not detachment) must be transcended because every attachment is a false confirmation of the "reality" of Ego, and it is this false "reality" that causes our fundamental disattisfaction with life (dukkha). At least this is my understanding for now.