Comments for Dang Zang

Comment on What do Buddhists with pets think about euthanasia? by Dr. Pam Young

Dr. Pam Young — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:58:21 +0000

The hardest part for me is being pushed away by the one who always comforted me when I am wanting to be there for him in his last days. My vet assures me he is in no pain, and for that I am grateful. But seeing him withdraw further and further when he won’t let me comfort him is excruciating.

Comment on More on the Maitreya flake by Koobor

Koobor — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:18:42 +0000

Dear Alex,

Congrats and thank you very much for this excellent job !

Of course, this Ronald Lloyd Spencer is a big fat liar. I went to Kabshi (Tibet) 2 times, bringing warm clothes and money from a tibetan association to help the local Rinpoche to build a health center for nomads.

A few days ago, I saw that “Buddha Maitreya” website and I was deeply shocked to see that this fat bastard could get the favours from the monks I met in the past. I don’t know what he told them to be treated like this but of course, everything is wrong.

I intend to go back to Kabshi in a near future and be sure that I will tell everything to the monks about the scam. I will warn them about this sort of people.

I hope that Mr Spencer is enjoying his present life because the next one will be more difficult !

Best regards,
Koobor

Comment on More on the Maitreya flake by Alex W

Alex W — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:31:24 +0000

Dear Marci,
I’m not sure why you choose this particular place to ask this, but anyway, the answer is *fairly* simple.
The 49 days are phases in the experience of someone who dies, particularly someone who has received the bardo teachings and practiced them. They are only notionally days – the time as it appears in our “ordinary” experience can be anything from a brief flash to a very long time indeed.
The date on which someone enters a new body therefore depends on many conditions, having a lot to do with what the person has habitually done, said and thought (their karma). It can, so to speak, be “mapped” onto those 49 days, and funeral rites for important teachers may well go on for 49 days. But the actual time can vary a lot, and there is not, as far as I know, any special significance attached to the time.
I hope that helps a bit.
Alex W

Comment on More on the Maitreya flake by Marci

Marci — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:32:38 +0000

I have come across something on the internet that the average soul remains on the bardo plane somewhere between 45 or 49 days. I seem to remember in documentaries and movies I have seen on tulkus that they are perhaps a year or two old when they are recognized. But are tulkus or Bodhisattvas thought to spend more time on the Bardo plane and if so what span of time is that thought to be. I guess I am thinking that a developing soul has to have many incarnations to get polished but a more polished soul might not return for a longer period. Is there anything in the Tibetan tradition or teaching of the tulkus that deals with this question? Don’t laugh, I am seriously wondering if anything has been taught about this.

Comment on What do Buddhists with pets think about euthanasia? by Chris

Chris — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:29:18 +0000

thank you to everyone for your insightful comments

Comment on A lion has been swallowed by Alex W

Alex W — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:13:35 +0000

Dear Idiot Buster,
Your third message was somewhat disjointed. I could not follow it, and have not published it. The case is now closed, unless you choose to come out from your anonymous status, when we could continue by e-mail.

Comment on A lion has been swallowed by Alex W

Alex W — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:32:10 +0000

Dear “Idiot Buster”,
Did you choose that name because you are “Buster the Idiot” or because you see yourself as a buster of idiots?
Since you have come back for a second round, it is clear that something is definitely bugging you about this, so I thought that perhaps I should give you a fuller answer.
To begin with, do not fear that I take your comments particularly personally – I don’t know how long you have been around the Internet, but perhaps you will realise that ad hominem attacks from people who do not even have the balls to even say who they are, but who imagine that they have direct insight into the personality, mind and life of their target are just part of what is out there.
As far as I know, we have never met, although since you don’t say who you are, I can’t be quite sure. It is not, I believe, difficult to see that I myself, my friends and people who know me, and my own teachers probably have more insight into whether or not I have, as you suggest, wasted my life and achieved no expertise or spiritual attainment. Perhaps I have, perhaps I haven’t, but in spite of my words in my first response, I see no reason to take advice from you.
You would have to explain what you mean by “serially attacking” Trungpa. A search of this blog tells me that I mentioned him once before, about three and a half years ago. Admittedly, there were critical words there, but I am pleased to see that I did indeed do what I always try to do, which is to stress that I also value some of the positive things that he did.
I would repeat that I am well aware that Shambhala publishers and Trungpa’s Shambhala organisation are two separate entities. You refer to the publisher’s founder, Sam Bercholz; I met him, nice chap. I’m not quite sure why you think I was mixed up between the two. I was also privileged to meet the 16th Karmapa and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (you might like to take note of the usual spelling), but never heard them comment on Trungpa. I am not sure how long you have been around Tibetan Buddhism, so I do wonder if you realise how remote is the possibility that major figures in the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy would ever break ranks. It doesn’t happen.
You criticise this blog as being “generality and waffle”. Fair enough. The blog does not have any particularly strong focus, I do not put a great deal of effort into it, and I do not have an axe to grind with it. If you find it boring, that’s fine – it doesn’t have a lot of readers, so there are probably plenty of people who share your view. The Internet is a big place, I’m sure you’ll find something you like out there.
The main point I want to make, however, is this: I have no problem with you or anybody else being a fan of Trungpa. Some of my friends are, for that matter. What I really do object to is the suggestion that speaking as we find is somehow “unspiritual”, and that anyone who criticises Trungpa or refers to his severe personality faults is proving themselves to be lacking in insight, spiritual capacity, or whatever it is. As for threatening me with the wrath of Ekajati – that is just laughable. I wonder how old you are.

Comment on A lion has been swallowed by idiot buster

idiot buster — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 02:02:59 +0000

You serially attack Trungpa but I think the Dalai lama, the sixteenth karmapa, Dilgo Khyentse Ricochet etc. were not wrong to to approve that terton as a major realized rare teacher as you try to slander his sangs and supporters. I also don’t believe you are telling the truth as you’re piece above on the merger is more about Trungpa and attacking him and students by name. Finally I am not annoyed but merely pointed out since you do not seem to have any insight or expertise to realize what you are doing primarily to yourself plus the fact that your site I’d basically generality and waffle.