Category Archives: Philosophy

Philosophy by definition is the study of reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. While I am not religious or endorse Buddhism, I think there is a valid reason why the ethics, moral and self discipline of Buddhism has taken an important role in modern Western clinical psychology and even clinical physiotherapy (physical therapy).

Philosophy

Identifying, analyzing and controlling our thoughts

If we want to avoid disasters or calamities made by ourselves, we have to stop to put ideas in our head. The moment we stop an idea arising, the moment is called “True Awakening”.

There are all kinds of garbage in our mind, if we want to purify our mind, getting rid of the garbage in our mind might be the first thing we have to do. What are the garbage of mind? Dirty and polluted thoughts, greedy thoughts, hateful thoughts, infatuated thoughts, worried thoughts, suffering thoughts, haughty thoughts, impudent thoughts, envious thoughts, indecent thoughts, heterodox thoughts, dreary thoughts, and hollow thoughts, these can be called garbage of mind. Continue reading Identifying, analyzing and controlling our thoughts →

Philosophy

How to Practice Buddhism

A Simple Guide for Beginners

Let me be perfectly clear that I am NOT a Buddhist nor I will endorse Buddhism. I know I posted that I will not publish any religious items on my site. However, certain parts of Buddhism has leaked in to our Western societies to the point that even at University of Calgary, if you request help for stress or exam/test anxiety, the doctors will first direct you to Buddhist meditation over pharmaceuticals. While the professionals in Canada do their best to remove the word “Buddhism” or erase any reference to Buddhism, often they prescribe mindfulness meditations, which is the core Buddhist mediation for lay practitioners. In recent years, Buddhist mediation classes are offered to school children in the Western world from the elementary school to college level at the expense of government tax funds. (e.g.; Canada, Germany, California(US), Australia, UK and New Zealand)

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Opinion, Philosophy

Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion?

Several people asked me whether or not Buddhism, a popular belief system in Asia, can be consider as a religion. Several high profile academics from both the East and the West argued one way for the other. Some even called in a cult not because they hate Buddhism, but because it is a heated debate how you place Buddhism in this well organized educational structures. I used to have several documents on my website on Buddhism. After I enrolled in university, I decided to distance myself a bit from Buddhism because while I agree with the psychology and psychotherapy side of Buddhism, I do not agree with the social practice of Buddhism in Asia. I do not consider myself as a Buddhist, but if I have to pick a so called “religion”, it would be Buddhism. Continue reading Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion? →

Philosophy

The philosophical side of me

I am depressed on my performance in Faculty of Science courses required for my degree program for over two years now. What is exactly happiness? First I thought happiness has to do with how much “stuff” I have in my position such as my servers, my computers, the network I have, the brand Blackberry Bold 9900, etc. Then I changed my mind and thought that may be education is the key to my happiness, where I can be very successful in life with financial and social stability that comes with a Continue reading The philosophical side of me →