Alan Watts: Don't take life too seriously

Don't take life too seriously. Alan Watts explains why

There's meaning to it all: This video will find you when you most need it | Alan Watts 2025

Hindu holy cows? (Praveen Mohan)

(Danny Jones) The shocking historic reason why Hindus worship holy cows | Praveen Mohan

Alcohol, religion? The Buddha: abstain

Drinking in accordance with Mediterranean Diet means virgin olive oil not liquid ignorance.

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Cold Christian monks consume weak wine.

Religion and alcohol have a mixed up history. The world's religions have had different relationships with alcohol, reflecting diverse cultural, social, and spiritual practices across different traditions.

Some religions are strict in prohibiting consumption, viewing it as "missing the mark" (sin) and harmful to spiritual and physical well-being, whereas others incorporate it into their rituals and ceremonies because, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Come get drunk with me, Flanders! - God, no, Homie

Booze can't be bad. Drunk Whitey's going to heaven!

Throughout history, toxic alcohol has held significant roles in religious observances, from the use of "sacramental" wine in Christian sacraments to the offering and moderate drinking of omiki (sacramental sake) in Japanese (shapeshifter-taming) Shinto purification rituals.

O, Buddha, should people avoid alcohol?

Buddhism calls on practitioners to avoid consuming alcohol (surāmerayamajja, referring to the types of intoxicating fermented beverages), as it violates the 5th of the Five Precepts, the basic Buddhist code of ethical conduct as it disrupts mindfulness, leads to negligence and heedlessness, all of which impedes one's progress along the Noble Eightfold Path [2] to serenity, insight, enlightenment, and the blissful liberation of nirvana.

Bacchus pour wine for panther

Christian attitudes towards alcohol shift all the time, with some sects and denominations advocating for moderation, while others promote abstinence. The use of sacramental wine in religious rites, such as the Eucharist, underscores a symbolic significance within Roman Catholicism (and the Vatican) as well as subsequent Protestant Christian theologies, to say nothing of more original Coptic and Eastern Orthodox views.

Hinduism in Śruti texts, such as the Vedas and Upanishads, says consumption of alcohol and/or intoxication is considered as a recipe for weakness, while in Smriti texts, the verses contradict each other and allow the use of alcohol for some castes, but remind everyone that total abstention is better.

Temperance or premature death?

Islam says the consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited, according to Muslim teachings, reflecting its foundational role in shaping Muslim identity.

Across various religious traditions, attitudes toward alcohol mirror broader societal norms and values rather than strict adherence to religious texts since society is more influential in shaping individual behaviors and attitudes than religion.

Research on the correlation between religiosity and alcohol consumption reveals the complex interplay between religious affiliation, cultural context, and drinking patterns. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for informing public health initiatives and interventions aimed at addressing alcohol-related issues (like alcoholism, domestic abuse, child molestation, sexual misconduct, theft, negligence, injury to reputation, cancer, mental illness, morbidity, obesity, dementia, and so on) within specific religious communities.

Drink up, Dumb@ss. We love rounding you up.

As societies grapple with the complexities for profit alcohol consumption (which makes many private companies rich while costing society inestimable harms), further exploration of the intersection between religion, culture, spirituality, and health behaviors provides insights into how individuals navigate their spiritual, religious, and social identities concerning alcohol.

Buddhism is not a monolith with two major schools, the back-to-basics Theravada (that follows the teachings (-vada) of the historical Buddha and his enlightened disciples or (theras-) and the more scattered Mahayana ("great boat," which makes up 90% of Buddhists). Tibetan Vajrayana, while spoken of as yet another school, is subsumed as a Mahayana sect.

Alcohol use in Vajrayana

In Tibetan Buddhism

Bodhisattva Avalokita, Sri Lanka

There are various Buddhist "tantric" (esoteric) schools or traditions, claiming their goal is attaining enlightenment, which go by different names [Note 1] such as

• Vajra-yana,
• Secret Mantra, and
• Mantra-yana [3, 4].

The Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition has been dominant in Tibet and other Himalayan regions [3] (Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Mongolia, etc.) because Tibet was once an empire.

That tradition first spread to Tibet in the 8th century and quickly rose to prominence [5]. The Tibetan Buddhist tantric teachings (heavily influenced by Brahmanism and Hinduism from neighboring India) have recently been spread to the Western world by the Tibetan diaspora.

Nepalese Newar Buddhism, meanwhile, is still practiced in the Kathmandu Valley by the Newar people. The tradition maintains a canon of Sanskrit Buddhist texts, the only Buddhist tantric tradition to still do so.

Let's party like they do in India

In Tibetan Buddhism, it is traditional to offer a tsok (Tibetan for ganachakra) to Padmasambhava or other deities, usually gurus, on the tenth lunar day, and to a form of dakini such as Yeshe Tsogyal, Mandarava, or Vajra Yogini on the 25th lunar day.

Generally, participants are required by their bond or vow (samaya) to partake of meat and alcohol, and the rite tends to have elements symbolic of coitus (sexual intercourse), making it more reminiscent of pre-Buddhist Bon (Tibetan shamanism) black magic.

Traditions of the Ganachakra liturgy and rite extends remains of food and other offerings to alleviate the insatiable hunger of the hungry ghosts (including alcohol, which they intensely crave (as drinking and other harmful karma brought on by drinking is likely what led to rebirth is the intensely miserable Realm of Hungry Ghosts or preta-loka), genius loci (protective spirits or local genies the djinn), and other subhuman entities [6].

Zen koan: A little sake makes a lotta sense?

The [rationalization for the] use of these harmful substances is related to [a kind of deluded sophistry that rationalizes that] the non-dual (advaya) nature of a Buddha's wisdom (buddha-jñana) [sees nothing as inherently good or bad].

Since the ultimate state [in Hindu-influenced Mahayana thinking] is in some sense non-dual, a practitioner can approach that state by "transcending attachment to dual categories such as pure and impure, permitted and forbidden" [sinful or blessed, harmful or healthful, leading downward or upward, advised by the historical Buddha or condemned, practiced by fools or the wise, leading to more samsara or to liberation].

Bodhisattva Maitreya as a Central Asian king

As the Guhyasamaja Tantra [misleadingly] states "the wise man who does not discriminate achieves Buddhahood" [7] [because as no one ever said, the Bodhisattva (the "being bent on supreme enlightenment") attained buddhahood by doing just whatever and not discriminating.

It is exactly because that being, wishing to become a buddha, discriminated then pursued the path [Ten Perfections] that leads to the good that he eventually reached supreme enlightenment with the ability to teach and establish the Dharma in the world again after an unbelievably long period of darkness]. More

• Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Buddhist stupas atop Hindu temples?

Buddhist stupas originated as burial mounds with statues of person inside, Central/North Asia

Eventually, the massive mounds covered treasure and funerary remains with no statues.

Kurgan and stupa, tumulus of Bourgon, France, neolithic period: spread to Europe

World-famous Buddhist stupa at Sanchi, India, revered by circumambulation (msn.com)

Buddhist Afghanistan, ancient Gandhara, land of the Scythians/Shakyian, rock cut stupa

Some stupas are hollow by design, serving as extraordinary temples and tombs, which gave rise to ever fancier pagodas in East Asia. This is an ancient vault in icy Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia

Theravada Buddhist monks admire magnificent stupa, Sanchi, India (robertharding.com)

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What are Buddhist stupas? It is clear that temple structures throughout Indonesia and Cambodia have Buddhist and Hindu elements because kings and dynasties who built them were honoring the Dharma and mythology of various blended traditions. Some temples became completely Buddhist but may have begun as Hindu or a syncretic mix of both with Jain elements as well. These three are the Dharmic religions, which were blended as Brahmins/Hindus subsumed the radical breakaway "wandering ascetic" (shramana) Buddhist and Jain movements into their staid, Brahmin priest, post-Vedic umbrella religion. Now both historical figures are categorized as avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu, which is a nice way of dismissing them and anything they said against the Vedas or the views of Brahmins. Both the Buddha and Mahavira were aware of the ancient Vedas and rejected them as a source of ultimate spiritual knowledge, advocating instead direct experience of the Truth. What is the Sanatan Dharma (Eternal Doctrine), the books or the Truth those books attempt to convey? The Buddha and Mahavira were shamans and seers who could directly see the Truth and taught doctrines for others to directly see it.

Buddhist stupas found in Hindu temple of Prambanan? Indonesia’s earthquake

Modern Buddhist stupa in Sedona, Arizona, also houses relics.

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Super-ancient stupa ruins in the US? (CDA)

(PraveenMohan) Oct. 3, 2024: In the ancient Prambanan temple, a Buddhist stupa-like structure is seen on top of temple towers. One is now found lying on the ground after a strong quake brought it down to the ground. Rather than placing back, it is protected by a fence and a plaque was placed next to it. What is it doing there?

An interesting event happened in 2006. An earthquake struck Prambanan temple, and this structure, the temple's capstone, broke off and fell. Prambanan is adorned with similar structures that look like stupas (reliquaries).

However, the Javanese call them ratnas (ratanas in Pali, “gems, jewels, treasures”). What is inside them -- precious funerary relics (sharira) or common gemstones? Let's investigate.

Whatsapp Channel: whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9U... Instagram: praveenet. Facebook: praveenmohanfans. Twitter: iampraveenmohan. Email ID: info.praveenmohan@gmail.com. Patreon account for support: praveenmohan. Join the channel to get access to perks: @realpraveenmohan #praveenmohan #indonesia #prambanantemple

The Dalai Lama's message to Jews (video)

The 14th Dalai Lama (dalailama.com); Sheldon S., Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Dalai Lama greets Jew, Judah Hyam Synagogue, New Delhi, India, 3/31/09 (Tenzin Choejor)

Who's this little guy, a Jew?

DESCRIPTION: The 14th Dalai Lama interacted with Jewish gap year students from the USA and Israel at his residence in Dharamsala, state of Himachal Pradesh, India (Bharat) on January 28, 2019. After his talk, he asked for and answered questions from the audience.

• Venue: Himalayan residence, India
• Date: January 28, 2019
• Duration: 37 minutes
• Language: English
• Ram Dass's Jewish legacy after India

Early on, the Dalai Lama went to the USA and met Hopi tribe American Indians (1979).

Sanskrit: The Most Scientific Language

Thinking Allowed TV  via videopostman, 1/31/11; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Sanskrit Language: The Most Scientific, Ancient, Spiritual

Most beautiful Hindu, Julia Roberts

(Videopostman) Thinking Allowed: "Sanskrit Tradition." Location: Israel. Prof. Dean Brown points out that most European languages can be traced back to a root (proto) language that is related to Sanskrit, the sacred (liturgical) language of the ancient Vedic Brahminical/Hindu religions of India.

Many English words actually have Sanskrit origins. Similarly, many Vedic religious concepts can be found in Western culture. Prof. Brown discusses the fundamental idea of the Upanishads -- that the essence of each individual, the atman (soul, self), is identical to the whole universe, the principle of brahman (the "ultimate reality").

In this sense, the polytheistic traditions of India can be said to be monistic or monotheistic at their very core.

CREDITS: rapidshare.com/files/396948324... Thanks to ThinkingAllowedTV for allowing upload of these videos. Visit the Thinking Allowed website at thinkingallowed.com and its YouTube channel at 

thinkingallowedtv. Copyright (C) ThinkingAllowed.com

"South Park" on religion (video)

Wisecrack Edition, The Philosophy of South Park on Religion; Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly

"Family Guy," funniest show in the US?

Entertain the Elk, 8/29/17; Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

This is an exploration of the history of Family Guy and the infamous episode that killed the central character and therefore seemed to be trying to kill the show.

• Patreon - patreon.com/entertaintheelk
• Instagram - @adamtinius
• Twitter - @EntertainTheElk
• Website - entertaintheelk.com

MISCELLANEOUS FOOTAGE: American Dad, Arrested Development, Family Guy, Inside the Actor's Studio, Larry & Steve, The Life of Larry, The Orville, The X-Files, "Animating 'The Family Guy' and 'American Dad,'" "Family Guy Live & Uncensored Table Read," "Family Guy Panel at Comic-Con 2017." MUSIC: "Bedtime Stories" by Ross Bugden, "The Breakup" by Walter Murphy, "Get Out" by Melmo Sound (CC), "I Never Met the Dead Man" by Walter Murphy & Ron Jones, "Never Be Scared of Thunder Again" by Walter Murphy, "Sad Emotional Storytelling Hip Hop Instrumental" by ThatKidGoran (CC).

My Search for God: Ken Commandments (book)

Ashley Wells, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Goodreads.com; Ken Baker; Crown Pub.

The Year of Living Biblically

Ken Baker is an American journalist, author, former pro athlete, and television news personality.  He is the senior correspondent for E! News as well as the host of E! Online's daily Web show Live From E!. He went from Catholicism to explore Buddhism and secular practices in an attempt to get back to his roots in the imperial Church. Will he get back to the bosom of the Mother Goddess/Virgin Mary? Will the Father God smite him for straying like the prodigal son? Will the Son of Man show his infinite mercy and forgiveness? Read it and find out. Here is a FREE book offer from Crown Publishing via Goodreads to find out.

 
The Ken Commandments:

My Search for God in Hollywood

An E! News star mixes memoir and investigative journalism in his own version of A.J. Jacobs' excellent and Wisdom Quarterly recommended The Year of Living Biblically. 

It chronicles his own [Jewish] spiritual journey as he investigates the religious lives of the rich and famous in Hollywood. 

Ken Baker, the L.A.-based senior correspondent for E! News and E! Online, has worked in Hollywood for 20 years, hobnobbing with multi-millionaires and interviewing movie and TV stars on a regular basis. 

Native American ghost dance

In that time, in the land of fairy tales and double-dealing, Baker had in many ways become one the materialistic and carnal people he never wanted to be, abandoning his Christian heritage and losing his spiritual center in the process. 

Finding himself alone and confused one night in Las Vegas, he has a spiritual awakening that puts him on a journey to find God [or more likely GOD/Brahman rather than Brahma/God], not only in himself, but in the celebrities who lives intersect with his on a daily basis. 

In this book, Hollywood meets the spirit of A.J. Jacobs, as author Ken Baker sets off on an experiment that will bring him closer to the spiritual lives of the rich and famous and in the process help to reveal the light and dark of Hollywood in new ways.
 

Meditate: Go on retreat

From New Age spirituality, to Bible-based Christianity, to Buddhist retreats, to meditation classes, to atheism studies, to the mega-church of the nation's top TV preacher, Baker will immerse himself in a diverse range of spiritual practices side by side with the celebrity set, revealing a world that is deeper and more GOD-centered than you'd ever imagine. More

 

Book giveaway for The Ken Commandments from Crown Publishing (goodreads.com)

St. Francis of Assisi: favorite Catholic (video)

Franco Zeffirelli; Stephen Lynch (HNP); Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows" - St. Francis of Assisi.

 

St. Francis and Buddhism

Our Buddhist novices are like little friars.

As Franciscans around the world commemorated the feast of St. Francis, [Friar] Stephen Lynch, OFM, who spent many years in the [East], wrote of the similar ideals and traditions of Franciscans and Buddhists.

That soldier is saving Issa from drowning.

He describes the self-giving and self-realization that are significant to both groups. The news of the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs brought attention to Buddhism, since it is said that the respected innovator and business leader found focus through that tradition.

St. Francis had in common with the Buddhists the importance of nonviolent love and commitment to peace, in practice as well as in theory.

• PHOTO: A Theravada Buddhist monk admires Franciscan art of Issa on the cross as Buddhists and Franciscans build interreligious bridges (catholicphilly.com).

Both Francis and the Buddha were ascetics of deep prayer [meditation, contemplation, and jhana]. Tennyson, in The Death of Arthur, offers this marvelous piece of spiritual insight subscribed to by both Franciscans and Buddhists:

“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.”

The Spanish call him San Francisco.

Prayer and work, nonviolent love, fasting, and detachment from the material world are integral to both Buddhist and Franciscan spirituality.

Francis condemned the Crusades [mass murder campaigns declared by the pope against Muslims] as being hungry for war and for the use of power to accomplish their goals for the "Holy" Land.

 

A famous Buddhist monk, Prof. Yokoi, rector of the Zen Buddhist Institute of Komazawa University in Tokyo, felt St. Francis of Assisi exemplified the three fundamental ideals of Buddhism.

Pope Francis honors the Buddha with Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monks (ivarfjeld.com)

 

Pope Francis makes Buddhist friends (cbc.ca)

He felt that St. Francis was a person without covetousness, without anger, and without delusion.

• [The Three Poisons in Buddhism are greed, hatred/fear, and delusion. Therefore, nongreed, nonhatred/nonfear, and nondelusion are the three great ideals.]

I'll send you all loving kindness.

I first met Professor Yokoi when we were together on a five-week Tokyo TV series on religion. We were discussing the things Buddhism and Christianity have in common. I learned two aspects of Eastern religion that were new to me.

I had not realized that Buddhism felt strongly about the abiding presence of the Creator in all living things.

• [NOTE: Buddhism does not in point of fact believe in "the Creator" although Maha Brahma, or the Great Supremo, is acknowledged as thinking s/he (brahmas or supreme-gods being neither male nor female but asexual) is that; the Buddha recognized that this brahma was not actually "the Creator" nor was there another.]

And also I had not realized the fact that, in Prof. Yokoi’s words, we are all brothers and sisters, sharing enlightenment from the same cosmic center of creation we Christians call God. [There is in Hindu-influenced Mahayana Buddhism an impersonal conception of GOD as Brahman, godhead, the Ultimate Truth behind the illusion of maya. That conception is beautiful but quite different than the generally accepted Christian view of a personal God.]
 

Revering all creatures

Thus have I heard. Bird is the word...

Francis intuitively sensed the indwelling of God in all things. [St. Francis more likely sensed the indwelling of GOD/Brahman in all things, GOD being the all, all of us and the universe collectively, our essential oneness and nonseparation.]

As such, each creature is worthy of reverence and became the object of St. Francis’ special courtesy and respect. Francis preached to the birds and animals as easily as he preached to his fellow human beings.

And his message was always the same: How wonderfully God [Brahman] blesses all creation; how all creation should respond to God’s love with praise, joy, and gratitude.

Contemplative Franciscans friars (fnp.org)

Prof. Yokoi told me he never went to Rome without also visiting Assisi (the birthplace of St. Francis), as he put it, “to breathe the air that gave the world a Francis of Assisi.”

 

Both Buddhism and Christianity insist that all creatures are worthy of reverence. For the “Little Poor Man of Assisi,” each creature in its own way bore the image of the Divine Presence.

Take this, Father. - Thank you, venerable sir.

St. Francis’ approach to perfection emphasized the indwelling of God in all things. God’s Providential Love for creation stands as the key to peaceful human relationships.

Buddhist spirituality supports the same message. [It sort of maybe does but not quite. Hinduism and Catholicism/Christianity have a great deal in common without knowing it]. More

• Comparison of Buddhism and Christianity
• St. Francis of Assisi Ecumenical Retreat (Facebook)