My friend Irwen Wong of the Journey to the West Library blog wrote a lovely article about a historical monk named Zhu Bajie (朱八戒) that the pig-spirit Zhu Bajie (豬八戒) is likely based on.
I am BEGGING Atla fans to stop trying to look for some ulterior motive Aang had with not killing Ozai.Aang didn't kill Ozai-dosen't kill anyone at AT ALL and NEVER SHOULD and NEVER WILL because HE'S A BUDDHIST!!!!!!!! No geek ass who's never even eaten authentic asian food instead of weeb shit has a say in a millenia old eastern religion,no speakie pookie!!!!
Forgiveness is about making peace with reality. It means you let go of your inner resistance regarding present circumstances and what led to them. As a result, you are free to fully focus on how to move forward productively. Forgiveness does not mean that you approve of what you are forgiving. It is not the same as condoning. When you forgive yourself, it means you are being gentle and honest. When you forgive others, it means you are being compassionate and sane.
Harajuku Street Style Interview with Future Japanese Buddhist Monk Rei
Harajuku Street Style Interview with future Japanese Buddhist Monk Rei. Known in the Harajuku scene for mixing traditional Japanese fashion with modern elements, 19-year-old Rei comes from a family of generations of Buddhist priests. He's studying theology now, intending to become a monk and follow the path of his ancestors. Interview by Ticomeba.
Me: So, while men are not blessed with immortality like elves, it’s said that their ability to die and go beyond the physical world is its own kind of gift. The stuff about Beren and Luthien kinda throws a wrench into this, since she could apparently stop being immortal as a full-blooded elf anyway, which makes it seem like the elves just get a better deal period, but regardless, most of the elves ultimately go to the blessed land of Valinor, which is in the far west, but removed from the circles of the world.
The Pure Land Buddhist in my head: The place in the far west is not quite the final escape, but as good as it gets while still being a sentient being. Right…
Me: Valinor is also the home of the Maiar and Valar, godlike beings. A renegade Vala, Melkor, is the overarching villain, but the main villain of the books is a renegade Maia loyal to Melkor (at least originally), Sauron. Anyway, Sauron put a lot of his power into a single artifact, a ring. This ring falls into the possession of the protagonists of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and possession of the ring causes an obsessive attachment in whoever has it, and apparently allows them to live indefinitely, but it doesn’t bring them any real happiness or contentment.
The Pure Land Buddhist in my head: Okay, the circle/ring/wheel-shaped object keeps you miserably tethered to life and itself. The symbolism is a touch heavy-handed, but I can live with it.
Me: The author, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, was a devout Catholic, and while not overtly allegorical in the fashion of his friend Clive Staples Lewis’s Narnia books, many see a great deal of Catholic influence in the Lord of the Rings mythos.
The Pure Land Buddhist in my head: (spitting out the tea he had coincidentally just started drinking) Catholic?