Theravada Buddhist

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say merry Christmas!

You both like buddhism.

You: hi

Stranger: hey there

Stranger: what's on your mind?

You: if you meditate.

Stranger: haha, I do, why? do you?

You: yep

You: do you know how to pronounce words in Sanskrit?

Stranger: most words

Stranger: why, something you're having trouble saying?

You: many things

Stranger: maybe I can help, although you can also look the pronunciations up online if the list is long.

Stranger: what's one of the words you have trouble with the most?

You: AA

You: I can't find my phone right now, but it has my flashcards

You: do you have skype?

Stranger: I'm not interested in skyping, sorry.

You: ok

Stranger: do you know what the words mean?

You: it's new, so no

Stranger: why are you studying sanskrit exactly? It sounds like it's for a test.

You: nope

You: just words to know buddhist teachings better

Stranger: ah okay, well you should probably focus on the meaning of the words above the pronunciation, no?

You: yes, but some words are so long

You: and others it's just so much easier to learn it by activating another part of the old noggin

You: speech

Stranger: ahhh, I understand

Stranger: as long as you end up knowing what the words mean in the end.

Stranger: I know it's new, but I'm surprised that you can't think of what they relate to.

Stranger: I'm not sure how you even learned that they existed without knowing what they meant in your own language.

You: I read about buddhism, and they come up--and I make them into flashcards

You: but sometimes youtube doesn't have someone say them

Stranger: but you're learning the core teachings at the same time, right? Like you know what the approach to things like suffering is, what meditation is about, the aims of non-attachment?

Stranger: It's fine if you don't, I'm just wondering what you've actually absorbed.

You: I think I have rudimentary ideas down

You: quiz me if you'd like

You: I would.

Stranger: you'd like me to quiz you? haha, I can if you want.

Stranger: well for instance, do you know about the three marks of existence?

Stranger: they're called the trilaksana in sanskrit

You: never heard of that before

You: just haven't

You: oh, but I'v heard of the

You: three words

Stranger: they're impermanence (anicca), dissatisfactoriness/suffering (dukka), and no-self (anatta

Stranger: there are a lot of lists in Buddhism, haha.

Stranger: how about the eightfold path and the 4 noble truths? those are pretty central.

Stranger: still there?

You: ya

You: so

You: a little sketchy on the eightfold

You: I think I memorized

You: the 4 noble truths

Stranger: what are they?

You: 1st

You: life is suffering

You: 2nd

You: suffering has a cause

You: 3rd

You: hugh, I don't want to say the wrong thing...

Stranger: haha, why not? You have nothing to lose.

Stranger: only understanding to gain, if you are wrong.

You: I'm going to falsely blame it on being too tiered and drawing a slight blank

Stranger: well the third is that there is cessation of suffering, the fourth that there's a path to that cessation.

Stranger: do you know what that all means though?

Stranger: or what the first two mean, since you knew about them?

You: ok...

You: just living, maybe not 24/7, but in aggregate

You: life is just a lot of "suffering"

You: whether that be studying for a test

You: or grieving for someone lost

You: so?

Stranger: well the first isn't really meaningful until you discuss it's origin.

Stranger: that's why the second is there

You: o?

Stranger: what is the origin of suffering?

Stranger: the cause, as you said.

You: yes, so there is no inherent suffering

You: it is always the effect of a cause

You: ?

Stranger: well the second is really indicating that all suffering shares one kind of cause.

You: didn't know that

You: please explain

Stranger: you might suffer as a response to your test, or you might suffer because you're in physical pain, but in both cases we're suffering because we're in a kind of emotional denial.

Stranger: So Buddhists say that we suffer because we're ignorant of nature (namely things like the 3 marks of existence), and so we grasp and crave, or have aversions and push things away, that's why we suffer.

You: can you recommend me some books please

Stranger: if you'd like to learn about these things directly from their original sources, there are sites online. One is called "accesstoinsight.org". It contains most of the pali canon (original texts, many of which were written not long after the time of the Buddha), and a lot of supplementary reading that can help you get acquainted with the ideas.

Stranger: If you want to keep talking or have any questions, I'll be back in just a minute, I have to change my laundry.

You: so you're Theravada?

Stranger: I'm back

Stranger: Most of my background is in Theravada and Madhamaka, the second is actually a Mahayana school.

Stranger: but yes, largely Theravada.

You: I was kind of thinking of leaning towards Mahayana

You: but

You: I know Theravada is for wisdom

You: while the other is more for community

Stranger: both can act in both capacities, sometimes it just depends on your disposition.

Stranger: you're right though, there's a larger emphasis on community in much of Mahayana.

You: (merely something I memorized)

Stranger: I gravitated toward Madhyamaka because there's an emphasis on ideas like sunyata (emptiness) in a way that other schools don't always delve into as deeply.

Stranger: but you can bring out these elements in most of them, at the end of the day, you have your own practice.

You: that is what I was planning on

You: how old are you--and how did you start out?

Stranger: 23, I have some Buddhists in the family but didn't really take an interest until I was a teenager, I started meditating and studying the Dharma, it gradually took on a life of its own.

Stranger: It was largely the philosophy and ethics, the methodology that drew me in at first.

You: yes, I haven't pinned it down

You: but something along those lines

Stranger: there's an emphasis on thinking clearly, without letting your inclinations push and pull you in different directions.

Stranger: that's what equanimity is all about, anyway. I like the idea of turning introspection into a practice.

You: love that word

Stranger: a justification for pacifism, too.

Stranger: haha, it's a good word, yeah.

Stranger: a better mindset, probing into it is a bit like pealing an onion.

You: altruism is what really pulled me in now that I think about it

Stranger: it's expressed in a great way, when you find the right sources.

Stranger: I've met some people that oversimplify things like Khamma though

You: ok, good to knopw

Stranger: they only talk about being altruistic in terms of future lives.

You: what?

Stranger: People will sometimes only refer to the idea that we must be altruistic for the sake of our next lives. Sorry, I have to get going, but good luck with your learning!

Stranger has disconnected

http://logs.omegle.com/a52aa13

philo

You: why truth?

Stranger: I'm in search of it

You: what philosophy do you read?

Stranger: lot of things, kaballah, zen buddhism, shamanism, soliphsism, atrosphosophy

Stranger: too many to count one by one

You: recently I mean

Stranger: I like bashar

Stranger: if you know that guy

You: sorry, I don't

Stranger: its something like all I counted combined

Stranger: how about u?

You: well

You: oh, sorry

You: to use to people initially asking how I am

You: I just finished

Stranger: I know lot of things about alternative philosophies so we can discuss what you like

You: a book about edu philosophy

Stranger: education?

You: in what sense do you mean alternative?

You: yes

Stranger: well something not completly rational

Stranger: non-scientific

Stranger: mythical, occultic

You: oh

Stranger: alternative to the view of reality people usually have

Stranger: like we are human beings on this planet doing some stuff eating working dying END.

Stranger: something other than that

Stranger: not sure if I made my point right

You: you did

You: can I have some more background on you as a person first though?

You: I'm 20

You: name's Adam

You: read philosophy, then took an intro to philo course, and still try to read it

Stranger: nick here, I'm 21, I'm pretty "normal"

Stranger: not a schizo or something

Stranger: just interested in these stuff

Stranger: I think there is more to reality than we are thought

You: any formal edu?

Stranger: IT bachelor

Stranger: last year

You: related to philo

Stranger: boring as hell

You: IT?

Stranger: nah

Stranger: informational technologies

Stranger: just personal interest, nothing proffesional

Stranger: there are some questions I need to answer, so philosophy is like a tool for my personal quest :P not something I'm going to use for living, like proffesion or something

You: same for me

You: or similar

Stranger: so whats your worldview?

You: what are your deepest personal quest?

You: mine...

Stranger: well knowing the answer to questions like: who I am, how does my consciousness really operate, where are thoughts coming from initially, whats the point of life, what was there before I was born and so on

Stranger: nothing unique pretty much common philosophical questions

Stranger: what forces operate universe

Stranger: dunno :P

You: ok

You: I don't know that I have a Weltanschauung (or really know what that means), just a vision for myself for now

You: my deepest is probably about the point of life

You: so

You: what ideas do you have now

You: about what

You: brings purpose to your life?

You: telos

Stranger: at my current state I think there point of life

Stranger: everythings pretty much neutral

Stranger: we give meaning to it

Stranger: imho

Stranger: there is no good or bad either, humans made that concept up

Stranger: so meaning of life to me is making it meaningful to me :P

Stranger: well, I think we are Ego

You: what
specifically brings purpose to your life?

Stranger: or egoistic desires

Stranger: thats all we are

Stranger: and fulfilling them

Stranger: gives us pleasure

Stranger: well its unique to everyone

Stranger: maybe the purpose to you is to live with your loved one, or make some scientific discovery, or become a good businesmen

Stranger: all that is equally worth

Stranger: since empirically everything is meaningless

You: what specifically brings purpose to your life?

Stranger: its all about perspective

Stranger: meaning of life can be knowing more of your self

Stranger: well I want to get rid of all my fears and complexes

Stranger: to find who I really am

Stranger: and find my highest point of joy and live it

Stranger: in my case it is romantic relationship with girl of my dreams for example

You: perfection

You: idealism

Stranger: well I would love to live with here somewhere on island

Stranger: and be away from everything else

Stranger: so to speak reality is what you persive, there is no reality outside your perception

You: what have you read about ethics?

You: or your general ethics philosophy

http://logs.omegle.com/7ddec99

Tracking

Stranger: tom

You: adam

You: age?

Stranger: 23

You: 20

Stranger: whats up

You: just was on OpenStudy math

You: then came here

You: just now

Stranger: lol needed a break from math

You: na, just didn't have much to ask

You: and I spend too much time helping people though easy

You: questions anyways

Stranger: ah what brings you on here

You: I've never really said this explicitly, and it sounds a little weird, but

You: to grow as a person

You: gain new perspectives

You: realize new skills to learn

You: share people's stories

Stranger: oh like meet new people and stuff like that

You: that's how it happens

You: so do you know a certain skill that not everyone knows?

Stranger: just how to track

You: animal?

Stranger: animals people anything that walks in the woods

You: aw, that is badass

You: I started a book about animal tracking...

You: but I didn't but in enough "dirt time"

You: for it to stick

Stranger: books really have nothing on what the older generation has to offer

You: what do you mean?

Stranger: books can only show you what might be there but someone who has been doing it all there life can show you way more

You: ya, but I'd have to pay them

You: Tom Brown Junior, if he's still alive has a course

You: sort of a course

Stranger: not really most time's if you go out to where the older guys hunt and talk to them for some time they well teach you

You: sweet

You: is that how you learned? but who specifically: uncle, dad, etc?

Stranger: grandpa, dad, people I've met

You: that sounds all right, but I think the only time I'd have a worthwhile shot (while not on private property) is during season

You: and don't most hunters just want to hunt, not really be bothered?

Stranger: most of the older guy who go out alone are looking for someone to hunt with since most of the time there own kids wont

You: oh....ok

Stranger: how I learned

You: so should I go out just during deer season?

You: when are other times?

Stranger: more during October during the bird seasons not deer

You: why bird? I've just thought about animal tracks...

16 prospective engineer from Brazil

http://logs.omegle.com/ae29b79

You both like learn.

Stranger: hello

You: hi

You: I enjoy learning almost everything, what do you enjoy the most?

Stranger: well right now I'm dedicated to learn English

Stranger: where r u from?

You: wisconsin US

You: it's the only real language I know

You: but I'm also playing around on Duolingo Spanish

Stranger: oh great, I'm from Brazil and I'm in duolingo too, but learning english of course

Stranger: so I'm really sorry if I make mistakes with the language

You: use any other tools?

You: mesmerize.com?

You: and your English is great

You: so far, I would've believed your from inside the states

You: if you said so

You: you're

You: look at that, I don't even know English well enough to avoid that simple mistake!

Stranger: ohhh thanks

Stranger: I'm really challenge my self with this

Stranger: I'm just 16, trying to learn english by my self, so it's kinda hard for me

Stranger: schools here really sucks

You: how so?

You: I took Spanish when I was about that age, don't remember much

Stranger: just watching tons of series haha

Stranger: and movies

Stranger: spanish is not my thing

You: yes, I figured

Stranger: so do you like us?

You: portuguese speaking people?

Stranger: no haha, sorry, I meant living in US

You: I guess. Haven't lived anywhere else besides Sheboygan (pop. 51,000) and the college town of my university

You: uwplatt.edu

You: both in wisconsin

You: never traveled internationally

You: but I'm getting my passport very soon

Stranger: so am I

You: do you plan to come here?

You: or where?

Stranger: I was going to try immigration process for US when finish college, but it's really hard

Stranger: so now I'm thinking about trying to Australia or Canada

Stranger: but I plan to visit US someday

You: wow, so actually living here? that's what you wanted to do?

Stranger: yes

You: I forget how good my circumstances are ~ take it for granted

You: what do you wish Brazil had?

Stranger: before answering your question, let me ask you one thing

Stranger: what image do you have of Brazil?

You: big city surrounded by lush forest; I also think of a photo I saw of a big skyscraper hotel or something and houses with pools on top--then right next to that are slums

Stranger: beaches and bikinis too? haha

You: also think of the huge Jesus on the hill & a video game near there with slum like houses

You: nope, I don't think of any beaches

You: tell me the reality

Stranger: haha ok

Stranger: well most of people that answer me that question describe me utopia with beaches, sun, pools, girls, party all day and stuff like that

Stranger: but it's nothing like that

Stranger: It's a corrupted country

Stranger: the economy sucks, education sucks, the quality of life sucks

Stranger: I'm not saying that other countries like United States, Australia or Canada don't have problems

Stranger: but it is so much better

You: ah, thank you for the insight

Stranger: in Brazil or you are really rich or really poor

You: I talk with a guy from Vitoria De Conquista

You: & I didn't know

You: anything more specific you can tell me?

Stranger: I don't think so, I'm sorry for bothering you with all this angry with Brazil

Stranger: sometimes I get mad haha

You: I wasn't bothered

Stranger: how old are you?

You: 20

Stranger: are you in college?

You: yes

You: uwplatt.edu

Stranger: what's your major?

Stranger: * I'm not sure if it's "major" the name haha

You: that is the name

You: electrical engineering

You: probably going to minor in math since it's only a few more credits

Stranger: oooohhhh awesome

You: who do you want to be?

Stranger: I intend to do electrical engineering too

Stranger: engineer *

Stranger: what a coincidence haha

Stranger: do you like?

You: I think I do

You: I'm just in it to where it will take me

Stranger: I'm choosing on electrical engineer or computer engineer

Stranger: I'm a senior and I recently got accepted on a computer engineer college

You: nice

Stranger: but I'm waiting for to be accepted on the electrical engineer

You: oh

You: good in math?

Stranger: I'm not a math genius, I'm just fine

You: I'm not either

You: find things to like though

You: then, you will grow to really enjoy calculus

Stranger: so I'm kinda worried cause of that, people are always saying that you need to love math for make engineer

You: I didn't love it, but I'm passing

You: don't worry

Stranger: I don't hate math, it was just not my favorite class

You: it's a love-hate relationship

Stranger: I hope so

You: mostly, get good professors

You: even if you have to get work study and become a part time student so you can get a good prof for the next semester

Stranger: work study in colleges here takes to long to happen

Stranger: just in the last years of college