any of you all every study eastern religions?

[e_wind]

I'm in an Eastern Mysticism class right now. We study Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen, Dao, Jain, etc. This is my 3rd class of the sort. I have to think of a topic for my  research paper. If anyone has studied this shit, help. please. It can basically be how any thing current/modern relates to an aspect of any of these religions. I hate broad assignments, I need to be told what to do. It can seriously be about anything. current events, music, cooking, rock climbing, guns, bath tub emoticons, chairs, murder, jim's hair, etc and something that is within one of these religions. I think his example was: how a comic book character is similar to Brahman, or may it was one of the less transendent diety figures. i dont know. doesn't matter. someone help if you have any knowledge. like i said, broad topics for papers are the worst for me:


one good thing about it, I only need a topic now, im not in a rush to write it. I dont put off work, luckily for me.

[Fully]

I'm in an Eastern Mysticism class right now. We study Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen, Dao, Jain, etc. This is my 3rd class of the sort. I have to think of a topic for my  research paper. If anyone has studied this shit, help. please. It can basically be how any thing current/modern relates to an aspect of any of these religions. I hate broad assignments, I need to be told what to do. It can seriously be about anything. current events, music, cooking, rock climbing, guns, bath tub emoticons, chairs, murder, jim's hair, etc and something that is within one of these religions. I think his example was: how a comic book character is similar to Brahman, or may it was one of the less transendent diety figures. i dont know. doesn't matter. someone help if you have any knowledge. like i said, broad topics for papers are the worst for me:


one good thing about it, I only need a topic now, im not in a rush to write it. I dont put off work, luckily for me.

Could you do one on how eastern mysticism influenced The Beatles?

[exist10z]

Fully's idea is interesting.

How about the connection between Zen and the Art of Motrocycle Maintenance?  That's practically already written for you. 

Seriously, so many different interesting ways you could go.  A deity/atheistic comparison of the religions.  How Western commercialism has co-opted Zen/Buddhism (the plethora of self-help books, yoga classes, trinkets, etc.) for profit.  The use of Zen and Buddhist practices to treat mental illness and substance abuse.

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

I've gotta go setup a studio in a minute but when I get home I'll upload a shitload of alan watts lectures on eastern philosophy.  way helpful.

quantum physics touches of some ideas spoken of in eastern philosophy. 

it's all about yin/yang.  consciousness, there is no real answer.  evil could be consider good, good can be considered evil, etc. 

I wish you could use christianity because that would so easy to rant about fucking up stem cell research, cloning, abortion, etc.  they're invasive to progress of the human race and science. 

eastern philosophy leaves room for science but it's equally as meaningless to followers.

life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, and one can never not desire.  for if you try to not desire you are desiring to not desire.

it's that sorta shit.  write a paper about the band nirvana and then when your teacher asks you wtf? say you were confused.

[zanjam]

The use of Zen and Buddhist practices to treat mental illness and substance abuse.

This is such an interesting topic.  My best friend is a DBT Therapist where they use Zen Buddhist principles to treat patients - mindfulness and being non judgmental are the first things they teach.  I also have a good friend from college who was really into drugs and went to rehab numerous times.  Eventually he got himself together and is now a well-known yoga instructor in LA and he teaches Yoga for Recovery classes.  Also, kids with autism and other disabilities benefit greatly from yoga.  So there is definitely some material in the Buddhism/yoga/recovery/therapy area that you can explore.

[exist10z]

The use of Zen and Buddhist practices to treat mental illness and substance abuse.

This is such an interesting topic.  My best friend is a DBT Therapist where they use Zen Buddhist principles to treat patients - mindfulness and being non judgmental are the first things they teach.  I also have a good friend from college who was really into drugs and went to rehab numerous times.  Eventually he got himself together and is now a well-known yoga instructor in LA and he teaches Yoga for Recovery classes.  Also, kids with autism and other disabilities benefit greatly from yoga.  So there is definitely some material in the Buddhism/yoga/recovery/therapy area that you can explore.

Yeah, DBT was actually the first thing that popped into my mind, but then I also thought about the recovery connection.  I think for both, the whole aspect of living in the moment and being accepting comes from Eastern philosophy.  Of course as Sticky mentioned, the whole 'life is suffering' comes into play as well, at least as it relates to being accepting of life's circumstances.

[Sticky Icky Green Stuff]

get stoned and listen to this shit:

www.mediafire.com/alanwatts

[e_wind]

Thanks, all.

Theses classes don't really have anything to do with my degree, but I some how how weaseled them all into my criteria for Philosophy major (they're relevant, at least) and I love them. They're such amazing classes, and stretch the mind like no other class I've ever taken.

[MarkW]

Jainism would be a difficult one to follow in the modern world, but they seem to be trying:

http://www.jainnetwork.com/Jains-and-the-Community-Ajainism_5/

I've seen that Jains in India gently sweep the path in front of them as they walk to ensure they don't inadvertently kill any insects, their resepect for life is that strong.

[Fully]

I want to read all of these papers. Write all of them. They all sound rather interesting.

[MarkW]

My best friend is a DBT Therapist

Drive-by Truckers? 

[MMJ_fanatic]

I read part of the Bhagavad Gita once, does that count?