#theravada

Sculptured head (stucco; 20.3 cm [8 in] high x 14.6 cm [5.7 in] wide x 14.0 cm [5.5 in] thick) of the Buddha, made by an artist of the Dvaravati culture in what is now central Thailand between 700 and 900 AD/CE. Much is unknown about Dvaravati, which may have been either a single kingdom or a collection of small kingdoms; its inhabitants likely spoke Mon, a language related to modern-day Cambodian (but not to Thai) that is still spoken in parts of Thailand and Myanmar. This sculpture will have served as decoration for one of the brick temples characteristic of Dvaravati.

Here are 100 rap albums released this decade that I believe are slept on/underappreciated. I mentioned possibly doing this a few days ago and at least a few people seemed interested, so hopefully it will be helpful for some of yall out there looking for something new to listen to. You may be wondering why certain artists/albums aren't on here, but I had specific criteria in mind when I made this - I only wanted to include albums that have under 500 ratings on rateyourmusic, and only included one album per artist. I assume most of you reading this are already familair with billy woods, Ka, MIKE, Mach-Hommy, Boldy James, Open Mike Eagle, Aesop Rock, McKinley Dixon, ELUCID, Earl Sweatshirt, Roc Marciano, and Cities Aviv but if you aren't, i definitely suggest you change that as soon as possible. As always, links are included below for each album, I always go with bandcamp if it's a available on there but if not i'll try to find the album on youtube. Chart with titles included Let me know what albums you think are underrated, and if there's anything missing from this list that you'd add. How many of these albums have you heard, what are your favorites? I'd love to know. Peace. 1. Sunmundi & Sasco - Contacting 2. Preservation & Gabe 'Nandez - Sortilège 3. Navy Blue - Gift of Gabriel: Rain's Reign! 4. Serengeti & Kenny Segal - AJAI 5. AJ Suede and Televangel - Parthian Shots 6. ShrapKnel - Metal Lung 7. Raz Fresco & Dibia$e - Secret Wars 8. Defcee & August Fanon - We Dressed the City with Our Names 9. Phiik & Lungs - Carrot Season 10. Theravada & Zoomo - Waste Management 11. AKAI SOLO - Only The Strong Remain 12. Ockham's Blazer - Ockham's Blazer 13. Mary Sue - CACOPHONOUS DIGRESSIONS, A RECORD OF A MOMENT IN TIME 14. Lee Scott - To Tame a Dead Horse 15. Nakama. - EMBERGO 16. KILLVONGARD - Life Is a Masterpiece. 17. Fly Anakin - Frank 18. Moses Rockwell - Until You Run Out of Cake 19. Ill Scholars (Mattic & Madwreck) - Ill Scholars 20. Small Bills (ELUCID & THE LASSO) - Don't Play It Straight 21. Oliver the 2nd & Heather Grey - Desert Camo 22. Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious - The Pride & Glory 23. Skech185 & Jeff Markey - He Left Nothing for the Swim Back 24. Cavalier - Different Type Time 25. Joshua Virtue - RAMA 26. Jam Baxter - Fetch The Poison 27. Bloodmoney Perez - Curses 28. King Kashmere & Eahwee - QUANTUM BANDS 29. Spook & Sadhugold - No Country II: Hell On Wheels (The Ballad of Isom Dart!) 30. YUNGMORPHEUS & Eyedress - Affable With Pointed Teeth

The Evolution of Buddhist Schools

Buddhism, founded by the Buddha around the 5th century BCE, soon diversified into various schools after his death. Though the Buddha opposed hierarchical leadership, his followers institutionalized his teachings, leading to divisions. The three main branches today are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, each claiming to preserve Buddha’s true vision but differing in practice and interpretation.

Key Facts

Buddhism began around 563–483 BCE with Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

After his death, followers split into three main schools:

Theravada ("School of the Elders") claims to maintain Buddha’s original teachings.

Mahayana ("Great Vehicle") emerged as a response, emphasizing a broader path beyond self-liberation.

Vajrayana ("Diamond Path") developed mainly in Tibet, focusing on natural, less rule-bound practice.

All schools embrace the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path but interpret and practice them differently.

Despite differences, they share a common goal of harmony and compassion, known as Ekayana ("One Vehicle").

Historical Context

Buddha instructed no formal leadership after his death, but his disciples quickly organized to preserve his teachings. Early unity gave way to disagreements on doctrine, causing fragmentation into distinct schools. These schools evolved across regions like India, Southeast Asia, and Tibet, adapting to cultural contexts.

Historical Significance

This early division shaped the rich diversity of Buddhism worldwide. Different schools emphasize unique practices but share core philosophies, allowing Buddhism to remain adaptable and influential. Today, their coexistence illustrates Buddhism’s capacity for inclusivity and spiritual harmony, engaging both religious and secular followers.

Buddhism’s history teaches us that even a movement founded on unity can grow diverse yet remain centered on shared values of compassion and enlightenment.

I have had someone I've known who was part of one of the larger world religions. In this person's religion, there were rituals that can be done in order to eliminate the effects of bad deeds. Think of it as like Catholic confession except this person was not Christian.

Lucifer was very frustrated to witness this person say something wrong about a friend of his and then in their defensiveness claim that if they had, in fact, committed gossip or slander that they would then proceed upon this ritual.

"The point of that ritual isn't even in the way she is using it," Lucifer said. "If you do something wrong, just don't do it again or try not to. If it has caused visible damage, own up and apologize for it. There is no ritual that erases the effect of your hurtful actions moreso than your willingness and commitment to healing the other party and improving oneself. That ritual is only an addition to your taking of responsibility."

Today he nudged me into reading the Maha-mangala Sutta from the original Pali canon of Buddhism, which is basically a ton of intellectual texts that try to teach Buddhists how to follow the Noble Eightfold Path that leads to Enlightenment. To summarize, it's a sutta that teaches the "highest protection" for a layperson. It lines up with what Lucifer has been teaching me: "Avoiding, abstaining from evil;

refraining from intoxicants,

being heedful of the qualities of the mind:

This is the highest protection.

Respect, humility,

contentment, gratitude,

hearing the Dhamma on timely occasions:

Thank you!

An absolutely wonderful question, and I don’t think it’s vague at all! Be advised that as a Theravada Buddhist there are some aspects of my faith and how I practice it that are significantly different from pop culture portrayals, which usually rely on Zen Buddhism and other such East Asian variations.

Before we start, I’d like to issue a content warning for brief mentions of sexual misconduct and/or sexual violence, which as a victim myself I understand can be very triggering. These mentions are exclusively in the context of the rules provided about such things in the precepts of my religion.

The most basic aspect of my faith in regards to its path and the world at large are the Five Precepts (pañca-sīla), which are the rules that apply to all practitioners including laypeople (meaning non-monastics, so anyone who’s not either a monk or a nun). They’re as follows:

1. Abstain from taking life (Pānātipātā veramaṇī): Refrain from killing human beings or animals.

2. Abstain from taking what is not given (Adinnādānā veramaṇī): Refrain from stealing or being dishonest in matters of property.

3. Abstain from sexual misconduct (Kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī): Refrain from irresponsible sexual acts that harm others.

4. Abstain from false speech (Musāvādā veramaṇī): Refrain from lying, speaking harshly, gossiping, or speaking divisively.

5. Abstain from intoxicants (Surāmerayamajjapamādaṭṭhānā veramaṇī): Refrain from alcohol and drugs that cause heedlessness and reduce mindfulness.

These precepts, rather than being strict and absolute commandments, are training steps (sikkhāpada) designed to create personal harmony and overall peace in society. The fifth is especially important because it is the belief of the faith (and of myself) that intoxicants are a breeding ground for violation of all of the other precepts. Note that not only are the pañca-sīla vital to be followed by laypeople but they are vital to be followed by all classes of Buddhist, monastics included.

The attitude toward the world that the Buddha prescribed for his adherents to have was one of great openness and compassion. For example, love in my faith is not an emotion but rather a state of mind that is both selfless and unattached (metta) and holds, most importantly, a desire for the happiness of all beings. Love, by design, is worldly for us.

However, it is also very important to note that within Theravada, the world is not necessarily a place. Rather, it is an impermanent process defined by the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) which Buddhists must escape through the application of disciplined personal effort. This effort, above all, is one to understand the ephemeral nature of all things, and to understand that reality is of three qualities: impermanent, full of suffering, and of the non-self (anattā).

Additionally, the anattā is a very important aspect of the faith’s view on human beings. No individual possesses a true “soul”, that being an unchanging and permanent essence. Rather, each individual is composed of five aggregates (skandhas) that are ever-changing, those being form, feeing, perception, fabrication, and consciousness.

The ultimate insight here is that, much like the world, the “self” is not a permanent entity, but an ever-moving process to be understood. You most certainly exist, but there is no such thing as a “you” in terms of a singular, solid self. There is no independent or permanent “you” because it is the nature of human beings to change.

In all this, the ultimate meaning of life (the universe, and everything /ref) is to achieve nirvana and cease one’s participation in the cycle of birth and rebirth. When you come to understand that permanence as a concept is not one that exists, or at least that it does not and cannot apply to material reality, you come to understand life itself. Your purpose is not to find yourself but rather to understand that the very idea of “yourself” is ever-changing and immaterial. You must be kind and mindful. You must be wise and ethical. You must make the conscious effort to understand or else you will never find what the real meaning of it all is. Nirvana can look different for every person, but its absolutely true meaning and only real criteria is understanding of immaterialism of the universe as a whole.

Thank you so much for the question! I love discussing my faith with people and being trusted enough with its meanings to be asked to explain is a great honor. If you have any clarifying questions or you just want to learn more about a particular concept, please feel free to ask!

i’m sorry it took me so long to get to this ask! i’ve been nervous to talk about what schools/teachings i follow considering how eclectic my practice is. i even hesitated to call myself a buddhist for a while. but every day i wake up and think of the Four Noble Truths and the middle way, and every day i pray to the Awakened One and ask for guidance. i take refuge in the dharma and read my sutras, and to me that’s enough. i hope this was an alright answer, and i promise any further questions about my buddhism will be answered much faster 💞💞💞

when i first turned to buddhism, my focus was actually secular buddhism— the idea that, reincarnation and Mara and all ‘mythology’ of buddhism aside, the Buddha’s teachings can lead to true happiness. this is where i learned the Four Nobel Truths, and started practicing the Eight-Fold path. though it was in a much more casual, introductory way than i do now. when my religious interest was piqued, i started learning about zen practices. when i really started diving into the suttas i found myself enjoying the pali canon and theravada teachings.