watching the breath / pain control / buddhism

# Breath Watching

I am amazed by how I can get carried off into thought even if I intend to watch my breath.

This is a sign that my mind is not under my control.

Does Healing Dao offer techniques which can allow me to focus on my breath without getting lost in thought?

# Pain Control

In my experience, only the Buddhists have demonstrated the ability to withstand pain, such as is shown in this picture of a monk immolating himself without signs of discomfort: http://www.openorigins.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/thich_quang_duc_-_self_immo.jpg

# Buddhism

Is Daoism the best practice? Are Daoists more spiritual than Buddhists? Are they more capable?

Is there a such thing as best? Certainly, there is no best physical practice — the marathon runners cannot slam dunk. The martial artists cannot pirouette. And mentally, the sociologists cannot solve differential equations. The mathematicians cannot write computer programs (at least not as good as us computer scientists 🙂

So when we come to the “spiritual” realm, the realm of the unseen but inferred, what is the correct thing to do? Unlike school, where there is a lesson and evaluation and expected progress, we dont have any guide for spirituality. And if we do choose a guide, why is he correct? And possibly that guide could be found out to be involved in unethical behavior. Me, I am involved in Shambhala Buddhism even though I have read the book “Double Mirror” which exposes some of their immoral behavior. Because I suppose moral and immoral are mental judgements which can lead to guilt and hangups…

# Any feedback appreciated!