I think I may have taken non attachment further than it was intended. I became very wary of any desire (since they are said to cause suffering) and so, eventually, reached a strange plateau....although I had, indeed, achieved serenity it was at the expense of feeling alive. I felt like I was watching life play out from the wings. I drew a picture of it (at that time), depicting this; the 'players' (public) being multicoloured and myself, composed but grey in colour. It got so that I questioned myself in wanting to phone a friend, i.e. saw it as a weakness/a desire not to be cultivated.
I needed to learn detachment from my emotions at the time since I was prone to unrequited love, which was very painful. I mastered that skill so have taken something away from it.
The last straw though - that culminated in my no longer being a practising buddhist as such - came when I was told that I would have to incarnate as a man in order to achieve enlightenment! This felt both false and a cultural addon, i.e. not intrinsic to the original teaching. I still practise mindfulness and, generally, have a high regard for Buddhism, especially in its cultivation of compassion.
Indeed, that's an example of one of the reasons that I don't ascribe to all the Buddhist practices of any particular Buddhist style. There's too much nonsense been attached to the original teachings. If you were told you had to "reincarnate as a man" to achieve enlightenment then that is a corruption of the teachings around the samsara circle of life and rebirth. Those teachings refer to enlightenment only being achievable through our human form, and not as an animal, or demi-god or one of the other incarnate types in the teachings. "Human Form" does not equal "man", so I can only suppose that that person or school has corrupted it either through their own misunderstanding, or deliberately to impart a method of power or control over others, which is itself an attachment, so they would therefore not be practicing what they preach.
As a sideline.... Once of the best books I've read in relation to Buddhist teachings, is the "Journey to the West" (the full approx. 2,000 page (and very small text) version - https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Journey-West-Chengen-Wu/7119016636 ) which is what the Japanese TV series Monkey Magic was based on. There are other versions available such as the Penguin Classics version (which I also have) but they miss most of the important detail.
As a sideline.... Once of the best books I've read in relation to Buddhist teachings, is the "Journey to the West" (the full approx. 2,000 page (and very small text) version - https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Journey-West-Chengen-Wu/7119016636 ) which is what the Japanese TV series Monkey Magic was based on. There are other versions available such as the Penguin Classics version (which I also have) but they miss most of the important detail.
I have this as a Chinese comic book! (I have other versions as well.) Chinese Buddhism is, of course, rather different from other forms - particularly the rather messed-about Western versions. As Buddhism moved eastwards into China, all the bits that didn't fit with the Chinese belief systems got dropped rather. It's more usual to describe it as syncretic than anything else.
Buddhism - Karma
Not in the sky, nor in the midst of the sea,
Nor by hiding in a mountain cave:
No place on earth is to be found
Where one might escape one’s wicked deeds.
Am I wrong to live in hope this will relate to x daughter in law.
Hello, anyone interested in Buddhism ?
Are you still there, Elen?