Confronting Buddhism

ThailandTom

When I first started out with this religion, I sometimes would question it. I would see/read/hear things about cults and the trend was that they first made you believe that you were unhappy or depressed. So then I thought well Buddhism states that we are all suffering naturally, but then I thought for the most part Buddhism does not have a financial gain.

I have moved on from that thought, but I am curious, has anybody ever come across any evidence in a discussion or argument that would put doubt upon Buddhism? I am not saying I have doubts myself, I am simply curious.

genkaku

My guess is that if you don't doubt "Buddhism," you're not doing it right.

ThailandTom

Interesting. The dalai lama said that if you have any doubt about the buddha, the dharma or the sangha, you should step back and are not really a practicing buddhist as it will hinder your practice.

LesC

I have never read anything relating to the fundamental principles of Buddhism that hasn't resonated with me as a "universal truth".

:om:

ThailandTom

Dare I google 'why buddhism is false'' lol. See what pops up..

ThailandTom

Here is an interesting link. http://atheism.about.com/b/2009/05/28/whats-wrong-with-buddhism.htm

Sile

Buddhism itself doesn't claim Buddhism represents a whole, packaged, inviolable truth, because, like science, Buddhism isn't designed that way.

Buddhism is a system of mind-training, and, like science, requires "proofs." Instead of being told "A is A," you really (to have the best experience) need to work through the proof that "A is A."

I once had the thought that Buddhism is more like my high school geometry classes, rather than plain math, since in geometry we had to work through proofs before accepting a formula.

Unlike many religions, Buddhism allows for--in fact, encourages--students to examine the work of prior students, and overturn any theory (showing proofs) they feel is incorrect.

So if we say "Buddhism is false," what does that mean? Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism--all teach that the sun comes up in the morning. So I think we can't really declare any one religion "false," but rather can look at individual teachings in each religion and examine those for truth/falseness.

Of course one person's truth is another's falsehood, lol. My Adventist friends believe--and I once believed--that "only Adventists go to heaven."

justshea

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." Buddha

This alone brought me to Buddhism. At the risk of being a 'cafeteria Buddhist', I take what I need from Buddhism and leave the rest.

patbb

Here is an interesting link. http://atheism.about.com/b/2009/05/28/whats-wrong-with-buddhism.htm

"Much more dubious is Buddhism's claim that perceiving yourself as in some sense unreal will make you happier and more compassionate. Ideally,"

Anatta is difficult to understand, even harder to fully realize.

This is why trying to understand Buddhist philosophy without practicing and realizing from direct observation of phenomena doesn't work, and often lead to absurd conclusion like what i quoted.

clearly this person takes things in the first degree.
which is understandable for someone who have no education in a subject.
But a simple discussion with someone who understand this concept would have answered his simple and common questions.

He could have even found a psychologist, neuro-scientist-physicist who is also a experienced Buddhist fairly easily, i think that this kind of person would only listen to someone who has high academic pedigree.

newtech

Here is an interesting link. http://atheism.about.com/b/2009/05/28/whats-wrong-with-buddhism.htm

Hi, in my opinion not a good article. Im glad such bad points are the only critiques to buddhism by this person .


1)It starts stating that meditation doesn´t work backing up this by a doubtful "research". If that research exists, i hardly think its a reasearch of buddhist meditation, and of buddhist practitioners following all the linear training and methodology proposed by the Buddha.

2)"all that cognitive science has revealed is that the mind is an emergent phenomenon, which is difficult to explain or predict in terms of its parts; few scientists would equate the property of emergence with nonexistence, as anatta does.".

Anatta does´t mean "no existence". Buddhism doesnt equate the property of emergence with no-existence.

3)"Much more dubious is Buddhism's claim that perceiving yourself as in some sense unreal will make you happier and more compassionate. Ideally, as the British psychologist and Zen practitioner Susan Blackmore writes in The Meme Machine, when you embrace your essential selflessness, "guilt, shame, embarrassment, self-doubt, and fear of failure ebb away and you become, contrary to expectation, a better neighbor." But most people are distressed by sensations of unreality, which are quite common and can be induced by drugs, fatigue, trauma, and mental illness as well as by meditation. ... "

Haha thats some twisted idea. How being selflessness can be translated as "perceiving yourself as in some sense unreal"?. And later correlate this selflessnes -as "being unreal" - with distress caused by drugs,trauma and mental illness ?.

4) "What's worse, Buddhism holds that enlightenment makes you morally infallible--like the pope, but more so. Even the otherwise sensible James Austin perpetuates this insidious notion. " 'Wrong' actions won't arise," he writes, "when a brain continues truly to express the self-nature intrinsic to its [transcendent] experiences." Buddhists infected with this belief can easily excuse their teachers' abusive acts as hallmarks of a "crazy wisdom" that the unenlightened cannot fathom."

Buddhism its not in favor of allowing abusive acts as hallmarks of a "crazy wisdom" as stated.

5)"the very concept of enlightenment begins to look anti-spiritual: It suggests that life is a problem that can be solved, a cul-de-sac that can be, and should be, escaped".

Following that line science its also anti-spiritual, as it suggests life problems, and problem solutions. Now we have an atheist complaining on how religion its anti-spiritual hahahaa.





With metta.

Invincible_summer

The only thing that I have "doubts" - or just being plain unsure about - is rebirth. I like to think of it as a moment-to-moment type of deal, but I sometimes get the feeling that that's not the general consensus

SattvaPaul

I sometimes feel that Buddhism can be presented in a too negative way. The positive side of life is rarely emphasised. Something can be missing. Sometimes I feel too overwhelmed. It's a DIY religion. You're on your own. I have these feelings after 15 years of seriously exploring Buddhism. And if Buddhism is only one way of approaching truth, perhaps there is a better way that suits me?