Why Most Buddhists In The World Don't Meditate

Arthurbodhi

I find this interesting, what you think about it friends? Are you agree with it?

"It may be a surprise to many Americans, and even to American Buddhists, to hear that the vast majority of the world's Buddhists do not meditate. But it is true. Among the 250 million or so Buddhists alive today, only a tiny fraction have a regular meditation practice; this is true not just for Buddhist laypeople but even for many of the Buddhist monks, nuns, and priests in the various Asian countries where Buddhism is the main religion. Were things different in the past? Yes, there were times and places where millions of monks and nuns lived and practiced in monasteries where meditation was the norm, but the West's assumption that Buddhism and meditation are one and the same is a selective understanding. There is much more to Buddhism than meditation. Meditation is only one branch of the eight-fold path taught by the Buddha--a path which includes ethical teachings, intellectual study, and transformation of personality and character through wholesome attitudes and deeds."

Full article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lewis-richmond/most-buddhists-dont-medit_b_1461821.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

Blessings

person

Yes I find this true of Tibetans too. The lay population never attend teachings but show up for prayer ceremonies. I don't think monks in training really meditate much either, they mostly say prayers and study. Meditation is usually done on multi-year intensive retreats, I think they keep up a daily meditation practice later on though.

Invincible_summer

I know that Pure land Buddhism is the most popular sect in East Asia, which emphasizes prayer and ritual more than meditation or study.

DairyLama

Among the 250 million or so Buddhists alive today, only a tiny fraction have a regular meditation practice;

They are very naughty...

David

It took me over ten years of Buddhism to get into meditation but now it's alot more inviting.

AllbuddhaBound

If you go to a country like Thailand, 95% of the population is Buddhist, but by far, most of the people there do not meditate.

Now the monks? That is a different story.

driedleaf

Meditation seems more difficult to most people as opposed to other forms of making merit like giving donations, keeping virtues, and prayer. But actually meditation is the easiest and gives the most merit than all of those.

DairyLama

There is much more to Buddhism than meditation. Meditation is only one branch of the eight-fold path taught by the Buddha--a path which includes ethical teachings, intellectual study, and transformation of personality and character through wholesome attitudes and deeds."

But meditation informs and supports the path as a whole.

Invincible_summer

Meditation seems more difficult to most people as opposed to other forms of making merit like giving donations, keeping virtues, and prayer. But actually meditation is the easiest and gives the most merit than all of those.

I think also, to take a cynical view of things, these outwardly signs of merit-making show others how "devout" / "virtuous" one is, whereas meditation has nothing tangible to show off really.

Same thing applies to yoga (IMO) - people don't like sitting and meditating because it's "boring," and being able to show people how flexible/"good" you are at yoga shows how much time you've put into the practice. Sitting on a cushion and knowing inside that you're more happy isn't very impressive to others.

zombiegirl

Meditation seems more difficult to most people as opposed to other forms of making merit like giving donations, keeping virtues, and prayer. But actually meditation is the easiest and gives the most merit than all of those.

I think also, to take a cynical view of things, these outwardly signs of merit-making show others how "devout" / "virtuous" one is, whereas meditation has nothing tangible to show off really.

Same thing applies to yoga (IMO) - people don't like sitting and meditating because it's "boring," and being able to show people how flexible/"good" you are at yoga shows how much time you've put into the practice. Sitting on a cushion and knowing inside that you're more happy isn't very impressive to others.

Hehe.

ZendoLord84

Meditation seems more difficult to most people as opposed to other forms of making merit like giving donations, keeping virtues, and prayer. But actually meditation is the easiest and gives the most merit than all of those.

just add water

ZendoLord84

Meditation seems more difficult to most people as opposed to other forms of making merit like giving donations, keeping virtues, and prayer. But actually meditation is the easiest and gives the most merit than all of those.

I think also, to take a cynical view of things, these outwardly signs of merit-making show others how "devout" / "virtuous" one is, whereas meditation has nothing tangible to show off really.

Same thing applies to yoga (IMO) - people don't like sitting and meditating because it's "boring," and being able to show people how flexible/"good" you are at yoga shows how much time you've put into the practice. Sitting on a cushion and knowing inside that you're more happy isn't very impressive to others.

Hehe.

I love the picture....
briliant.

jll

buddha said 99.99% of the people will be reborn in lower re.
dont know whether the Thais fare any better.

If you go to a country like Thailand, 95% of the population is Buddhist, but by far, most of the people there do not meditate.

Now the monks? That is a different story.

jll

buddha said 99.99% of the people will be reborn in lower realms.
dont know whether the Thais fare any better.

sorry for the typo.

vinlyn

^ Buddha said 99.99%?????

ZendoLord84

I agree...

99.99% will be born in lower realms...

jll

Rebirth as a human being is extraordinarily rare (SN 56.48).

vinlyn

^ And, so what happens to you when you die and are not reborn?

jll

oh, if only you were so lucky.....

only arahants are not reborn. if i think will not be reborn, i would
live my life very differently. it is a fantasy to think that it ends at death.
no rational thinking would come to that silly conclusion.

^ And, so what happens to you when you die and are not reborn?

federica

Well @jll, until you know everything for sure, it's not up to you to decide who's silly and who's rational.
each must walk their path, and achieve perfection for themselves, before achieving the right to belittle others, huh?

ZendoLord84

i'm the best of all.
so I will be reborn as the sun and stars,
my lights will shine upon you all,

:P

federica

Can you give me a time-frame?
I'll get the factor 24 out.....

ZendoLord84

hahaha...
yes...
I will become 100 years old..
so that's 71,5 years from now...and a bit...
looking at the rate the planet is heating up...
you will need more than factor 24 my dear federica...

:P

federica

that's ok, i will be dead by then, and as i have no idea what happens after that, i don't care - to prepare.

Back to topic!

I_AM_THAT

If you don't want to meditate then don't... Don't judge others that do. Do what is best for you without prejudice and without judgement.

Arthurbodhi

@I_AM_THAT but I really meditate, and I don't judge other that don't do that but...
Maybe that advice is not for me and my ego was just trying to defense himself

Blessings.

Mountains

Thanks ZG! I just posted that to my FB account..

KuJiMieDao

Meditation seems more difficult to most people as opposed to other forms of making merit like giving donations, keeping virtues, and prayer. But actually meditation is the easiest and gives the most merit than all of those.

umm, I think "generating Bodhicitta" is one, among many, form of making merit as well.

ZendoLord84

I think the practise is about discipline without being to harsh on yourself and/or others.

andyrobyn

My thought is that a statistic like that one ... ie. Most Buddhists In The World Don't Meditate, could be due to inclusion of people who identify themselves as Buddhist by religion, however it doesn't play any significant role in their life, like many who when asked to identify their religion will name a christian religion ( maybe due to baptism or early instruction ), however do not practice it in any way.

vinlyn

My thought is that a statistic like that one ... ie. Most Buddhists In The World Don't Meditate, could be due to inclusion of people who identify themselves as Buddhist by religion, however it doesn't play any significant role in their life, like many who when asked to identify their religion will name a christian religion ( maybe due to baptism or early instruction ), however do not practice it in any way.

I think you're off-target a bit on how you're saying this. In Thailand, for example, Buddhism has a far bigger influence on daily life than it could ever have in the West. You see monks constantly, monks are included in many, many political/governmental ceremonies, there are roughly 34,000 Buddhist temples in Thailand (and they are central to almost any village, except in the south). Many people are obsessed with amulets of Buddha, there are magazines whose sole topic is Buddhist amulets or some revered monk. I could go on and on.

What I think you actually mean is that their mode of Buddhist practice doesn't agree with what you value in Buddhism.

andyrobyn

Hi vinlyn, I was really not making any value judgements and certainly not making any critique of how anyone practices as a Buddhist. It was more a suggestion about how statistics can be misleading.
I have visited Thailand several times and have seen what you are talking about.
In the same way though, what I am saying is that western society is very christian in many ways and is arguably still influenced by christian values and traditions - for example the big hoo ha around easter and christmas. If pushed to identify with any religion, I suggest that possibly ( and arguably !! ) most Australians could identify with christianity for this reason alone ( it is just an idea rather than something I hold onto as a belief !!! ).
I do recall reading in the popular media here that the religion most people say they identify with in Australia which is growing the fastest is Islam .... we are a very multicultural place.

vinlyn

^^ Cool.

I don't have a problem with America having sort of a split identity. We were founded on Christian roots. I just want it also to be a place where there can be diverse religions that are respected, as well.

Floating_Abu

Regardless of what every other Buddhist or Saint is doing in the world, if you want to practice Buddhism, I recommend you meditate.

Best wishes,
Abu

slowmichael

Very interesting, i recently read a book written by a Belgium zen teacher (i live in Belgium) in this book he also stated that buddhism in europe america tends to concentrate a lot more on meditation then in other parts of the world.

I would not call myself a buddhist although i do some gentle and short meditation and i try to live following a buddhist mindset.

In general i try to be more aware of what i am doing instead of doing things and thinking about other things.

I used to have outbursts of anger towards my wife and kids, that is almost never happening anymore. I realized that these outbursts where just adding more acid too our family life and made my kids my wife but also myself feel miserable. Karma in action. Now i can stay calm and think and workout a solution, that is great, thank you buddhism.

That insight did not come from meditation but from reading a lot about buddhism.

I do respect people that meditate a lot, personally i find it very hard to do. It always is a struggle, so i do it gently and short.

Once went to a zen sangha and did zazen for one hour it drove me nuts. And yes i saw all my demons and aversions there and then but it was more than i could take and i did not feel well after this session.

I would like to meditate more i can see the benefits.