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disrespect and non disrespect towards Buddha
After reading the thread about buddha statues in bars, I thought I would mention something most people dont talk about or mabe dont notice or care?
I think its disrespectful to have images and statues of Buddha in bars and clubs. You dont ever see a crucifix in bars. Least I haven't. But then how many people in those clubs or bars have on a cross necklace? and even strippers?
Heres something ive noticed...You hear "GOD DAMNIT!" all the time. Yet most agree this is very disrespectful. Even though Im a Buddhist I respect "God" and others beliefs not to say this.
But one good thing at least here in america you never hear people say "BUDDHA DAMN IT!"
And, again at least here in america we dont get much bashing from other religions or lack there of. Even atheists seem to basically respect Buddhist ideals and say as a philosophy its very beneficial.
So if you compaire the bashing Christians get vs us Buddhists we are almost off the radar and sort of on the sidelines which in my opinion is good and hopefully it stays that way.
And yes I am fully aware of some very horrific events in history where temples have been destroyed, monks been murdered, and many other things. But in current times things are fairly good .
I end this post with a question.
How would it make you feel if "BUDDHA DAMN IT" became the norm like "God DAMN IT" is today?
your thought?
I think its disrespectful to have images and statues of Buddha in bars and clubs. You dont ever see a crucifix in bars. Least I haven't. But then how many people in those clubs or bars have on a cross necklace? and even strippers?
Heres something ive noticed...You hear "GOD DAMNIT!" all the time. Yet most agree this is very disrespectful. Even though Im a Buddhist I respect "God" and others beliefs not to say this.
But one good thing at least here in america you never hear people say "BUDDHA DAMN IT!"
And, again at least here in america we dont get much bashing from other religions or lack there of. Even atheists seem to basically respect Buddhist ideals and say as a philosophy its very beneficial.
So if you compaire the bashing Christians get vs us Buddhists we are almost off the radar and sort of on the sidelines which in my opinion is good and hopefully it stays that way.
And yes I am fully aware of some very horrific events in history where temples have been destroyed, monks been murdered, and many other things. But in current times things are fairly good .
I end this post with a question.
How would it make you feel if "BUDDHA DAMN IT" became the norm like "God DAMN IT" is today?
your thought?
1
Comments
The other point is, Buddha isn't a "god".
Buddha never claimed to be nor wanted to be seen as a deity. So, Buddha dammit! just doesn't make sense.
You know- people say "Praise Jesus" or "Thank God!" all the time, and no one considers who believes or how that will be understood by others ... it's just taken for granted that it's a "positive" thing to say.
Yet when a bad guy/criminal is punished with the death penalty or struck down in some other way (police, accident, etc) many people praise Jesus or thank god that person got his just desserts.... Is that really any better than "god damn him"?
Many times instead of saying OMG! in texts or social media, I type OMB! (Oh My Buddha!), would that be considered disrespectful to Buddha as well? ::: shrugs:::
Words. Just words, not meant to hurt anyone...
Absolutely, words can be used to hurt and punish people. I understand that completely -and I always try to do my part to stop verbal bullies whenever I hear them or see them (on the internet).
I'm very involved with a few size acceptance / fat acceptance / Health At Every Size groups and forums, and I've become sensitive to how verbal bullies work to damage people; sometimes under the guise of "helping" or "concern".
But that being said, someone cursing or saying goddammit! is different than calling someone specific names or targeting someone with hate speech or verbal bullying.
YMMV
However, a bar owner and a stripper can also both be spiritual strugglers. At first it seems kind of ironic to see a stripper wearing a cross, but I wear one too and I'm no different in my condition and have similar struggles for sure.
As far as the cursing goes many people say things like that without thinking too much about what they are actually saying, so it’s more about the lack of mindfulness than disrespect, and it's actually rooted in complaining and blaming God for their misfortune, but that really isn't applicable to the Buddha, so I don't see that catching on.
My spiritual father told me when cursing is said in my presence to make the sign of the cross and respond with something like, "glorious is the name of our savior Jesus Christ", and at least some will actually begin to think before they speak and not say it at all, so through that a little mindfulness is accomplished and perhaps some corresponding results for one's immediate environment.
On a sidetrack note Ive always admired the foot and wheel symbol.
I have to concur @I_AM_THAT. I do not see why wasting negative emotional output and energy on feeling 'disrespected' but someone's choice of decor or wording is at all productive, towards yourself or the person/people in question.
Do you truly, honestly, and whole-heartedly believe this person/people are doing whatever they're doing to insult, disrespect, or harm you or anyone else? Do you think they really consider their use of whichever word or image disrespectful or perhaps they see it as more a symbol of something, some emotion, that may be similar to one you've felt when using those words or that image? Why do you, I, or anyone else get to dictate how they choose to use those words or images? What if they claimed your use of those words or images is disrespectful towards their being?
Seems a labyrinth of questioning that doesn't serve much purpose when you really break it down to it's essence. I would work more towards not being bothered by someone else's benign choices in life... but, I do that every day with mixed success! Not as easy as it sounds.
Whether it's a cross or crucifix or any other religious "item"...it's just an item. "It" won't know if you're disrespecting "it".
But if you really believe in compassion, you'll respect the people (and their feelings) who believe in the "item".
Also, the other side to that compassion coin is the fact that you fail to be compassionate towards others when you condemn and judge them for dismissing or disrespecting you or your religious items/idols/images/words.
Also, we are not entitled to receive respect from everyone as human beings. Sometimes we just don't get it, whether or not we feel we deserve it or in whatever way we feel we'd like to receive it. Getting attached to respect or emotional validation from those around us is a rocky road that never quite smooths out... Giving our kindness, compassion, understanding, and respect to others... That is something that we control as well as can give freely. Perhaps that is the more important point in all this?
Giving respect in order to receive it doesn't really pan out, hate to say. Giving to receive nothing always pans out... Living to receive does not leave you happy, because I feel you ultimately feel you've never received enough...
Sorry, rambling again!
Lately I've just taken to saying, "Bob Saget!" What are everyone's thoughts on taking
Bob Saget's name in vain? Somehow, I feel like Bob Saget would probably laugh, so I feel alright with it.
But to go to a Buddhist temple and climb all over a Buddha statue is rude and disrespectful to the Buddhists who believe in that religion and its icons. Why would you do it?
Rudeness is rudeness. Disrespect is disrespect. People ought to have some basic manners. And neither rudeness nor disrespect is compassion.
But that is not the point. The point of this discussion in the past several posts is not how someone reacts to what someone says or does, the point is what is the most conducive way to behave in society when you interact with other people, whether or not it has anything to do with their religion.
Are my words angry? Is my ability to see Christ in the devil herself or the Buddha herself being in touch with my more skilful side?
If I was really skilful, I would go to a strip joint and pay them money to put their clothes back on, that would cause some cussing karma . . .
:wow:
and then we have . . . Zen 'Sutra toilet paper'. Dharma and shit. We may have a possible product line . . . 'For when your practice is constipated and all you can do is sit in seclusion'
Would I use such curses myself? Probably - out of habit, but it's something I'm working on. OTOH, just about anything you say or do might be offensive to someone, particularly extremists, no matter how carefully one might dance around sensibilities. Therein lies a subtle nuance. Who is it you're offending and why?
well said.
What do others here think in terms of cursing as a "healthy" alternative vs practicing Right Speech?
In the context of MY own speech in relation to myself, my main concern with cursing doesn't lie in the words themselves but in the anger that has given rise to it.
Still, certain words I do not ever use particularly ones that have a very specific misogynistic undertone.
In the context of MY speech in relation to OTHERS, I try to remain aware of possible sensitivities that they may find offensive, even if it doesn't offend me.
In the conext of OTHERS speech, I have no control over what they say to me and I don't really *get* the idea of "taking offense." But others do, so if I stood in the company of others whose speech I knew offended the other party, I might try suggesting (gently) that the other party might take offense.
In a broader context, politically speaking, I may consider what someone says as rude, and I may say so, but I have no right to make a law saying "You can't say that just because it's rude."
Context always matters-- a blanket rule doesn't help.
But it is certainly not "right speech", and if you're going to throw away the Noble Eightfold Path...well, what's the point.
(I take them seriously but thats me..not that you said you dont)
And, we do have to remember that sometimes even within the Eightfold Path there is a matter of interpretation.
In other words, if you don't habitually swear, a good tirade will help ease the burden.
If you DO habitually swear, it's just same, old, same-old, and.....so what?
Buddhism provides tools for each person's practice-- my circumstances and weaknesses and suffering may differ from mine. So we each have a responsibility to our own lives and our interactions with others.
So the N8FP, the precepts and the various doctrines of Buddhism help guide one's AWARENESS of oneself and situations and in order to apply skillful action, speech and so on. The key to skillfulness lies in that awareness, not in just following Buddhist doctrines "by the letter."
To take these as commandments to follow, as an across-the-board absolute, I don't think of as skillful-- that could easily lead to behavior like a bull in a china shop in some situations-- which in the end does no one any good. I don't advocate mere relativism, but rather a raised awareness of each situation as it arises.
An important aspect of mindfulness to me means opening a space to listen to others. So we can learn to respond skillfully rather than karmically react to circumstances.
"Therefore, Mahamati, bodhisattvas are not attached to words but expound the teachings of the sutras according to what is appropriate. Because the longings and afflictions of beings are not the same, I and other buddhas teach different teachings to beings with different levels of understanding..."
~ Lankavatara Sutra (translated by Red Pine)
[2] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[3] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing & disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.
[4] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[5] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[6] In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing & agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings."
Thank you for sharing that! It outlines Right Speech in such a succinct way!
Speak only words that do no harm — Khuddaka Nikaaya:
Self-purification through well-chosen speech — AN 10.176: Respectful behaviour is good karma - MN 135:
The above are advice on how we should act towards others especially with regards to speech, but the following is advice on how we should react:
Maintain equanimity when others praise or blame Buddhism - Digha, Nikaya, I. 3: Let go and remain calm when subjected to abuse - Dhammapada: