Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
New to Buddhism, many ?'s
I was born and raised Catholic until it became time for me to be confirmed in the church. This scared me so much because I have never been one to take religion lightly and didn't belive alot of what the Catholic church taught. Especially when I was learning as much of Eastern History and the beginnings of today's popular Western religions and how contridictory history and religious beliefs were and are. So I decided not to be confirmed and began "searching" for my own belief. This was not very easy and as of today I have just confined myself to not "hate" all religions but I'm very untrusting of them. So I've basically defined myself as an Atheist. My definition (very loosely) of that is that I don't believe any higher power created us.
My husband was also raised in church (Methodist). He shares alot of my views but thinks I'm way too harsh in my thinking. For the last year though he's really been interested in Buddhism as a way of life. I have read several books on Buddhism and some of Thich Nhat Hahn, and the Dhali Lhama's books, but I haven't begun to really accept it as a way of life. I guess I'm torn because I don't like the idea of praying to or worshiping any figure (holy or worldly). And I know that this is not the way of Buddhism but it still seems (to me) that Buddha is worshipped and prayed to.
I hope someone has some insight here to help me because I really love alot of the ideas taught in Buddhism and would love to begin to embrace it as a way of life, but I still have this stigma that seems to be holding me back. I'm not asking for spirtual guidance but maybe just some direction to help guide me down the right path. Especially since I'm an extreme novice to Buddhism in general.
My husband was also raised in church (Methodist). He shares alot of my views but thinks I'm way too harsh in my thinking. For the last year though he's really been interested in Buddhism as a way of life. I have read several books on Buddhism and some of Thich Nhat Hahn, and the Dhali Lhama's books, but I haven't begun to really accept it as a way of life. I guess I'm torn because I don't like the idea of praying to or worshiping any figure (holy or worldly). And I know that this is not the way of Buddhism but it still seems (to me) that Buddha is worshipped and prayed to.
I hope someone has some insight here to help me because I really love alot of the ideas taught in Buddhism and would love to begin to embrace it as a way of life, but I still have this stigma that seems to be holding me back. I'm not asking for spirtual guidance but maybe just some direction to help guide me down the right path. Especially since I'm an extreme novice to Buddhism in general.
0
Comments
Welcome to the site.
I think you'll find there are many flavors of Buddhism, just as you'll find many sects of Hinduism, many flavors of Chstianity, Judaism, etc.
There are atheists that practice Buddhism - because there are teachings of Buddha that transcend "the requirements of a deity".
I myself have no desire to worship anything at this point in my life. And I still find that Buddhism works for me - for myself. Because Buddhism is about removing illusions, labels and attachments that "I" have.
I think you should take a look through some of our threads. There are plenty of posts by very knowledable persons (at least I think they're smart) which talk about the different teachings of Buddha.
I hope you find what you're looking for...
-bf
As BF says, there is a vast amount of information (and opinion) here. We have a fair few "recovering" Catholics, too.
I would add that I am what has often been called an atheist Christian, with a Catholic background, but also a past member of the Methodist/Anglican church!
I think my main problem is I've been working so hard on de-programming myself from Catholicism that I've become obsessed with the downing of all "religions" and faith practices. My husband has really seemed to have found much more peace lately from his reading and studying of Buddhism so I feel it's a path that I want to explore further. I'm not trying to find a "faith" but peace within myself and I look at the few Buddhists that I know and really admire them for their ability to follow Buddha's teachings and the peace they seem to have gotten from it.
I'm still a novice so hopefully I'll find my path without too much interference from myself.
Thanks so much.
If you're anything like me - you're toast.
Good luck! There is hope. I finally learned how to spell Buddhism without breaking down in to various rants on Western religion.
-bf
You know, I was just thinking after my smart-arse post and re-reading your post.
In your post, you just made a great point about something you can work on... to see if Buddhism works for you. You also gave me something I can work on at this point, too!
Both of us, it seems, have difficulties with our previous religious experiences. And I know that anything that comes up Christian can put me on a rant.
But, why am I doing this? What does Christianity matter to me? What if Christ does exist? What is the cause of anger/pain/suffering that I associate with Christianity?
Why don't I just let this go? So what does it matter if a Christian family member says I need to do this or need to do that? What does it matter to the Buddhist mind? The Awakened mind?
I think it might be good for me to meditate on this and come to some realization that what other people feel about Western religion and what part I'm supposed to play in it is ... not very important, is it?
It's certainly not worth getting upset over. Do I feel the same way when someone tells me that I will writhe in agony for ages if i don't worhip Ra? No. Actually, I would probably get a good chuckle over it. But why don't I have that same sense of peacefulness or humor in listening to what a Ra worhipper says when it comes to Bible thumpers telling me what they think is right or wrong?
Since we really don't know of the existance of any "supreme being" all these words and scriptures and doctrines and dogmas - are just an illusion. Truly, in this existance, they are neither here nor there.
Crap... now I have even more "me" to work on.
-bf
I am sure that after you are more familiar with what the Buddha taught you will feel much more comfortable with Buddhism.
If you are wary of religious practices you may find some comfort in knowing that the Buddha's teachings were more trainings and practices than rites and rituals.
The Buddha taught that ultimately all rites and rituals were to be abandoned. If need be a person may practice them out of faith, but the Buddha was more concerned with "knowing" and "seeing" clearly through wisdom, not faith. The main factor for this statement is the Buddha's teachings on kamma (action). A person's kamma is any action of body, speech, and mind. The intention behind each kamma produces its own vipaka (results or fruit). No rite or ritual changes this as it is a law as inviolable as the law of gravity. Even the Dhamma (The Law, or the Truth, or the teaching of the Buddha) must be let go of when the time comes. The Dhamma is just a tool for people to use to free themselves from dukkha (stress, unsatisfactoriness).
As for the Buddha's status:
"There's a story told that when the Buddha was walking down a road soon after his enlightenment, he met a man who stopped him. The Buddha was very beautiful, physically beautiful and handsome, with a wonderful field of love and energy around him. This man saw him and said, "What are you? Are you some kind of god?" The Buddha said, "No." The man said, "Well, are you some kind of an angel or deva?" He said, "No." "Well then, are you a man?" The Buddha said, "No." Then the man said, "Well then what are you?" The Buddha replied, "I am awake."
Although some cultural forms of Buddhism have raised the Buddha to god-like status he is not to be worshipped or prayed to. The Buddha is venerated for bringing these teachings to the world, but he did not "create" them. He merely discovered them through years of strenuous practice.
As for learning more, there are many knowledgeable people here that can answer most, if not all of your questions. I hope you will make yourself comfortable here and take your time reading through the threads. There are many different discussions filled with a wealth of information about the Buddha's teachings. If you do not happen to find something that you are looking for you are always encouraged to just ask.
Jason
Hi! I'm a fellow atheist, ex-Catholic, Buddhist. And my husband was raised Methodist, too! Don't beat yourself up too much about downing other religions. Obviously, you should try to avoid doing so, but I think it's a natural part of deconversion. Goodness knows my husband and I have done our share. For me, I think there was a little pent up anger from feeling betrayed by the religion I had been so programmed to believe in (as well as just wanting to distance myself and as a reaction to the pressure from the Christian culture that surrounds me). I didn't think that was the case at first, but it makes sense looking back. The good news is that for us and maybe for you, too, the more you develop your own beliefs and traditions, the less negative you'll feel towards other religions.
Well, you' ve had many and varied responses, so I will just be short and sweet - which, incidentally, describes me perfectly....;)
I'm Buddhist. I choose to call myself Buddhist, because this is the path I've chosen, and this is what I've committed to. But many Buddhists refrain from using labels, and that's just fine too. It's choice. it's all personal choice. and decision, and consequence.
I live in France now, but when in the UK, I was an active member of the Catholic community. Both my girls went to a Catholic school, and I was a school Governor.
From my point of view, in general, the Catholic church does not have a lot going for it. But some of the things I learned at my mother's knee, and throughout my Catholic convent education and adult life, have stood me in very good stead. It's not the Religion that is to blame, it's how it's administered, taught and implemented by those in Authority. The big-wigs will massage and alter and re-phrase things to suit them. It's how to control the masses.
I cannot and will not turn my back completely on my Christian roots. There is much I learnt then, that is similar - if not identical - to what I'm learning in Buddhism now. There is nothing either wrong or questionable, in mixing the two.
Call it a delicious vinaigrette!! (I would say Manhattan cocktail, but I don't drink... it would be such a waste!!)
Yes, this is me being brief.....!!
Briefly to explain: Christianity is based on the words, life and works of an individual, Jesus. Buddhism is based on an understanding of the overarching way the mind works, which was articulated - in part - by an historical person for whom no godhead is claimed. Understanding did not begin or end with the life of the Shakyamuni Buddha: we have revealers of these treasures alive today.
For me, with my European background, Christianity has always had a more important dimension than all the heaven and hell stuff: the Jesus message concerns how we are to behave towards each other and the world at large. It calls us and challenges us to social action. Buddhism teaches me how my mind confuses and deludes me. It gives me the tools of attention and of life in a way that is only sketched out by Jesus.
When Jesus says "Deny yourself", he gives us no hint of how to do it. Buddhism gives the recipe.
Plus, freeing ourselves from the dead hand of the churches, we are freed to discover that the Jesus literature goes far beyond the skimpy texts selected by a bunch of DWEMs (Dead White European Males). Also I have been able to profit by the extensive work on meditation that exists in language that is familiar to me, whether Saint Ignatius or John Wesley!
And, BF, dear friend, go on noticing how the churches behave so badly. Go on allowing the energy arise and transform it with the alchemy of the Dharma from anger into action.
Here is a Dhamma talk by well known Buddhist monk, which is described as:
"This talk is great for people new to Buddhism and are a bit put off by all the ceremony that can surround various religious traditions. Equally, it would probably remind many more experienced Buddhists that ceremony can be meaningless if one doesn't understand and/or value the meaning behind the actions. Ajahn Brahmavamso doesn't just discuss Buddhist ceremonies, but ceremonies in general and how they can enrich our lives if we are mindful enough to see and appreciate the meaning behind the rituals. Of course there are the usual stories and lively humour."
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?cid=4&lid=332
Jason