Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
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.

Buddhism is NOT a religion...

24

Comments

  • edited December 2005
    I agree, it is both, no matter what way you look at it.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited December 2005
    A classic case of the glass being half full and half empty. :)
  • edited December 2005
    A rose by any other name...
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited December 2005
    Perhaps you cannot "BE" both Christian and Buddhist, but you can be a Buddhist-leaning Christian through Vedanta.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited December 2005
    Hello Nirvana, and welcome, I agree with you...
    Nice to have you aboard....
    Don't forget to add your piece to the new members' thread - if you want to, that is.... :)
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited December 2005
    There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened." - Douglas Adams

    THIS QUOTE IS FANTASTICOAMAZIN'TOBETHINKING-UPON

    This Non-Theistic vs Theistic argument is complicated by the fact that our thinking is not totally consistent at all times. Indeed, as we age the more we tend to get confused as we transition from place to place and from activity to activity. Give Peace a Chance and let people be people and gods be gods. Isn't that the main meaning of the Sanskrit word, Dharma, to be a rule unto oneself?
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited December 2005
    All,

    Perhaps reading the Hand Book for Mankind by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu might be helpful in this situation.

    :)

    Jason
  • edited January 2006
    Nirvana wrote:
    THIS QUOTE IS FANTASTICOAMAZIN'TOBETHINKING-UPON

    Isn't that the main meaning of the Sanskrit word, Dharma, to be a rule unto oneself?


    In Buddhism, as opposed to Hinduism, where the term Dharma often connotes duty, it's the exact opposite, letting the self get out of the way so that things are seen and appropriately responded to as they are.
  • edited January 2006
    Nirvana wrote:
    THIS QUOTE IS FANTASTICOAMAZIN'TOBETHINKING-UPON

    This Non-Theistic vs Theistic argument is complicated by the fact that our thinking is not totally consistent at all times. Indeed, as we age the more we tend to get confused as we transition from place to place and from activity to activity. Give Peace a Chance and let people be people and gods be gods. Isn't that the main meaning of the Sanskrit word, Dharma, to be a rule unto oneself?

    Sometimes I think more wisdom can be had from analyzing pop icons (like Douglas Adams' books, the Simpsons, etc.) than reading assorted ancient texts.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited January 2006
    That is agreed upon DharmaKitten - because perhaps I think such icons are like a show of life itself.
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Zenmonk, define suffering. Try just to stay on the subject of what suffering is in itself, without any other complication whatsoever, say for one long paragraph. After that, write whatever you wish.
    I really need to know, man.


    Pain is not good. I know. I work with the elderly.

    Shalom-Aloha,

    curious worker bee
  • edited January 2006
    You already know what suffering is. You're human. Looking for another definition that will not help you in any way at all, is a pretty good example of suffering.
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited January 2006
    The world is neutral but suffering is a matter of perception.
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Ah, but circumstances are not neutral!

    Define Suffering? I meant for SOMEONE to define it in the Buddhist context, you know, as being caused by selfish craving. Zenmonk pointed out to me somewhere that the Pali term is Dukkha, “for which suffering is a poor translation. A better one is perhaps, 'unsatisfactoriness'.” That is helpful to me as far as it goes, but I have this theoretical problem. Much like this: although Marxism is basically a good antidote to unbridled capitalism, its basic proposition is flawed, that all value is based on the human labour that went into it.

    To me, suffering is a result of being deprived of what is desirable, not so much not getting something I want. In short, if I am outdoors in sub-zero (-18ºC) temperatures for sustained periods, I am separated from what is desireable/normative: warmth. If I am ill, I am deprived of feeling well. If I am lonely, I am longing for human companionship. I would call none of these things selfish pursuits.

    I repeat, suffering is a result of being deprived of what is desirable, not so much not getting something I want. As for me, working with the elderly (most of them afflicted), I want to be aware of suffering as much as I can and learn daily how to be more compassionate, friendly, pleasant, happy, reassuring, and resourceful.

    Maybe all that I am saying is that maybe what the Buddha meant in his Second Noble Truth was:

    MOST Unhappiness Is Caused By Selfish Craving.

    (Don’t Understand.) What are some good things to read on this?


    Or maybe I am saying that I am only a partial believer, because I also believe:

    Longing for human companionship at least keeps people interested in the welfare of their fellows, and that interest is probably the bedrock of what motivates people to do their best so as not to be ostracized from society. I mean that Love is the Key to why things work as well as they do.

    Lacking what is needed can teach us to appreciate things when we get them. (And we can't help but want what we need.)

    Only a person who has experienced illness can truly understand the sick. (And the sick desire to be well.)


    What I want SOMEONE to define, I guess, is how, specifically, Buddhism has brought joy and pointedness to their lives in a way that they can deal with the everyday unhappy, never-content tendencies of the untrained mind. What this world needs is people not burdened down with “unsatisfactoriness” caused by the untrained mind.

    I really do LOVE the blessed Lord Buddha. Forgive me if, in places, I make no sense.



    May Bliss Precede You
    Let the Pathway Behind You Be Littered With Seeds Of Bliss
    May Your Very Name Be Bliss
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Elohim writes in the thread The Problem With SEX in Buddhism, under Buddhism 101:

    TITLE: Remember, the Buddha had the "desire" to end suffering.

    InfiniteKnot,

    One can't have sex without desire.

    Sex is conditioned by kamupadana.

    Kamupadana means "clinging to sense objects."

    A better question is--How can I be more skillful?

    If you have sex, do so with wisdom.

    Learn from your desire and actions.

    You'll be ok.



    Jason

    P.S. It's not desire which causes suffering, but tahna (craving).

    There is a difference. Desire can be skillful or unskillful.

    Craving, on the other hand, can never skillful.

    Just something for you to think about.
    __________________
    "Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya."

    The heart of the Buddha's teachings can be summarized in this one statement.

    "Nothing whatsoever should be clung to."

    THANKS, Captain Ice-Man[/SIZE]
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2006
    Nirvana wrote:


    What I want SOMEONE to define, I guess, is how, specifically, Buddhism has brought joy and pointedness to their lives in a way that they can deal with the everyday unhappy, never-content tendencies of the untrained mind. What this world needs is people not burdened down with “unsatisfactoriness” caused by the untrained mind.


    Through reading understanding and accepting the Four Noble Truths.
    Through reading, understanding accepting and adhering to the Eightfold Path.

    My life is richer through being simple.
    My life is fuller by being less complex.
    My joy is infinite through knowing about suffering, and craving
    And this is why....
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Thanks, federica, very much.
    OTHER INSIGHTS ALSO SOUGHT!

    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread, but will keep checking.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread, but will keep checking.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread, but will keep checking.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread, but will keep checking.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread.
    I Will Not Repeat This Message On This Thread.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited January 2006
    I beg your pardon.....? :confused: :wtf:
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited January 2006
    You need not Beg. I Bow to Your Buddha Nature.

    Fondly,
    Nirvana
  • edited January 2006
    Nirvana wrote:
    Thanks, federica, very much.
    OTHER INSIGHTS ALSO SOUGHT!

    Ok. My insight...

    "Buddhism is NOT a religion... "

    Whats a matter?
    Does it matter?
    It doesn't matter to me.
    What is a matter anyway?
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited January 2006
    A matter is an entity with a form and exists in space three-dimensionally. (I think so)

    Either way it really isn't important. "Religion" is after all a human term invented for higher cognitive functions such as speech. You can call it anything you want but the fact that Buddhism is still is.
  • edited January 2006
    I was doing some reading today and thought about this thread. HHDL calls "a genuine sense of brotherhood and sisterhood" the "universal religion."

    I suppose "religion" is where you find it and what you call it.

    But for me there are other things more helpful to focus on...
    "The more people I meet, the stronger my conviction becomes that the oneness of humanity, founded on understanding and respect, is a realistic and viable basis for our conduct.

    "Wherever I go, this is what I speak about. I believe that the practice of compassion and love--a genuine sense of brotherhood and sisterhood--is the universal religion. It does not matter whether you are Buddhist or Christian, Moslem or Hindu, or whether you practice a religion at all. What matters is your feeling of oneness with humankind.

    "Do you agree? Do you think it is nonsense? I am not a God King, as some call me. I am just a Buddhist monk. What I am saying comes from my own practice, which is limited. But I do try to implement these ideas in my daily life, especially when I face problems. Of course, I fail sometimes. Sometimes I get irritated. Occasionally I use a harsh word, but when I do, immediately I feel 'Oh, this is wrong.' I feel this because I have internalized the practices of wisdom and compassion."

    --His Holiness the Dalai Lama
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited January 2006
    Hunt4Life,
    I agree.
    Genryu,
    You have taught me so much through this thread. I see more clearly now. Thank you.
  • edited January 2006
    Hello all,
    The Buddha was the doctor, the Dhamma is his medicine (its yummy!!! much better than what I usually take:zombie: ) and the Sanga are like the nurses and orderlies......
    I try to workout my own salvation diligently, I don't worry about God/Gods. Why should something that finite worry about something that's infinite???? I'm wormbait no matter what.........

    "Be a lamp unto thyselves, seek thy own salvation".

    Just my two cents.
  • edited February 2006
    I went through a time when I though Buddhism was a philosophy, not a religion.

    You have to consider non-philosophical beliefs like karma and reincarnation that contribute to it as a religion. :type:
  • edited May 2006
    mm reincarnation in buddhism terms isn't a whole rebirth to another body though , at least thats what i believe, as i posted on my thread and karma is a balance..

    i don't view these as religious ideal's nor do i see how buddhism is a religion without a god or prayer... medititation is not about reaching a god or living forever nor does it have any such kind of meaning..

    i agree that its a philosophy because it invites you to question it and although i really and i mean REAALLY don't understand how any religion like christianity or islam can fit into it.. people do ..

    they retain their belief in allah or god and use buddhism to help them live their lifes.. so really .. for me its a philosophy and it teaches you how to live life it doesnt preach or make you pray and it has nothing to do with divine beings

    i think lay people ( non buddhists with no knowledge of it ) see it as a religion because they don't understand it very well
  • edited May 2006
    Does anyone else feel unsettled about their way of life when reading a quote by His Holiness saying :

    "What I am saying comes from my own practice, which is limited."
  • edited May 2006
    no.. by limited he can mean any number of things.. his concious time is limited.. the expansion of his knowledge is limited, understanding,wisdom are limited.. nothing is for ever the same

    and his own practice is experience.. what part of it is unsettling?
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Aing,

    LOL! Yes, I do. Celebrin, I think HHDL is referring to his practice, which takes place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and goes so much deeper than our own that to call it limited makes ours sound non-existent. lol!
  • edited May 2006
    mm doesn't bother me, he probably spent all his time going after enlightenment.. i dont have time for that.. nor does it bother me. . .different ppl , different mentality, i dont want to spend all my time in search for knowledge.. i may spend a good portion of it.. but probably not my nature and i know there will always be people more ' enlightened ' than me.

    Everyone and everything is limited so i still don't see the relevance of whats unsettling , i don't think thats the meaning at all .

    not sure i can even meditate as my spine is very uncomfortable a lot of the time.. not to mention just sitting with your legs crossed and sitting in such a position with that discomfort pretty much negates the purpose.. i can practise other meditation .. just not the main used one lol

    OH BY THE WAY .. for the first time ever i passed mystery shopper at work!!

    lol guaranteed before i started reading the book i could not smile.. unless. someone was smiling at me.. a lot lol

    sooo guess who's a happy smiley person now lol
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2006
    It's not meant to bother you....it's meant to make you realise that (1) The Dalai Lama is an endlessly and sincerely Modest Monk, and (2) that if he thinks his practise is inadequate - then ours is certainly nothing to shout about - !!

    The question of whether Buddhism is a Philosophy or a Religion, is answered (certainly to MY satisfaction) here....
  • edited May 2006
    i know everything is limited

    no person is perfect so yea.. no practise is perfect we all know this to be the truth so its not shocking

    ya ya ya i agree
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2006
    No, not everything is limited....karma is not limited.... Impermanence is not limited.... Enlightenment is not limited......
  • edited May 2006
    federica wrote:
    No, not everything is limited....karma is not limited.... Impermanence is not limited.... Enlightenment is not limited......

    rubbish ! :ukflag:

    joking folks,just dropped into say hello.i'll be back.
    sorry for first post being off topic.

    metta to all
    alias shoey the dropout
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2006
    HYA!!!! Welcome to the pad - !!
  • edited May 2006
    thanks federica for welcome.
    give this ole beginner time to get used to all this new techno stuff.
    seems like a friendly bunch.

    well wishes
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2006
    Great to have you with us, Shoey-Shuggie!!

    (sounds like Number 52 with rice....!!)
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2006
    Celebrin wrote:

    OH BY THE WAY .. for the first time ever i passed mystery shopper at work!!

    lol guaranteed before i started reading the book i could not smile.. unless. someone was smiling at me.. a lot lol

    sooo guess who's a happy smiley person now lol

    Yaaaayyyyy!!! That is soooo awesome! Really, really good news. The entire world changes when your face changes into a smile. Beautifully done, Celebrin!

    Brigid
  • edited June 2006
    On another forum that I frequent, there is a thread entitled "Common Misconceptions on Buddhism." There was a group of people arguing back and forth about whether or not Buddhism was a religion/philosophy/science/et cetera. This is what I wrote in response:
    Misconception: Buddhism is not a religion, it's a philosophy.
    Oni Ushi wrote:
    BUDDHISM IS NOT A RELIGION. Buddhism is a philosophy. It involves no gods or dieties. Buddha was a man who was born into wealth, but despised it. He believed that true wealth comes from the inside, and that to gain true enlightenment one must give up material things. That is why buddhist monks live in monasteries with only the bare escentuals. Anyone can be buddhist, no matter what religion they are.
    You're wrong on two points.
    1) Buddhism is a religion.

    Buddhism is a belief system, a set of values and morals for how to live your life. It is not a religion however. What makes it not a religion? It doesn't have a God. Buddhists may do things to honor Buddha, but they do not worship him. Buddha commands noone to bow down to any God, nor does he tell people to pray, make sacrifices, etc. Buddhism merely is a perspective on life and how to live life with more purity and achieve Nirvana. Nirvana is not Heaven. Buddhism offers a belief about the nature of life and death, and involves re-incarnation, but it gives no credit to a God, thus, no religion.

    Not having a God does not mean Buddhism is not a religion, as there are several definitions of religion, and not all of them require there to be a God:

    Religious affiliation, practices, and views
    www.albany.edu/sourcebook/app6.html

    Oxford Dictionary: Non-Theistic definition: "The word religion has many definitions, all of which can embrace sacred lore and wisdom and knowledge of God or gods, souls and spirits. Religion deals with the spirit in relation to itself, the universe and other life. ...
    www.ecotao.com/holism/glosoz.htm

    System of beliefs and practices concerned with sacred things and or symbols uniting individuals into a single moral community.....
    www.elissetche.org/dico/R.htm
    Oni Ushi wrote:
    2) You cannot be any religion, and also Buddhist.

    That's interesting, since two thirds of Japan is Buddhist and Shinto. Because Buddhism is a philosophy, it can be practiced in conjunction with religion. You may hold a cynical philosophy, believing that all humans are inherently evil, but believe that Muhammad's teachings can offer enlightenment and salvation, thus having a philosophy and a religion (not mentioned, but Islam was the religion in the example).
    Yes, but most Japanese are not religiously Shinto and Buddhist. They do Shinto and Buddhist things because it's part of their culture, in the same way that Christmas and Easter are part of ours. We Westerners do Christian things because it's part of our culture, but not all of us are Christian.

    The issue of Buddhism being a religion or a philosophy is curious because it really does fit into both categories. Some schools of Buddhism lean closer to religion than philosophy (such as Pure Land), while others are more philosophical than religious in nation (Ch'an). Generally, though, they blur the lines. The Dalai Lama threw in a third possibility: "Some say Buddhism is not religion, it is science of Mind." Indeed, Buddhism also fits the definitions of a science:

    Science refers to either:* the scientific method – a process for evaluating empirical knowledge; or* the organized body of knowledge gained by this process.
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science
    the study of the natural world
    education.jlab.org/beamsactivity/6thgrade/vocabulary/
    systemized knowledge derived through experimentation, observation, and study. Also, the methodology used to acquire this knowledge.

    www.carm.org/evolution/evoterms.htm

    So what is it? A religion, a philosophy, or a science? Well, it's important to keep in mind that the word "Buddhism" is a Western invention. In the East, it's traditionally known as "Buddha-Dharma." The teachings or truth of the Buddha (Awakened One). Now, you can approach teachings from many different perspectives. People constructed a religion around the teachings of Mohammed, Communist philosophy became the religion of China for nearly half-a-century, and today science is a form of religion for many people because it gives them faith in their understanding of the universe.

    Buddhism fits into all three categories, but even then it spills over those definitions into the realm of the unexplainable - that which transcends language and rational thought. So while it technically can be called a religion, or a philosophy, or even a science, at the same time that it's all of those things (which is why it's not really correct to say Buddhism is not a religion, philosophy, or science), it's none of them.
  • edited June 2006
    yea i see what u mean, the use of buddhism is simply an interpretation and whatever facet you want to concentrate or bring out .. is up to you

    kinda like nothing can be described as a specific word.. no human is only deserving of their name
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited June 2006
    Celebrin,

    That's very true.

    Sending you a hug through cyberspace. lol!!

    Brigid
  • edited June 2006
    Thanks for the hug brigid, giving me a tiny bit of hapiness.. *Celebrin sends a cyberhug to brigid*
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited June 2006
    Thanks, sweetie. I needed it today. I feel much better now. :)
  • edited June 2006
    :D
  • becomethesignalbecomethesignal Explorer
    edited October 2006
    Thus I came to the opinion that all the intuitive expressions which we call religions, histories and philosophies have bits of the truth but that none can lay claim to all of it.

    I think this is a great statement and sums up my personal view on philosophies and religions.
  • becomethesignalbecomethesignal Explorer
    edited October 2006
    It's simply what the Buddha taught and what generations of those who have come to awakening have confirmed. It is not a personal opinion. One cannot both be a Buddhist and believe in a supreme creator deity, or some divine essence. That is why, when one becomes a Buddhist and takes refuge, we take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, not in any idea of a creator god, or any idea of deity.

    So, Buddhists take refuge in Buddha... does that make Buddha some kind source of ultimate truth? You said once (something like) that Buddhism is primarily about knowing and if you believe then you do not know. But you believe that there is no God and I don't think you can possibly know for sure... I don't understand. Maybe I am mixing something up but it seems that your disbelief in God is contradictory to what you were saying about belief in God. Because neither one who believes in God nor one who doesn't believe in God can prove their belief with 100% validity, so I see it as an impossible task to prove or disprove who god is or that such a one exists.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited October 2006
    As this thread has been bumped again, my view is simply this:

    Buddhism will continue to be considered a religion whilst it continues to encumber itself with the trappings of one: rituals, ordinations, "rite words in rote order", initiations and esoteric teachings. And this, whatever the Pope may think!

    Not, I would hurry to add, that I think religions are necessarily bad in themselves.
  • edited October 2006
    i think religion is wrong, buddhims itself is being urself... i used the wisdom that the master s have taught but i and they know full well that i am me and don't belong in a social group.

    let moutons believe what they want.. they suffer needlessly and are too ignorant to do anything about it or understand much..
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited October 2006
    Celebrin wrote:
    i think religion is wrong, buddhims itself is being urself... i used the wisdom that the master s have taught but i and they know full well that i am me and don't belong in a social group.

    let moutons believe what they want.. they suffer needlessly and are too ignorant to do anything about it or understand much..


    One is deeply moved by your commitment to the great compassion, Celebrin.

    What is a Buddhist practice without compassion and what is conditional compassion but an expression to the skandhas?
  • edited October 2006
    lol :P whoever wishes to talk to me, im happy to.. i wont turn them away. But those who would not talk to me out of image, those who are too ignorant to change their life.. and become better ppl.. I will not try to change them, but i do not adhor their ignorance either. I know any advice i could give no matter how compassionate would fall on death ears.. only those with an open mind will listen and theres just no point in trying to change ppl.

    i see a hell of a lotta moutons... all around me at work.. rushing,being aggressive, one acted like he wanted to hit me.. cus out network was down at work and i cudnt do a topup for his phone.. i was polite and tried 4 times to do it and explained it to him.. which he wouldn't accept.. and i didnt want to go into technical aspects of what a network is.. and how it works..

    thats ridiculous for me to give him an ICT lesson at work, but i said the very basics... the network here is down temporarily we can't do anything external, like accept credit cards. I'm sorry but i can't help u

    i cannot help him, cept be nice to him which i was. But these ppl don't notice when you are nice, it doesn't mean anything to them.Too caught up in selfish ways..

    all i see is another person wasting their life, being ignorant of life.U expect me to compassionate, i am to a gd extent, but they are still wasting their life.

    I think same of smokers... they killing themselves and fuelling their addiction to make themselves only happy when smoking. They are very weak minded, it is ignorance that they do this.. i still treat em as human beings.

    We are all already dead, but im trying to be stronger, conquer my mind and learn.. these guys aren't bothered with anything.. they on par live in a mental ditch, physically weak minds and bodys.. due to ignorance.. to me they are practically walking ghosts.. corpses.. zombies.. u can't get through to them, they continue wandering about.

    I like nice ppl, its like ppls faces.. the hard staring eyes of fear.. i don't wanna talk to that person, they are clearly mixed up and single minded. The person with a warm kind face.. yea pls.. id love to talk to u
Sign In or Register to comment.