Ten misconceptions about Buddhism
Bunks
Australia Veteran
This titled article was in the latest Tricycle magazine. Thought I'd share - the bullet points under each one is my summary from the article. Comments / thoughts encouraged!
1. All Buddhists meditate.
- Majority of Buddhists throughout history have not meditated.
- Was generally confined to monastics.
- Only since the 20th century that it's been more widely practiced by laypeople.
2. The primary form of Buddhist meditation is mindfulness.
- There are hundreds of forms of Buddhist meditation.
- The practice of mindfulness (as taught in the West) began in Burma in the early 1900's.
3. All Buddhists are vegetarian.
- Buddhist Monks and Nuns originally had to eat what they were given (meat included).
- Even today some Buddhist Monks and Nuns are not vegetarian. In China they are; in Tibet they are not.
4. All Buddhists are pacifists.
- Some Buddhist monastaries have had their own armies.
- There have been wars between Buddhists and non-Buddhists.
- Tibetan Buddhists fought against British forces when they invaded Tibet.
5. Buddhism is a philosophy and not a religion.
- The great majority of Buddhist practice over the years has been focused on a good rebirth for ones self, family or all living beings.
6. The Buddha was a human being, not a god, and the religion he founded has no place for the worship of gods.
- Buddhism has many devas and advanced spiritual beings who respond to the prayers of the devout.
7. Zen rejects conventional Buddhism. Zen masters burn statues of the Buddha, scorn the sutras and regularly frequent bars and brothels.
- Zen monks follow a strict set of rules called "pure rules" and most have engaged in extensive study of Buddhist scriptures before beginning training.
8. The four noble truths are noble.
- "noble" in sanskrit means "aryan" (or superior).
- Aryan refers to someone who has had a direct experience of the truth and is an enlightened being.
- They are not "noble" truths for the rest of us.
9. Zen is dedicated to the experience of "sudden enlightenment", which frees its followers from the extended regimens of training in ethics, meditation and wisdom found in conventional Buddhism.
- Zen monks routinely expect to spend decades in full time practice before they'll be able to make progress.
10. All spiritual traditions, Buddhism included, are different paths to the same mountaintop.
- Many great Buddhist figures state that enlightenment is only accessible to those who follow the Buddhist path.
- One can only get so far (e.g. rebirth in heaven) by following other religions.
- All roads may lead to base camp but Buddhism leads you to the top of the mountain.
Comments
I find it distasteful when a truth is mixed with a falsehood, and then the entire thing is called a misconception. Take number 6 for example.
The first half, about the Buddha being a human being and not a god, is true.
The second half, that there's no room for worshiping gods in Buddhism, is false.
If I had the energy, I'd track down the article's author and e-mail them. Meh.
I disagree with 2. From the beginning Shamata Vipashyana is the method that goes to enlightenment.
Don't take anything I have stated here to be a true answer to any of these questions, but here is the answer to 12. Don't ever mistrust yourself, otherwise, we end up here again!
13... Unlucky for some. Bakers Do Zen... Please wheres my button @lincoln - @federica can do it, why can't I?
This is just a reflection of the Art of Buddhism - its all topsy turvy, blurred and curvy, and if you are looking for answers out there - think again, and again, and again...!
@Jeffrey
It's hard to find a Buddhist school who doesn't see their path as the most direct route towards suffering's cessation.
Many people have trouble with number 10. But in the Satthipatana Sutta the Buddha says quite clearly that his Dharma is the Ekayana the only way to Enlightenment.
of course. But just because you are paranoid doesn't mean nobody is out to get you
And in any case I was saying it was not invented in the 1900s in Burma. That's my main point.
Is this the same article?
http://www.tricycle.com/blog/10-misconceptions-about-buddhism
Hmm... I'd say as a list of some common misconceptions, it should be "That ALL Buddhists/Zen Buddhists (insert belief or practice here).
:hair: . . .
Save me from the confusion cushion . . .
Yes!!! Thanks......there's 30 minutes I'll never get back
@lobster
Is that a scene from a newly released movie about a cushion?
1 and 2 interested me mainly. I'm a bit skeptical, maybe not skeptical enough. There is a Theravada monastery in a city close to me in the Ajahn Chah tradition. The monk there teaches mindfulness IMO. And the Ajahn Chah tradition probably goes back before 1900's.
.> @Citta said:
I suspect that his teaching at the time had more to do with the asking of his listeners to pay full attention to his teaching rather than cherry picking what they liked or didn't like of it.
I also suspect that those who get close enough to enlightenment to have a reason to be concerned about such things, will find the _"only way"_is where they are already placing their feet.
OK well not the 'Ajahn Chah' tradition, because he wasn't born before 1900, but the lineage of teachers. The Theravada school is aparently the oldest institution on the planet, and it has been teaching mindfulness in the west. So I agree with Jeffrey.
Definetly don't agree with number 2.
That is another myth @shanyin. The Theravada is actually one of the most recent of the major schools.
I don't think I could stand the excitement. Watching a film about a tire was enough fun for me . . .
Incidentally Mr Cushion does all his own stunts . . .
Can you back that up with anything?
First sentence on wikipedia: "Theravāda is the oldest surviving branch of Buddhism."
What was written down last is believed to have been the oldest and wisest teachings, hence the 'teaching of the elders'
Not to hijack the thread, but I am going from Ajahn Punnadhammo's website which translates it as "School Of the Elders"
(http://arrowriver.ca/theravad.html)
FWIW, that is sometimes true! The "pure rules" do not prohibit the burning of Buddha statues. LOL
Well it would wouldn't it ?
The entry was written by Theravadins...
The reality is much more complex.
The modern Theravada school, far from dating back to Shakyamuni Buddha, is descended from an older school called the Vibhajjavada.
There are older Mahayana schools.
and that's important because ........
And you're taking issue with a scholar holding an endowed chair at UCLA??
Good.
You should email the author directly outlining your objection ;-)
The term vipassana is used in two main ways.
It the general name for a group of meditation techniques based around Mindfulness of Breathing, and references to it can be found from ancient times.
Then there is Vipassana with a capital 'V' which usually means specific techniques that emerged from Burma/Myanmar in the early 1900's, and which are often called The Burmese Method.
If you see a Vipassana course advertised at your local centre it will usually be the Burmese Method.
@Chaz, it would be nice if occasionally you could post responses to people which are not dripping with sarcasm or disdain. It's a habit you have, and has sadly, been noted before now...
If others can manage to hold a relatively civil discussion without resorting to put-downs, I'm sure you can.
Ok, how about this:
I was having a chat with Glen the Puja Table just this morning.........
Are you done, here?
(The question is obviously rhetorical. One more wise-crack....)
I don't understand this.
Forget it @Jeffrey, we have moved on.
The point is
"The practice of mindfulness (as taught in the West) began in Burma in the early 1900's."
I don't buy. It's unbelievable.
to me, at least. The Thai forest tradition probably taught mindfulness, at least, before it was corrupted and then brought back to life.
EDIT, I don't mean to be too rude or anything. I'm not a Buddhist historian. Others here have provided reasons for their views, and it seems logical.
Its partly correct.
The most commonly taught Vipassana method now taught in the west is the Burmese Satipatthana Method which originated in Burma where it was introduced by Mahi Sayadaw in the last century.
His courses and those of his student S.N. Goenka now form the basis of most Vipassana courses taught in the west.
It differs from the traditional practice in several ways. One of which being the concentration on the rise and fall of the abdomen..the traditional practice concentrates on the breath entering and leaving the nostrils.
Thanks
From what I understand, there are monks in the Thai Forest tradition who teach Burmese-style insight meditation that is based on the Satipatthana Sutta (e.g. Ven. Yuttadhammo and his teacher, Ajahn Tong). However, many others (e.g. Ajahn Sujato, Ajahn Brahm, etc) more strictly adhere to the jhanic route and the Anapanasati Sutta.
Shamata vipashyana is an ancient practice. It just means calm and insight. That's according to my teacher Shenpen Hookham.
I thought I would come back and post something about to this thread.
"There are seven Factors of Enlightenment given by the Buddha. Of these, Mindfulness is the foremost. It must be developed at all times in full measure." Ajahn Punnadhammo
So how could mindfulness be just over 100 years old?
It isnt. Its at least 2500 years old. Its the Burmese Satipatthana Method commonly known as
Vipassana that is more recent.
ok.. thank you
I am getting a feeling of deja vu.