Buddhism: religion for the non-religious?
Buddhadragon
Ehipassiko & Carpe DiemSamsara Veteran
I was tweeted this very interesting article by Melvin McLeod from "The Lion's Roar."
The article's title is "Are you Spiritual but not Religious? 10 Reasons why Buddhism will enrich your Path."
I think it provides good food for thought, while at the same time it tackles some Buddhist basics which render it more clear for beginners.
It also deals with issues we are constantly discussing, such as God or salvation.
In McLeod's own words:
_"What we find is that Buddhism works. For millennia, Buddhism has been making people more aware, caring, and skillful. All you have to do is meet someone who’s been practicing meditation a lot to know that. In our own time, hundreds of thousands of Americans are reporting that even a modest Buddhist practice has made their life better — they’re calmer, happier, and not as carried away when strong emotions arise. They’re kinder to themselves and others.
But it’s really important not to burden ourselves with unrealistic expectations. Change comes very slowly. You’ll also see that when you meet a Buddhist meditator, even one who’s been at it for a long time. Don’t expect perfection. We’re working with patterns of ignorance, greed, and anger that have developed over a lifetime — if not much longer. Change comes slowly for most of us. But it does come. If you stick with it, that’s guaranteed. Buddhism works.
This is not an attempt to convert anyone to Buddhism. There is no need for that. But those who think of themselves as spiritual but not religious can find a lot in Buddhism to help them on their personal path, however they define it."_
Comments
I didn't even consider myself spiritual pre-Buddhism, and if I use the word now it's tied to my practice. "Spiritual" is one of those vague words that can mean different things to different people.
I had the opposite experience, @Toraldris: I have always considered myself very spiritual, but since I don't believe in a god, it was believers who thought I wasn't.
What really matters then is what you mean by spiritual.
That's the reason believers thought you weren't; they mean something else by the word.
I may in fact be spiritual in a certain sense; I'm definitely a seeker of truth and peace, always in awe of life, the universe, and everything... but like you I don't believe in a god.
Although I think the meaning of "religious" is lacking here, I was impressed when I first saw this video. I can relate.
Dang, I don't remember how to post a video. Maybe this will work
My spirituality as an Atheist
That was beautiful, @ourself!
In a very strange way, it reminded me of Carl Sagan's fabulous "Cosmos" series.
A confessed atheist himself, his series and books bespeak of a man who not only was very spiritual, but also lived in awe of a universe whose creator he did not care to acknowledge.
The article has other points beyond the atheists vs God debate, though.
In point #6, McLeod replaces the word "God" by "Mind:"
"Buddhism definitely asserts there is a reality that is not material. Other religions say that too; the difference is that in Buddhism this spiritual reality is not God. It is mind."
He even proposes a sort of koan for us to investigate:
"Where is the boundary of my mind? Is it large or small? Is it inside me looking at the material world outside? Or are my perceptions and my experience of them both mind? (And if so, perhaps it's the material world we should be questioning the reality of."
In Sam Harris's book "Waking Up" he spends a paragraph apologizing for his choice to use 'spirituality' for lack of a better English language term.
I do not like the word 'spirituality' at all, but that's because I spent a few years being baffled and slightly horrified at the behavior of a group of acquaintances who saw themselves as ssssooooooo 'spiritual'. That and having never encountered a 'spirit'.
But I'm just like you @DhammaDragon, whatever that is, let's call it 'spirituality' :buck: has been a powerful presence in my life, although a belief in a 'god' couldn't find a home within me that wouldn't kick it out sooner or later
(I tried very hard).
Carl Sagan's Cosmos was part of my growing up. I STILL love any kind of talk, speech, documentary, that ponders the great unknowables in the Big cosmos or the quantum cosmos. They are like bedtime stories for me. I've noticed that Sagan, and his proud protege' Neil deGrasse Tyson are SO POSITIVE and full of optimism for the human race -- an exact opposition to the drearily disguised pessimism of religion (my opinion). These men have hope for us, almost more than they can contain. Frankly I've been watching more and more of these sorts of shows lately as ISIL and neoconservatives and Buddhist monks shooting each other with nail guns and and and. "Panning outward" for some reason gives me peace. I remember the 'Blue Dot' in the original Cosmos series. If only everyone could remember the Blue Dot.
I really liked when this guy said "being grateful to be alive doesn't require a person to be grateful toward." ....What i like about Buddhist philosophy is that we are not expected to bow down in worship to any deity that may or may not exist. Buddhism doesn't require wars, greed, eternities in any "hell", etc. to work for us. In fact, I believe Buddhism takes all of the good points that can usually be found in most any religion and focuses on only those things. It is a fully realistic experience that anyone can benefit from.
I wonder about the 'directionality' (?) of, for instance, being grateful TO versus being grateful FOR.
Theism's direction is away from the individual 'self' , and nontheism implies a direction that goes within, passing by the individual 'self' on its way toward . . . um . . .
.
I can say this here without instigating the villagers with pitchforks, but I wonder if theism is a matter of simple psychological projection. The more primitive psychology 'projects' it's contents outward and away from the individual self. A more mature psychology does not project its contents, it 'owns' them. This is just plain old well known psychology. Projection is a kind of defense mechanism that is hopefully outgrown. It is a developmental state on the continuum of taking personal responsibility for your 'self' in the world. Projection is appropriate for young children, but in an adult it is disturbing. We've all met persons who project their negativity onto something outside themselves, its the way racism and the other -isms operate. Simple us versus them. It bypasses any personal responsibility FOR the projected qualities. It is a source of suffering we 'do' to ourselves. It is a kind of sankhara dukkha.
IOW, theism creates a kind of sankhara dukkha, the suffering of attachment to conditions. Its the fear in my Christian friend to imagine there is no God out there caring about her, listening to her and loving her. Theism cannot 'be' unaccompanied by fear.
Interesting points guys,
I find Tao is a concept I relate to. In Qabbalah the Ain Soph Aur is well above any concepts of existence or knowability and in Sufism and some Christian higher stages of knowing, we can not describe Presence in terms of being. The Buddhist realisation often begins from this absence.
So as an atheist it is quite easy for me to engage a speculative quack Quantum Mysticism that transcends binary 'either or' Being.
As a mystic Buddhist which hopefully is a heretical concept for the secular dharmaists, I am not too worried by labels of spirituality, Buddhist, misfit or mystic. Just label/attachments.
The important aspects of dharma are pragmatic and can be practiced devoid of religion. The same is more difficult for other regions of religious belief.
http://www.dharmaseed.org/retreats/1494
That's my understanding too. It's still true that what we experience as 'pragmatic' are also quantum phenomena. Our brains operate on the edge where we can still do math and where chaos takes over. Teensy little firings become big mental bangs by a quantum effect. Quantum mysticism seems a natural response, but egos are just too tempted. SHINY!!! Mine! Me!
What's a good or 'your favorite' reference to the Tao? Like a Tao for dummies?
^^^ Probably the Tao Te Ching, Tao influenced Chan\Zen
http://m.wikihow.com/Become-a-Taoist
I was finally able to read the article in full... great stuff! When I was last speaking with a long-distance Christian friend, they tried to direct me to a page/video with a Christian apologist explaining the shortcomings of Buddhism from a Christian perspective. I consider that akin to a horror-enthusiast calling romance movies terrible just because they don't have enough blood & gore in them.
This article, though, isn't attacking other religions -- it's just explaining an overview of Buddhism, mostly as practiced here in the West. I didn't find myself saying "now that's not right!" at any point while reading it, and came away from the experience thinking it's completely appropriate to share with my friends and family (such as on Facebook). Not simply appropriate, but potentially very helpful in revealing Buddhism to them in a non-confrontational way!
The article basically aims to explain why Buddhism has become -or could - become the perfect alternative for those people who feel a longing for spirituality but don't feel represented by most major religions.
Indeed.
It almost seems like a religion designed with the modern western mind in mind, if you know what I mean.
However, I am constantly amazed at the parallels and similarities between Buddhism and most other religions. What I am learning about Buddhism has made me a lot more understanding of everyone else's religious beliefs.
There is a great deal of similarity there.
Joseph Campbell saw this, too and wrote a number of books on cross-cultural mythology. He identified a core of common mythological archtypes he called monomyth.
People I think are equally similar. Even people who would consider themselves non-religious can quickly become religious given the right set of circumstances. It can even be very subtle - so much so that the person may not realize what's happening. One example would be the non-religious person flirting with Buddhism and over time being drawn more deeply into the traditions, rituals and so on as they gain meaning to the individual.
That's kinda what happened to me.
> That's kinda what happened to me.
Yes. I've found that happening to me too. Initially, I was slightly bemused by the traditional side of things, but now I see the importance of a lot of it - not all I might add, but a lot.
I have found that, for myself, Buddhism helps me focus on the here and now. I do believe in "G-d/dess/Divinity" but honestly, who the eff knows which religious path has it right? I don't have the time or inclination to argue about it either. Since deity religions are more concerned on the afterlife, I figure I can concentrate on Buddhism to make sure I'm present and accountable in here and now, and that in turn will prepare me for the "great beyond" which, according to my religion (Judaism) will see me return for another go. So really, Buddhism helps me prevent multiple reincarnation (according to Judaism) till Moschiach (the coming of the Messiah).
So it's a win-win for me in that aspect. Saves shopping for new wardrobes each time
...
Just my 0.02 _ /\ _
Awesome. Well said.
Personal, skilful means. Nothing beats it (so to speak).
It ain't easy. It ain't perfect but it sure helps.
Dharma Confirmed.