Thoughts on Buddhism?
What exactly do you, buddhist or not, think that buddhism means?
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Well, I was born a Buddhist...I would say that buddhism are about study of the mind more than spirituality. Taking care of the mind.
The spirituality and superstitions part are just later tie in with the Buddha's teaching...it is easier for people to understand his teaching this way. Apply it with tradition that they are already custom to.
Some of his teaching may sound absurd and impossible, but that's okay, he never said that he is right or everyone must see his way. That's up to you if you want to believe or not, but you could try and apply his teaching, sees if it work for you or not.
The spirituality and superstitions part are just later tie in with the Buddha's teaching...it is easier for people to understand his teaching this way. Apply it with tradition that they are already custom to.
Some of his teaching may sound absurd and impossible, but that's okay, he never said that he is right or everyone must see his way. That's up to you if you want to believe or not, but you could try and apply his teaching, sees if it work for you or not.
the only religion I don't dislike.
I think it's something, and it exists.
Buddha emphasise observation and analysis: he invites us to think for ourselves whether his teaching makes sense or not, and whether it brings us happiness or not. if yes, then we should follow it, if not, we can leave it. there is no dogma in Buddhism that has to be believed in order to avoid hell. also, Buddhism deals specifically with our suffering and how to alleviate it. it does not put too much emphasise on metaphysical aspects: hell, heaven, god, etc, which we may never understand with our limited time and knowledge. also, Buddhism teaches universal love for all living being (not just humans). Buddhism scriptures contain thousands of pages. You will not find any single verse which advocates violence toward other living beings, misinterpreted or not.
I think it means bullshit in general. Like every religion, any useful benefit is surrounded by useless or harmful unnecessary superstition.
Buddhism is elitism and sexism and all the other things of religion.
I know Buddhism is probably the only one I have a shred of respect for - but people need to be realistic. It's hard it's fair share of darkness too, if I recall correctly it didn't take to kindly to women being monks at one point.
The shit I live my life by.
my view is that they are peaceful and wont cause any harm to anyone whatsoever.
Yeah, they'll never do anything like bomb Pearl Harbor or the like.
Nationalism not religion was responsible for Pearl Harbor.
I didn't say religion was responsible, merely that it was done by "peaceful" Buddhists. There's no real reason to think Buddhists are more "peaceful" than anyone else. Would that be because they preach peacefulness? Well, so does Christianity, and look at what THAT gets us.
Difference would be that rarely does a Buddhist commit violence because of their religion as with Christianity and Islam. Most samurai were Buddhist knowing that killing is a taboo their punishment would was to be reincarnated as samurai. Suicide on the other hand is something that has been most present in extreme Buddhists.
Fine. But that's utterly beside the point. Buddhists aren't more particularly peaceful than anyone else; it's a false stereotype. If they don't tend to use their religion to justify their violence (much more common even in Christianity and Islam than committing violence *because* of religion, which at least with Christianity cannot really be done) then that's to their credit I suppose.
But in the end, violence is violence. It doesn't really matter why.
But in the end, violence is violence. It doesn't really matter why.
Point taken.
Sounds less shocking than numerous holy crusades against islam for the past thousand years.
Not to mention the Muslim invasions of most of the ancient world. But neither really sounds worse than the atrocities of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
and the bombing in Hiroshima.
THAT is a little wack in the face.
Well pearl habor bombing had nothing to do with religions ... so ...
Also funny to read all the comments about buddhism ( being a buddhist myself ) and how very little people know about it.
Also funny to read all the comments about buddhism ( being a buddhist myself ) and how very little people know about it.
Well pearl habor bombing had nothing to do with religions
So what? The guys flying the airplanes were still Buddhists.
All this "peaceful" stuff is a stereotype. It might be a positive stereotype, but it's a stereotype nonetheless and in stark contradiction of real history.
So what? The guys flying the airplanes were still Buddhists.
All this "peaceful" stuff is a stereotype. It might be a positive stereotype, but it's a stereotype nonetheless and in stark contradiction of real history.
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I fully admit to knowing fuck all about buddhism beyond a few very specific ideas and that it is largely based in a sort of spiritual metaphysics.
If you have the inclination, do you mind telling me a bit?
If you have the inclination, do you mind telling me a bit?
well i was not aware of that
Meh. Never gave two fucks about it to be honest.