Buddhism bigger than JWs in US - Why? Does It Appeal to YOU! (page 2)

parakeet

skeptic2: ***I'd say it provides a way to experience something, which you can then label as 'truth'.***

In Buddhism, direct experience the only way of knowing truth. Everything else -- god, ideas, beliefs, theories, words -- are abstract attempts at preserving truth, but not truth itself. Truth cannot be labeled, only experienced.

Seeker4

Truth. Always relative? Likely so. Oh yes.

S4

hamsterbait

The meditative practices i have found to be very helpful for calming my mind, and getting rid of negative behaviors.

HB

TopHat

What does one have to "DO" to be a Buddist? Not that I will become one...just curious.

Dansk

TopHat:

What does one have to "DO" to be a Buddist? Not that I will become one...just curious.

First off, the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni, also known as Siddhartha Gautama (or Gotama in some literature), no more founded 'Buddhism' than did Christ 'Christianity'. What happened is that a bunch of followers set up dogma after he died. 'Buddha' means enlightened or wise one. One doesn't have to do anything to become a Buddhist other than lead a moral life, treating all men as equals and displaying compassion for all living things. However, there are a number of different schools of Buddhism, such as Theravada (also known as Hinyana), Mahayana, Zen and Tibetan. If you go to any one of these schools regularly, over time you could be asked to "join" by reciting some simple precepts. I used to be a Theravadin Buddhist and was a whisker away from becoming a monk! I was taught by the Buddhist Society of Manchester and by a leading Cambodian monk, the late Oung Mean Candavana, who set up monasteries in the USA. My mother became ill and I was advised not to become a monk until she recovered her health, so my trip to Thailand was curtailed. In the meantime I bumped into a lovely girl called Claire - whom I've now been married to for almost 28 years, so I never did shave my head and wear the saffron robe! I guess I would have looked like this: Anyway, after having a brainstorm and joining the witlesses, and then exiting, I went back to the Buddhist Society of Manchester but didn't want to belong to any particular school because there is so much dogma wrapped up in each one. If the Buddha were alive today I'm sure he would disapprove of much of the teachings because they are made by men. That said, the majority of teachings in ALL schools have much to commend them and are not that far away from one another. The ultimate goal is Nirvana - although Tibetan Buddhism appears to teach beyond Nirvana! You may ask what Nirvana is, but it is something no one can perfectly describe because they haven't attained it. It isn't a place like heaven but, shall we say, a "condition" where perfect peace is attained and rebirth ceases forever. I've posted this before but, if you can, please try and get hold of the books The Buddha's Way by H. Saddhatissa (a wonderful man whom I met in the 70s), What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche and The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching Practice and Enlightenment by Philip Kapleau. If these are too many books, then just get the first or second ones mentioned. I should also say that Buddhism is not a religion in the accepted sense. The Buddha was just a man and stressed that one can only attain Nirvana by one's own efforts and not through the belief in some special deity. This appeals to me because it means I am responsible for my own actions, I have no-one else to blame and, if bad, must suffer the consequences. If good, I reap the benefits. This is karma (basically, cause and effect). Ian

metatron

I like Buddhism and its meditative practices but at the same time have misgivings about Buddhism generally.

Here's my problem: The core emphasis of Buddhism involves an acceptance of suffering as inevitable. Applied

to large populations, I think is a bad thing. I want the human race to concentrate on relieving or eliminating

suffering - like old age, disease and poverty, not accepting it. Technology was almost exclusively born in Judeo-

Christian nations, while Buddhist cultures tended to be static - until recent globalization. I have read Buddhist texts

that develop arguements very much like Jehovah's Witnesses in saying "we don't build hospitals or public charities

because we improve people instead".

We are on the verge of wonderful things, barely dreamed of, and we need to keep going as a world culture.

Eventually, all religion will be like Buddhism. Until then, we have work to do.

metatron

lowden

Buddhism appeals to me, although i haven't gone that deeply into it yet.

I think i'm correct in saying that Buddha means Enlightened One. That's all i need.

I'm not particularly searching properly as yet (although i am reading a book by the late Barry Long on Meditation) but when i'm ready, the Buddhist way will very possibly be something i use as a guide.

Peace

Lowden

BlackSwan of Memphis

A couple of other reasons I think buddhism has such appeal right now: There is no personal god in buddhism. You can be an atheist and a buddhist. Buddhism has no "holy book" agenda that makes it look foolish. Buddhism fully accepts science and evolution, so you don't have to make yourself jump through nonsensical intellectual hoops in order to believe . And finally, its approach to life makes a great deal of sense, and is a very practical and fulfilling way to live.

This is quite true.

TopHat:

What does one have to "DO" to be a Buddist? Not that I will become one...just curious.
First off, the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni, also known as Siddhartha Gautama (or Gotama in some literature), no more founded 'Buddhism' than did Christ 'Christianity'. What happened is that a bunch of followers set up dogma after he died. 'Buddha' means enlightened or wise one. One doesn't have to do anything to become a Buddhist other than lead a moral life, treating all men as equals and displaying compassion for all living things. However, there are a number of different schools of Buddhism, such as Theravada (also known as Hinyana), Mahayana, Zen and Tibetan. If you go to any one of these schools regularly, over time you could be asked to "join" by reciting some simple precepts. I used to be a Theravadin Buddhist and was a whisker away from becoming a monk! I was taught by the Buddhist Society of Manchester and by a leading Cambodian monk, the late Oung Mean Candavana, who set up monasteries in the USA. My mother became ill and I was advised not to become a monk until she recovered her health, so my trip to Thailand was curtailed. In the meantime I bumped into a lovely girl called Claire - whom I've now been married to for almost 28 years, so I never did shave my head and wear the saffron robe! I guess I would have looked like this: Anyway, after having a brainstorm and joining the witlesses, and then exiting, I went back to the Buddhist Society of Manchester but didn't want to belong to any particular school because there is so much dogma wrapped up in each one. If the Buddha were alive today I'm sure he would disapprove of much of the teachings because they are made by men. That said, the majority of teachings in ALL schools have much to commend them and are not that far away from one another. The ultimate goal is Nirvana - although Tibetan Buddhism appears to teach beyond Nirvana! You may ask what Nirvana is, but it is something no one can perfectly describe because they haven't attained it. It isn't a place like heaven but, shall we say, a "condition" where perfect peace is attained and rebirth ceases forever. I've posted this before but, if you can, please try and get hold of the books The Buddha's Way by H. Saddhatissa (a wonderful man whom I met in the 70s), What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche and The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching Practice and Enlightenment by Philip Kapleau. If these are too many books, then just get the first or second ones mentioned. I should also say that Buddhism is not a religion in the accepted sense. The Buddha was just a man and stressed that one can only attain Nirvana by one's own efforts and not through the belief in some special deity. This appeals to me because it means I am responsible for my own actions, I have no-one else to blame and, if bad, must suffer the consequences. If good, I reap the benefits. This is karma (basically, cause and effect). Ian

Thank You for this post Ian. I have not read nearly as much as you or many others. But you worded very well much of what I've thought about the Buddhist 'religion'. I'm going to take this list of books to the library and see if I can get them. I'm very interested in the basic philosophy of it, but I'm not interested in it as a religion for me at this point. (hope that makes some sense)

TopHat

Thank You Dansk, for more Information on Buddhism than I expected. So, it is a condition rather than a religion. Many of us might be a Buddist and not know it........Steve Irwin comes to mind. He fits the discription very well.

I will look for the books you have suggested.

Mulan

It appeals to me too. I have always been drawn to it, however I don't think I can ever "be" a Buddhist because I have an extremely strong aversion to "joining" a religion.

DITTO!!

My brother is also an ex JW elder, but he left back in 1978. Smart guy, eh? He is very drawn to Buddhism, but won't become one for the reason above.

Buddhism bigger than JWs in US - Why? Does It Appeal to YOU!

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