When he first encountered the Buddha, Anathapindika was taught by the Buddha the difficulties of the world (Dukkha) and then instructed on the Eightfold Path of awakening, including Shamatha-Vipassana meditation. Agreed, Jan, that there are gray areas such as dedicating the merit or tonglen. Contrary to popular belief, most Buddhists throughout history have not meditated. Misconception No. In devotional practices for instance we cultivate the act of surrendering. When we sit, we sit (shikantaza). And with faith, which isnt the same thing as belief. But theories are often on much stronger ground for belief than facts. So, the suggestion that meditation took a back seat to scholarship in the first Sangha seems quite incorrect, to me. In fact, being vegan and practicing the four immeasurables are highly complementary practices. If there were no such forms, then the practice of Buddhism would be no more than lifeless text stored in a dusty library. the modern consensus in causality among scientists includes both indeterminacy and relativity. They both possess a vast knowledge of the many forms of modern Buddhism. All rights reserved.Design by Point Five. And it was only in the 20th century that laypeople in Buddhist traditions from Burmato Japan became regular practitioners of meditation. by: Stephen Batchelor, Christina Feldman, John Peacock, Akincano Weber, A weekly update on everything you need to know on tricycle.org, Buddhist teachings to your inbox every Thursday, Course announcements, offers, and events from our partners, Weekly updates and guided meditations from a Buddhist teacher throughout the month of March. Buddhas are anthropomorphic representations of some moral truth. 1. It had nothing to do with an image of God or belief in supernatural forces. No one is born into the sangha. This pervasive silence suggests that meditation was not part of the daily routine of monks in large Indian monasteries; instead, these communities are portrayed as engaged primarily in recitation of texts. Thank you, Dan. thank you, matt, This series would more accurately be titled 10 misunderstandings of later developed Buddhism. I have great respect for the scholarly credentials of Mr. Buswell and Mr. Lopez and I have read much of their work. One reason is that I categorically reject the religious aspects of Buddhism. "Buddhists are atheists". Very briefly, like all areas of ethics (and precepts), there are gray areas, dilemmas, and compromises that need to be thought out and lived with, despite decisions that will be uncomfortable regardless of which side of a dilemma we choose. was lost with the modern creation of Buddhism and the rise of modern Buddhisms here and abroad? Why do we bow to the Buddha on the altar as we enter the zendo? Fragment of sacred meteorite Tomanowos returned to Grand Ronde tribes; Fire reveals religious intolerance and community strength 'This is about equality': Muslim couple produces braille Quran in English It is always enlightening when we carefully define the concepts we use in a discussion. The Chicago Bears are building around Justin Fields, the Detroit Lions are entering the season as betting favorites to win the division, the Green Bay Packers are . Ive bought a nice book about becoming vegan. Tricycle. You also make the assumption that everything taught in Asia about Buddhism or its history must be accurate. The parallel, to me, is the notion that there may be a way of life and of prayer for monastics, and another way for those outside the monastic tradition. It provided good information about vegan nutrition, and gave me a good, basic education about nutrition generally, which wasnt one of my strong areas of knowledge at the time. Not once within these teachings was Buddhism mentioned. But maybe its worthwhile to let go of strict dichotomies like secular or religious Buddhism. NFC North roundtable: Biggest misconception surrounding each team Tara Brach Zen monks follow a strict set of regulations, called "pure rules," which are based on the monastic discipline imported from India. I guess I will not kill my cats after all. Many great Buddhist figures state unequivocally that enlightenment is accessible only to those who follow the Buddhist path. So, I do see gray areas, as you point out, where my answer to is it religion? would be it depends. But other practices, intentions, or beliefs seem to be clearly and dichotomously religious to me. I read your comments. So, for example, in utpattikrama practice, there is visualization of the central diety as empty and hollow. I am far from a literalist, and your accusation that I am demonstrates that you couldnt be bothered to actually read what I wrote. The destination is Nibbana. While the teachings of the early Suttas and the Patimokkha of the Vinaya of the Canon were mostly directed at the monks and bhikkhunis of the Sangha (though the Buddha did instruct the laity, such as the Kalamas, various kings and chiefs, Brahmins, etc) , I see no reason to believe that meditation was exclusive to the monastic sangha. Currently the University of Washington is studying a group of Buddhist scriptures written in Gandhari from Afghanistan written in the first Century BCE. Discover Deck 5: Do all Buddhists meditate? 18 Feb 2023 22:35:14 if feeling better yourself is your only goal, if it is purely selfish, it would seem an impossibility, but if at least a part of it is others and their needs, than that is religion, or practice. Maybe it doesnt matter so much if we devote ourselves to shikantaza or to chanting the nembutsu. That the world is an illusion. There have also been wars of Buddhists against non-Buddhists. The path of working with the world in the mahayana lineages includes cultivation of virtue through paramitta practices. Anyway, thank you too for this interesting discussion. The above may provoke a bit of existential angst until one gets used to contemplating it, but once accepted, Ive found it liberating. The Biggest Misconception about Buddhism. Strawberries and the Ethic of Appreciation. Tibetan Buddhists fought bravely against British forces that invaded Tibet. I read about 100 books a year & take notes on all of them. Some come from other cultural areas, for instance traditional Chinese thinking. Two Buddhist scholars expand on popular misconceptions about Buddhism. At best, the most down-to-earth of them are at the epistemological level of pure theoretical physics, which is not yet science (not yet supported by observation or empirical data). He wrote this in 1968 or earlier, and since then the Christian contemplative prayer movement has grown dramatically both inside and out of the Christian monasteries, just as meditation has become so much more prevalent among lay practitioners in the west. The precepts mean a lot to me. It isnt about belief, as such but about awakening to this realisation. Your statement is interesting because it raises a number of questions. Stephen Batchelor However, the majority of Buddhists throughout history have not meditated. In short, I would encourage Mr McNicholas to reconsider some of these claims which seem much more reflective of western appropriations of Buddhist ideas than of Buddhism as it is practised traditionally. Even if skeptics like me agree to be trained to develop such first-person experiences, were probably going to interpret it differently. We have reached a new apotheosis of this will the ever present cell phone, with e mail etc. Please check your email to confirm your subscription. Yours, I practice, not just meditation. Buddhism is not of course a religion in the commonly understood conception of the term, i.e a belief in a higher god or supreme being. All spiritual traditions, Buddhism included, are different paths to the same mountaintop. If approached with the wrong view for example, treating meditation as if it were taking an aspirin. Mr McNicholas contradicts himself when he asserts both that the Buddhas are anthropomorphic representations but also attributes beliefs to the Buddha as an historical figure. PS: One simple, down-to-earth way Ive been saving sentient beings is by being vegan for over 10 years now, with the full intention of enjoying the rest of my life as a vegan. Interesting to me now as I reflect with responses here. Tibetan Buddhists fought bravely against British forces that invaded Tibet. Pema Chdrn The primary form of Buddhist meditation is mindfulness. Individuals can decide that they are practicing buddhism simply because of a label applied to a set of later developed concepts and/or rituals. Neither do yours. Zen is dedicated to the experience of sudden enlightenment. Thanks again for an interesting discussion. Perhaps a basic Shamata practice is the only crack in the wall of this. Even if a minority grouping and not widespread until the 20th century, its there earlier in the Asian traditions as well, even if overrepresented here in the Western world because of the success of the meditative schools. To conclude that meditation is not integral to developing awakening simply because those that claim to be following the teachings of the Buddha, and have dismissed meditation, or elevated meditation to an elite practice for only certain monks, is a complete misunderstanding of what the Buddha taught. Buddhism has many philosophical schools, with a sophistication equal to that of any philosophical school that developed in Europe. According to some sources, the bout of dysentery that the Buddha suffered before he entered nirvana occurred after he ate pork. Modern medicine is founded on animal experiments. Or we notice a gap between us and our sitting, walking. Scientific revolutions have consistently overthrown every such set of mythical narratives over the centuries, and indeed this is how science has progressed, even though in any given period a common fallacy confuses theory with incontrovertible fact. I noticed that not one of the the writers was from Asia but all were Americans. Im still trying to figure out what the point isthe article seems to me to be an obviousity. My practice is zazen and in sitting meditation is shikantaza, your practice is whatever you want it to be and thats fine by me. This nonsense about the Devas being products of the mind is just psychologism and has absolutely nothing to do with Buddhism as a traditional practise. The great majority of Buddhist practice over history, for both monks and laypeople, has been focused on a good rebirth in the next lifetime, whether for oneself, ones family, or for all beings in the universe. Yes, it is of great benefit to the one who is practicing it, for it is the most effective way of destroying our self-cherishing, the heart of all of our problems. The two primary strands are Mahayana and Theravada. Preserving the tradition means practising the forms. Yes, the precepts are all about intention, thats what I think too. to put it another way, as a species we have evolved a biological need to care about and care for others as primal characteristic. It may be that their views are deluded simply by the many different Buddhist traditions and sheer numbers of Buddhists they have studied that insist meditation is an unnecessary relic of an outdated teaching. These stories and/or claims are generally (the main exception being ancient myths and Biblical stories) the exclusive product of the brains of the paranormal or supernatural elite, interpreted as something objective and outside or beyond the brain. Freedom of choice is essential to the Buddhas teachings, whether that choice is founded in ignorance or wisdom. Meeting Zen was a coincidence for me, staying there wasnt. I instantly recognized this perspective, this way of being as a religious one. And how do you arrive at such a remarkable degree of certainty? These entries are concise summaries of the main subject articles, which can be consulted for more detail. Is it simply recognizing that for living a human life that involves Buddhism, millions of people have been Buddhist without formal meditation practiceand living in societies with monastic sanghas? Maybe this lack of meditation instruction is down to the fact that only the form can be taught, posture and breath counting etc. Ten misconceptions about Buddhism | UCLA Since then, my practice has waxed and waned, but Zen has remained my spiritual home. This appears to be a reply to my comment above, but Im not sure how it connects with much of what I wrote (100 billion neurons being an exception). So why practice? This presumption is poignantly illustrated in the deathbed tale of the Buddhas chief financial supporter, the businessman Anathapindada. As far as Sariputras exchange with Anathapindika, this encounter has been entirely distorted to imply that Anathapindika was never taught meditation. Maybe I should kill my cats Can I go to a doctor when I get ill? Or is it the other way around? The ipansung include monks engaged in full-time meditation practice in the meditation halls, as well as monks engaged in intensive textual study in Buddhist monastic seminaries. Zen masters burn statues of the Buddha, scorn the sutras, and regularly frequent bars and brothels. However, even today, not all Buddhist monks and nuns are vegetarians. And most importantly, practitioners are finding some direction in practicing thats not just for me and my own private enlightenmentfinding out why we keep this bag of bones going. Unfortunately this is one of the problems of Buddhism as seen by Westerners meaning the destination has dominated the view not the path. What is it, that distracts us? Id like to ask Lopez and Buswell whether Anathapindadas lament (and inclusion in the sutta/sutra, to be passed down in teaching) could be read against the grain as a subaltern voice in the sutra, with recognition of laypeoples possibilities in tension with the established authority of the sanghaafter all, our Lord Buddha was not a monk, starting out under the tree. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major . The perceived benefit needs to exceed the perceived cost of resisting these issues for me as well. This way, making my whole life my practice becomes a realistic goal, having the support I need to do this. But why practice? Reading it was indispensable. This is, in my understanding, practising wholeheartedly. Ultimately, I think intention matters a lot, including the intention to progress toward less and less harm, even if gradually, and even if leveling off in progression at some reasonable point. "Buddhism is nihilistic".Nihilism is the view that no meaning can be found/made in life, which is obviously the clear opposite to what Buddhism is about as an existential philosophy - centred on the relief of suffering of all beings (no matter the school of thought). Practicing wholeheartedly and making our whole life our practice are worth striving for. Were sorry, there was an error. According to some sources, the bout of dysentery that the Buddha suffered before he entered nirvana occurred after he ate pork. Is it true that Buddhists believe there's no such thing as "self"? Zen masters burn statues of the Buddha, scorn the sutras, and regularly frequent bars and brothels. For example, in China they are; in Tibet they are not. The famous phrase four noble truths is a mistranslation. Buddhism has many philosophical schools, with a sophistication equal to that of any philosophical school that developed in Europe. Id be happy to hear from you after you read the book! When suddenly my usual sense of isolation disappeared, as I felt myself dissolve in the world around me without ceasing to exist, I learned a few things about the nature of my existence in this world. Meditation is an important component of the Buddha's teachings on how to achieve awakening, but it's not a necessity. The authors of this article and much of the commentary adopts a narrow (and Westernized) view of meditation practice. When Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka, the king of Sri Lanka asked they be sent there. Some are culturally specific, either to Western culture, or to Asian and other cultures that are influenced by modern Western thinking. 4 professors receive Chancellors Award for Community-Engaged Scholars. The Biggest Misconception About the Trans Athletes Debate. Buddhist monks and nuns originally begged for their daily meal (and some still do) and therefore were supposed to eat whatever was offered to them, including meat. There are secular ritualslike saying the Pledge. No, this is not a misconception because everything is an illusion; like almost all religions, it is improper to say there is a Buddhism. And about being clear about our motivations, the dilemmas and trade-offs of real-life situations, and then doing what seems to be the most helpful and the least harmful. By exploring (practising) these we can learn something new. Tricycle: could Buswell and Lopez be invited to respond to jthiels post? The stories of Anathapindikas life are consistent in describing a life of dhamma practice, including meditation. We cant even make an absolutely certain scientific claim that the mind is totally confined within the physical brain (such a claim would be purely theoretical). The practice of mindfulness as it is taught in America today began in Burma in the early 20th century. Copyright 2023. Thanks for the opportunity. Most Zen monks have engaged in extensive study of Buddhist scriptures before beginning their training in the meditation hall. When Sariputra saw that Anathapindika was near death he reviewed the Buddhas Dhamma (not sensory restraint) with Anathapindika in succinct detail in a way that developed aspects of the Dhamma that even devoted lay practitioners may not develop, but not because of status, (lay v monk) but due to practicality. Buddhism - Definition, Founder & Origins | HISTORY Enlightenment isnt a big deal, or a small deal, or any sort of deal. However, Buddhism is a religion by any definition of that indefinable term, unless one defines religion as belief in a creator God. Living by vow is not taking on the identity of a good Buddhist, but practising our interconnection with all living beings, my own and their suffering included. The Eightfold Path is the path that an awakened human being taught as the way for all human beings to awaken and develop lasting peace an happiness. The doctrine of not-self doesn't mean that there is no self, periodit points to the absence of a fixed, separate self. In those cases, it seems to depend on what the practitioner intends or believes her- or himself to be doing. Both of these approaches can be used in either a monastic seeting or by lay practitioners. Firstly, it's more a science. Enlightenment is the use of the seven factors of Awareness that maintains either a layperson or bhikkhu on the 8 fold path. Is it a religion? All Buddhists meditate. And why had it appeared now? As a nonprofit, we depend on readers like you to keep Buddhist teachings and practices widely available. It is certainly true that we have to practice to preserve the tradition. But always with these practices because we are Buddhists, there is a view based on absolute truth. Magazine | Buddhism. It is often said that a war has never been fought in the name of Buddhism. What we do is more important than what we think about it. What are the biggest misconceptions around Buddhism? : Buddhism - Reddit Now I understand what religion is about, I thought. Buddhism itself is conditioned. Anyone familiar with the history of Buddhism knows that it has taken myriad forms as it adapts and is influenced by the cultures it is part of. Robert and Donald rock!! In this unconditional acceptance (accepting life as it is and being accepted as we are) we may find something one might call grace, or liberation, and a joy that was eluding us in our secular culture. . It began with the question whether or not Buddhism, or a part of it, is a religion. It is only since the 20th century that the practice of meditation has begun to be widely practiced by laypeople. After reading it I may contact you by mail. As for Beings are numberless, I vow to save them all, while its a nice intention, I cant take it seriously given that I see myself as insignificant in a universe that is 14 billion years old, with billions of years to go until its cold, dark and void; and larger than any of us can conceptually wrap our heads around; and on a planet that spawns hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of sentient beings annually and will continue to do so for probably at least millions of years after my permanent death any time now, but a few decades from now at most, after which Ill cease to exist forever, just like a gnat 10,000 years ago. Contrary to popular belief, most Buddhists throughout history have not meditated. Most Zen monks have engaged in extensive study of Buddhist scriptures before beginning their training in the meditation hall. It is unclear what in the name of might mean, but there have been many battles between Buddhists (with some Buddhist monasteries having their own armies). 542 Followers. after enough effort and guidance, she does! To go into what those standards are is beyond what Id like to explain in a comments section. That is, I think, Dans view. 2023 Regents of University of California, Robert E. Buswell Jr. and Donald S. Lopez Jr. |, UCLA acquires iconic downtown L.A. building, fulfilling its decadelong vision, How UCLA has responded to Proposition 209. Its not impossible to see whats there: Buddhism is life itself. But what do I do with my five cats? So the term means, the "four truths for the [spiritually] noble.". The Buddha declared shortly before he died that: I am not like teacher with a closed fist. As for the activity of the brain (what youre calling the mind), Im open to the remote possibility of spookiness (or anything other than neurons and neurotransmitters) playing a role in the phenomena of mind, but until I see some evidence, Ill take the hypothesis as seriously as I take the hypothesis of invisible underground fairies pushing up flowers in the garden. Would you like to sign up for our other mailing lists? For example, in China they are; in Tibet they are not. For me, a Buddhist is someone who, at a minimum, accepts the most common (among the various sects) philosophical and religious teachings of Buddhism. Finally, their assertion that historical evidence supports their view that meditation is not integral to the teachings of the Buddha because many monks dont meditate, is simply using a negative action to prove an negating view. Its been a pleasure. to me, theology, ideology, dogma are the frame, since thought needs a cultural frame. Our scientific understanding of the mind and the brain are at this point do rudimentary that one can only look at assumptions as encompassed I the 100 billion neurons example as being based on another form of myth. Buddhism is the world's fifth largest religion. Are they sad that something (innocence?) But perhaps one could call oneself a philosophical Buddhist, especially if the philosophical and psychological aspects are ones primary or sole philosophy-of-life.. People read that and think, Buddhism teaches that life is always miserable. Buddhism | Definition, Beliefs, Origin, Systems, & Practice A Buddhist lives a life of Awareness Or Enlightenment by applying Mindfulness, Investigation of States, Energy, Rapture, Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity. The Vinaya describes these ascetic meditators in consistently pejorative termsas unkempt, slovenly, and uncouthand prescribes rules related to their personal hygiene, such as requiring them to wash their feet at least once every three days.
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