[Mattayus]

Question's in the title really!

I was raised as a buddhist, but I don't believe in that stuff anymore.

[Mattayus]

Really? I'm gravitating more and more towards its ideals and fundamentals

[Naren]

I studied Buddhism on my own in high school and then studied it for 4 years in college (I was a Japanese Studies major and I tended to really concentrate on Buddhism), studied it for 1 year in Japan (along with some other stuff, but over half of my studies in Japan were Buddhist related). I'm highly familiar with all the Buddhist mumbo jumbo in both Sanscrit and Japanese (Bodhisatvas (or bosatsu in Japanese) and so on).

And, while I never really believed in it, I thought it was very interesting... until I learned more about it and just how much a crock of nonsense it is. I've never seen a religion historically contradict itself so much, rewrite the basic rules, and just make up stuff to fit what they wanted.

That said, Buddhists tend to be some of the nicest people I've ever met. Of course, they also tend to understand their religion very little. In all earnest, I probably have a higher understanding of Buddhism that 80-90% of Buddhists themselves.

Originally Posted by Mattayus

Really? I'm gravitating more and more towards its ideals and fundamentals

Why? Do you even know what they believe?

And I don't mean as in a superficial vague understanding, but I mean seriously.



By the way, what does Buddhism have to do with food, fitness, health, and lifestyle? And "Buddhist monk food" isn't gonna get you off on this one.

[Mattayus]

haha yes i do understand it you cheeky sod, i'm not Madonna, i haven't decided to become a buddhist on a whim, i just thought i'd bring it up as i've started to look at it in a deeper sense. The reason it's in here was because this section says "lifestyle" and i thought it was the most plausible place for Religion.

I've always been fascinated with religion and it's omnipresence in the argument of science. Buddhism just happens to be the latest that i've decided to delve into a touch more deeply purely to further my knowledge. And I know exactly what you mean when you say "I've never seen a religion historically contradict itself so much, rewrite the basic rules, and just make up stuff to fit what they wanted."
Which is why i said i like it's fundamentals. Because fundamentally it's the most accepting religion, there are no creative deities to appease, no recompense for good deeds or any of that nonsense. it's about yourself essentially, and at its core it's about riddance of suffering in a completely selfless manor, where-as the other religions, although seemingly as benevolent, tend to be more of a "what i can do to make myself appear better in divine eyes" sort of ethic. But as i said your point resonates very loud with me, it's a very confused religion, with more spin-offs than Star Wars to better suit the practices of its followers.

[telecaster90]

I'm an atheist, but I've read into Buddhism some and it seems pretty interesting.

[Naren]

Originally Posted by Mattayus

Because fundamentally it's the most accepting religion, there are no creative deities to appease, no recompense for good deeds or any of that nonsense.

I would disagree with all 3 of those statements.

It is not accepting at all in that it states that everyone that isn't Buddhist isn't following the true path and all that stuff. The thing is most religions try to convert people. Buddhists usually don't (sometimes they do and historically there have been cults and sects that went on huge quests to convert people). The reason why is because: once you die, you'll be reincarnated. And, since killing is evil (including killing insects), they never get into the "We'll kill you because you aren't Buddhist!"

I was joking about this with some Japanese friends and my one friend said, "Yeah, well, that's because Buddhists just don't give a fuck about anyone else."

No recompense for good deeds? Hell, yeah, there is recompense for good deeds. What about being reincarnated as a better person? Ever heard of nirvana? Enlightenment? Karma? There is the same kind of recompense in Buddhism that you get in other religions. And hell is good motivation to do good deeds. In some sects of Buddhism, there are over 100 different hells you can go to. In fact, I read a lot about the theory that Christianity got its idea of Hell from Buddhism. Very interesting and convincing theory.

And, depending on the sect of Buddhism, there are "creative deities" to appease - whether we're talking about Buddhas (some Westerners are under the misunderstanding that there is just one Buddha. There are many and different sects worship different Buddhas) or bodhisatvas. The Pure Land sect of Japanese Buddhism worshipped/worships Amidha Buddha. The Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism worshipped/worships the Dainichi Buddha (Sun Buddha?). Then there are tons of sects that worship Shakyamuni (the Buddha form of Siddhartha Guatama). There are sects that worship bodhisatvas like Kan'on and so on.

[Mattayus]

But i was under the impression that the Bodhisatvas are just celestial deities that are just... sort of.. responsible, i didn't think there was any worshipping as such. I'll take your word on it though seeing as you know much more than me

As for the recompense for good deeds thing, what i meant was it's not FOR a deity as such, or so i gathered. I thought it was more for yourself, to reach enlightenment and subsequently Nirvana. There's no 'service' so to speak, the deities just act as a guide, Am i right?

[Naren]

Originally Posted by Mattayus

But i was under the impression that the Bodhisatvas are just celestial deities that are just... sort of.. responsible, i didn't think there was any worshipping as such. I'll take your word on it though seeing as you know much more than me

Bodhisattvas are people who have reached enlightenment but have decided to stay behind in this world to help people instead of becoming a buddha.

And because of this selfless act, they are worshipped. Just like people or deities who perform selfless acts are worshipped in other religions.

You could think of bodhisattvas as being kind of like angels and buddhas as being like gods.

Originally Posted by Mattayus

As for the recompense for good deeds thing, what i meant was it's not FOR a deity as such, or so i gathered. I thought it was more for yourself, to reach enlightenment and subsequently Nirvana. There's no 'service' so to speak, the deities just act as a guide, Am i right?

How is that any different from any other religion?

Anyway, buddhas are not guides. You could use their actions when they were a human as a guide to reaching enlightenment, but it's the bodhisattvas that would physically intervene in helping out people.

And if you think of Buddhism as being "for yourself," then that's the same thing as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. And, of course, there are a LOT of different Buddhist sects and they differ on their stance on things about this. But Buddhism is supposed to be about selflessness - just like Christianity. I knew a lot of Buddhists that would be very offended at the idea that Buddhism is for yourself. There is even the idea that there is "no self" in some sects of Buddhism.

Of course, I think the "mu" nothingness idea in Buddhism is one of the most ridiculous things Buddhism ever spewed out into the world.

naren, have you trained zen with a master and achieved satori ?