To be honest, I don't like Buddhism

[GuyFawkes38]

I recently read this article by David Brooks, of the NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/opinion/13brooks.html?_r=2&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

The article makes me cringe, because I agree with Brooks. Many Americans are infatuated with Buddhist concepts (growing closer to the energy of the one, being connected supernaturally with the spirit of the universe, blah blah blah).

If Brooks column made me cringe, this article made me puke:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/fashion/25brain.html?ref=health

To make matters worse, a priest at my church recently gave a homily on how much he respected Buddhism and its world view. He claimed the most important event of his life was hearing the Dali Lama speak.

It's all very disgusting. Buddhist theology sharply contradicts Christianity. Christians believe that man has a very personal, human like relationship with God. Jesus is fully human. Mary was also fully human and maternal. The Saints are likewise fully human. And through them we experience a non-abstract, personal God.

Buddhism, in contrast, preaches an abstract union to something unknowable. Call it nirvana. It's something. Who know what it is. Supposedly those at Woodstock experienced it.

Naturally, I blame baby boomers for all of this 1960's type crap.

[Stonebreaker]

The energy I get is when my team wins.

[muskienick]

In my study of the teachings of Gautama 30-40 years ago, I got the impression that it was a striving to make oneself the best "you" possible. I further remember that it was a bit like existentialism in that regard except that the true existentialists (like Sartre and Camus) strove to that end while eschewing all outside influences, a concept in direct opposition to the philosophy of Buddhism (I think).

Finally, I concluded that I could easily continue to practice my Catholic faith while striving for the Buddhist state of Nirvana. I detected no contradictions between the two. Nirvana is merely the goal that one strives to reach where we are totally blissful because we no longer feel the need to crave things of the world or flesh.

Heck, if you think about it (or ask people who were educated by Catholic nuns in the 40's and 50's), we Catholics were supposed to reach a point of not craving the things of the flesh and world as well (hence, the 10 Commandments, Baltimore Chatechism, etc.) but the "bliss" part was neither discussed nor expected. Guilt, on the other hand, was taught as a key factor to reaching our "Catholic Nirvana." Sr. Mary Swatina did her best to make us realize that good actions resulted in no corporal or psychological pain. It worked pretty d@mned well for the kids with whom I attended Catholic school. And, as an off-shoot of the avoiding of pain, we were extremely blissful!!!

[GuyFawkes38]

MuskieNick, I'll admit that maybe I was off last night. Maybe I should of titled it, "I don't like some Americans who think they are following Buddhism".

To be honest, I know very little about Buddhism (much of which what I know is from those two articles). The articles, especially the second one, struck me as ridiculous. Let me sum up the person in the second article:

"I just had a stroke. I can't use my left brain. And guess what, I'm experiencing nirvana. Everyone shouldn't use their left brain, but instead use their right brain. I don't like religion. That's from the evil left brain, along with everything else which is logical (math). I'm on Oprah tomorrow."

But I guess one thing which bothers me about even your sense of Nirvana is its detachment from the world.

I remember reading an interview in philosophy class from Heidegger, an existentialist philosopher of sort. His philosophy has some Buddhist aspects (Staying within the moment, living an authentic life, etc). When asked if his philosophy was a form of Buddhism, he immediately said, "no, Buddhism asks for complete detachment from the world. I call for the opposite" (I can't remember the exact words, but something of the sort).

I'm sure that Buddhism is more complex than Heidegger and I understand it as. But that's how I see Buddhism right now.

[sirthought]

I disagree. It doesn't call for detachment from this world. It's encouraging you to make it the best, most peaceful world possible by absorbing all of your experiences, using all of your experiences to improve the world. You may have to try to detach, in other words, see the bigger picture, in order to gain perspective, but your responsibility is towards this life in this world. That is all you can focus on in order to reach Nirvana.

I suggest reading a novel by Hermann Hesse called Siddhartha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)). It's a very short read. A wee bit slow at the beginning, but very enjoyable. It's about one man's journey to discover Buddhism. It's one of my favorite books. Not necessarily teaching the rules or guidance of Buddhism, but you get the sense of what is an ideal attitude in life.

[GuyFawkes38]

I disagree. It doesn't call for detachment from this world. It's encouraging you to make it the best, most peaceful world possible by absorbing all of your experiences, using all of your experiences to improve the world. You may have to try to detach, in other words, see the bigger picture, in order to gain perspective, but your responsibility is towards this life in this world. That is all you can focus on in order to reach Nirvana.

I suggest reading a novel by Hermann Hesse called Siddhartha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_(novel)). It's a very short read. A wee bit slow at the beginning, but very enjoyable. It's about one man's journey to discover Buddhism. It's one of my favorite books. Not necessarily teaching the rules or guidance of Buddhism, but you get the sense of what is an ideal attitude in life.


I'll have to check that out.

I didn't mean to come across as anti-Buddhist (ok, I did title the thread "I don't like Buddhism").

I guessed what pissed me off was that the pop-Buddhism which is gaining interest in the US (the articles I linked to above are examples) pretentiously portrays itself as the opposite of the oppressive catholic church.

Or if not the opposite of Christianity, Buddhism is portrayed as a superior, more logical encounter with the supernatural. In contrast, Christianity is composed of crazy myths like the story of Jesus.

Of course, I strongly disagree with that.

[sirthought]

I sense this is an ego attachment for you. :rolleyes:

[Fred Garvin]

I was thrown out of Xavier my frosh year for cheating on my Metaphysics final, you know.
I looked into the soul of the girl next to me.

[XU05and07]

I was thrown out of Xavier my frosh year for cheating on my Metaphysics final, you know.
I looked into the soul of the girl next to me.

Kahns told me that was the only girl's soul you have ever looked into

[Fred Garvin]

Kahns told me that was the only girl's soul you have ever looked into

Kahn's Krazy is a sausage smuggler.