About the question-
Buddhism, the religion that failed us or did we fail it?
Before we have attempt to dissect the discussion and study it, let us attempt to understand the question.
Buddhism-Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha. (Wikipedia)
Religion-Religion is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or a set of beliefs concerning the origin and purpose of the universe.It is commonly regarded as consisting of a person’s relation to God, gods, or spirits. (Wikipedia)
Now, these are my personal views, my subjective views
1)I do not claim these as the universal view.
2)I do not intend to impose my view on anybody.
3)I only intend to throw light on some of the research I had carried, and to rationally accept or reject suggestions, critcism and inferences from this discussion. From those who try to dig deeper and not throw mud around.
4)I have tried to clear inconsistencies as far as possible however I invite anybody to point out the irregularities.
The essence of word religion has been defiled and contaminated with ideas of blind-worshipping beautifully and intricately carved stones and metal objects , absent-minded recitation of sacred words, and to be shepherded by religious heads suffering from intellectual impairment and carrying a briefcase of political agenda. The word itself has become a curse. [1]
Originally, in the true sense of the word, religion is simply something that shows you The Way. It never forces you. It allows you to be, to understand your essence, to celebrate your presence and to guide you towards fulfillment.
If there was one thing Buddha ever wanted , it was that people could spend time contemplating his teachings than idol worshipping him.
Even Buddha was contemplative about the possibility of his philosophy running down into the hands and minds by manipulative and hypocritic people. He knew, that rather than good, his message could do more harm. It could fall into the hands of these mediocre people, the fundamentalists, scholars, politicians and priests, who might make a doctrine out of it and stir the crowd in the directions of their own wordly gains.
If there was a way, he would have wished that he could have been the ugliest person in the world.
Ugliest beyond perception of the most skilled painted or sculptor. Well, the Rocket Men in Afghanistan; and the chalk-equipped 'X loves Y' couples in India have been trying their best; but believe me, he is still angry. To turn him into an expansive religious fetish, is to miss the essence of what he taught. Is to miss Buddhism.
Buddhism was not a religion, but now it has become one. There was no need to add an 'ism' to it, in the first place. We can no longer deny that there is a 'Buddhist religion' because everywhere we look, Buddhism is displayed as a religion. What most Buddhists in the world practice is the naive, ritualisitc, and redundant parts of Buddhism which I guess they invented themselves. The real treasure of Buddhism lies in the profound, immune and infallible wisdom which flowers the human intellect. The teachings of Buddha. The Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Way, The Thirty Seven prequisites to Enlightenment. Buddha never set out to create a system of organizing society, Buddhism. What he taught was only a means of liberation.
About the arguement-
We can not even speak of Buddhism's failure or success because most of it's offshoots do not represent it's true philosophy.
I won't talk to you about the success or failure of the religious side of Buddhism.
Like other scholars and pseudo-intellectuals, we would go into a myriad of arguements and counter-arguements, going around in circles, throwing dirt and making Buddha sigh. Again missing the point.
Now when we talk with respect to Buddhism's ultimate goal, If Buddhism ends the suffering of one person, it was successful. On that account, Buddhism has failed miserably. Maybe only one in countless thousands reached enlightenment. Who even knows?
Buddhism , directly presented an ineffable yet an intricate and paradoxical framework of philosophy, that went beyond the bedtime storytelling, and definitely not something that makes you sleep (pun intended). While most of it is simple contemplative truth, any person too mired in the world of Maya may not understand it. And it loses it's practical value because most people do not have enough time, resources and energy to gather a clear vision of it. It may even be misunderstood, it has been. It may be even manipulated, it has been.
Another object for concern for people is it's emphasis on detachment from life. Taking cues directly from Buddha's life, the path to enlightenment was supposedly to leave behind everything, spouse and children, family and all material possessions. I suppose, none of us would like to beg around for food, shelter and clothing- the basic things for survival. Absistence from procreation, is the human life itself a curse? Isn't this anti-spirituality? Now it becomes important to ask oneself if a religion that makes you surrender important social, economic, physical aspects and also the spiritual aspects of a human life is actually the right path.
They say Buddhism, was a path, carved, for a selected extraordinarily abnormal few, those who had this courage to be schizopreniac and remain aloof of the immediate reality. For people devoid of courage and unable to stand-up to face life's challenges.
My understanding about it's current relevance-
Now, we must understand that Buddisht philosophy is nothing but like science.
Buddha outlined that-
1)Do not accept anything on (mere) hearsay -- (i.e., thinking that thus have we heard it for a long time).
2)Do not accept anything by mere tradition -- (i.e., thinking that it has thus been handed down through many generations).
3)Do not accept anything on account of mere rumors -- (i.e., by believing what others say without any investigation).
4)Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures.
5)Do not accept anything by mere suppositions.
6)Do not accept anything by mere inference.
7)Do not accept anything by merely considering the reasons.
8)Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions.
9)Do not accept anything merely because it seems acceptable -- (i.e., thinking that as the speaker seems to be a good person his words should be accepted).
10)Do not accept anything thinking that the ascetic is respected by us (therefore it is right to accept his word).
The Buddha even discounts blind faith in one's teacher.
Studying Buddhism is like a personal experiment. Only you can dig to the depth of things. For the fact is that any person can embrace the Buddha’s teaching, and even become a genuine Buddhist contemplative (and, one must presume, a buddha) without believing anything on insufficient evidence.
So in many respects, Buddhism is very much like science.
In Buddhism there is not, as in most other religions, an Almighty God to be obeyed and feared. The Buddha does not believe in a cosmic potentate, omniscient and omnipresent. In Buddhism there are no divine revelations or divine messengers. A Buddhist is, therefore, not subservient to any higher supernatural power which controls his destinies and which arbitrarily rewards and
punishes. In Buddhism, the enlightenment is there and it's there, right now. Since Buddhists do not believe in revelations of a divine being Buddhism does not claim the monopoly of truth and does not condemn any other religion. But Buddhism recognizes the infinite latent possibilities of man and teaches that man can gain deliverance from suffering by his own efforts independent of divine help or mediating priests.
Now talking of detachment , Buddha never insisted that becoming a saint in it's entirey is the requisite for his teachings. He abandoned because he was ready. Enlightenment is only for few who have the courage to face the greatest fears and dissolve the boundaries of duality. But any common man can always apply Buddha's teachings to even modern life , as much as one understands it- the essence of it. Primarily, everything human does , he does it acting on his desire and hatred. Both arise from fear. Our everday life revolves around chasing desires and acting on hatred. One desire leads to another, similarly hatred leads from one to other. And our life goes on experiencing varying both in time and magnitude, different levels of pain and pleasure, in different packets, coarse and subtle.
The Buddhist principle is of gradual withdrawal, of becoming a bit less ignorant and more aware of our active desires, of taking one step at a time. Not rushing , tripping over, falling and then blaming it as a "crazy" religion. Of cultivating a seed, and watching it over, of cultivating gradual de-attachment and awareness, tasting the life's happiness and sorrows a bit less often. And using the empty space of mind thus generated to contemplate on our inner self, our innate feelings. Reach to the roots of our hatred and desires, ask if attachment to them will truly give us an everlasting peace? In reflecting in this way, we can decide better on- what to do and not do. We can then cumulatively cut on life's excesses and inculcate a sense of appreciation for the things we have. We can start to enjoy life better and be thankful for all that we have. Ultimately if one can become less desirous , more contented; less hateful, more loving; less selfish and more kind; less judging and more compassionate; less ignorant and more aware then Buddhism is the cosmic religion.
conclusion
Ultimately, Buddhism as a religion in it's today's sense may decline, die , reincarnate and grow but it's philosophy will live on. As at any point of time, there will always be people who will take "a teaching which takes a view of life that is more than superficial, a teaching which looks into life and not merely at it, a teaching which furnishes men with a guide to conduct that is in accord with its in-look, a teaching which enables those who give it heed to face life with fortitude and death with serenity."
[1] - Here I do not attend to hurt the sentiments of any religious community, also one, of which I belong to.
The words here have been intentionally bolded because my point is that anyone practising anything without questioning it is not at all religious. My comments are not directed at those who are aware of what they are doing.
Buddhism, the religion that failed us or did we fail it?
Before we have attempt to dissect the discussion and study it, let us attempt to understand the question.
Buddhism-Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha. (Wikipedia)
Religion-Religion is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or a set of beliefs concerning the origin and purpose of the universe.It is commonly regarded as consisting of a person’s relation to God, gods, or spirits. (Wikipedia)
Now, these are my personal views, my subjective views
1)I do not claim these as the universal view.
2)I do not intend to impose my view on anybody.
3)I only intend to throw light on some of the research I had carried, and to rationally accept or reject suggestions, critcism and inferences from this discussion. From those who try to dig deeper and not throw mud around.
4)I have tried to clear inconsistencies as far as possible however I invite anybody to point out the irregularities.
The essence of word religion has been defiled and contaminated with ideas of blind-worshipping beautifully and intricately carved stones and metal objects , absent-minded recitation of sacred words, and to be shepherded by religious heads suffering from intellectual impairment and carrying a briefcase of political agenda. The word itself has become a curse. [1]
Originally, in the true sense of the word, religion is simply something that shows you The Way. It never forces you. It allows you to be, to understand your essence, to celebrate your presence and to guide you towards fulfillment.
If there was one thing Buddha ever wanted , it was that people could spend time contemplating his teachings than idol worshipping him.
Even Buddha was contemplative about the possibility of his philosophy running down into the hands and minds by manipulative and hypocritic people. He knew, that rather than good, his message could do more harm. It could fall into the hands of these mediocre people, the fundamentalists, scholars, politicians and priests, who might make a doctrine out of it and stir the crowd in the directions of their own wordly gains.
If there was a way, he would have wished that he could have been the ugliest person in the world.
Ugliest beyond perception of the most skilled painted or sculptor. Well, the Rocket Men in Afghanistan; and the chalk-equipped 'X loves Y' couples in India have been trying their best; but believe me, he is still angry. To turn him into an expansive religious fetish, is to miss the essence of what he taught. Is to miss Buddhism.
Buddhism was not a religion, but now it has become one. There was no need to add an 'ism' to it, in the first place. We can no longer deny that there is a 'Buddhist religion' because everywhere we look, Buddhism is displayed as a religion. What most Buddhists in the world practice is the naive, ritualisitc, and redundant parts of Buddhism which I guess they invented themselves. The real treasure of Buddhism lies in the profound, immune and infallible wisdom which flowers the human intellect. The teachings of Buddha. The Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Way, The Thirty Seven prequisites to Enlightenment. Buddha never set out to create a system of organizing society, Buddhism. What he taught was only a means of liberation.
About the arguement-
We can not even speak of Buddhism's failure or success because most of it's offshoots do not represent it's true philosophy.
I won't talk to you about the success or failure of the religious side of Buddhism.
Like other scholars and pseudo-intellectuals, we would go into a myriad of arguements and counter-arguements, going around in circles, throwing dirt and making Buddha sigh. Again missing the point.
Now when we talk with respect to Buddhism's ultimate goal, If Buddhism ends the suffering of one person, it was successful. On that account, Buddhism has failed miserably. Maybe only one in countless thousands reached enlightenment. Who even knows?
Buddhism , directly presented an ineffable yet an intricate and paradoxical framework of philosophy, that went beyond the bedtime storytelling, and definitely not something that makes you sleep (pun intended). While most of it is simple contemplative truth, any person too mired in the world of Maya may not understand it. And it loses it's practical value because most people do not have enough time, resources and energy to gather a clear vision of it. It may even be misunderstood, it has been. It may be even manipulated, it has been.
Another object for concern for people is it's emphasis on detachment from life. Taking cues directly from Buddha's life, the path to enlightenment was supposedly to leave behind everything, spouse and children, family and all material possessions. I suppose, none of us would like to beg around for food, shelter and clothing- the basic things for survival. Absistence from procreation, is the human life itself a curse? Isn't this anti-spirituality? Now it becomes important to ask oneself if a religion that makes you surrender important social, economic, physical aspects and also the spiritual aspects of a human life is actually the right path.
They say Buddhism, was a path, carved, for a selected extraordinarily abnormal few, those who had this courage to be schizopreniac and remain aloof of the immediate reality. For people devoid of courage and unable to stand-up to face life's challenges.
My understanding about it's current relevance-
Now, we must understand that Buddisht philosophy is nothing but like science.
Buddha outlined that-
1)Do not accept anything on (mere) hearsay -- (i.e., thinking that thus have we heard it for a long time).
2)Do not accept anything by mere tradition -- (i.e., thinking that it has thus been handed down through many generations).
3)Do not accept anything on account of mere rumors -- (i.e., by believing what others say without any investigation).
4)Do not accept anything just because it accords with your scriptures.
5)Do not accept anything by mere suppositions.
6)Do not accept anything by mere inference.
7)Do not accept anything by merely considering the reasons.
8)Do not accept anything merely because it agrees with your pre-conceived notions.
9)Do not accept anything merely because it seems acceptable -- (i.e., thinking that as the speaker seems to be a good person his words should be accepted).
10)Do not accept anything thinking that the ascetic is respected by us (therefore it is right to accept his word).
The Buddha even discounts blind faith in one's teacher.
Studying Buddhism is like a personal experiment. Only you can dig to the depth of things. For the fact is that any person can embrace the Buddha’s teaching, and even become a genuine Buddhist contemplative (and, one must presume, a buddha) without believing anything on insufficient evidence.
So in many respects, Buddhism is very much like science.
In Buddhism there is not, as in most other religions, an Almighty God to be obeyed and feared. The Buddha does not believe in a cosmic potentate, omniscient and omnipresent. In Buddhism there are no divine revelations or divine messengers. A Buddhist is, therefore, not subservient to any higher supernatural power which controls his destinies and which arbitrarily rewards and
punishes. In Buddhism, the enlightenment is there and it's there, right now. Since Buddhists do not believe in revelations of a divine being Buddhism does not claim the monopoly of truth and does not condemn any other religion. But Buddhism recognizes the infinite latent possibilities of man and teaches that man can gain deliverance from suffering by his own efforts independent of divine help or mediating priests.
Now talking of detachment , Buddha never insisted that becoming a saint in it's entirey is the requisite for his teachings. He abandoned because he was ready. Enlightenment is only for few who have the courage to face the greatest fears and dissolve the boundaries of duality. But any common man can always apply Buddha's teachings to even modern life , as much as one understands it- the essence of it. Primarily, everything human does , he does it acting on his desire and hatred. Both arise from fear. Our everday life revolves around chasing desires and acting on hatred. One desire leads to another, similarly hatred leads from one to other. And our life goes on experiencing varying both in time and magnitude, different levels of pain and pleasure, in different packets, coarse and subtle.
The Buddhist principle is of gradual withdrawal, of becoming a bit less ignorant and more aware of our active desires, of taking one step at a time. Not rushing , tripping over, falling and then blaming it as a "crazy" religion. Of cultivating a seed, and watching it over, of cultivating gradual de-attachment and awareness, tasting the life's happiness and sorrows a bit less often. And using the empty space of mind thus generated to contemplate on our inner self, our innate feelings. Reach to the roots of our hatred and desires, ask if attachment to them will truly give us an everlasting peace? In reflecting in this way, we can decide better on- what to do and not do. We can then cumulatively cut on life's excesses and inculcate a sense of appreciation for the things we have. We can start to enjoy life better and be thankful for all that we have. Ultimately if one can become less desirous , more contented; less hateful, more loving; less selfish and more kind; less judging and more compassionate; less ignorant and more aware then Buddhism is the cosmic religion.
conclusion
Ultimately, Buddhism as a religion in it's today's sense may decline, die , reincarnate and grow but it's philosophy will live on. As at any point of time, there will always be people who will take "a teaching which takes a view of life that is more than superficial, a teaching which looks into life and not merely at it, a teaching which furnishes men with a guide to conduct that is in accord with its in-look, a teaching which enables those who give it heed to face life with fortitude and death with serenity."
[1] - Here I do not attend to hurt the sentiments of any religious community, also one, of which I belong to.
The words here have been intentionally bolded because my point is that anyone practising anything without questioning it is not at all religious. My comments are not directed at those who are aware of what they are doing.
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