What are your views on Buddhism?

[RATTER15]

As an Atheist i find it a little difficult to accept Buddhism, whilst they accept a God, their "God" is an actual person, and not seen as a God as we would normally associate it in the western world. Buddha was more of a philosopher not an invisible man in the sky.

How do you view Buddhism?

I like the whole idea but Im generally not well informed on the subject at this moment in time but I have dipped my toe in the water.

[erin-x]

I don't think any of them would condone violence but some people who say they practice Buddhism could still be violent. They would just be a hypocrite.

[jake-the-peg]

Sorry - reincarnation is mumbo jumbo

[RATTER15]

Yes Jake, I agree!

[Clanad]

For those who choose to ignore or otherwise silently approve of violent Buddhists while at the same breath condemn such activity by other religions, you might do well to take your head out of the sand or wherever else you have it firmly planted:

http://www.csmonitor....0618/p04s01-wosc.html
http://www.sangam.org/articles/view/?id=118
http://www.forbes.com...d-cambodia-burma.html
http://spritzophrenia...k-side-of-the-buddha/

... and zillions more sources, if one wants factual information...

[jno]

for those who asked me about violent Buddhists, Clanad has provided answers.
There has been quite a lot of Buddhist involvement in various south-east Asian struggles.

I don't think Buddhism is 'institutionally' violent any more than I think it of other religions; it's just that people don't always live up to their highest ideals.

[Khandro]

@clanad, There are no examples of Buddhists attacking peoples of other religions simply because they held other beliefs or in an attempt to convert them to their way of thinking- as there are countless examples by Christians and Muslims. The appalling violence inflicted by Chinese communists on Tibetan Buddhist monasteries is well documented, and perhaps you should go and read some. Briefly 1,000 monasteries and their irreplaceable contents were destroyed. In a few some monks bravely tried to defend, against overwhelming odds, not themselves, but the Dharma, (see my above post). In Sri Lanka. a Buddhist country, Tamil separatists, were wreaking havoc on the country in terrorist attacks - I myself missed by a hairs breadth from being killed in Colombo - The government, as government, not as Buddhists, had to retaliate and put down these attacks and end the slaughter, which it finally succeeded in doing. You quote an insignificant Californian theology teacher who wrote an essay on violence in Buddhism having been on a family holiday to Thailand and asking people for examples of Buddhist violence, his references would be thrown out by any University degree supervisor. He uses as an example of violence (unbelievably) a photograph of a 6 year old child in monk's robes holding a water-pistol! I repeat; all the acts of 'violence' you quote were carried out in a last resort, and in self-defence.

[Clanad]

Seems Buddhist attacks on others simply because of religious beliefs is going on even as we speak according to numerous news reports. But... believe as you will, denial isn't just a river in Egypt... You sure you're not related to keyplus?

An extensive, well footnoted reincarnation of Buddhism's past is presented here:
http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html ...

[Khandro]

please check the link clanad, it doesn't open for me.

[jno]

here are some reports of Buddhist monks joining in violence in Sri Lanka

http://www.christiant...in.sri.lanka/8509.htm

why violence agaisnt Christians, I don't know. As the report itself is from a Christian media body, you may prefer to disregard it. of course.

[sandyRoe]

Naomi, of all the satanic forces Mammon seems to be in the ascendancy. He's leading us down the primrose path.
People seem to want more of everything and don't realise that material things don't bring happiness.
How much happier we'd all be if only we could learn that a warm bowl of gruel, to sustain us, a place to lay our heads at night, and a copy of the bible are all we need.

[Clanad]

Kahandro: it's working for me... try again at

http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html

Please understand, the library for this subject is extensive and easily located on Bing...

[Khandro]

jno, I wouldn't disregard the report just because it appears in a Christian journal, but it doesn't give a very clear account of what ensued by the mob and a small group of Buddhist monks. I'd feel better if the report came through Reuters.

[naomi24]

Sandy, just as well I never take you seriously. If I did, I could be forgiven for thinking you'd flipped!

Back to the subject. I think there is some confusion going on here and you're all missing the point of the question, which I assume refers to the basic principles of Buddhism. Therefore where the report came from, or what it contains, is irrelevant. As far as I'm aware, unlike most other religions, Buddhism does not promote violence - full stop. However, if individuals elect to resort to violence, for whatever reason, that is their choice, and according to Buddhist philosophy, they will either eventually reap the rewards for their actions - or suffer the consequences.

[sandyRoe]

Have I flipped? DO material things bring happiness?

[askyourgran]

I like the concept of Buddhism. To me it's a peaceful, thoughtful, organised belief. I understand they are trained at a very young age in the arts of self defence and meditation. Inner peace and harmony has a lot going for it Grasshopper.

[Khandro]

Sandy, No, but they make being miserable a bit more comfortable. :-)

[Ankou]

buddhism does not promote violence, but allows it in defence of self or faith or place of worship. in my view that pretty much puts it with all the others. there are extremities in all of them.

saying they are non violent, is a bit like saying all the christian monks (including knights templar) were peace loving gentlemen, rather than vicious kiddy fiddling bar stards what sometimes prayed.

[NOX]

Although I consider myself to be a Pagan if anything, I tend to be quite Buddhist in my general living- I don't harm anything unless I have to, I don't treat other people unfairly because of what they are etc and I try to live peacefully. I don't however believe in Karma one iota and I'm perfectly happy to make an exception to the pacifist maxim and give the odd person a good smack in the mouth because sometimes that's the only way- however by and large it's a nice peaceful life I'm living now not far away from most of what the Buddhist faith teaches.

[Ankou]

me too nox. i have been known to escort a spider safely off my premises to a safe haven in the garden at 3 o'clock in the morning. but if one of them burglar types tries crawling across my carpet in the middle of the night, he'll feel the blunt end of a lump hammer to be sure.

[RATTER15]

lol @ Ankou and the spiders, I work with a load of girls/women, im always being called upon to kill a spider they have spotted and is being terrorized by it. They think I am totally mad when I refuse to kill it, ( I cant abide spiders by the way) my argument being that I dont kill things because of the way they look and the fact that they put the willies up my, however I will escort them from the property, if I dont they will surely be killed.

What is it with bloody spiders lol, I was a pest controller for 13 years, you would think I would have got used to them.