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He would have answered you if you had asked with respect and due reverence. Can you do that?
So you dont how a Buddhist thinks or acts because you did not ask him. Since you dont know you cannot be one.
It's not for you to judge. That, in fact, is your problem -- you have set yourself up as judge of others and their beliefs.
so then how does a a person think like a Buddhist and act like a Buddhist if they do not follow the guidelines laid out in Buddhism? it's a reasonable question.
that is a question for you, since you self-identify as a Theravada Buddhist.
Hey. Pay attention. I didn't say they/I didn't follow the guidelines.
And you -- who doesn't know me and doesn't have any practical experience in Buddhism -- need to stop being our other forum judge. That's above your pay grade.
Hey. Pay attention. I didn't say they/I didn't follow the guidelines. And you -- who doesn't know me and doesn't have any practical experience in Buddhism -- need to stop being our other forum judge. That's above your pay grade.
you said that the eightfold path and noble truths are optional and are suggestions.
if a person does not follow them, since they are optional, then how does a person "act like a Buddhist and think like a Buddhist." That is the question being asked. it is a basic reasonable question.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phetaroi
I asked a Theravada Thai monk that one time. And here was his answer, verbatim: "If you think like a Buddhist and act like a Buddhist, then you are a Buddhist".
This reads a lot like a description of my interest in religion generally speaking, and that interest had me studying Buddhism for quite awhile. What appealed to me was so much not really having to do with a deity or spirituality. My studies of Buddhism resonated with me, because of the more pragmatic and "real" approach to dealing with life and it's challenges. The encouragement to question and/or not accept anything as truth just because "it is written" or because someone tells you to believe in something without proper justification all appealed to me as well. To the point that if I were to follow a religion, it would certainly be Buddhism.
That element of Buddhism that also ventures into the realms of deity, divinity and worship is what keeps me from being a Buddhist however. That and I'm just not much of a joiner when it comes to such things for another variety of reasons.
All interesting stuff in any case. Good thread. I agree, Buddhism is not atheism, and atheism is not Buddhism. Nor is atheism a religion. Nice when we can at least get the basics right...
My interest in Buddhism is centered on Buddha himself. His renunciation of his kingdom, his travels, the sacred places he visited and the people he talked to. There is very little of that in history. People did observe his penance which went into days and months. Buddhism spread from the Northeast to the South in India and on to Sri Lanka. He focused a lot on Ahimsa, non violence, and why would he but for the violence that existed in the region then. Buddhism was adopted by Dr. Ambedkar during the struggle for Independence as a protest against caste discrimination and he encouraged many of the poor and those belonging to lowest caste to convert to Buddhism and they did. He was instrumental in getting affirmation action for those affected by caste discrimination into the constitution, and he chaired the committee that wrote the constitution. Buddha has a revered place for Indians.
Hey. Pay attention. I didn't say they/I didn't follow the guidelines.
And you -- who doesn't know me and doesn't have any practical experience in Buddhism -- need to stop being our other forum judge. That's above your pay grade.
How do you know that you think like a Buddhist and act like Buddhist, if you dont know what that is? Simple question.
You dont seem to realize what the kind monk told you is just the tip of a very deep philosophy of life.
In any case this thread has become all about you, as always. You contributed zilch from your reading of the scholarly article. It is all about you, you, you. That is not what the monk would have reccomended.
Searching Buddhism and atheism I find several sites including National Geographic that claim there is no gods in Buddhism. Our local Buddhist days the same thing. But now our one Hindi and anti atheism claims that he is appropriating culture because he does not view Buddhism exactly like she does.
So who should we trust? National Geographic and other sites and our resident Buddhist who has spent time in Asia with Buddhists or a fellow poster whose trustworthyness leaves a lot to be desired?
The entire OP appears to be a direct attack on one fellow poster's personal take of his Buddhism. And her fourth of fifth thread started tofor the purpose of attacking atheism. We have had in the past threads started to attack Christians or Muslims but I do not think as many started by a single poster. Ironic. CB2008 keep it up as it really makes you stand out.
Searching Buddhism and atheism I find several sites including National Geographic that claim there is no gods in Buddhism. Our local Buddhist days the same thing. But now our one Hindi and anti atheism claims that he is appropriating culture because he does not view Buddhism exactly like she does. So who should we trust? National Geographic and other sites and our resident Buddhist who has spent time in Asia with Buddhists or a fellow poster whose trustworthyness leaves a lot to be desired? The entire OP appears to be a direct attack on one fellow poster's personal take of his Buddhism. And her fourth of fifth thread started tofor the purpose of attacking atheism. We have had in the past threads started to attack Christians or Muslims but I do not think as many started by a single poster. Ironic. CB2008 keep it up as it really makes you stand out.
a. Have you read the article written by the ordained Buddhist priest? That is the topic of this thread. What can you contribute regarding the elements discussed in that article?
b. Regarding reliability of sources on aspects of Buddhism, then the ordained Buddhist priest with decades immersed in living, teaching, and following Buddhism, has greater credibility than a random person posting who trivializes the wisdom of the Dalai Lama as "a cliche."
c Buddhism recognizes the sacred and holy. Atheism does not.
d. If someone anyone ridicules and dismisses foundational elements of Buddhism as "silly superstitions" and "a cliche" then I don't consider them to be a reliable or credible source of Buddhism.
This forum exists to discuss various views and elements of paths of religion and spirituality; and in this thread topic specifically regarding Buddhism and atheism. This is the distinction I am making:
Quote:
Buddhism recognizes the holy and the sacred. Buddhism recognizes prayer, reincarnation, karma, spiritual liberation, and enlightenment. Buddhism has sacred texts and a path of practical application in daily life. Atheism has none of those. Atheism does not recognize the holy and the sacred, does not recognize prayer, does not recognize enlightenment, has no sacred texts, and has no path of practical application in daily life for spiritual liberation.
a. Have you read the article written by the ordained Buddhist priest? That is the topic of this thread. What can you contribute regarding the elements discussed in that article?
b. Regarding reliability of sources on aspects of Buddhism, then the ordained Buddhist priest with decades immersed in living, teaching, and following Buddhism, has greater credibility than a random person posting who trivializes the wisdom of the Dalai Lama as "a cliche."
c Buddhism recognizes the sacred and holy. Atheism does not.
d. If someone anyone ridicules and dismisses foundational elements of Buddhism as "silly superstitions" and "a cliche" then I don't consider them to be a reliable or credible source of Buddhism.
This forum exists to discuss various views and elements of paths of religion and spirituality; and in this thread topic specifically regarding Buddhism and atheism. This is the distinction I am making:
Yes...it would appear that the Atheist Religion of "Lacking What Is Sacred/Holy" and the Religion of Buddhism are at odds and incompatible.
a. Have you read the article written by the ordained Buddhist priest? That is the topic of this thread. What can you contribute regarding the elements discussed in that article?
b. Regarding reliability of sources on aspects of Buddhism, then the ordained Buddhist priest with decades immersed in living, teaching, and following Buddhism, has greater credibility than a random person posting who trivializes the wisdom of the Dalai Lama as "a cliche."
c Buddhism recognizes the sacred and holy. Atheism does not.
d. If someone anyone ridicules and dismisses foundational elements of Buddhism as "silly superstitions" and "a cliche" then I don't consider them to be a reliable or credible source of Buddhism.
This forum exists to discuss various views and elements of paths of religion and spirituality; and in this thread topic specifically regarding Buddhism and atheism.
Do all Jewish people have the same view of Judaism? If so once you have read one opinion you have all? Our Buddhist poster has said that some believe in a dirty and others do not. So have the articles I looked at. But you are only taking the view of one source not multiple views because of prior opinions.
And the entire title of the thread is nonsense. Who has ever said Buddhism is atheism? It's simply a thread to attack a particular poster and you joined in at the opportunity to dump upon atheists . There is no difference between this thread and one by two non Jews questioning your being a follower of Judaism. And CB2008 has already lied about the meaning of atheism and also freely mocks atheists and not once have you stood up to her rather than joining in
Sure mock and insult atheists and atheism all you want as we can take it but then do not respond and say we are the only ones doing it.
Are you calling Phet a liar when he says he is a Buddhist? Have you credible evidence that he and the other articles are lies and the one linked at the OP is the only one true?
you said that the eightfold path and noble truths are optional and are suggestions.
if a person does not follow them, since they are optional, then how does a person "act like a Buddhist and think like a Buddhist." That is the question being asked. it is a basic reasonable question.
Buddhism is not about someone or some god telling you to do "x".
Buddhism is about using a knowledge of the teachings and then using one's own reasoning to decide how to proceed. For example, "right thought"...that's very vague. It's up to the practitioner to do focused thinking and/or meditation to decide how to practice right thought. That is why we go into a temple...to focus our thought. That is why we sit before a Buddha statue...to focus our thought. And to figure out how to proceed on OUR individual path.
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