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There's some good logic there. Somewhere along the line I saw it said that one has to close his or her eyes to the physical world and the culture around us, and develop a sense of what is inside you. And when I think about it, when I would join the Thai Buddhist monks occasionally for their evening prayers and meditations, they always had their eyes closed.
regarding bold above
yes this is being aware of our inner world
Based on my reading of the Four Noble Truths, it seems to me that the main objective in Buddhism is the avoidance/elimination of suffering through enlightenment.
However, I spoke about this with a Buddhist co-worker of mine, and she kind of rolled her eyes (in a friendly way) and said that she didn't follow that strain of Buddhism.
Am I inaccurate in what I had presumed to be was the main objective in Buddhism?
Based on my reading of the Four Noble Truths, it seems to me that the main objective in Buddhism is the avoidance/elimination of suffering through enlightenment.
However, I spoke about this with a Buddhist co-worker of mine, and she kind of rolled her eyes (in a friendly way) and said that she didn't follow that strain of Buddhism.
Am I inaccurate in what I had presumed to be was the main objective in Buddhism?
Yes and no. It is not as simple as elimination of suffering but the realization that suffering is unavoidable and that its ultimate source is desire and attachment to people and things. Buddha’s teachings are guideline to live one’s life and act in a mindful way that would minimize suffering. At its core I think it is not all that different from what all religions also teach at their core. Be good, show kindness, and dont harm. Karma will get you.
Sorry the quote function was not working properly. I am afraid Father Richard is being reductive. Meditation, contemplation, I be.ieve, is part of both Christianity and Buddhism. Eastern religion is not introverted as much as seeking god within rather than only outside of the self. That is not that foreign to Christianity either as in Jesus’s own words about the kingdom of heaven. Eastern religion is not concerned with spreading the gospel, because it believes karma leads you to where you need to go, what path you take. This actually makes for a secular view and the embrace of all paths as leading to same source.
May be what Christianity could do is listening to Jesus more closely! I believe he too was seeking his God within himself.
Moderator cut: Fixed the quote tags.
Tibetan Buddhism has a long history of spreading the gospel. They believe they gain "merit" if they bring new adherents into the fold. (Notice the explosion of Tibetan centers all over the world.) A major effort went into spreading TB to Mongolia, for example. The current Dalai Lama has said, that it's part of his job as head of one of the four main sects to spread the Buddha's teachings, which is one of the main reasons he maintains a demanding travel schedule around the world (against the advice of his doctors).
Yes and no. It is not as simple as elimination of suffering but the realization that suffering is unavoidable and that its ultimate source is desire and attachment to people and things. Buddha’s teachings are guideline to live one’s life and act in a mindful way that would minimize suffering. At its core I think it is not all that different from what all religions also teach at their core. Be good, show kindness, and dont harm. Karma will get you.
Would this "attachment to people and things" be considered something to avoid in order to minimize one's own suffering?
Tibetan Buddhism has a long history of spreading the gospel. They believe they gain "merit" if they bring new adherents into the fold. (Notice the explosion of Tibetan centers all over the world.) A major effort went into spreading TB to Mongolia, for example. The current Dalai Lama has said, that it's part of his job as head of one of the four main sects to spread the Buddha's teachings, which is one of the main reasons he maintains a demanding travel schedule around the world (against the advice of his doctors).
I was not aware of that. Mixed in with that is the fact that Tibet is under a communist China’s oppressive regime. Dalai Llama isn’t he in exile and under the protection of India?
Nevertheless, yes the Llama does travel and gives lectures. But i have not noticed the kind of active persuasion that Christian missionaries do. I have never been approached by a Bikshu and asked to convert. Ever. But i have had Bibles given to me, prayer books thrust in my hands, asked to join hands and pray to Jesus or God.
How do you see what you call a major effort to spread Buddhism? Have you experienced it. If the Llama is invited to speak and lecture, i would not count that as attempt to convert.
Would this "attachment to people and things" be considered something to avoid in order to minimize one's own suffering?
Avoid is not the word. It awareness about how this desire for things and people can become possessiveness, and how the drive to attain more and more is limitless and can be additive, and how this addiction can destroy happiness and cause suffering. It is up to each person how he walks the path.
Avoid is not the word. It awareness about how this desire for things and people can become possessiveness, and how the drive to attain more and more is limitless and can be additive, and how this addiction can destroy happiness and cause suffering. It is up to each person how he walks the path.
I was not aware of that. Mixed in with that is the fact that Tibet is under a communist China’s oppressive regime. Dalai Llama isn’t he in exile and under the protection of India?
Nevertheless, yes the Llama does travel and gives lectures. But i have not noticed the kind of active persuasion that Christian missionaries do. I have never been approached by a Bikshu and asked to convert. Ever. But i have had Bibles given to me, prayer books thrust in my hands, asked to join hands and pray to Jesus or God.
How do you see what you call a major effort to spread Buddhism? Have you experienced it. If the Llama is invited to speak and lecture, i would not count that as attempt to convert.
You're right, that they're not that aggressive about it. But they do believe, that lecturing, setting up centers around the world to offer teachings to the world, is a form of activism.
Earlier someone said, that Buddhism lacks the type of charitable activism Christianity does. Buddhist clergy believe that offering teachings to show others the path to alleviate their suffering IS their humanitarian activism. TB monks and secular ("lay") teachers (not all robed teachers are monks, and not all qualified teachers are robed) take vows to end suffering for all sentient beings. This is their mission in life. Teaching is their missionizing. They just don't get in-your-face about it, accosting strangers. But that doesn't mean they're not dedicated to spreading the Buddha's teachings.
Based on my reading of the Four Noble Truths, it seems to me that the main objective in Buddhism is the avoidance/elimination of suffering through enlightenment.
However, I spoke about this with a Buddhist co-worker of mine, and she kind of rolled her eyes (in a friendly way) and said that she didn't follow that strain of Buddhism.
Am I inaccurate in what I had presumed to be was the main objective in Buddhism?
I wish you would have asked her what she thought the main objective was.
I think your first paragraph is Buddhism in a nutshell...but with the caveat that true enlightenment may not occur for several lifetimes, or at all. But that doesn't mean that you can't reduce your suffering by following 'a' Buddhist path.
I used to occasionally join 4 Thai-Theravada ordained monks during their evening chanting and prayers, and afterward any lay people that attended could just chat with the monks. One evening I asked if any of them were enlightened, or if they felt they would be enlightened in this lifetime. They all said it was unlikely for them in this lifetime.
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