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MisconceptionsAboutBuddhism

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 10 months ago

 

Ten Misconceptions About Buddhism

 

by Jason Nguyen

 

Although the number of people in the world claiming to be Buddhist is not small, actual knowledge about the core principles of Buddhism is not consistent among adherents, let alone non-Buddhists. As Buddhism continues to be portrayed in literature, cinema, and pop culture (not necessarily a bad thing), misconceptions will naturally be propagated along with the true Dharma, and it is important to uproot wayward ideas before they hold too firm.

 

The following list is an effort to dispel some of the most common misconceptions. The perspective is from that of a Mahayana Buddhist, but most of the ideas apply across sects and denominations.

 

1) Buddha is a god to be worshipped.

 

Many people believe that when Buddhists bow and put our hands together and otherwise venerate our spiritual figures, we are actually praying for their aid as if they are gods or otherworldly deities. The Mahayana tradition especially appears to have a pantheon full of Buddhas, each with awesome powers seemingly unattainable to the average man.

 

However, we cannot forget the root of what a Buddha is. A Buddha is a fully-enlightened being who has reached the state of Nirvana and is thus, in a manner of speaking, omniscient (all-knowing). His powers are not arbitrary, but are tied to the increased perceptive ability of a fully-awakened consciousness. Thus the Buddha is able to look into the past or future, to see deeply into things that the average man cannot; he is even able to look into anyone's past lives.

 

Yet ultimately, the Buddha is not a god because this perceptive power is within our reach. Maybe these powers of perception will not be available immediately, but through cultivation, anybody can have a fully-awakened consciousness; the Buddha himself states that "I am the Buddha who is, and you all are the Buddhas to be." As long as Buddha-hood is attainable by all, there is no reason to worship the Buddha, but instead, one must learn from him and forge one's own path. Thus, one could only call the Buddha a god if one was also willing to call man himself a god.

 

This confusion and deification of Buddha and Buddhist figures is even prevalent within the Buddhist community itself, and comes from multiple factors ranging from 1) Buddhism's early connection with the polytheistic (arguably monotheistic) Hindu tradition to 2) interplay with regional pantheistic religions as Buddhism moved north into China. In summary, as Buddhism enveloped other traditions to make itself more palateable to the average man, gods from other religions became recognized as Buddhist figures.

 

However, at the very core of Buddhism, the Buddha is merely a teacher and must remain so. He points the way and one must choose the path alone. In the early sutras, he expects that his students constantly question him, in his presence or in private, for the true Dharma is only such when one is actually convinced of it through rational thought. To take his words at face value is to completely ignore the essence of Buddhism, that enlightenment is gained through mindfulness and clarity and not blind faith. The Dharma cannot be spoon-fed; instead, the Buddha provides a map and helps us to avoid the most perilous traps, but despite his guidance and overwhelming compassion, the journey is our own to make.

 

2) Buddhism is atheistic.

 

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3) Buddhism is pessimistic/nihilistic.

 

4) The first noble truth states that "Life is suffering."

 

5) Buddhism is selfish: a person only saves him/herself.

 

6) Your soul is reincarnated.

 

7) A life of renunciation is the only "right" way.

 

8) Buddhism is dogmatic; rules are strict.

 

9) Mahayana Buddhism is better than Theravada Buddhism.

 

10) Zen Buddhism is primarily Japanese.

 

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