Could use your input here....

[ed629]

Could use your input here, question on religion.

This is for a class (actually for a friend's class) ... but I don't want to say what it's for yet or why, both of those could potentially change responses. I need, in *your* words, what *you* think Buddhism is.Your definition, and then your opinion of it. It doesn't matter if you're incredibly off base, or if your opinion completely differs from others...just add it in here.

And if you could, what religion you were raised as, and what your religion currently is. Please don't attack others, or say anything about another person's opinion... thanks.


you would really helping someone out here a lot..... thanks...

 

[RJDiogenes]

When I think of Buddhism, I think of meditation, inner peace, oneness with nature. I picture Monks in robes in a stone temple in the mountains, with all that exotic statuary and architecture.

I was raised in a Catholic family; I've been an Atheist since I was about nine.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I would define Buddhism as a religion/philosophy based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. I think it has an interesting and tolerant philosophy and I have considerable respect for it. It is a very inclusive religion, in my opinion.

Though I was christened Church of England I wasn't really raised in any religion. My father was an atheist and though I think my mother believes in God she doesn't seem to follow any particular religion. I consider myself to be an atheist.

 

[John Picard]

Buddhism centers around the teachings of Gautama Buddha, the goal of which is to reunite the Atman with the Brahman. All life is sacred since everything comes from the Brahman. The goal of each of us is to work ever so closer to true knowledge via meditation and how we live our lives. Until true knowledge is achieved, the Atman (ourselves) will never be reunited with the Brahman. Think of the Atman as a drop of water that must find its way back to the large pool from whence it came.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Buddhism is a religion/philosophy founded by Siddhartha Gautama in the 5th century B.C. Gautama was a prince who grew up sheltered from the world by his parents because of a prophecy made about him that he would renounce the world or something like that. One day, as a man, Gautama was exposed to people in pain and poverty and this troubled him greatly. He went off to ponder this and one day while sitting under a Boddi tree he became enlightened. The natutere of his enlightment was that all life is suffering. Life is suffering because we become attached to the things things we see around us. What we see around us is not reality though as all reality is constantly in a state of flux. Release from this cycle of suffering can be attained by meditating on these truths and by folllowing the guidelines of the Eight-fold path which are a guide to how to live correctly. Reelase comes in the form of acheiving Nirvana after death which is more a state on nothingness than a place of paradise.

Wow I did that off the top of my head. I am not even sure how much is correct, but I am thankful to Mr. Moorty my junior college Eastern Philopsphty teacher whose class really paid off. I also can never remember how to spell "Buddhism" and I always have to look it up. I was raised Catholic and am an Atheist now.

 

[ed629]

Many thanks to all those that have responded so far.

 

[WendellM]

My definition is: Buddhism is the teaching of Gautama, based on his enlightenment, derived from Hinduism; it involves non-attachment and a recognition of the complete inter-relatedness of all seemingly separate things. My opinion is that it's a belief system/philosophy which is tolerant of others and compassionate to believers and non-believers, but that there are several current forms of it which have drifted a bit far afield.

I was raised Presbyterian, became atheist for a couple of decades, and am now generally, informally non-dualist (mostly Advaita, but also looking into others).

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The Buddha was also recognised as a Catholic saint -- St Josaphat -- the name is thought to be derived from Bodhisattva. I'm not sure if Josaphat was ever formally canonised or decanonised.

There are also tales that Jesus travelled to India as a young man, or that he was schooled by Buddhist Theravada living in Palestine. He thus may have been familiar with the Buddha's teachings. It has been noted by some scholars that there are semblances to support this in the Sermon on the Mount.

 

[captcalhoun]

aren't Buddhists the Chinese guys in the orange robes who preach peance'n'love but practice martial arts and can kick your ass six ways to breakfast with only one hand?

 

[Jadzia]

While I think that the foundations of the "religion" are a potentially valuable philosophical system. I feel that they have become overshadowed with rituals and traditions as they've become part of the Buddhism "package". And that's how I see it: as something sincere and valuable that's become a selling point for a greater construct.

My point being that, although one may agree with some of the philosophy, there is no direct motive to adopt any more of the package than what you agree with. Submitting to traditions and doing rituals just for the sake of "systematic completeness", I feel is an inauthentic extension to any philosophical system.

 

[think]

Lets just say that Buddhists have and/or do not have.., all things being equal.,

what is the question?

AHHH Buddhism is the practice of being Buddha (this is true)

------------------------------------------------------

Mom was a practicing witch back when the wicca thing did not even occur to us.

Dad was or might of been Taoist / Baptist or something like that: always talked about the two rivers when asked where we came from.

I was raised on my own choices and decisions .,*no religious direction at all* the most important commandment in my household growing up was "keep that acid away from Billy" *this started after I OD'ed at a really young age* or "stop teasing your little brother" or "do as I say not as I do," *to which they never explained "how" to do that.*,

right now I am studding/practicing this Buddhism.

 

[RJDiogenes]

First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.