Common Misconceptions of Buddhism
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AgreeOriginally posted by LinYu:The Buddha says the common pitfall for the sangha is "Gain", "Honour" and "Fame".
Sometime a monk who it not mindful and aware will fall into this trap. Therefore during the Buddha time, the sangha are not encourage to have worldly poccession.
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Guys guys we digress!!!!!!
Beneficial but what about the misconceptions?
I persoannly feel that one of the reaonwhy local youngsters aren't attracted to Buddhism is due to these misconceptions that are so hard to eradicate!
The local media likes to 'chum' Buddhism with other Chinese customs not knowing they are very different.
SO anymore to share? Please do..
I am sure it will be very beneficial to many people out there!~!
Pardon my limited knowledge hence no-share.
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hahaOriginally posted by Iker-X-of-Bodh:Guys guys we digress!!!!!!
Beneficial but what about the misconceptions?
I persoannly feel that one of the reaonwhy local youngsters aren't attracted to Buddhism is due to these misconceptions that are so hard to eradicate!
The local media likes to 'chum' Buddhism with other Chinese customs not knowing they are very different.
SO anymore to share? Please do..
I am sure it will be very beneficial to many people out there!~!
Pardon my limited knowledge hence no-share.
like in drama series , those young chap fall out of love ,go to seek solace in temple -
Originally posted by Iker-X-of-Bodh:
This is my feedback letter (this is the unedited version, I sent a slightly edited one) to the Straits Times during their last article mentioning Buddhism (and other religions):
The local media likes to 'chum' Buddhism with other Chinese customs not knowing they are very different.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
I have been reading the news article about Religion in the Straits Times. Although I enjoyed reading it I noticed some errors that the editors wrote which IMHO, shows a lack of research.
[b]Firstly, on Page 2 of the Saturday Special Report, under the topic of “A force both social and spiritual”, it is written that “Religion in the local context is closely tied to race and ethnicity. This is the case for four of the five most popular religions here – Buddhism, Islam, Taoism and Hinduism. The only exception is Christianity”. I believe it is wrong to say that Buddhism is tied to an ethnicity and race.
Firstly, one should note that Buddha was born in India as an Indian (not a Chinese hehe). He was among the first who taught that our lives should not be pre determined by the Caste system due to their race (the blacker Indians are lower caste and white Indians were of higher castes), which was deemed as quite unfair. Buddha belonged to the Kings/Warrior caste, which was the second highest caste, before he renounced. The followers of Buddha came from all kinds of different caste during those days. This shows that Buddha was impartial to everyone regardless of race or background.
Upali, one of the top 10 disciples of Buddha, used to belong to the Sudra caste, meaning the outcaste, and was destined to be a slave for life. He was nevertheless accepted as BuddhaÂ’s disciple, which was thought to be unthinkable if it were to be Brahmanism or other teachings in those days. He became the foremost disciple of Buddha in Discipline and Precepts, and enjoyed high prestige in the Sangha (community).
Buddhism is flexible and not fixed on a particular culture, ethnicity or race. Its teachings has spread beyond India – to the Sri Lankans, the Thais, the Tibetans, the Chinese, the Koreans, the Japanese just to name a few, and now it is spreading fast to the Western countries. History since 2500 years ago shows that Buddhism is not truly tied to a particular ethnicity or race – and has spread to many different places. Ultimately Buddhism is not concerned about such minor things but aims to deal with something at large among all Humanity – the reliving of Human Sufferings, attaining Bliss, Wisdom, Enlightenment, uprooting Ignorance.
Therefore although Buddhism in Singapore is mostly among Chinese, it is definitely not “tied to race and ethnicity”.
Secondly, on the same page and same section, Andre Ong, 22, who claims to be a Buddhist, says that “Religion is not really important to me.” And he also said that he is someone who “does not burn joss sticks regularly but clings to Buddha’s leg at the last moment”. And later he says that his Grandmother "went to Kwan Im temple at Waterloo Street, prayed hard and picked up some wooden sticks to draw lots. The answer she received: Canada, bad; Australia, good."
From this we can see clearly that Andre Ong and his Grandmother is practicing certain Chinese Folk traditions, but is definitely not practicing Buddhism, and neither does he knows what Buddhism is about. I believe such traditions also do not reflect the spirit and purpose of Buddhism. Buddha does not ask anyone to draw lots, or seek divinations. The editor of the news article has obviously mixed up Chinese Folk traditions with Buddhism. Just because practitioners of Chinese Folk traditions pray to the Buddha (and in fact any other kind of gods), it does not mean they are Buddhists or practitioners of dharma. In the first place, to be a disciple of Buddha, a Buddhist, one must at least take refuge in the triple gems: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. I highly doubt that person is a Buddhist.
Another example of portrayal of Buddhism as some folk practice is in page 5, “Parents upset at first but came around”. “He refused to eat food placed at the ancestral altar and his mother accused him of becoming ‘a religious extremist’” suggests that the parents were practitioners of Ancestral Worshipping, but has nothing to suggest that they were Buddhists. In fact, earlier in that article it was stated that “His family considered themselves Buddhists”. Again, it is most likely they are practitioners of Folk Traditions, but not true Buddhists, but only "Considered Themselves as Buddhists". Note that there is a great difference.
Thank you for patiently reading the points I have stated.
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I strongly advise all Buddhists out there to STOP their silence on such issues and not allow ignorance about the Buddhadharma to be promoted.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Did they respond to your mail? Don't think they are interested to know the details about why they are different. But next time got such things, please let me know too. A few letters from several people is better than only 1.
I strongly advise all Buddhists out there to [b]STOP their silence on such issues and not allow ignorance about the Buddhadharma to be promoted.[/b]
Some shows like those Chinese swordfighting dramas, the translations are horrible. They simple don't care. -
I don't think they have replied me. Actually I created a seperate email account just for thatOriginally posted by Tenzin:Did they respond to your mail? Don't think they are interested to know the details about why they are different. But next time got such things, please let me know too. A few letters from several people is better than only 1.
Some shows like those Chinese swordfighting dramas, the translations are horrible. They simple don't care. I checked like some days later but never received their replies and since I haven't check that account. It's probably expired by now.
Ok, next time got such things, I'll ask more people to write and will inform you!
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Quite an irony how many ignorant people perceive certain things that Buddhists condemn as superstitious, to be a part of Buddhism.
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Originally posted by Tenzin:
Ok, I see you just added Misconception #5.
Misconception #5: Buddhists cannot eat beef.
That's not true. Sakkyamuni Buddha himself was not a vegetarian then, nor did he specify that we are not allowed to take any kind of food. The concept of abstaining from taking beef finds root in the traditional Chinese culture. The bulls were heavily relied on to cultivate their lands and as a gesture of gratitude, they are spared from the kitchen. As you may know, the agricultural industries use machines to cultivate the fields now.
I tell you, the story about Guan Yin and the Cows are definitely not true!
Why do people want to avoid eating beef? As you have said it is because Cows in China (and other countries) were important agricultural helpers. Also, from my moderator Sinweiy,the idea of not eating beef meat is because the cows work so hard to help us prowl the field (in the past) and we are so ungrateful and eat them. and when they are slaughtered, you can see tears flowing from their eyes. it's cruel. that's the different from chicken meat or other meat.
Avoiding eating beef is more of a Taoist and Hindu culture, Buddhist does not ask people to avoid eating beef. This is a personal preference.
I myself still eat beef because I have not become a Vegetarian yet. So what does Buddha say about meat eating? There are certain conditions that we must look out for before eating the meat. According to the suttas, all Buddhists should eat the 'Three-pure meat', 'pure' here in my understanding means karmically purer.
"Three-pure meat" has the following conditions: The animal was not specifically killed for you*; you did not witness the killing; and you did not hear the killing. There is plenty of meat and fish (not live) in the markets that is "three-pure meat".
* This includes those live seafood you ordered from restaurants! So try not to order live seafood yourself. -
I love beef. Yummy..er...
Indeed like what EternalNow has mentioned we need to be more vocal in differentiating Buddhism and Chinese folk belief.
I know some Buddhists who adopt a passive attitude and told me "why bother? it's just the name".
This is wrong.
We want to spread the Dhamma and to do so we need to eradicate all the superstitious misconeptions link to Buddhism heavily.
Superstitions have no place in our modern soceity...unless you have blind faith... ahem.... you know I know. -
once i saw a monk shopping for briefs XD
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My feeling is Buddhism originates from India whereby Hinduism had already flourish. And cow being a scared animal in the Hindu practice whereby their followers are not allow to kill them. Therefore it was also being brought into the idea whereby Buddhist don't eat beef.Originally posted by Iker-X-of-Bodh:I love beef. Yummy..er...
Indeed like what EternalNow has mentioned we need to be more vocal in differentiating Buddhism and Chinese folk belief.
I know some Buddhists who adopt a passive attitude and told me "why bother? it's just the name".
This is wrong.
We want to spread the Dhamma and to do so we need to eradicate all the superstitious misconeptions link to Buddhism heavily.
Superstitions have no place in our modern soceity...unless you have blind faith... ahem.... you know I know.
Of course the story of Kuan Yin father being re-born into a cow further reinforce the Chinese buddhist into "believing that buddhist don't eat beef.
But I like what the Arahat Ji Gong saying "Xin zong ru you foh, chew rou chuan zhang kou". It 's not what you eat that makes you a buddhist but your speech, action and thought that makes you a true buddhist.
Anyway I don't eat beef coz my family don;t eat them.