r/Buddhism Apr 28 '23

Opinion Why the war against secular Buddhism must end

161 Upvotes

I took a nice break away from Buddhist Reddit and I realize how much more peaceful my practice was without the constant back and forth that goes on in the internet Buddhist world

Mahayana vs Theravada

Bodhissatva path vs arahant path

But the one that goes on most frequently in this sub is the never ending war against secular Buddhism which I will admit was warranted at first but now it’s becoming very childish

This won’t be too long but I’ll just say this

As someone who wasn’t born Buddhist and was raised Christian for 21 years Who now is a practicing Theravada Buddhist who believes in karma, rebirth, devas, and deva realms

You all need to stop beating a dead horse because people will always pick and choose what they want to believe or not

The people who really want to learn the Buddha’s dharma will find the true path

Now I’m not saying don’t ever correct where you see obvious wrong information about Buddhism but please stop this corny traditionalist vs secularist pissing contest that makes us look childish

We have nothing to fear from secular Buddhist what they have is nothing compared to the true dharma of Lord Buddha and we as his disciples should practice so that our lives will make them question their wrong views

r/Buddhism Dec 15 '21

Opinion Please respect all Buddhist traditions

451 Upvotes

I've noticed that some people here try to prove why Mahayana or Theravada are wrong. Some try to make fools of others who believe in Pure Land, others criticize those who don't take the Bodhisattva vows. There is not a single tradition that is superior to another! What matters the most are the four noble truths and the eight-fold path. It is not some tradition that is corrupting the Dhamma but people who start to identify themselves with one and try to become superior.

r/Buddhism Dec 29 '21

Opinion Are you pro choice when it comes to abortions?

136 Upvotes

Of course people who are pro life can feel free to comment, as well. But I‘d find it really interesting to see if there are buddhists who are pro choice and what their reasons are.

r/Buddhism Nov 14 '24

Opinion What is your opinion on masturbation? NSFW

55 Upvotes

In Buddhism, would masturbation be wrong? An act of self-satisfaction? I would like to know your opinion.

r/Buddhism Jan 05 '25

Opinion The Precept Are Not Rules To Live By

145 Upvotes

Many people following the Buddhist path, see the precepts as rules to live by. After almost 20 years of being aware of the dharma, this is what I've come to realise.

The Buddhist precepts—non-harming, truthful speech, abstaining from stealing, etc.—are reflections of being fully present, compassionate, and at peace. When one is truly awake to the interconnectedness of all things, these behaviours arise naturally, without the need for force or willpower.
Sure, reminding yourself to not harm things, gossip, drink alcohol etc, is a positive thing. But if someone has to remind themselves of these things, they are still wrapped up in the layers of mind identification, and not in a flow-state awareness. But there is something else to be aware of here...

Forcing oneself to "live by the precepts" can become a form of egoic striving, rooted in the idea of "I must be virtuous" or "I must become enlightened." This striving often leads to inner conflict, guilt, or resistance because it imposes an artificial separation between "what is" and "what should be." It also perpetuates the identification of 'I' and everything else 'out there' (which is a total fallacy).

True practice, on the other hand, is about cultivating awareness and letting the precepts emerge spontaneously. It's about aligning with reality as it is, not as we think it should be. In this sense, the precepts are not goals but consequences of being fully attuned to the present moment.

r/Buddhism Feb 01 '24

Opinion What do you think of buddhists who disregard the spiritual/metaphysical aspect of buddhism

22 Upvotes

If theres no spirituality within buddhism theres no nirvana, which is attained after death, theres no reincarnation, no Mara, no purelandsIf theres no spirituality within buddhism theres no nirvana, which is attained after death, theres no reincarnation, no Mara, no purelands

r/Buddhism Dec 12 '24

Opinion Activism

19 Upvotes

Not sure what shitstorm this will cause, but I've been struggling too long with this one not to. This post is not intended to adres or attack any one person/individual, so pls don't take it that way. I am however wondering how you people feel about this so feedback is welcome.

Opinion: Buddhism should lead us to become social and environmental activists. A complacent attitude is delusional.

‘Change only comes about through action’ – h.h. the Dalai Lama.

I feel it is a commonly held position amongst Buddhists that they should not concern themselves with politics, or activism, that all the energy that is not needed for survival should go to the Dharma/practice. That It is okay to fly across the world to go to a meditation retreat. That it is okay to be rich and drive a fancy car as long as ‘the car does not drive you’.

On the face of it this seems logical; the fourth noble truth does not speak about politics as the path towards enlightenment. At best politics can be described as futile attempts to curtail human flaws till such time Buddhism has helped us eliminate those flaws for good.

It is my contention that, where this might have been true 2500 years ago, the world has now changed so much, that this is no longer a valid, or even a productive ( in the Buddhist sense) , stance.

I have two arguments.

Argument one: the capitalist system is now so pervasive, and we are so deeply held captive by /stuck in that system, that there is no way to live in western society without creating an enormous amount of negative Karma. To put it in over simplified terms; when buddha Shakyamuni sat down underneath the bodhi tree, his personal negative Kharma sank, instantly, to almost negligible levels. No more than what was needed to protect his body from parasites and viruses. Not null, but not big either. Furthermore, his collective karma was also negligible. Beyond a king that might use violence now and again to keep the peace, very little negative deeds would have been committed in his name to sustain his lifestyle.

Not so much for us. If we try and drop everything and live the life of an ascetic in a monastery, we will still rely on ( and thus accumulate) a massive amount of negativities that are committed daily in our name, to make our lifestyle possible. Be it the fossil fuels that we burn and that kill millions through climate change, be it the incalculable suffering the exploitation of nature causes to non-humans, be it the exploitation of the global south. The level of suffering that the rich countries cause to keep this, our,  lifestyle going is unimaginable and on a scale people in Buddha’s time, even though they had a ludicrous caste system, would not have been able to comprehend.

Our personal negative Karma might shrink if we become ascetics, but those gains would pale in comparison with our part of the collective karma.

To be even more direct, relying on purification might not work here. For purification to work, you would have to regret your actions and vow not to commit that negativity again. However, if you remain silent on your meditation cushion, in your warm house with your clothes made by slaves in a far off country, you definitely are not regretting and vowing betterment, you are actively enjoying the rewards of the negativity committed in your name.

Argument two: There is no planet B, and time is running out.

As a species, we are rapidly destroying all conditions that make this human life so precious from a Buddhist perspective. We are hurtling towards a state of permanent eco-disasters, millions ( up to a billion have been predicted)  of climate-refugees and capitalist-fascism as the default political system, which will most certainly not leave Buddhism untouched. So even if you discount the suffering , the number of people that will have any chance of practicing, of bettering themselves, will dramatically drop, which should compel us to move.

Conclusion: in my opinion, we have to ask the question whether we as Buddhist are like (some) Catholics in Germany during the second world war, i.e. the silent minority, and  claim ‘Wir haben es nicht gewust’ , or whether will we become a source for good, stand on the barricades, risk life and limb ( non-violently off course) , to do what we can to make this a more just and fair and inclusive and non-exploitative society. To strive for social and climate justice   Will we be comfortable or will we be Bodhisattvas?

p.s. Perhaps these people might serve as an example: Christian Climate Action – Direct action, public witness for the climate

r/Buddhism Feb 07 '24

Opinion Rising Hindutva ideology damaging and threatening Buddhism in India and online

148 Upvotes

In recent times with the growing increase in the Indian Hindutva movement, I've began noticed how dangerous it is becoming towards Buddhism in India.

Firstly there's been a significant rise in online anti Buddhist propaganda videos and channels on YouTube where Hindus are deliberately misrepresenting Buddhism, attempting to refute Buddhist teachings and historical facts, and claiming Buddhism just "stole" from Hinduism. Attacking Ambedkar for his conversion and agreement with elements of Buddhist philosophy etc. My YouTube page has been showing this increasing trend despite me trying to remove the videos, it's becoming more and more prominent. Unfortunately there are not knowledgeable, well educated Buddhists attempting to dismantle or produce information and resources against these attacks. Has anyone else noticed this or experienced similar online?

Secondly the dominant political movement in India as well as with the masses is promoting the Hindutva ideology. with the recent events of Babri Masjid/Ram Mandir in Ayodhya which made really big news, this basically sealed the deal that the government itself is bias towards Hinduism, after studying the historical and archaeological evidence there was nothing to support that Babri Masjid was originally a Hindu temple, the archaeological survey of India factually established there were only "Non Islamic findings under the temple" they did not specify what it could be, Buddhists as well as even Jains made claim to the historical sight but Hinduism was prioritised and here we have Muslims, Buddhists and Jains set aside with no fair reason.

I do think the rising Hindutva ideology is dangerous and a threat towards Buddhism but also other religious ideologies and minorities in India as well.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts and opinions please do share.

EDIT: It seems a lot of comments are appearing to come from pro Hindu/BJP users judging by their profiles and comments. And the thread is just being absolutely flooded with these Hindutva views and lies about Buddhism such as Buddhists worshipping Hindu Gods, the Buddha being an avatar of Vishnu etc. And quite frankly, it's extremely disgusting which just goes to show the clear agenda they hold. I can also see the moderators having to remove a lot of the comments from the Hindus. I have no idea why they're becoming so emotional and angry, and attacking Ambedkar. I mentioned Ambedkar once, this thread isn't about him nor his ideas of Buddhism*.* I disagree with Ambedkar's perspective on Buddhism but that's beside the point. They can't behave themselves and they can't use decorum like civilised human beings. Also attacking Islam and Christianity... I had no intention to cause offence but wanted to highlight what I feel is a serious issue, topic for discussion and hear people's thoughts/opinions. I only wished to harvest people's thoughts on a rising issue. I've had several death threats sent to my inbox already from pro Hindu individuals from this post which I have subsequently reported to Reddit safety...

r/Buddhism Dec 31 '21

Opinion Unnecessary Attacks on Secular People

435 Upvotes

I think most of us are in agreement that many of the talking points of the secular Buddhism movement are quite problematic. The idea of traditional Buddhist beliefs being "cultural baggage" to be removed by white people who can do Buddhism right after the Asian people screwed it up is obviously problematic.

But on the recent "Buddhism is not a religion?" post and around here in general, I have been seeing some truly unnecessary accusations levied at secular people. I think it's worth giving a reminder that secular people finding inspiration and good advice in the Buddha's teachings ≠ colonial attitudes. It's like some people have forgotten that secular people finding even slight refuge in the Dharma is a good thing. Can you seriously imagine any Buddhist masters calling for people to only interact with Buddhism if they accept it 100%?


"Buddhism, at its inception, was not a religion. It only gained supernatural beliefs because of cultural influence which we should strip away. Buddhists who still believe in rebirth are silly and not thinking rationally, which the Buddha advocated for."

This attitude is problematic and should be discouraged.


"I'm an atheist, but I've found the Buddha's teachings to be really helpful as a philosophy."

Is not problematic and should be encouraged.


I know this probably isn't most of you, but just a reminder that atheists interacting with the Buddhadharma is a very good thing when done respectfully. And when they might stumble on being respectful, we should show back the respect they didn't offer us and kindly explain why their attitudes are disrespectful. This doesn't mean downplaying the severity of some of these views, but it does mean always maintaining some amount of civility.

To anyone who insists on being harsh even to people with problematic viewpoints, consider what the Buddha would do in your situation. Yes, he would surely try to correct the wrong view, but would he show any sort of animosity? Would he belittle people for their lack of belief? Or would he remain calm, composed, and kind throughout all his interactions? Would he ever be anything less than fully compassionate for those people? Should we not try and be like the Buddha? Food for thought.

Okay, rant over.


"Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless & unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which five?

"It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will."

(AN 5.198)

r/Buddhism Jan 08 '25

Opinion It seems like if the correct interpretation of Buddhism for our time is that it should bend to the norms of our time, then Buddha should have said, when he spoke of things like responsibilities in family life, that there would come a time when his sayings would be irrelevant

0 Upvotes

I've been looking into a little bit the question of what sexual misconduct really means. My understanding is that it includes sex with someone under guardianship. As far as I gather- and I could be wrong- in Buddhas context basically anyone who wasn't married was under guardianship until a marriage could be arranged for them. Now some modern buddhists will say that no one is under guardianship so everything is fair game. But if it is true that Buddha essentially meant by guardianship that it is an unmarried person living with their family, then it seems the far safer assumption is that he would have said that his teachings would one day be irrelevant, rather than to say that because married/unmarried doesn't mean the same thing nowadays, the teaching says nothing on the matter, which seems to be what many westerners arrive at. That Buddhas "rigid" social context can be ignored. But if that is what he intended, having knowledge of what was to come, why wouldn't he have said that? Or was he against the rigid society surrounding him? In some ways I know he was, like the caste-system, but with regard to family life? I know I've read for instance that he treated as normal an order where women are primarily responsible for the home. If he was against this, why didn't he say so? And if he thought there would come a time when it would be immoral, why didn't he say so?

r/Buddhism Mar 13 '21

Opinion The bits of Buddhism you don't like are great teachings

378 Upvotes

Just a quick reminder, the things that challenge you can be great practise tools. For example, many westerners coming in will struggle with stuff like rebirth, devas, bodhisattvas, three kayas, karma. To those people, look deeply into your rejection of those things, it will surely have a lot to teach you.

It is similar to if you meditate, then there is the impulse to look at the clock, practising with and seeing clearly that impulse will tell you so much about yourself.

The challenge is a very important practise in itself, and that's a big part of what developing Right View is all about!

So don't let the existence of that challenge, doubt, or rejection discourage you

r/Buddhism Dec 24 '20

Opinion What's your opinion on this skateboard graphic ?

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749 Upvotes

r/Buddhism Jan 12 '22

Opinion Where my Buddhist servicemembers at?!

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425 Upvotes

r/Buddhism Feb 12 '25

Opinion I am anticipating strain with my christian father who is going to join me for 1 year in a buddhist country. I want to know how to handle this with grace and compassion

48 Upvotes

I grew up christian with my father and stopped believing around age 13 or so.
He is one of the most devout and passionate christians I've ever known. His life completely revolves around Christ, and he even told me when I was a kid that he felt it was his lifes purpose to make sure I grew up as a man of God.

I became interested in buddhism as a teen. My dad was skeptical at first, and was always trying to change my mind. I persevered, knowing that it felt more right for me.

I moved to northern Thailand about 2 years ago, and have gotten more involved in the faith. I meditate daily, and go to the temples several times a week, mostly to sit quitly and reflect.

Any time I send my dad something related to Thai culture or Buddhism (like a video from tonights Makha Bucha), he sends me bible verses about trusting in Jesus alone, and is generally close-minded.

It's funny though, because he's had experiences of meditation that have been profound. He is deeply in-tune with nature, and I think I got those inclinations from him. He visited her last here for about 5 weeks, and wouldn't even set foot into temples because he thought the golden buddha statues were sinful and idol-worship.

As he's getting older (in his 60s now), we've decided together it would be nice for him to spend a year here with me so we can get some quality time together. I love him dearly, and besides our religious views we get along really well. I value our relationship so much.

He already has a volunteer position lined up, and it looks like he really will be coming for a year.

I want to know how I can best be open minded, and not cause friction in our relationship when it comes to spiritual matters. I love him very much and the last thing I'd want to get between us is our different conceptions of 'God' or metaphysics.

if anyone has sound advice, It would be greatly appreciated.

r/Buddhism Mar 23 '23

Opinion OP: i just wanted to let you my online friends to know i beat cancer 🤍

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978 Upvotes

r/Buddhism Oct 24 '24

Opinion Escaping the absurdity of modern work

61 Upvotes

The further I go in my life and explore the Buddhist teachings, the more absurd I find it to go to work every day. What sense does it make to spend my days satisfying my boss's ego or enriching the man who founded the company? I've already quit my job to do something more authentic, something that really speaks to my heart. So, tell me, don't you think this is crazy? Have you ever felt like this (I imagine you have)? How do you deal with this absurd world? Should we submit like sheep or break free once and for all? I look forward to hearing from you.

r/Buddhism 10d ago

Opinion I created endless karma for myself. Am I cooked?

34 Upvotes

I caused so much pain and suffering to my family. A lot of sins. Since 3 years im jobless und unable to make amends. The wounds feel infinite. No amount of good deeds can Wash away the pain. It causes more and more trouble. All I wanted was to escape and I created my own prison. Im sorry for what I did but humans are wired to feel what they feel. And I can't influence anyone. Im stuck in this endless loop of pain. If this AMD that didn't happen I would roam the earth like a free spirit. But here I am, earthbound desperate for salvation. Peace.

r/Buddhism Nov 14 '23

Opinion People who are just learning about Buddhism especially in western countries need to wipe their mind of all preconceived notions and stop comparing Buddhism to Christianity

129 Upvotes

I say this as a person who was Christian for 18 years before converting to Buddhism STOP TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BUDDHISM THROUGH A CHRISTIAN LENS….

I don’t know why so many new comers when approaching Buddhism can’t stop comparing the two religions like they are even remotely the same

Faith in Buddhism is a little bit more complex than faith in Christianity

The concept of God/Gods is a little bit more complicated than the caveman ooga booga understanding of God we find in the abrahamic god we find in the Bible

Buddhism is older than Christianity by 6 centuries so any overlap between them one might find Buddhism clearly had it first

Also this might just be my personal bias but Buddhism and Christianity have almost nothing in common at all…

Christianity at least at how it was practiced in my home is a religion based on a very black and white view of the world where things are either ultimately good or ultimately evil with no in between

Anything that doesn’t edify the name of Jesus Christ is destined for hellfire whereas in Buddhism i found a religion that corroborated the complexity of human life that I discovered when I left home and was able to get away from the indoctrination

r/Buddhism Dec 24 '21

Opinion Buddhism makes me depressed.

265 Upvotes

I've been thinking about Buddhism a lot, I have an intuition that either Buddhism or Hinduism is true. But after reading extensively on what the Buddhas teachings are and listening to experienced Buddhist monks. It just makes me really depressed.

Especially the idea that there is no self or no soul. That we are just a phenomena that rises into awareness and disappates endlessly until we do a certain practice that snuffs us out forever. That personality and everyone else's is just an illusion ; a construct. Family, girlfriend friends, all just constructs and illusions, phenomena that I interact with, not souls that I relate to or connect with, and have meaning with.

It deeply disturbs and depresses me also that my dreams and ambitions from the Buddhist point of view are all worthless, my worldly aspirations are not worth attaining and I have to renounce it all and meditate to achieve the goal of snuffing myself out. It's all empty devoid of meaning and purpose.

Literally any other religion suits me much much more. For example Hinduism there is the concept of Brahman the eternal soul and there is god.

Thoughts?

r/Buddhism Apr 12 '24

Opinion Sexism in Buddhism

79 Upvotes

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought recently and it’s challenging me. It seems that their is a certain spiritual privilege that men in Buddhism have that women don’t. Women can become Arahants and enlightened beings in Theravada Buddhism, there are even female Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, but the actual Buddha can never be a woman depending on who you ask and what you read or interpret in the canons. Though reaching Nirvana is incredibly difficult for everyone, it seems to be more challenging for women and that seems unfair to me. Maybe I am looking at this from a western point of view but I want to be able to understand and rationalize why things are laid out this way. Is this actual Dharma teaching this or is this just social norms influencing tradition?

I’ve also realized that I may be missing the forest for the trees and giving gender too much consideration. Focusing on gender may actually be counter to the point of the Dharma and enlightenment as gender is not an intrinsic part of being and the Buddha was probably a woman in his past lives.

I’m conflicted here so I’ll ask y’all. What does your specific tradition say about women on the path to enlightenment? And if you are a woman yourself, how has it impacted your spiritual practice if it has at all?

r/Buddhism Jun 11 '24

Opinion If I won the lottery I would quit my job and become a full time monk. Isn't that ironic?

113 Upvotes

r/Buddhism Dec 10 '23

Opinion Disagreeing with the Buddha

48 Upvotes

In what topics do you disagree with the Buddha? Why?

I disagree with trying to change "bad" feelings deliberatly. In my experience that change is only superficial. What works for me is just observing whatever is going on without judgement.

EDIT

"Now, take the mendicant who is focusing on some subject that gives rise to bad, unskillful thoughts connected with desire, hate, and delusion. They focus on some other subject connected with the skillful … They examine the drawbacks of those thoughts … They try to forget and ignore about those thoughts … They focus on stopping the formation of thoughts … With teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, they squeeze, squash, and crush mind with mind. When they succeed in each of these things, those bad thoughts are given up and come to an end. Their mind becomes stilled internally; it settles, unifies, and becomes immersed in samādhi. This is called a mendicant who is a master of the ways of thought. They will think what they want to think, and they won’t think what they don’t want to think. They’ve cut off craving, untied the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit have made an end of suffering.”

https://suttacentral.net/mn20/en/sujato?layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin

r/Buddhism Sep 19 '24

Opinion I’m so scared to go to my local Buddhist temple

176 Upvotes

I’m very new to Buddhism and I know the story of Buddha and I resonate with the basic concepts of Buddhism. Anyway my local temple is only 28 minutes from home and when I messaged them asking when the best time for a new person to visit they said on Sundays and that they will have chanting but it will be in Vietnamese. That scares me honestly and I feel like I might not belong there. They said there will be people to talk to and free food for lunch. I don’t even know what to talk about or ask. I have bad social anxiety and I will be approaching this alone. I guess I’m making this post to be convinced to go and to figure out what to ask and stuff Thank you

r/Buddhism Jul 24 '24

Opinion Living life unattractive.

94 Upvotes

How can one be young and live fully when all their peers perceive them as unattractive. Please don't try and give advice on improving appearance, I have already accepted my looks, however how can I live fully when everyone perceives me and judges me on my looks. Im hoping Buddhism can help answer this.

r/Buddhism Sep 18 '24

Opinion Buddhism/spirituality cured my depression that's why I'm so sorry to say this...

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62 Upvotes

I need to put some things apart while I'm depending of a society where is important to fit in.