Buddism is no religion

[DilWala]

Buddhism is not a religion at all. It is some idiots following how to behave with a begging bowl.

 

[gaveshi]

When you make a public statement like this you have to come with facts to prove your statement. Otherwise you are just like a little baby crying without the ability to express your problem. Since you have not mentioned any reason to justify yourself how can anyone believe you?

Let me share with you my own story to explain the way I came out of my foolishness. When I was small I saw very young people passing away due to various reasons. My own cousin who had just completed his Grade 5 scholarship exam died from a heart attack. These untimely deaths disturbed me. I started thinking about the
reason behind these unfortunate incidents. I thought someone up there is doing all this and started praying for long life. I became a slave to my very own fear and started praying for everything and asking forgiveness for every small mistake. I was like a prisoner in my own false concept. Fortunately I got the opportunity to read the following,

Why some have long lives, while others have short lives?

Some beings like to kill other beings and get in the habit of killing. After death, these people are reborn in four lower, woeful states - animal world, ghost world, demon world, and hell. But if they are reborn as human beings, their lives are short. Those who do not kill beings, who have com-passion for them, may be reborn in the deva (celestial being) world. If they are reborn as human beings, they have long lives.

Why some people are sickly and prone to disease, while others are healthy?

Some people cause injury to other beings; they like to inflict injury on others. On account of that, they are reborn in four woeful states. But if they are reborn as human beings, they are sickly and prone to disease. Those who do not cause injury to others are reborn as devas, or if they are reborn as human beings, they are endowed with good health.

Why some are ugly, while others are beautiful?

Some people become angry very easily and owing to this anger, they are reborn in four woeful states. But if they are reborn as human beings, they are ugly. (Anger makes you look ugly so when you are angry look at yourself in the mirror and see how beautiful or ugly you are). But some people have no anger, do not become angry easily and have thoughts of loving kindness, or metta, towards people. These people are reborn as devas, or if they are reborn as human beings, they are beautiful. So if you want to be beautiful, at least in the next life, check your anger - don't get angry!

Why some have few friends, while others have many?

Some people are jealous, and on account of that jealousy they are reborn in the four woeful states. But if they are reborn as human beings, they have few or no friends. Those who are not jealous are reborn as devas, or if they are reborn as human beings, they have many good friends. We can say, according to the law of kamma, that those who cannot have friends were jealous in a past life.

Why are some people rich, while others are poor?


Some people are stingy; they do not want to give anything. By being stingy, by not being generous, they may be reborn in four woeful states. But if they are reborn as human beings, they are poor. Those who are giving and generous become rich people. So if you want to become rich, give!

Why some people are born into good circumstances, while others are born into unfortunate circumstances?

Some people are very proud, look down on other people, and have little respect for others. On account of this false pride, such people are reborn in four woeful states, but if they are reborn as human beings, they are born into unfortunate circumstances. Those who have no false pride, who have humility, are reborn as devas, unless they are reborn as human beings, in which case they are born in favourable circumstances.

Why are some people dull-witted, while others are intelligent?

Some people have no desire for knowledge, no desire to ask questions, no desire to know about the nature of things. With no knowledge of right conduct, these unknowing people perform wrong actions and thus may be reborn in four woeful states. If they are reborn as human beings, they are dull-witted. Those who desireknowledge, who ask questions about the nature of the things, are reborn in the deva world. But if they are reborn as human beings, they are intelligent


http://web.archive.org/web/20080725042340/http://www.mahindarama.com/e-library/volition1.html

This is based on questions asked by Subha from Lord Buddha. This law of Kamma in Buddhism is enough for me to give up praying in fear because now I know that it is of no use.Why should anyone else pray when they’re responsible for the results they’re getting?


So that is the way I came out of slavery. Although I have been memorizing Pali stanzas during my school days since I was a born Buddhist I never did bother to comprehend the meaning & apply those to life. After reading the above questions and answers only I became a real Buddhist. The freedom from the above mentioned fear is really amazing and it’s a pity that some of you are not enjoying that. As for foolishness I can only say that I came out of it the day I became a real Buddhist

 

[Shamil Max]

GO F........... UR MOM

 

[Nu1Dnk]

When you make a public statement like this you have to come with facts to prove your statement. Otherwise you are just like a little baby crying without the ability to express your problem. Since you have not mentioned any reason to justify yourself how can anyone believe you?

Let me share with you my own story to explain the way I came out of my foolishness. When I was small I saw
very young people passing away due to various reasons. My own cousin who had just completed his Grade 5 scholarship exam died
from a heart attack. These untimely deaths disturbed me. I started thinking about the
reason behind these unfortunate incidents. I thought someone up there
is doing all this and started praying for long life. I became a slave to my very own fear and started praying for everything and asking forgiveness for every small mistake. I was like a prisoner in my own false concept.
Fortunately I got the opportunity to read the following,






This is based on questions asked by Subha from Lord Buddha. This law of
Kamma in Buddhism is enough for me to give up praying in fear because now I know that it is of no use.Why should anyone else pray when they’re responsible for the results they’re getting?


So that is the way I came out of slavery. Although I have been memorizing Pali stanzas during my school days since I was a born Buddhist I never
did bother to comprehend the meaning & apply those to life. After reading the above questions and answers only I became a real Buddhist. The freedom from the above mentioned fear is really amazing and it’s a pity that some of you are not enjoying that. As for foolishness I can only say that I came out of it the day I became a real Buddhist

Well explained....

 

[kelum.wijesooriya]

Bump

 

[gaveshi]

Well explained....

Thanks.

[FONT=&quot]There’s another important thing to mention here. Lord Buddha had not advised [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]us to wait for kamma to solve everything. It is also a mistake to think that kamma is the only order operating in the world for us to be concerned about.There’re four other orders[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]or processes (niyama) which operate in the physical and mental realms according to Buddhism. [/FONT]

Niyama Dharma

There are five orders or processes (niyama) which operate in the physical and mental realms.They are:

Utu Niyama - physical inorganic order, e.g. seasonal phenomena of winds and rains. The unerring order of seasons, characteristic seasonal changes and events, causes of winds and rains, nature of heat, etc., all belong to this group.

Bija Niyama - order of germs and seeds (physical organic order), e.g. rice produced from rice-seed, sugary taste from sugar-cane or honey, peculiar characteristics of certain fruits, etc. The scientific theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins may be ascribed to this order.

Kamma Niyama - order of act and result, e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good and bad results. As surely as water seeks its own level so does Karma, given opportunity, produce its inevitable result, not in the form of a reward or punishment but as an innate sequence. This sequence of deed and effect is as natural and necessary as the way of the sun and the moon.

Dhamma Niyama - order of the norm, e.g., the natural phenomena occurring at the advent of a Bodhisattva in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar laws of nature. The natural reason for being good and so forth, may be included in this group.

Citta Niyama - order or mind or psychic law, e.g., processes of consciousness, arising and perishing of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of mind, etc., including telepathy, telaesthesia, retro-cognition, premonition, clairvoyance, clairaudience, thought-reading and such other psychic phenomena which are inexplicable to modern science.

(Source: http://mubss.blogspot.com/2006/06/niyama-dharma-in-buddhism.html )


Buddhism is all about coming out of suffering and fighting kamma. One should not think that this freedom from suffering is something we should keep on postponing. It is wrong to think that we have to live with our past sins in misery. If someone falls into a mud hole by mistake he/she should not think that this is a past sin and I have to live here. He/she should get the help of citta niyama (power of the mind/wisdom) and be determined to find the way out or else shout for help. After that he/she should strive to accrue merits to fight past sins when the opportunity is there to prevent falling again.

One should always keep in mind that birth as a human being during a ministry of a Lord Buddha is a very rare opportunity. Although our Lord Buddha had attained parinibbana, we’re still blessed with the teachings of the Blessed One. Lord Buddha had considered Dhamma as the teacher. So we still have a chance to learn and make use of the precious jewel like knowledge for our own wellbeing. This rare opportunity as a human being is there only for a very short time. After fifty/sixty years (or perhaps a shorter period than that) we have to face death. What will happen to us after that is something most of us can’t say. But if we’re ready we can face death without any fear. We have not committed any offence and we have accrued enough merits for us to survive till we get another opportunity to hear dhamma. For that, one has to wait for a long time. So do we have enough merits to fight past sins till the arrival of the next Lord Buddha? Keep in mind that we have more sins than merits because we do not get to hear the correct teachings every birth. Out of that also very few births only we get to hear Buddhism. So those who are not practicing perfections for another ministry or to attain nibbana as a Pacceka Buddha it is better to follow the middle path to come out of their suffering. Even if they fail they may escape during the ministry of the next Buddha due to their hard work in this birth by practicing Sila, Samadhi and Panna and also accruing merits.



For those who do not believe in life after death,

Behind each and every thought, emotion, action there’s energy. As long as this Kammic energy is there we have the influence of kamma. So what makes you think that this energy will cease with the death of our body? Think of a small sound wave produced by you in a closed area where you can hear the echo. You can hear the same thing again and again. Without the help of your body that small sound wave will survive as long as the energy is there. Have you
not realized that you need some kind of an energy to produce thoughts? Thoughts do not arise effortlessly. You need to make some kind of an effort. Behind every action also there’s volition. These do not cease as long as the energy is there.Whenever we do something we are accumulating kamma. Evil actions (aananthariya ones) accumulating heavy kammic energy will not cease till we attain parinibbana.

 

[kavi719]

Buddhism is not a religion at all.

True. It's not a religion. It's a philosophy. It's a way of life. Thank you

And Buddhists, why do you reply to these kind of threads? What do you have to prove?

 

[gaveshi]

True. It's not a religion. It's a philosophy. It's a way of life. Thank you

Yes, but since faith (sadda) is important there's nothing wrong with considering Buddhism as a religion

And Buddhists, why do you reply to these kind of threads? What do you have to prove?

There can be several reasons

1. Out of sympathy/compassion for someone committing a sin by addressing Buddhists as

It is some idiots following how to behave with a begging bowl.

2. Compassion towards others like him


2. For merits,

Dhamma Dana - Sabba danam dhamma danam jinati". [The gift of Truth excels all other gifts].

Dana is a meritorious deed and also the first perfection.If Lord Buddha thought the way you thought even the five ascetics will not get a chance to learn Buddhism. It is true that we’re nowhere near a Lord Buddha. But as a follower we should follow our great teacher’s footsteps whenever possible.

We have the fortune to listen & comprehend Dhamma today due to a past merit. So if we want to hear again in the future we need merits. We should not be selfish.

 

[Insight]

When you make a public statement like this you have to come with facts to prove your statement........

Yes it's a pity to see people wasting the rare opportunity they have to learn & practice Buddhism. The majority struggle/suffer to find comforts for 50 odd years whereas they’re missing an opportunity to eradicate suffering completely or find comforts for 500000 years or more.

how to behave with a begging bowl.

With regard to the begging bowl, also again it’s a pity that they make a judgment from the outer appearance. They can only see the begging bowl. But they cannot see the serene look of the Bhikkus who are meditating in remote monasteries. There was a similar thread some time ago. Without writing again we’ll copy/paste it here

Buddhism is the path to real happiness and freedom. We can wear anything decent, eat delicious meals and live in a palace while following the path preached by the Lord Buddha. No one will stop us because there’re no such rules about the dress code, food or housing in Buddhism except for nuns/monks. We enjoy so much of freedom .

If we want to get rid of craving(attachments) in order to get rid of suffering( like old age, sickness, death, association with unpleasant persons and conditions, separation from beloved ones and pleasant conditions, not getting what one desires, grief, lamentation) quickly we can join the order as a nun/monk and give up luxuries willingly .

We have this strong attachment towards ourselves and what we possess. When changes take place the way we do not like we suffer. If you follow the path preached by the Lord Buddha you get to develop the mind, so that you can use it like a microscope to see the reality of mind and matter. This will lead to the eradication of craving

Buddhists do not practice blind rituals as mentioned by others..
The path to eradicate craving consists of three categories –

1. Sila
2. Samadhi
3. Panna

In sila we refrain from wrong conduct. Lay Buddhists observe five precepts (refraining from - killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, ingesting intoxicants) whereas nuns/monks observe a higher sila to quicken the process(it is not compulsory to become a nun/monk to eradicate craving).

Samadhi is to develop concentration through mindfulness

In Panna (wisdom) Knowledge gained through learning and comprehending dhamma (teachings of the Lord Buddha regarding the true nature of mind and matter)





In Buddhism there’s no rule stating that you should follow the above path or punish the ones who are breaking it. We follow the path willingly to realize four noble truths. That kind of freedom we enjoy .



I take this opportunity to pay homage to the Noble Triple Gem (Lord Buddha, Dhamma, and Sanga). Again, there’s no such rule that I should do this. But I do this out of devotion and gratitude .

For those who do not understand the four noble truths,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html
http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/4-Noble-Truths.html

 

[Pinimuva]

Buddhism is not a religion at all. It is some idiots following how to behave with a begging bowl.

තව අහපන් ඔය වගේ ගොන් ප්‍රශ්න ...ඔය ඉන්නේ දැන් පු.. ඇගිල්ල ගහගෙන ලජ්ජා නැති මිත්‍යාදෘෂ්ටික පව්කාරයෝ

 

[Tharanga81]

තව අහපන් ඔය වගේ ගොන් ප්‍රශ්න ...ඔය ඉන්නේ දැන් පු.. ඇගිල්ල ගහගෙන ලජ්ජා නැති මිත්‍යාදෘෂ්ටික පව්කාරයෝ

True Buddhism is not a religion.

 

[Insight]

තව අහපන් ඔය වගේ ගොන් ප්‍රශ්න ...ඔය ඉන්නේ දැන් පු.. ඇගිල්ල ගහගෙන ලජ්ජා නැති මිත්‍යාදෘෂ්ටික පව්කාරයෝ

බුදු දහමේ එන දස අකුසල් වලින් එකක් තමයි පරුෂ වචනය. ඉතින් ඔබතුමා නියම බුද්ධ වචනය පිළිගන්න බෞද්ධයෙක්ද නැතිනම් බුදු දහමට අපහාස කරන කෙනෙක්ද? ඒ අයගේ මිත්‍යා දෘෂ්ටියට ඔයා පිරිහෙන්න ඕන නැහැනේ. අනෙක මැරුණට පස්සේ වෙන ආගමක් අදහන පවුලක ඉපදෙන එකක් නැහැ කියල හරියටම විශ්වාසද? තමන් සෝවාන්වත් වෙලා නැති නම් තමන්ගේ සම්මා දිට්ඨිය ගැන ඕනවට වඩා ආඩම්බර වෙන්න හොද නැහැ. මොකද අපේ මහා බෝසත්තුමාටත් අවුරුදු හයක් දුෂ්කරක් ක්‍රියා කරන්න වුනා හැංගුන සත්‍ය ගොඩට ගන්න.

 

[Insight]

True Buddhism is not a religion.

A religion is a particular system of faith and worship. In Buddhism faith is an essential factor. Otherwise no will follow the middle path

පංච බල, (ශ්රද්ධා, විරිය, සති, සමාධි, ප්රඥා )

 

[Cheranga Dharmasena]

thopita wena de thawa tika dawasakin apita balaganna puluwan wei,,paukara hamba ballo..!!!!

 

[Juscurio]

බුදු දහමේ එන දස අකුසල් වලින් එකක් තමයි පරුෂ වචනය. ඉතින් ඔබතුමා නියම බුද්ධ වචනය පිළිගන්න බෞද්ධයෙක්ද නැතිනම් බුදු දහමට අපහාස කරන කෙනෙක්ද? ඒ අයගේ මිත්‍යා දෘෂ්ටියට ඔයා පිරිහෙන්න ඕන නැහැනේ. අනෙක මැරුණට පස්සේ වෙන ආගමක් අදහන පවුලක ඉපදෙන එකක් නැහැ කියල හරියටම විශ්වාසද? තමන් සෝවාන්වත් වෙලා නැති නම් තමන්ගේ සම්මා දිට්ඨිය ගැන ඕනවට වඩා ආඩම්බර වෙන්න හොද නැහැ. මොකද අපේ මහා බෝසත්තුමාටත් අවුරුදු හයක් දුෂ්කරක් ක්‍රියා කරන්න වුනා හැංගුන සත්‍ය ගොඩට ගන්න.

ඒගොල්ලෝ ඉන්නේ පුදුම පීඩාවකින්. ඉතින් ඕක කොහෙන් හරි පිට කර ගන්න ඉඩ දෙන්න. ගොඩක් අයට ගෙදර ගෑණි කෑ ගැහැව්වම මෙහෙ ඇවිල්ල කේන්තිය පිට කරන්නවත් පුළුවන් කමක් තියෙන්න ඕන නෙව. දැන් බලන්න campus වල වුනත් තමන්ගේ වර්ගයේම අයට මෙතන කියන්න බැරි විදියේ වද දෙන්නේ. ඇයි ඒ ? පීඩාව

ප්‍රශ්නේ තියෙන්නේ religious section එකේවත් පාඩුවේ සාකච්චාවක් කරන්න නෑනේ. කුණු හරුප වැහි වහිනවානේ

 

[guru.G]

seriously??? we never know that ,go ahead and explain will you .....well if you cant , I have the words to make you feel better,
yes those lovely two words ..............
yes , that's it ,you thought right,

 

[Pinimuva]

බුදු දහමේ එන දස අකුසල් වලින් එකක් තමයි පරුෂ වචනය. ඉතින් ඔබතුමා නියම බුද්ධ වචනය පිළිගන්න බෞද්ධයෙක්ද නැතිනම් බුදු දහමට අපහාස කරන කෙනෙක්ද? ඒ අයගේ මිත්‍යා දෘෂ්ටියට ඔයා පිරිහෙන්න ඕන නැහැනේ. අනෙක මැරුණට පස්සේ වෙන ආගමක් අදහන පවුලක ඉපදෙන එකක් නැහැ කියල හරියටම විශ්වාසද? තමන් සෝවාන්වත් වෙලා නැති නම් තමන්ගේ සම්මා දිට්ඨිය ගැන ඕනවට වඩා ආඩම්බර වෙන්න හොද නැහැ. මොකද අපේ මහා බෝසත්තුමාටත් අවුරුදු හයක් දුෂ්කරක් ක්‍රියා කරන්න වුනා හැංගුන සත්‍ය ගොඩට ගන්න.

හැම වෙලේම අවිහිංසාවාදී වෙන්න පුළුවන් නම් හිතන්න පුළුවන් නම් මමත් ගොඩක් කැමතියි ...ඉස්සර ඇෆ්ගනිස්ථානය ඉන්දියාව දැන් බුරුමය වගේ රටවල් වල බුදු දහමට උන දේ දෑස ඉදිරිපිටම දකින්න තියනකොට දැන් අපේ රටටත් ඒ දේම ටිකෙන් ටික වෙනකොට ඇස් කන් පියන් කොහොම බලන් ඉන්නද ...ඔබ කියපු දේ හරියට හරි..මාර්ග පලයකට පත් උනා නම් මෙච්චර ලේ කකියන්නේ නෑ තමයි ... එත් මට හිතුනේ මෙහෙමයි අවිහිංසා වාදියෙක් ලෙස මාර්ග පලයක්වත් නොලබා මිය යනවට වඩා තව එක දිනක් හරි බුදු දහම රැකගන්න හැකි තරමින් ක්‍රියා කොට මිය යෑම තමයි මගේ උත්සාහය ...එක්කෝ අනිවාර්යෙන් මාර්ග පලයක් ලබනවාමයි කියන තිර අධිෂ්ටානයෙන් කටයුතු කල යුතුයි නොමැතිනම් බුදු දහම රැකගැනීම වෙනුවෙන් කල හැකි දේ කලයුතුයි .... හිංසා වාදීන් සමග කටයුතු කරනකොට ?????...මේ අනන්ත දුක් සාගරයෙන් එතෙර වෙන්න පින් තියන අනන්ත මිනිසුන් වෙනුවෙන් තව එක දවසක් හරි වැඩිපුර මේ දහම පවතීවා කියන පරාර්ථකාමී චේතනාවෙන් තමයි පරුෂ වචනයක් කියවුණත් කියවෙන්නේ ...එත් මම ඔබ කියපු දේට හරිම කැමතියි ...මට ඒ දේ හොදින් කියන්න තිබුන තමයි ...ස්තුතියි ඔබට

 

[tshirtZ]

GO F........... UR MOM

 

[ලපටි කෙල්ල]

 

[gaveshi]

තව අහපන් ඔය වගේ ගොන් ප්‍රශ්න ...ඔය ඉන්නේ දැන් පු.. ඇගිල්ල ගහගෙන ලජ්ජා නැති මිත්‍යාදෘෂ්ටික පව්කාරයෝ

‘සමණා මයං මහා රාජ
ධම්ම රාජස්ස සාවකා
තමේව අනුකම්පාය
ජම්බුදීපා ඉධා ගතා’


“මහ රජ, ධර්ම රාජයාණන්ගේ ශ්‍රාවක වූ අපි ශ්‍රමණයෝ වෙමු. ඔබට අනුකම්පා පිණිස දඹදිව සිට මෙහි පැමිණියෙමු”




මහා මිහිඳු මහ රහතන් වහන්සේ එදා ලංකාවට වැඩිය වෙලාවේ දේවානම්පියතිස්ස රජ්ජුරුවන්ට පව්කාරය, මිත්‍යා දෘෂ්ටිකය කියල ඕගොල්ලෝ වගේ ලොකුවට බැනල ගියා නම් ඕගොල්ලන්ට ආඩම්බර වෙන්න මෙහෙ බුදු දහමක් තියේවිද? දේවානම්පියතිස්ස රජ්ජුරුවෝ බුදු දහම වෙනුවෙන් කල දේවල් කරාවිද? නැතිනම් මිහිඳු මහ රහතන් වහන්සේ ගැනයි බුදු දහම ගැනයි කල කිරෙයිද?



මිහිඳු මහ රහතන් වහන්සේ බණ කියන්න කලින් ප්‍රශ්න ඇහුවේ ඇයි? අඹ ගස් ගැන ඇහුව්වේ ඒවා ගැන නොදන්නා නිසා නෙවෙයි. මොළේ තියෙනවා හිතීමේ හැකියාවක්. ඒ පැත්ත වැඩ කරනවද? කරවන්න පුලුවන්ද? බුදු හාමුදුරුවෝ කොච්චර ප්‍රශ්න අහ අහ බණ කියල තියෙනවද? දෙයක් තේරුම් ගන්න අකමැතිකමට මතුපිටින් බලල අනවශ්‍ය ප්‍රශ්න ඇති කරන්නේ නැතිව ඉන්න එක තමයි හොද. බුදු හාමුදුරුවන්ගේ මිහිඳු මහ රහතන් වහන්සේගේ තිබුන කරුණාවට අනුකම්පාවට කිට්ටුවෙන්වත් යන අනුකම්පාවක් බෞද්ධ යයි කියාගන්නා සමහරුන්ගේ නැත්තේ ඇයි ? ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයෝ ඝාතනයට ලක් වුනේ ඇයි? පුහු මාන්නේ නිසයි.