On Buddhism
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my pliosaur
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@Sirl said
"...I would say Japan (where, I believe, around 80% to 90% of people consider themselves Buddhist)..."
Well, no, though your basic point is essentially upheld.
84.9% Shinto
71.4% Buddhist
2% Christian
7.8% Other2005 from the CIA.
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@ Sirl
Thanks for the answer. I like it.@ Jim
Funny guy. You're a funny guy. CIA... LOL Thanks. -
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@seekinghga said
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Sorry, but as a Christian, Buddhism to me is a mistaken philosophy and its conclusions about life, God, and reality are too biased by brain manipulation to be taken as guidance for what is real and what isn't.
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Buddhism is the BOMB; the MIND bomb designed to disintegrate the astral gobbledy gook that constantly assails an otherwise perfect manifestation God.
The purity of the doctrine is startling in it's simplicity; singularly syncro beautimous! It is the deluge for the dessicated soul. I apologize if this doesn't really help answer your question or allay your fears reagrding its authenticity as a wellspring of TRUTH.
Good Luck to you!
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@Ducky said
"Buddhism is the BOMB"
@Ducky said
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The purity of the doctrine is startling in it's simplicity; singularly syncro beautimous! It is the deluge for the dessicated soul. I apologize if this doesn't really help answer your question or allay your fears reagrding its authenticity as a wellspring of TRUTH."Well, it's one version of the truth, or one way of talking about truth that works for some people, at least until they get a measure of their own.
It's hard not to admire Buddhism. Nevertheless, there is still something not very satisfactory about how many westerners project some sort of transcendent perfection onto the East, and in this instance, Buddhism; as if we are somehow lacking in the West, hopelessly flawed, messed up beyond any repair, missing all the parts to a viable mystical tradition of our own.
Our histories have been different. So just as we are in the habit of affirming the genius of the East, I would suggest that the West also has its genius that is not obvious to the East, or those who adhere to Eastern philosophies because of some perceived superiority in things, 'not home grown.' In short, it is not fashionable to talk about the West as one of the great spiritual traditions of the world. And this fact bothers me—my sense of balance is disturbed by it.
Ducky, I respect your obvious love of Buddhism, I have a great respect for it myself, but it brings up a number of other concerns for me having to do with what I perceive to be the real problem of the western mind in this regard. Namely, our inability to believe in ourselves. This is what is really lacking, and the probable cause of our feeling that we need to try and graft our psyches onto exotic, foreign root stocks, because our own roots have been corrupted.
I understand your paean of praise for Buddhism did not directly imply any defect of the western traditions, but it has served as a catalyst for my own thoughts on how we relate to it. The reality is the West is flawed, I admit that, but then so is the East in its own way. That one should be elevated above the other is troublesome.
Love and Will
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@RobertAllen said
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Well, it's one version of the truth, or one way of talking about truth that works for some people, at least until they get a measure of their own."
Why do we feel a need to POSSESS a tradition or philosophy [as westerners] - speaking in the intentionally broad applicability of Thelemic thought - "The LAW is for ALL" if we regard LAW as TRUTH or DHARMA or whatever descriptor we use to limit or otherwise make manageable the SPIRITUAL SCIENCES.
ALL Traditions our ours!
My peculiar LOVE of Buddhism is probably hereditary - I absolutely love Asian cuisine!
@RobertAllen said
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Love and Will"
God Bless you
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@Ducky said
"Why do we feel a need to POSSESS a tradition or philosophy [as westerners] - speaking in the intentionally broad applicability of Thelemic thought - "The LAW is for ALL" if we regard LAW as TRUTH or DHARMA or whatever descriptor we use to limit or otherwise make manageable the SPIRITUAL SCIENCES."
WHO?! Who is possessing a philosophy? Let em at em! I'll tear them limb from limb and laugh in the lust of the slaughter!
Of course I must take into account a few things first. One, I am a westerner, and so are most people commenting on this forum. Even Jung needed a bridge before he felt he could comment of far Eastern alchemical treatises because the images that formed the background of his thought were 'western.' Two, Buddhism evolved in the East, before the world unification via the internet and global markets that are in fact remaking the world. Three, the first really global spiritual 'dispensation' that I know of is Thelema. Nevertheless, Crowley was an Englishman. And this fact must count for something when understanding why he did what he did the way he did it.
There is a difference between practices and philosophy. When Crowley integrated Yoga and Magick, he didn't buy into Eastern philosophies. Nevertheless, it was something of an homage to the East, but also an acknowledgment of the great tradition of the West. To deny that many people in the West feel the West has nothing to offer them, spiritually, is to deny the obvious. And I'm sure that is not what you are doing.
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I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory..."Not very Buddhist-like if you ask me.
As always,
Love and Will -
@RobertAllen said
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I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory..."Not very Buddhist-like if you ask me.
As always,
Love and Will"The Buddhist version probably reads a little something like this:
"I am Varsavarti that giveth Dharma and Desire and Sensual Delight."
or something like that.
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meh!
Love and Will