Sure, literalism. Many authoritative interpreters (see Buddhagosa) take reincarnation literally.
But other equally authoritative interpreters take a more nuanced position, which I think is more useful.
I think you’re missing the point of what Buddhism is or does if you get hung up on what may or may not have been the historical Buddha’s words, pronounced 2500 years ago and not written down until after about 500 years. But rejecting anatta (which, contrary to rebirth, is universal in Buddhism) because you want to hold to the idea of rebirth seems as unwise as throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
As to me, I choose to be a pragmatist rather than a literalist. I see the Dharma as a tool for the here and now, and it is indifferent to me whether we’re going to live again or not, in addition to not making sense.
Call me secular, I don’t care. In the end it’s one’s own choice and path.
Right you can do this. Every religion pretty much does. Our founder said a bunch of stuff. We only take the parts that we want.
I am not faulting people for doing this, my point is you can’t claim that what is discarded isn’t part of what was there. Yes, you can be a secular Buddhist but that won’t change at all that the practice of Buddhism for 25 centuries included and still includes literal gods. And I question if you can even call it Buddhism if it doesn’t have rebirth.
Shrug. It’s a bit weird to me. Like latecomers gatekeeping. They been doing their thing for 25 centuries and a bunch of westerners show up and tell them what Buddhism is really really about. With the justification that since the record keeping was bad it can be whatever we say it is. Meanwhile the culture tradition being borrowed from is clear and in disagreement with what Secular Buddhist claims it says.
Mara is not a metaphor to anyone before the year 1950 or so. Mara was a literal god. Same can be said about all their core concepts.
Dude, Dōgen was 12th century Zen master, one of the most revered in Japan. Buddhadasa was a Thai Bhikku, again, one of the most revered in Thailand. And they weren’t sure as you are about rebirth being part of Buddhism. But you want to explain to them what Buddhism is all about.
I mean, you do you, but your westerners gatekeeping schtick is a little off.
Sure, literalism. Many authoritative interpreters (see Buddhagosa) take reincarnation literally.
But other equally authoritative interpreters take a more nuanced position, which I think is more useful.
I think you’re missing the point of what Buddhism is or does if you get hung up on what may or may not have been the historical Buddha’s words, pronounced 2500 years ago and not written down until after about 500 years. But rejecting anatta (which, contrary to rebirth, is universal in Buddhism) because you want to hold to the idea of rebirth seems as unwise as throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
As to me, I choose to be a pragmatist rather than a literalist. I see the Dharma as a tool for the here and now, and it is indifferent to me whether we’re going to live again or not, in addition to not making sense.
Call me secular, I don’t care. In the end it’s one’s own choice and path.
Good luck.
Right you can do this. Every religion pretty much does. Our founder said a bunch of stuff. We only take the parts that we want.
I am not faulting people for doing this, my point is you can’t claim that what is discarded isn’t part of what was there. Yes, you can be a secular Buddhist but that won’t change at all that the practice of Buddhism for 25 centuries included and still includes literal gods. And I question if you can even call it Buddhism if it doesn’t have rebirth.
Shrug. It’s a bit weird to me. Like latecomers gatekeeping. They been doing their thing for 25 centuries and a bunch of westerners show up and tell them what Buddhism is really really about. With the justification that since the record keeping was bad it can be whatever we say it is. Meanwhile the culture tradition being borrowed from is clear and in disagreement with what Secular Buddhist claims it says.
Mara is not a metaphor to anyone before the year 1950 or so. Mara was a literal god. Same can be said about all their core concepts.
Dude, Dōgen was 12th century Zen master, one of the most revered in Japan. Buddhadasa was a Thai Bhikku, again, one of the most revered in Thailand. And they weren’t sure as you are about rebirth being part of Buddhism. But you want to explain to them what Buddhism is all about.
I mean, you do you, but your westerners gatekeeping schtick is a little off.
Just expert shopping
Just the founder of the Soto school of Zen