Two Food For Thoughts About Buddhism

Hello ladies and gentlemen, sorry for the long absence. Life had been pretty hectic and busy, and I didn't had enough time to participate in ATS.
Plus, the few times I checked quickly, most threads were about Trump, ISIS and GW; not very interesting.

So, back again for awhile, will probably just check around, comment, etc; but first, the thread. Below is two food for thoughts; I am not suggesting anything, merely stating some curiousity.

First Food For Thought:

Buddhism is generally about ending suffering, and trying to cause the least harm possible to those around you. I get that, its a philosophy that's found across the world, in almost every religions and belief systems.

But there is one thing that I find contradictory.
According to the myth, when Prince Siddhārtha Gautama found out about the external world, he abandoned his old life. Including his wife and his kids.
He could have shown them the truth, and they could have helped the world together. Instead, he left them without explaining anything, according to the myth. I'm no expert in marriage, but I'm pretty sure such an action caused lots of hurt to Siddhārtha's family, to be abandoned like that, as if they didn't any longer mattered.

Contradiction. The first action of a man determined to end suffering was to cause suffering to his own wife and kids.

That was the first food for thought.

Second Food For Thought:

I just discovered that the man responsible for bringing Buddhism philosophy to the Western world, Allan Bennet, is a member of the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn...
an Egyptian occult magic based sect.
Not only that, a friend of none other than Aleister Crowley.

Source 1

Source 2


Strange and creepy entourage....

Just two food for thoughts about Buddhism, a religion that is more and more forced upon people, with its association to Quantum Physics, resulting in the highly popular yet highly pseudoscientific Quantum Buddhism.

That is all for the moment, might visit some of my friends threads to say hello, will try also to find non-Trump, GW, Isis, Gun & Violence threads to comment to.

See you in the future!

a reply to: Yavanna

Plus, the few times I checked quickly, most threads were about Trump, ISIS and GW; not very interesting.

Lol, welcome back to "Western-iism".

What passes for spirituality these days is any 'ism'.

Maybe the guys wife and kid weren't allowed in a monastery, another exclusive mens club back then, correct me if thats inaccurate.

So, to save himself and find peace and enlightenment he had to sever all ties… tilt. I agree. But see it as a just another club with a club house, club meetings, club membership and club dues.

Imo, the worlds religions are supposed to teach us it isn't about man made religion at all but rather a spiritual quest, ultimately leading us to our true selves, the soul.

originally posted by: Yavanna

First Food For Thought:

Buddhism is generally about ending suffering, and trying to cause the least harm possible to those around you. I get that, its a philosophy that's found across the world, in almost every religions and belief systems.

But there is one thing that I find contradictory.
According to the myth, when Prince Siddhārtha Gautama found out about the external world, he abandoned his old life. Including his wife and his kids.
He could have shown them the truth, and they could have helped the world together. Instead, he left them without explaining anything, according to the myth. I'm no expert in marriage, but I'm pretty sure such an action caused lots of hurt to Siddhārtha's family, to be abandoned like that, as if they didn't any longer mattered.

Contradiction. The first action of a man determined to end suffering was to cause suffering to his own wife and kids.

That was the first food for thought.

Welcome back!

Bodhisattva is the term for someone who has achieved enlightenment, and then returned to the old world to help others attain such a feat. In your example, the father going and achieving enlightenment would be best for their family, although from the perspective of the old world it may not seem that way.

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. " (Matthew 19:29)

The limitations of the old world are transcended for the enlightened master. Numerous times Jesus states that he "must go for a time, but he will return"; so too is the enlightened master - the spiritual journey is not just for the betterment of their self, but all humankind. This is Bodhisattva.

a reply to: Yavanna

Nice to meet you and I love your post!

a reply to: Yavanna

I thought about Siddartha leaving his wife and child behind as well, however, he had a mission he was compelled to live out and he knew he could not drag his princess wife and child that have all the luxuries around them. They did not suffer materially, but yes, he did probably hurt them. His mission was more important, he knew they would be taken care of bc he came from a very rich royal family. He also probably felt this was something he had to do on his own.

2nd food for thought. Buddhists find good in everything, everyone. Their biggest challenges are their opposites so to find that he was good friends with a devil worshipping Satanists who wore womens clothing does not surprise me.


(Ps, the reincarnated Aleister Crowley is a poster on this message board, lol)

a reply to: Yavanna

Buddhism is the Paradoxal Religion - its purpose defeats itself.

Buddhism is all about reaching a state called Nirvana, which is a state with no desires (buddhists point out the fact that desires cause suffering). But then the desire to reach Nirvana is in itself a desire, which also causes suffering. There are not many buddhists who realise that the desire to end desire is in itself a paradox which traps the mind inside its own little circle. By attempting to escape the sufferings of physicality, they have trapped themselves into a suffering of the mind - which is in my opinion even worst.

a reply to: swanne

Maybe those who do not practice correctly get stuck in that little circle, but that's the own person's fault, not Buddhism.

a reply to: veracity

I have spent years in that religion. True buddhists of old would starve themselves and work hard to eliminate any ideas at all from their mind - all that in the hope and desire to achieve Nirvana. For a while I have followed in their path, but then something happened and I decided to change vocation.

Those who practice correctly buddhists are the one who are the most involved in that circle. Trust me when I say their desire to reach Nirvana is even stronger than those who are merely initiates.

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: Yavanna

Buddhism is the Paradoxal Religion - its purpose defeats itself.

Buddhism is all about reaching a state called Nirvana, which is a state with no desires (buddhists point out the fact that desires cause suffering). But then the desire to reach Nirvana is in itself a desire, which also causes suffering. There are not many buddhists who realise that the desire to end desire is in itself a paradox which traps the mind inside its own little circle. By attempting to escape the sufferings of physicality, they have trapped themselves into a suffering of the mind - which is in my opinion even worst.

Good point! This is the purpose of Prajnaparamita, which essentially states that even the pursuit of enlightenment (and all concepts, religions, etc) must be discarded in order to reveal the blank canvas of possibility residing within us. In other words, the sign pointing to the top of the mountain is not the top of the mountain.

a reply to: swanne

Anyone who has a strong, unhealthy desire for anything, even nirvana, will not succeed. The Buddhists you know should not be putting all of their desires into one basket. Nirvana comes naturally, it can come to someone who has never meditated in their lives, to someone who was not even expecting it.

Yes, a desire for nirvana is great, but if it is taking up all of your time and mind for nothing else good to manifest, then it is detrimental.

a reply to: cooperton

Exactly. And once you realise that there is so much to explore, so much things to think about, so much concepts to consider, then this is when you actually reach a higher level of awareness - when you accept your flaws and your thoughts and new ideas, not when you narrow your mind to emptiness.

You catch more fish with a wider net.

a reply to: veracity

In which case buddhism has no more use than theism, or empirism. Many people have reached a state of higher awareness without being buddhist.

a reply to: swanne

any religion used wrongly has no use

a reply to: intrptr

Thanks... i'm afraid that its all people seem to waste time upon. Once upon a time, here, ATS was full of ideas and thought-provoking posts, and alternative science ideas, etc. Now, its people saying the same thing over and over...

Indeed... Good point.

originally posted by: cooperton

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. " (Matthew 19:29)

But doesn't that seem cold and selfish? The same religion(s) that teach to love, and to take care of others before yourself, yet, one must abandon that, cause them pain, just to earn eternal life. What is the point of eternal life, if it is devoid of those whom you love and care about.

Something in the translation or transmission of these philosophies went wrong, in my opinion. What is the point of Nirvane or Heaven, if no one shares it with you?
And if such a concept went wrong in Christianity, Buddhism is no different; yet, it is pretty much now forced upon us as the "real" belief...

a reply to: Quantum12

Thanks!

a reply to: veracity

Perhaps. But had he shown them, maybe they would have accepted to leave the luxuries, and help him. What is the point of saving humanity, if you don't even save your own family?

a reply to: swanne

Exactly! Well said!

a reply to: Yavanna

He was putting himself in danger doing what he felt compelled to do, Im sure he wanted to keep his family safe.

a reply to: swanne

Exactly! I always said that some families, without ever wanting to have eternal life, or achieving Nirvana, lived happier and suffering-less lives than monks who passed all their lives alone.

What is the point of reaching Nirvana, if you don't care, or feel, or have emotions. If that is eternal life, I don't want that. As a character I love very much say, "Better a broken heart than no heart at all."

So why is such a philosophy, to end all thoughts, to end all emotions, is the exact one being promoted?