Rational Buddhism? (page 2)

OnTheWayOut

Very little of Eastern teachings insist on full belief. You can meditate, you can benefit from the ancient wisdom, you can accept and reject what you want. I highly recommend books by Pema Chodron: http://www.amazon.com/Pema-Chodron/e/B000AP9Y2A

Also, some Zen philosophy is helpful: http://www.amazon.com/Each-Moment-Universe-Being-Time/dp/1590306074/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425390542&sr=1-1&keywords=every+moment+is+the+universe

I regard much of the eastern thoughts as viewing the scientific world in a spiritual way. In other words, it reflects how we interact with time and positive thinking and energy and the karma stuff is just about being good and beneficial to each other and receiving the same back. Science is wonderful but it can't really give us the calm and deep thoughts on those things like Buddhism and Taoism can. I certainly don't believe any reincarnation stuff or that the Buddha lived the life that the myths teach. I believe that the teachings are not meant to be taken absolutely literally and that most eastern philosophy followers actually get that. I believe that teachings on Jesus were written in the same way, but were corrupted into literalness somewhere along the way.

user100

yes.. whenever I speak to a hindu about their beliefs, they say the real fantasy stuff was just to help an ancient people conceptualize god and the morals they were trying to instill..

very rarely they take any of that literally.. by contrast, JWs take the entire bible literally and fail to understand that it was written for ancient people to help them grasp.. people in modern society should be able to get the point without having to take the account literally.

_Morpheus

I became a big fan of zen once i realized TTATT. What i didnt realize was that i was already a fan of zen through exposure in round about ways preawakining. Anything that helps you relate to the world in a positive way is worth exploring, IMHO

cappytan

John_Mann
There's no reincarnation in buddhism.

I guess what I was referring to was "rebirth" teachings. And the teachings about the realms and planes of existence.

That stuff just feels like another irrational rabbit hole.

freemindfade

cappytan, I think it is awesome stuff to consider, there are a lot of ideas out there that are great to learn about, its like exercising your brain, stretching it out into possible realities, then to come back to only what you know to be true, you have in affect expanded your mind, without having to say "I believe xyz".

The problem with most religion like out beloved WTBS, you can't learn it all then say thanks and walk away, you must sign a contract that says you cant believe or learn anything else and this is absolute TRUTH!...

I think the idea of God was probably originally this way, man stretching his mind into possible explanations and imagination, but along the way people realized this idea gave them power over others. One of my favorite quotes and something that goes against everything the ORG tried to indoctrinate us with is this:

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

Aristotle

I've been that way for a long time, the example I always give is 9/11 conspiracies or the moon landing. So with 9/11 I remember people watching loose change, and many saying "that is ludicrous, I can't accept our government could do such a thing". and there in lies the problem. I think you need to be able to entertain any idea, and if you don't know for sure be able to walk away and say its not possible for me to say for sure. But with going there in your mind, and saying, i have to believe that it is possible, you are back in control of your mind, unlike the ones that say "they would never do that!!" they are biased to a fault.

Long story short lol, I'm with you, I love ideas of levels of consciousness etc, it is a rabbit hole, but as long as you aren't indoctrinated by it take the trip.

SonoftheTrinity

Not to be too off topic but it might get you somewhere. Oddly enough Post-modernism is older than its name implies. Older than even Pontius Pilate. Google Anekantavada. Something about Jainism has always seemed more rational than even Buddhism much like how Judaism requires less faith than Christianity.

JamesThomas

Cappy, what are you hoping to find under the rock of Buddhism?

cappytan

Cappy, what are you hoping to find under the rock of Buddhism?

I'm not hoping to find anything. Someone recommended meditation to me, and said that Buddhists were non-theists. I looked into it and liked everything I saw about Buddhism, except for the supernatural rebirth stuff.

cofty

Check out Sam Harris' new book, "Waking Up - A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion"

Village Idiot

“If scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.” - Dalai Lama

Rational Buddhism?

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