About.com Buddhism

Syncretization Has Its Limits

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:37:55 +0000

Earlier this week I wrote about a great post at the blog Enlightenment Ward, making the point that Buddhism is not psychology. I want to look at another point in the post today, about mixing Buddhism with other religions. NellaLou writes,

Buddhism is a side-dish to one's main religious practice. There are a growing number of voices that insist Buddhism should be "compatible" with other religions. Although this has been historically apparent for quite a long time in the philosophical practices of say the Theosophists and other spiritual adventurers at the turn of the 20th century. The idea seems to be that Buddhism should not replace one's original religion or ideology but augment it in some way. Why?

Many people are walking a mixed Buddhist-Christian or Buddhist-Jewish path, as a personal choice, and that's fine. But the truth is you can only do that if you pour Buddhism, or the other religion, or both,� through a number of filters first. Pure and undiluted Buddhism doesn't mix with God-based faiths all that easily.

Syncretization Has Its Limits originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 11:37:55.

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Boston Boy Is the New Gyalwa Lorepa Lama

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:51:56 +0000

An 11-year-old Boston schoolboy,� Jigme Wangchuk, was enthroned today as His Holiness the Second Gyalwa Lorepa Lama of the Drukpa lineage.� As near as I can tell, this enthronement took place at the Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery in Darjeeling, India, but I'm not going to swear to it. I'm having a terrible time getting clear information.

The first Gyalwa Lorepa, 1187-1250, was an accomplished master of yoga who spent many years meditating. According to some accounts, Drukpa is part of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The head of the Drukpas, or at least some of them, is the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, who has a pretty cool website. There is another branch of Drukpa that is headed by the King of Bhutan.

Jigme Wangchuk's parents moved from Dharamsala to the United States 20 years ago. In 2007 the family visited Kagyu Nalanda Monastery in southern India, when little Jigme fell into a trance and began recounting his life as the first Gyalwa Lorepa.� And the rest is history. Mr. and Mrs. Wangchuk have sold their Boston restaurant business and moved with Jigme's sister to Darjeeling to be near their son. And that's all I know.

Boston Boy Is the New Gyalwa Lorepa Lama originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 15:51:56.

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The Buddhist Middle Way: No Extremes

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:05:15 +0000

Through the ages many Buddhist teachers have thought up new and improved ways to realize dharma. Some of these ways were passed on, becoming new traditions that helped many people. So I don't want to put down a new approach just because it's new.

On the other hand, when someone is advertising a "fast track" approach to spirituality, a skepticism filter is warranted. And if they are advertising a "radical, rock-star, make-it-happen-now kind of spiritual path," slap a hand on your wallet and move on.

On the third hand, when they've got Brigadoon on their list of films that enable fast-track spirituality,� one might assume they not scam artists; just a tad ditzy.

The Buddhist Middle Way: No Extremes originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 12:05:15.

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Buddhism Is Not Psychology

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:24:06 +0000

A post by NellaLou at the blog Enlightenment Ward has an imposing title -- "FLM: Dr. Feel-good and the Medicalization of Buddhism (with bonus book review of How to Become a Buddha in 5 Weeks-ouch)." But it's a serious, insightful piece that is well worth reading.

Buddhism, says Nellalou, "is being dismantled whole-sale to serve the powerful purposes of the medical-psychiatric establishment. " There is Buddhism in the West that hasn't been dismantled yet, but I agree that's a real danger.

Buddhism Is Not Psychology originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 08:24:06.

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Facing What Frightens Us

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:26:57 +0000

Halloween is a celebration of scary things. Halloween is a time for making benign things appear frightening -- making a jack-o'-lantern out of a pumpkin; dressing up as zombies and mummies. It's all for fun because we know the zombies and mummies are children and the glowing, scowling face is a big squash with a candle in it.

Buddhism teaches us that the things that really frighten us are just apparitions, also; not "real." But when the apparition is a life-threatening illness or financial ruin, it's hard to realize that.

Facing What Frightens Us originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 13:26:57.

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Gandhi, King, and ... Ikeda?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:33:39 +0000

I hope not to offend the SGI members who come here, but this is just odd. There's a traveling exhibition titled "Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace" currently parked at a high school in Ontario. The exhibition focuses on Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Daisaku Ikeda to show how to work toward world peace. It's been traveling around for about a year, I take it, but I just stumbled into it today.

If you're struggling to place Daisaku Ikeda: He is the president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a lay Nichiren Buddhist organization. I'm sure he's a nice fella, and I'm aware that he has directed SGI into doing a lot of good work. But does he belong in the same league with Gandhi and King? I'd like to give SGI members a chance to explain why he does.� Maybe there's something I'm overlooking.

Gandhi, King, and ... Ikeda? originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 14:33:39.

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Buddhist Sports News: Alex Rodriguez

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:45:58 +0000

If you follow professional baseball as closely as I do, which is not at all, you may not be aware that the New York Yankees are in the World Series this year. Well, they are. And what makes this a Buddhist news item is that one of the stars of the team is rumored to be "flirting" with conversion to Buddhism.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, known as A-Rod, is dating actress Kate Hudson. Kate is said to be a devout Buddhist (Tibetan, I think) who has been spotted at A-Rod's baseball games holding brown mala beads. Sportswriters speculated that A-Rod's relationship with Miss Hudson helped his post-season play. And there is much gossipy speculation that Rodriguez is converting to Buddhism to please Kate Hudson.

Buddhist Sports News: Alex Rodriguez originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 09:45:58.

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New Shaolin Film: Real Monks, No Zombies

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:30:25 +0000

There must be hundreds of films with "Shaolin" in the title, including Shaolin vs. Evil Dead (2006; Shaolin monks battle zombies; unrated)� and Shaolin vs. Vampire (1980; Shaolin monk protects baby vampires; unrated). Filming has begun on one more, to be titled Shaolin.

The work is being filmed in the real Shaolin temple and will star Andy Lau, who was in the gorgeous House of Flying Daggers, with Jackie Chan in a cameo, along with Hong Kong actor and pop star Nicholas Tse and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing. Real Shaolin monks will take part in action scenes and play supporting roles. The director is Benny Chan, who appears to be best known for New Police Story (2006; unfairly disgraced police inspector vs. violent gang; rated R).

Some news stories say the new film will be remake of the classic Shaolin Temple (1982; made Jet Li a star), but others say the story is entirely new. Whichever, it could be worth watching when it comes out, probably in about a year.

New Shaolin Film: Real Monks, No Zombies originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 10:30:25.

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Paying for Spiritual Services

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:17:39 +0000

Following up yesterday's post on spiritual masochism -- another shocking bit of news to float out of the Arizona desert sweat lodge tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of three people, is that the participants had paid up to $10,000 to be tortured. Patti Wigington, the About.com Guide to Paganism/Wicca, blogs about this and asked the question, is it OK to charge for spiritual services?

This question comes up a lot in Buddhism. People are sometimes shocked and astonished when teachers and dharma centers require a payment for teachings and retreats. Shouldn't the dharma be free? Christian ministers don't expect fees for sermons, do they?

Paying for Spiritual Services originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 13:17:39.

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Spiritual Masochism

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:26:16 +0000

Some details finally are emerging about the recent, tragic deaths during a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona. This was not part of a Buddhist retreat, but the episode brings up issues that relate to spirituality, Buddhism included.

The background, in a nutshell: As part of a "spiritual warrior" retreat in Arizona, between 55 and 65 people were jammed into a 415-square-foot space made of a wooden frame covered by plastic tarps and blankets. Hot rocks were brought in to make the "sweat lodge" something like a sauna. Two people died during the ceremony and a third died after several days in a coma.

Spiritual Masochism originally appeared on About.com Buddhism on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 09:26:16.

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