Buddhism As World Religion

[nirmal]

Buddhism could become the most favorable religion of the world as it has a moral code which is the most perfect in the world.Among all the founders of religion, it is the Buddha alone who encourages the spirit of investigation in his followers and warns them not to accept his teachings with blind faith.Buddhism directs man's search inwards to the potentiality within himself.

What do you think is the beauty in Buddhism that would attract outsiders thus enabling it to be spread widely across the world?

Kindly avoid belittling other religions.

[kirtu]

All religions tend to view themselves as superior and as being the gatekeepers of a superior moral code.

The beautiful ornaments of universal lovingkindness emphasized in the Sravaka teachings and universal compassion emphasized in the Bodhisattva teachings are in my mind the chief attractions that could spread the teachings worldwide.

However only Lord Buddha in my view has a truly adequate teaching on impermanence and suffering as well although other teachings address suffering and impermanence in their own way. But these teachings are less accessible overall because people need to go through a great deal to become open to them.

Kirt

[nirmal]

Buddhism never forbids its followers to continue with their customs.Chinese Buddhists who have converted from Confucianism still worship their ancestors in their way.This would not be allowed if they were to convert to any other major religion.All those converts who have chosen Buddhism are allowed to keep their customs for the New Year and don't have to follow that of India.Taoists and Buddhist may do their different respective prayers in a single house where death has taken place.The beauty of Buddhism is that it is the one religion to amalgamate all other religions without envy.

[kirtu]

Buddhism never forbids its followers to continue with their customs.Chinese Buddhists who have converted from Confucianism still worship their ancestors in their way.

Is there any society that doesn't worship their ancestors in some way?

All those converts who have chosen Buddhism are allowed to keep their customs for the New Year and don't have to follow that of India.

New Years observations are mostly secular. Prayers to spirit helpers and invocation of ancestors are found in different forms in many societies BTW (can even happen in the USA although only in some family groups and generally wouldn't happen in European families). Generally even Asian Americans don't know that there is a very faint spirit tradition in the USA (mostly it seems from New Age families and families that have had Indian's (Native American's) in their background - and I also don't want to overstate this importance - it's nearly dead but there has been a notion of invocation of aid from spirit helpers or the elements of nature buried deep in some families and then covered usually with a heavy Christian layering - similarly with invocation of ancestors - people do occasionally talk to their remembered ancestors).

The beauty of Buddhism is that it is the one religion to amalgamate all other religions without envy.

So you see the beauty of Buddhism as a vehicle for syncretism?

Kirt

[nirmal]

Buddhism never forbids its followers to continue with their customs.Chinese Buddhists who have converted from Confucianism still worship their ancestors in their way.

Is there any society that doesn't worship their ancestors in some way?



Every society worships their ancestors in one way or the other. If I were to convert to say Christianity, would I be allowed to worship my ancestors the Buddhist way? Surely not.Surely out of the question.Even if I were to do it secretly, it would be a sin, big sin.I would be allowed to do it only their way.

All those converts who have chosen Buddhism are allowed to keep their customs for the New Year and don't have to follow that of India.

New Years observations are mostly secular. Prayers to spirit helpers and invocation of ancestors are found in different forms in many societies BTW (can even happen in the USA although only in some family groups and generally wouldn't happen in European families). Generally even Asian Americans don't know that there is a very faint spirit tradition in the USA (mostly it seems from New Age families and families that have had Indian's (Native American's) in their background - and I also don't want to overstate this importance - it's nearly dead but there has been a notion of invocation of aid from spirit helpers or the elements of nature buried deep in some families and then covered usually with a heavy Christian layering - similarly with invocation of ancestors - people do occasionally talk to their remembered ancestors).

The beauty of Buddhism is that it is the one religion to amalgamate all other religions without envy.

So you see the beauty of Buddhism as a vehicle for syncretism?

Kirt

No.I would no treat every religion as the same.This attitude is wrong.Non-Buddhist religions are somehow alike to each other than Buddhism compared to non-Buddhism. Buddha has taught the disciples a good manner of agreement.All his disciples should agree with all the good deeds of the other religions and even that of individuals on non-religious beliefs.Buddha never forbids his disciples to read non-Buddhist scriptures and at the same time he is able to give additional doctrines for ones final liberation

[plwk]

What do you think is the beauty in Buddhism that would attract outsiders thus enabling it to be spread widely across the world?

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .budd.html
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

[ground]

What do you think is the beauty in Buddhism that would attract outsiders thus enabling it to be spread widely across the world?

I do not advocate proselytization at all, so one of Buddhism's beauties is that it is an offering.

Another beauty is its diversity which ensures satisfying the needs of the diversity of beings.
And I hope that all traditions and lineages will survive for the benefit of future beings.


Kind regards

[Huifeng]

Buddhism never forbids its followers to continue with their customs.

Unless of course those customs are in direct conflict with Buddhist teachings.
eg. a culture which has a custom of executing people would be in conflict with the principle of non-harm and precept of not taking life.
That would not be "forbid" in the sense of some external agency enforcing such ideals upon others, but in the sense of how can one consider oneself Buddhist and still engage in, and actively support and justify, such actions?
And when we see this, we may actually want to admit that Buddhism runs counter to a large number of cultures and religious systems in this world.