I find Buddhism disheartening?

[Curious11]

Let’s forget for a minute about the fact that it’s not the true Faith or Religion. Also bear in mind the (pretty obvious) fact that I know close to nothing about Buddhism

I find Buddhism very disheartening.
First of all, I get the impression that’s it’s too introspective to the point that it focuses on the self, or rather detachment from it, to the detriment of love of neighbor. Case in point is the fact Buddha himself refused to teach at the beginiing and had to be convinced to do so. If you have the truth and it’s supposedly about love, why would you be reluctant to share it, it seems like it’s a very selfish thing to do and totally contrary to what Jesus did.

Secondly, I get the impression that, while Christianity has pioneered the invention of hospitals, charities and universities for love of neighbor, Buddhists seem to focus on their own enlightenment and meditate only, and do not seem to make such a great effort for the community?

And third, I cannot understand how it can deal with lack of deities? I find this pretty discomforting, it seems to teach that you’re on your own in this search of enlightenment, there is no grace, there is no lifeboat.

Am I missing something here? Am I getting the wrong picture? Does anybody feel this way too?

 

[Theo520]

I’m no expert but here’s my response.

Buddhism is fundamentally a philosophy, not a religion if you study the initial teachings.

Over time I believe it morphed to include aspects of deity. Most buddhist temples have really big statues. Remember the Dali Lama is believed to be a reincarnation. We humans do like our deities.

How it is practiced varies quite a bit depending upon the country and it has often been blended with other religions and cultural practices.

I find Christianity to also be very introspective. I was taught to constantly examine my thoughts and my actions, comparing against what I thought was ideal behavior. Spiritual growth and maturity come from introspection, which is different than being self centered.

Buddhists definitely believe in charity but they are also less concerned about perfection, about fixing things and people. This may relate to less focus on building hospitals etc.

 

[goodcatholic]

fact that I know close to nothing about Buddhism

I knew a fair bit as I was quite into it for a while before I reverted to Catholicism.

I find Buddhism very disheartening.

Now I think of it as a cold, lonely pursuit.

too introspective to the point that it focuses on the self, or rather detachment from it, to the detriment of love of neighbor

There are some benefits to meditation though. You learn to distance your thoughts. it does help in self-awareness and is very useful for those of us who suffer anxiety.
Plus I think we are taught as Catholics to avoid introspection, yet what about when we examine our conscience before confession or on a retreat?

Buddhists seem to focus on their own enlightenment and meditate only, and do not seem to make such a great effort for the community?

Yeah it is kind of selfish. But they do make themselves available as counsellors. I think they are helping people help themselves in a way. Buddhist meditation is a kind of free psychotherapy.

And third, I cannot understand how it can deal with lack of deities?

Exactly. Well for us, the one deity. The most important thing about Christianity besides being the truth, is that you don’t have to go through life alone. That is the big error in Buddhism. You cant solve all your own problems. Especially the eternal ones.

 

[goodcatholic]

But I’d just like to add, that in some ways Buddhism can help people in ways that much of Catholicism doesn’t reach. Except for the mystics and monastic tradition which values a more lateral approach to prayer.
Example. When we get highly anxious and irritable, a catholic friend might say “just pray”. But traditional methods of prayer can often make an agitated mind, worse… “Just talk to God”. Ok if we have a really good close relationship with God I guess. Focus on the listening more than the talking.
Sometimes just talking to a nice friend is enough. But actually Buddhist meditation, slowing the breath, listening to breathing, actually helped me calm down more than prayer. Once we’ve calmed down, then we could be ready for prayer.

 

[BlackFriar]

I know close to nothing about Buddhism

You were right the first time: “I know close to nothing about Buddhism.”
Its an exercise in futility to to discuss, think or worry about what you really do not understand.

If its that important to you go to your local temple and see if you can attend some of their public lectures usually given by one of the monks. At the end go up and have a chat with him/her and put those questions to him. Observe some of the outreach projects of the temple.
You will be surprised how lacking in knowledge you are.

 

[goodcatholic]

You were right the first time: “I know close to nothing about Buddhism.”

He knows enough to know it’s not the truth. That’s a good start.

 

[BlackFriar]

He knows enough to know it’s not the truth. That’s a good start.

Well when it causes a Catholic to disparage other groups without even knowing what they are about I would say that’s isn’t Catholic virtue.

So maybe not such a good start.

 

[RKS89]

That concentrated breathing is key to prayer. Its something I picked up when I was into Buddhist meditation and some other weirder things and it was just a natural carry-over when I began to learn about and study the great Catholic mystics, prayer and spiritual theology. The basic steps for prayer, as far as I’m concerned are

1. Show up, every day.
2. Get settled- if you light candles, light them. If you pray with Scripture or another book, get it ready.
3. Breathe deeply, in through the nose out through the mouth. Think about why you’re here to talk to God. Are you expecting something? Wanting something? Need help with something? Want to thank God for something?
4. Pray (don’t forget to LISTEN)
5. Reflect on your prayer time (a journal is a good tool)

I’ve found that people don’t pray (besides vocal prayers or devotions like the Rosary or DMC) because they don’t know how. They think there’s some trick or hocus-pocus to it, but no one’s ever taught them how to do it. That breathing part is key, I’ve found. It helps me make sure I’m entering that prayer time with the correct intentions and I’m not about to just yammer on to myself for the set period of time I pray for.

 

[goodcatholic]

Have you copped any flak or criticism for your approach to prayer? It seems like Pope Benedict and other conservatives were not in favour of any Eastern influences. Well, that is how I interpreted it , anyway.

 

[Vonsalza]

@Rossum

Hey, I think your insight might be informative here.

 

[RKS89]

Only because I use Ignatian spiritual practices, but that comes from people who really don’t like the Jesuits. The breathing part usually isn’t much of a stumbling block. I almost always sit for my daily prayer time, but sometimes I just know I need to kneel to focus a little more. The breathing is the same, and if I thought standing on my head would help me better approach my time with God than I would. I don’t consider breathing slowly and deliberately to be Eastern; it’s biology. Honestly I don’t really know another way to focus, whether that’s for prayer or a task at hand or trying to keep my cool.

 

[goodcatholic]

I’ve found that “thinking” is the problem. And Buddhism teaches us that. “Stinking thinking”.
Yet if we stick to conservative Catholic advice, normal prayer just adds more thinking.
Prayer can be a release from thinking. One idea is to just think of being in a loving embrace with God, the whole time.
But gotta agree about the breathing. Body awareness can contribute to quality prayer.

 

[RKS89]

I think my best times with the Lord have been a mixture of thinking and feeling (not emotionally, exactly, maybe more like “sensing” or probing/grasping with the mind? Idk, difficult to explain). There’s always the danger of overthinking, and I think that’s just something you tune into with time. You notice suddenly hey, I’m working way too hard at this, and then come back. But putting that time in, day in and day out, that’s the biggest piece of all. You can use lectio divina, Carmelite or Ignatian practices, whatever, just do it every single day.

 

[2towers]

That is exactly what happens to us. [Catholics] Not three weeks ago, someone who found out I was Catholic said she never could understand the attraction of worshiping statues. I “enlightened” her, enough any way to where she at least stopped talking about it.

 

[BlackFriar]

It seems like Pope Benedict and other conservatives were not in favour of any Eastern influences. Well, that is how I interpreted it , anyway.

Please lets inform ourselves rather than just perpetuate Chinese whispers re valid Eastern forms of Catholic prayer. We have a rich, ancient and acceptable tradition if vocal lay Catholics would only inform themselves before passing on unverified “advice”.

This may help:

How to lessen guilt after sin? Catholic Living

Please, you were clearly identifying the praying style I referred to as if it belonged to the eastern list of practises specifically named and warned about by Card Ratz. In fact you are mistaken, hesychastic prayer is not mentioned by name, nor is Centering Prayer nor is Prayer of the Heart styles. The document obviously advises discernment re Eastern religion prayer practises not holus bolus condemnation of unnamed others. How could it condemn all eastern practises as you assume…Christianity…

 

[goodcatholic]

than just perpetuate Chinese whispers re valid eastern forms of Catholic prayer.

www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19891015_meditazione-cristiana_en.html

1. With the present diffusion of eastern methods of meditation in the Christian world and in ecclesial communities, we find ourselves faced with a pointed renewal of an attempt, which is not free from dangers and errors, to fuse Christian meditation with that which is non-Christian. Proposals in this direction are numerous and radical to a greater or lesser extent. Some use eastern methods solely as a psycho-physical preparation for a truly Christian contemplation; others go further and, using different techniques, try to generate spiritual experiences similar to those described in the writings of certain Catholic mystics.13 Still others do not hesitate to place that absolute without image or concepts, which is proper to Buddhist theory,14 on the same level as the majesty of God revealed in Christ, which towers above finite reality. To this end, they make use of a “negative theology,” which transcends every affirmation seeking to express what God is and denies that the things of this world can offer traces of the infinity of God. Thus they propose abandoning not only meditation on the salvific works accomplished in history by the God of the Old and New Covenant, but also the very idea of the One and Triune God, who is Love, in favor of an immersion "in the indeterminate abyss of the divinity."15 These and similar proposals to harmonize Christian meditation with eastern techniques need to have their contents and methods ever subjected to a thorough-going examination so as to avoid the danger of falling into syncretism.

 

[Axsenex]

I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy The Karate Kid but let me recommend Silence.

 

[QwertyGirl]

Show up, every day.
Get settled- if you light candles, light them. If you pray with Scripture or another book, get it ready.
Breathe deeply, in through the nose out through the mouth. Think about why you’re here to talk to God. Are you expecting something? Wanting something? Need help with something? Want to thank God for something?
Pray (don’t forget to LISTEN)
Reflect on your prayer time (a journal is a good tool)

Great tips. Thank you.

 

[BlackFriar]

Did you read the link I posted for your education?

You may have missed the following paragraphs:

That does not mean that genuine practices of meditation which come from the Christian East and from the great non-Christian religions, which prove attractive to the man of today who is divided and disoriented, cannot constitute a suitable means of helping the person who prays to come before God with an interior peace, even in the midst of external pressures.

And did you note article 27?

Eastern Christian meditation has valued psychophysical symbolism, often absent in western forms of prayer. It can range from a specific bodily posture to the basic life functions, such as breathing or the beating of the heart…

This paragraph is in fact praising Eastern Catholic Hesychastic prayer, see footnote 32.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

OP, I too think you are somewhat off in your perception of Buddhism.

I would kindly suggest maybe learning more about it from actual practicing Buddhists before making judgments. People make judgments of the Catholic faith all the time without really knowing what they are talking about, such as “it seems to me to be a faith where people have no real relationship with God and everything has to be done through a priest and everybody prays to statues of Mary” etc. which drives us all nuts. I can see someone from another tradition being equally annoyed if someone makes judgments about their faith without having a good understanding of it.