IMHO, as I understand Buddhism to date, there are varying schools of practicing meditation and life which will allow for enlightenment. These schools popped in at varying times and offer no more than just ways of performing meditation and living life and are not contradictions in and of themselves of any of the beliefs of reincarnation, etc.
I do not adhere to the statements made by some that Buddhism is a religion. That's just my school of thought. I am under no one's rule. I am in hopes of someday finding a teacher, but you don't need to have one to continue on your path of enlightenment...at least those are my humble thoughts.
The Dalai Lama describes Buddhism as a "science of mind" more so than a religion.
Alan Watts entitled a book called "Buddhism-The Religion of No Religion" and that about sums it up.
One dictionary defines Buddhism as a religion, since it is a formalized set of beliefs, traditions, etc.
Another dictionary does not define it as a religion, since there is no central God in Buddhism and practitioners are free to believe or not believe in God as they choose.
To me, Buddhism is a peace generator more so than worrying about whether it a a religion or not.
Buddhism has and will always evolve.
It evolves from the egos of men.
99.9% of the Buddhists are just 'playing at Buddhism' and are so far off the road to classical Buddhism that their practice holds little or no resemblance to what the Buddha taught.
After all, what do monks have to do other than beg, eat, sleep, excrete, think, not think (meditate) and write.
It is through this constant need to 'think and write' that the Pali canon grew to 20,000+ pages and nearly 30,000 pages in China.
The canon contains nothing the Buddha wrote down.
It contains a small amount of recitation from his butler Amanda, but nothing original from the Buddha.
The rest is all from the egos of monks.
So it is natural that Buddhism has evolved into a watered down version of itself that the Buddha himself would hardly recognize.
When this classical Buddhism became too hard - Mahayana Buddhism was invented.
When Mahayana Buddhism became too hard - Pure Land Buddhism was invented
When Pure Land Buddhism became too hard - Won Buddhism was invented. (just to name a few)
But for the average folks...meaning 99.9% of the Buddhists. Pain is decreased in proportion to your efforts at perfecting the eightfold path.
I believe the traditional views of Buddhist beliefs of escaping samsara are dead as far as practical application for the most part of society. To escape rebirth is impractical for the vast, vast majority of Buddhists.
I'll give you an example you can all relate to.
If you are reading this you have no chance of escaping rebirth...you are too full of passion to escape anything.
What you 'should' be doing as a self proclaimed 'serious Buddhist practitioner' is; instead of reading and writing on the computer you would be meditating on the three liberation's.
By meditating on emptiness, formlessness and passionlessness, this will allow you, with a few lifetimes of diligent practice, to recognize the three liberation's of the ego and the dharma as being empty, the dharma as formless and this eventually the recognition of living is an unworthy desire as our existence is characterized by suffering.
What is the path of classical Buddhism as the Buddha taught?
From our best efforts and deciphering the jumbled mess that was handed down to us it was:
To become a renunciate and practice the 4 noble truths and through the perfection of the eightfold path to free oneself from the 10 fetters that bind a person to cyclic existence and thus become an arhat and enlightened and through a few lifetimes of such practice to extinguish reincarnation, leave the cycle of samsara and reach nirvana.
...that is how the pain of life ceases. (finally, as the story goes)
Personally, I draw from many spiritual traditions myself, including monotheism, Buddhism, Taoism as well as atheism. (secular humanism)
My main focus of my Buddhist practice is concentrated on the 3 pillars of Buddhism that are common to all schools of Buddhist practice: I've settled on the essence of Buddhism and that is what I work on and find much peace with this type of simplified practice.
3 Pillars of Buddhism
1- Practicing mindfulness and meditation to develop peace and self awareness of our own true nature.
2- Accepting the liberating wisdom of impermanence and practicing non-clinging and a lessening of craving and desires.
3- The development of compassion for others.
Buddhists are not required to believe or not believe in god, so anyone can make use of this philosophy irrespective of their religious beliefs or lack thereof. Buddha was not a god and just a man, so not need to worship him unless you are a 'Pure Land Buddhist.'
In addition to the 3 pillars, we can use the eightfold path to guide us.
The Eightfold Path
1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration
How can you differentiate right from wrong?
By peace.
You learn what destroys your peace and the peace of others as well as what promotes you inner peace and the inner peace of others.
Do you need a teacher for that?
Or the Pope to tell you?
Or just listen to peace as the best teacher?
The 5 precepts are the 'commandments' more or less for Buddhists. Although you are not commanded to do a thing. If you wish to live at peace, then proceed the best you can - but it is your choice.
No one to boss you other than you...you alone are in control of your inner peace.
The Five Precepts
1. Refrain from Killing:
2. Refrain from Stealing:
3. Refrain from Sexual Misconduct:
4. Refrain from False Speech:
5. Refrain from the Use of Intoxicants:
Buddhism provides this tool, which is just one out of the many tools I use for peace development. For once we have found a contentment within and with all and are at peace - we are progressing on the road to enlightenment.
You can also tell when you have "arrived" by your practice telling you so. Does your practice revolve around actually practicing what you have learned to generate peace within or are you on a never ending journey of always looking and never finding?
Once I am at peace, I can share with others about finding peace for themselves, which is the secondary reason I practice.
I have no interest in practicing Buddhism for extinguishing reincarnation.
These "fear based" reasons for being a Buddhist are not authentic or natural - the persons actions are based on fear or negative consequences otherwise they would not do them.
My actions are based on inner peace and if I stray - there goes my peace - it is my choice.
I enjoy life and realize that due to natural law, suffering comes about as part of the process.
The Taoists have a saying for this, "fleas come with the dog."
So, I accept there are growth pains as a fair trade off for the privilege of living and I would enjoy any reincarnation if given the chance.
Buddhism helps makes this trade off of life and pain more in my favor by lending me support to live a life at peace. I do not practice Buddhism to earn merit for the next life - I practice Buddhism for my own peace generation in THIS LIFE.
I'd like to point out that my views are not the orthodox or traditional views on these subjects as I am an Agnostic Freethinker.
Take Care,
V (Male)
Agnostic Freethinker
Practical Philosopher
