http://www.huffingtonpos...cid=edlinkusaolp00000009

You don't hear about this type of stuff. As someone who considers myself a buddhist, I'm always appalled to hear about such a thing, but think it should be shown in the light and not swept under the rug.

What would buddha think about this? Well he would probably find it funny that someone had a tattoo of him, since I don't think he was big on idolatry or being idolized. At the same time, I can't imagine him advocating any type of intolerance or detention in his name.

Weird stuff.

Buddhism is just another relgion with dogma of it's own. If you look into buddhist history it's clear that they were not as tolerant as some western buddhist people assume.

The Dali Lama also publicly stated that homosexuality(and oral sex for that matter) is sexual misconduct becasue the scripture says so..but sex with a prostitue is not.

Like the "Buddhists" who burn themselves in Nepal because of the Chinese occupation. Complete violation of the Noble Eightfold Path.



He would probably shoot himself. "If you see the buddha on the road kill him"

I think people in the west sometimes idealize buddhism and assume it is some things that in the east it probly really isnt.

I by and large agree with the Buddhist teachings, but when someone asks me if I'm Buddhist I say no. My reason is simply because if I say I'm Buddhist and then some other person saying they are Buddhist does something stupid it will reflect poorly on me in the mind of those who think I'm a Buddhist. In this day and age anyone can set up a website, claim to be whatever, and say all manner of crap. Yes this is sad, but this is however reality.

I'll use one word to prove this point for most people. Christians. Turns out Christians are not all gun toting Sarah Palin loving idiots, but to many in my country this is what pops into their heads as soon as they hear the word Christian. To be honest I have to fight the impulse to think that as well.

So I maintain the stance that if someone really wants to know my spiritual views they will ask questions pertaining to my spiritual path and not to the religion underlying said path. And to that end I will never align myself with an entire group of people for whom I do not know. I'm a spiritual seeker and that is enough for most to know of me. If someone wants the details they can ask me directly. I have no tolerance for people thinking they understand my sprituality because they heard I was Buddhist and read some website about Buddhism.

Peace.

Sri Lanka has been a tense country for a long time. The civil war there only recently ended.
This must be taken into account. But off course Buddhism isn't immune to dogma & ignorance.

what you said about idolizing is supposedly true. you surely got me to click the thread with a title like that.

..there have been Buddhist wars in the past (warrior monks with swords etc.)

the idea of budhhism as simply 'pacifist' is i think a western stereotyping of it..

essentially i see it as a philosophy with various branches of techniques for mind exploration..

no one is meant to worship or idolise Bhuddha..it's a role model..

.

Buddhists are mammals...

no matter what ideas or notions we entertain or believe, we still have our nature to reconcile.

QFT

Well said, Albert

too much grasping.

too much aversion