What aspects of Buddhism confuse you?

Question

I'm just wondering if there is anything I can help with and if not have a lovely eve.......

It's not a religion, it is a philosophy.

There are deities, however, the belief is that they do not intercede on your behalf.

The goal is to reduce one's suffering and perhaps achieve joy in this lifetime.

Your physician doesn't worship it, it is a reminder to practice compassion and kindheartedness.

If you look them up you'll find many. You could start with Ganesh, he is the most 'popular'.

The 'goal' is not to be attached to the idea of being enlightened. There is a system called the Sakya system which explains 3 states of being.....Satvic (happy, content) Rajas (agitated, needing change) and Tamas (dullness) They are always in flux.

They really don't go into creation. They accept what science presents.

It's not necessarily that you don't have a 'self' or an 'I'. It's the attachment to a lot of the false ideas about one's self that causes suffering which is something that ideally we would like to eliminate in ourselves and others.

The idea of how one 'survives' death is interesting. The philosophy is that the mind exists without the body......the body has no need for the mind and the mind can exist without the body...a little confusing but very interesting. I'm studying this right now.

Yeah, 'God' is an a complex issue but not quite so complex. The original Buddha is not a 'lord' at all. There is really no worship involved. Buddhas (there are more than one) cannot intercede but they are not creators of life. They have merely achieved 'buddhahood'. Happiness and an end to suffering.
The big goals of buddhism in general.

The COOLEST part for me is that the Dalai Lama has stated that if science proves even one teaching to be incorrect then it will be struck from the teachings, period.

Hi Charles, good question/consideration. The teaching would be that the mind is not matter.....of course the body is. The mind is energetic and was 'alive' before the body so it follows that the mind can pass into another piece of matter. The Dalai Lama is a real science geek.....look into some of the things he says about this. It's fascinating.

THANK you, to everyone. I appreciate your willingness to be honest and candid. I'll bid everyone a good night and catch you on the flip side. If anyone else posts, I'll continue trying to explain...............sweet dreams

Answer 1

I find your answer on self confusing. The concept of a self certainly exists but the concept of Atman is that there is no intrinsic self, only a mental construct of self which obscures seeing what really is. Recognizing the concept of self as a mental construct rather than as an intrinsic reality is significant in the ability to perceive desires as also a result of the construct rather than something intrinsic to a self which has no intrinsic existence.
What I failed to understand for a long time was the Thai buddhists attachment to amulets which they believe carry great spiritual power. I now understand them to be nothing to do with Buddhism but are a hang over from animist beliefs that existed in Thailand before Buddhism arrived.

Answer 2

I don't find Buddhism very confusing at all and I studied it many, many years ago. I consider it more of a way of life than a religion, however. Because of this, I have tried to incorporate some of the teachings of Buddhism into my life even though I am an Asatruar.

~Morg~

Answer 3

In what sense does Buddhism consider a "self" to exist, and in what sense does it consider a "self" to not exist? I've heard it said that Buddhism denies the existence of a self, but not of a soul; descriptions like this seem outright absurd, and I'm wondering if you could clarify what Buddhism affirms and denies about the "I" (as well as about it nature and the manner in which it does and doesn't survive death).

Answer 4

If the goal of Buddhism is release from anymore cyclic existences and become nothing, how can that be true if matter can neither be created nor destroyed.

Answer 5

I respect thier philosophy of life. But what confuses me is that they don't believe in GOD, but take buddha as lord. And I thought that he was the 9th avatar of vishnu, but I noticed many don't accept that. And if he is the 9th avatar of vishnu, and the GOD of vishnu is brahman, then doesn't that mean that buddhists do have a GOD in respect? PEACE!

Answer 6

Thanks for asking, but the confused usually don't know it. This is sad is it not, for I was once confused, living, no, dying for the future. But it was only a dream. There are some asking some questions. Good.

Answer 7

When reading about Buddhism I read about the concept of "suchness" which just confuses me. What the heck is suchness?!?!
Other than that bit of flowery language Buddhism rocks my socks

Answer 8

How does it explain creation of the universe/ creation of man?

How do you stop desiring enlightenment, because you can reach it while desiring it true?

Answer 9

I'm wondering why my physician (who is buddhist) insist on worshipping a little fat wooden statue that he keeps on his desk.
This has never made sense to me.

Can you enlighten me? How does this heal people? (Is it made from a special kind of TREE?)

Answer 10

Nirvana is a paradox