My mother side family were all Buddhists, they tend to think so pessimistic, I don't understand why anyone wants to be one.
She always tell us don't give birth to another life, because life is suffer, once you died, you're to be reborn, if you didn't do well in your past life, you're be born as a animal, get butchered. I don't get this idea at all, but yet I was raised in this.
Buddhists tell me if this twisted?
2007-12-18 05:59:08 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Edit :This idea is twisted
2007-12-18 05:59:37 · update #1
I wish I can, the Noble Eight Path= No meat, no sex, pretending your're deaf to the world. I will be depressed to death after I did that
2007-12-18 06:09:56 · update #2
It's not pessimistic to acknowledge the suffering that pervades life. It's better than pretending it's an illusion and burying your head in some flowery, New Age pseudo-religion, and better than believing that some all powerful being will make all your problems go away.
Buddhism is actually quite optimistic if you think about it. Yes, the first truth is that suffering exists. But the other four truths are about how to get rid of it... for good. I don't see many philosophies or religions dealing with the problem of suffering in quite the same depth as Buddhism.
This article might be interesting to you. It's called "Life Isn't Just Suffering", and it's by Ajahn Thanissaro of Metta Forest Monastery.
- http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/lifeisnt.html
2007-12-19 05:51:28 · answer #1 · answered by Sophrosyne 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a common misunderstanding of Buddhism. It is not meant to be pessimistic but can certainly be read that way. Buddhism teaches that life is suffering and that there is a cause of suffering. MORE IMPORTANTLY, it teaches that there is a way out of suffering and a path that can be followed to acheive that way.
This is the good news of Buddhism. The suffering part is a universal truth. The other side of that truth is the end of suffering.
So, no it is not pessimistic. End your suffering now. Walk the Noble Eight Fold Path.
2007-12-18 06:05:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Buddhists are not pessimistic, they are realistic. They also believe in Karma. Since it is unrealistic that most people will ever become Oprah, most people who wish to be rich are going to be disappointed. And if they cling onto the idea that wealth is what they deserve they are going to become bitter if they don't achieve it. If they manage to become rich there is no guarantee that they will stay rich and losing their wealth could result in depression and painful feelings of loss, especially if the wealth had become part of their identity. If they do become rich and keep their riches they aren't using them to help the world. Nobody needs to be rich. If there are starving children in Africa and a person is living in a mansion with servants they are allowing suffering to occur that they could contribute to stopping. Not very compassionate. Sort of like when Jesus talked about the camel through the eye of a needle. It is the philosophy that it is not moral to be rich when there are those who are poor and suffering.
2016-05-24 22:08:13 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all I'm a Buddhist, and all of my family are Buddhist (my mother's and father's side). I also feel like that. Like no matter how good i am in this life i might suffer because the things i did in the past lives. And all the good things we do is to disappear at the end, and not suffer. I also seek answers.
But hey at least if all went well, we can do cool stuff like flying and stuff. lol.
2007-12-18 06:10:45 · answer #4 · answered by TSW 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you have eternal life through incarnation. Your next life is influenced by how you live in the current life. One can always progress or regress in the next life so it would behove you to do good in this one. As well as an animal sent to slaughter would then be born new as a greater being if it had done no wrongs in it's life. To address the religion as being pessimistic overall would be wrong. Your goals are to do no harm to others and enjoy life. Your rewards are transcendence with everything. To do wrong is to remain in earthly existence. Pessimism is personal opinion, perhaps even a misunderstanding of the overall concept of Buddhism.
2007-12-18 06:11:01 · answer #5 · answered by Special K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They can't be... how do you explain my overly optimistic fortunes that I get from tasty after dinner cookies?
Besides, just look at Buddha, that is the happiest little fat man I have ever seen. You think he would be smiling all the damn time if he was a pessimist?
2007-12-18 06:03:15 · answer #6 · answered by Pitchy 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's might just be the way they think, not Buddhists in general. look up the word Buddhist in wikipedia
2007-12-18 06:02:51 · answer #7 · answered by kiki Dee 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There's more to life than what your parents show you.
Your family does not represent all Buddhists, they just represent themselves.
2007-12-18 11:55:41 · answer #8 · answered by Teaim 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is something way deeper then what you describe. Inherent in all things is divine love.
Blessings and peace to all,
All in all,
B
2007-12-18 06:08:15 · answer #9 · answered by An Nony Mous 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
May not be to others, but it seems twisted to me.
2007-12-18 06:01:56 · answer #10 · answered by Beth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋