New Posts For Thread: Naturalized Buddhismhttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_BuddhismThere is a fashion nowadays in the West to naturalize Buddhism.This book,The Bodhisattva's Brain: Buddhism NaturalizedOwen Flanagan (Author),is an example of such an attempt to naturalize Buddhism. The book review in the amazon.com site says the follKartari, The deities in Buddhist scriptures like the Tripitaka are always shown to be inferior to Buddha in their spiritual stature. Sometimes they are lampooned. An example is the treatment of the Great Brahma who is presented as a fool anhttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=528894723#528894723Kartari, The deities in Buddhist scriptures like the Tripitaka are always shown to be inferior to Buddha in their spiritual stature. Sometimes they are lampooned. An example is the treatment of the Great Brahma who is presented as a fool anSat, 09 Feb 2013 10:58:23 -0600Lilwabbit,Good to see you again. :) I will try to return with a response sooner rather than later, I'm afraid I've used up my posting time for now.http://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=528882751#528882751Lilwabbit,Good to see you again. :) I will try to return with a response sooner rather than later, I'm afraid I've used up my posting time for now.Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:32:59 -0600gangajal,Apologies for taking so long to respond, and I am afraid I still haven't had a chance to read the suttas (the DN has some long ones, lol).One thing I suspect I will find upon reading them, though, is this. I would not be surprised to find sthttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=528882421#528882421gangajal,Apologies for taking so long to respond, and I am afraid I still haven't had a chance to read the suttas (the DN has some long ones, lol).One thing I suspect I will find upon reading them, though, is this. I would not be surprised to find stFri, 08 Feb 2013 21:02:46 -0600Gentlemen,I've been enjoying tremendously your dispassionate, cordial and intelligent exchange. A veritable rarity in our notorious cyber niche here. I hope you don't mind if I also offer a few comments.Indeed, the famous Udana passage of Buddha addrhttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=528215403#528215403Gentlemen,I've been enjoying tremendously your dispassionate, cordial and intelligent exchange. A veritable rarity in our notorious cyber niche here. I hope you don't mind if I also offer a few comments.Indeed, the famous Udana passage of Buddha addrSun, 20 Jan 2013 05:28:11 -0600gangajal,Thank you so much. I have still not had the opportunity to sit down and get to these suttas, but I do intend to. I'll report back when I do. :)http://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=528212291#528212291gangajal,Thank you so much. I have still not had the opportunity to sit down and get to these suttas, but I do intend to. I'll report back when I do. :)Sat, 19 Jan 2013 23:37:56 -0600Kartari, Thank you for your detailed reply. I have given some references in the Pali Canon that mention 33 Deities and other Devatas:(1) Sakkapanha Sutta:Sakka's QuestionsA God consults the Buddha (Digha Nikaya 21)(2) Mahasamaya Sutta: The Mighhttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=527466021#527466021Kartari, Thank you for your detailed reply. I have given some references in the Pali Canon that mention 33 Deities and other Devatas:(1) Sakkapanha Sutta:Sakka's QuestionsA God consults the Buddha (Digha Nikaya 21)(2) Mahasamaya Sutta: The MighSun, 23 Dec 2012 22:43:07 -0600gangajal,I am aware of at least some of his experiences with gurus, but I am unaware of the 33 deities. I am interested in reading these suttas, might you recall which ones specifically?From my own Pali canon readings, I've read through the Dhammapadhttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=527461295#527461295gangajal,I am aware of at least some of his experiences with gurus, but I am unaware of the 33 deities. I am interested in reading these suttas, might you recall which ones specifically?From my own Pali canon readings, I've read through the DhammapadSun, 23 Dec 2012 17:29:34 -0600Kartari,It does not matter how Buddhism reacted to local systems like for example, Tibetan Bon, long after Buddha was dead. Buddha had to face various Indian systems during his time. How did he react to them? I have gone through some parts of Tripitahttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=526738641#526738641Kartari,It does not matter how Buddhism reacted to local systems like for example, Tibetan Bon, long after Buddha was dead. Buddha had to face various Indian systems during his time. How did he react to them? I have gone through some parts of TripitaSun, 09 Dec 2012 10:55:57 -0600gangajal,I think it is the promise of dissatisfaction's cessation that appeals to Western atheist/agnostic Buddhists, rather than finding an ultimate meaning in life. Meditation is shown to benefit one's state of mind in many ways; simply doing so cahttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=526697879#526697879gangajal,I think it is the promise of dissatisfaction's cessation that appeals to Western atheist/agnostic Buddhists, rather than finding an ultimate meaning in life. Meditation is shown to benefit one's state of mind in many ways; simply doing so caFri, 07 Dec 2012 21:37:32 -0600gangajal and all,This is in fact a very interesting topic to me. As an atheist/non-theist Westerner drawn to study Buddhism and its history, I must concede that my research to date has shown that, indeed, Buddhists have ever adapted Buddhism to incorhttp://community.beliefnet.com/go/thread/view/43851/29125743/Naturalized_Buddhism?post_id=526697769#526697769gangajal and all,This is in fact a very interesting topic to me. As an atheist/non-theist Westerner drawn to study Buddhism and its history, I must concede that my research to date has shown that, indeed, Buddhists have ever adapted Buddhism to incorFri, 07 Dec 2012 21:25:21 -0600