China re-discovers priceless value of Buddhism

[AndrewJin]

You dont know what you are?

Your description makes you the typical Chinese guy. Confucian atheist ancestral worshiping quasi buddhist.

@Yizhi

Believing in some parts of a religion. I don't believe in any "existence" of any God, but I agree with some aspects of religions.

 

[powastick]

Buddhism could be regressive, lack of desires.

 

[William Hung]

Have any of you quasi-Buddhist guys ever been to a weekend Buddhist meditation retreat? they are usually offered at your local temple.

These retreats will at least give you some idea of what Buddhism is truly about instead just going to a temple for sight seeing or wishing for some luck.

I'm not even a Buddhist and I find the meditation retreat relaxing and enlightening.

None at all.
If there is going to be a leader of Buddhist world,I think it's Thailand， Han Buddhism is ancient history，although Tibet Buddhism is gaining some popularity among the newly rich in China
and Japanese？ They are the least religious people in the entire Asia

The article said countries like Thailand are too small to be the leader of Buddhism.

The author is a Sri Lankan Buddhist so he/she has some bias in rooting for China to become a Buddhist powerhouse. His/her wish will only come true if a significant number of Chinese become committed Buddhists IMHO.

 

[AndrewJin]

Buddhism could be regressive, lack of desires.

So is Taoism.

Have any of you quasi-Buddhist guys ever been to a weekend Buddhist meditation retreat? they are usually offered at your local temple.

These retreats will at least give you some idea of what Buddhism is truly about instead just going to a temple for sight seeing or wishing for some luck.

I'm not even a Buddhist and I find the meditation retreat relaxing and enlightening.



The article said countries like Thailand are too small to be the leader of Buddhism.

The author is a Sri Lankan Buddhist so he/she has some bias in rooting for China to become a Buddhist powerhouse. His/her wish will only come true if a significant number of Chinese become committed Buddhists IMHO.

Generally, Chinese, or more specifically, Han Chinese(90%) won't be "committed".
I would love to attend a Buddhist meditation or sing some songs in a church, I've done both of them before.

 

[William Hung]

So is Taoism.


Generally, Chinese, or more specifically, Han Chinese(90%) won't be "committed".
I would love to attend a Buddhist meditation or sing some songs in a church, I've done both of them before.

Who knows what will happen. People say the more a country develops, the more secular and non-religious it becomes. But I'm not sure if this is always true.

The most committed Buddhists I've come across are Taiwanese, not South East Asians. The most devout Christians I've known, are Koreans and PRC Chinese.

 

[Azizam]

IMO centralisation of religion or picking leaders is a dangerous concept. Religions, especially Eastern, are meant to be a personal matter that someone will use for the benefit of his/her life and not something to dedicate yourself at the interest of religion.

I myself don't believe in religion but I go to church in Christmas and go to Buddhist temple for a different experience.

 

[大汉奸柳传志]

Buddhism could be regressive, lack of desires.

Which is bad for a consumer-oriented economy lol

 

[AndrewJin]

Who knows what will happen. People say the more a country develops, the more secular and non-religious it becomes. But I'm not sure if this is always true.

The most committed Buddhists I've come across are Taiwanese, not South East Asians. The most devout Christians I've known, are Koreans and PRC Chinese.

I'll always warn them, the history of ancient Chinese history. When confucianism threatened Qin Dynasty 2200 years ago, 焚书坑儒 happened( burn books and bury Confucian scholars). Also several anti-Buddhism movements, including Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Don't underestimate any Chinese central government's resolution.

IMO centralisation of religion or picking leaders is a dangerous concept. Religions, especially Eastern, are meant to be a personal matter that someone will use for the benefit of his/her life and not something to dedicate yourself at the interest of religion.

I myself don't believe in religion but I go to church in Christmas and go to Buddhist temple for a different experience.

Your are right, it should and must be personal, any attempt to politicalise them will be seriously depressed. Pope will never win in China.

 

[powastick]

Have any of you quasi-Buddhist guys ever been to a weekend Buddhist meditation retreat? they are usually offered at your local temple.

Btw, there is a chinese girl in my city went insane after meditating. This is somewhat hard to believe, but its true. She is highly educated, what a waste.

 

[+4vsgorillas-Apebane]

Have any of you quasi-Buddhist guys ever been to a weekend Buddhist meditation retreat? they are usually offered at your local temple.

These retreats will at least give you some idea of what Buddhism is truly about instead just going to a temple for sight seeing or wishing for some luck.

I'm not even a Buddhist and I find the meditation retreat relaxing and enlightening.



The article said countries like Thailand are too small to be the leader of Buddhism.

The author is a Sri Lankan Buddhist so he/she has some bias in rooting for China to become a Buddhist powerhouse. His/her wish will only come true if a significant number of Chinese become committed Buddhists IMHO.

I went to a Vippassana meditation centre last december for 10 days. No talking allowed, just meditating with guidance from reccordings from S.N Goenka.

The first few days were so hard but I came out for the better afterwards. Its highly recommended to try it out.

 

[William Hung]

I went to a Vippassana meditation centre last december for 10 days. No talking allowed, just meditating with guidance from reccordings from S.N Goenka.

The first few days were so hard but I came out for the better afterwards. Its highly recommended to try it out.

10 days without talking? That's intense. The retreat I went to lasted only three days (long weekend) and was coordinated by a Zen Buddhist master. Same thing, no talking/socialising with the other participants were allowed. Each day, each participant gets an individual questioning/instructional session with the Zen master but I couldn't figure out 90% of what he was trying to get at.

But still, I felt a lot better after the retreat. Who ever said Buddhism is regressive is right, no one would want to go to a mall after a retreat lol.

Btw, there is a chinese girl in my city went insane after meditating. This is somewhat hard to believe, but its true. She is highly educated, what a waste.

I've never heard of this story. Most likely she already had some psychological issues beforehand (even some educated people has psychological issues). There are millions of people who practiced meditations without any problem.

I'm actually a Christian and was always warned by other Christians about Buddhist meditations, it's demonic influences, etc. I find it's untrue.

 

[powastick]

I've never heard of this story. Most likely see already had some psychological issue beforehand. There are millions of people who practiced meditations without any problem.

I'm actually a Christian and was always warned by other Christians about Buddhist meditations, it's demonic influences, etc. I find it's untrue.

It is so bizarre, it is hard to believe. It's not Buddhist meditation but Sai Baba. Even psychiatrist couldn't fix her.
Sathya Sai Baba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some say, she got posses on the moment of emptiness.

 

[William Hung]

It is so bizarre, it is hard to believe. It's not Buddhist meditation but Sai Baba. Even psychiatrist couldn't fix her.
Sathya Sai Baba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some say, she got posses on the moment of emptiness.

Ah, I've been warned about the exact same thing (demonic possessions, etc.) about meditations, but I've never heard about Sai Baba before. He sounded like the typical con artist.

I've practiced meditation before and don't see how anyone could get possessed during the process. Maybe that Chinese girl went to some dodgy Indian sect.

 

[powastick]

Ah, I've been warned about the exact same thing (demonic possessions, etc.) about meditations, but I've never heard about Sai Baba before. He sounded like the typical con artist.

I've practiced meditation before and don't see how anyone could get possessed during the process. Maybe that Chinese girl went to some dodgy Indian sect.

Yeah, me been told the same thing, but I'm an atheist. I'm not against meditation practice, but after hearing that kinda of stuff first hand plus living evidence....... The brain, is still hardly understood by science.

 

[William Hung]

Yeah, me been told the same thing, but I'm an atheist. I'm not against meditation practice, but after hearing that kinda of stuff first hand plus living evidence....... The brain, is still hardly understood by science.

True. In another time I will post a video of a neuroscientist explaining how meditation might work.