DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - 'Buddhism is the new opium of the people'

**thargeagsaf** · 04-12-2011, 03:59 PM

it's nearly impossible to escape the stringent ethical and psychological "hygiene" that is part-and-parcel of the Eightfold Path. A practice without these vital elements will shrivel. For instance, if a person's interaction with Buddhism consists only of a daily anapanasati, what he gains is simply a transitory stress-relief exercise. Stress -relief has many benefits, but will never be life-changing or transformative without the accompanying orientation to living a life of simplicity and compassion.

Hi Glow,
I see what you are saying regarding the risk of meditation being a shallow exercise when ill-informed or practiced out of context but I would not go as far as to state that practice without "stringent ethical and psychological hygiene" (however one defines that) will shrivel.

Unfortunately, there are teachings out there which state that unless a disciple already leads a perfectly pure, virtuous and compassionate life, he/she can never get anywhere within Buddhism.

I reject such teachings, as I believe everyone has to work with where they are and what they have. Otherwise a person may find themselves in a catch-22 situation; believing they are not virtuous enough to practice and, of course, with no practice comes no spiritual development.

Daily anapanasati can yield great fruit. If done correctly it brings transformative insight into the path, not just stress relief.

04-12-2011, 03:59 PM	#15
thargeagsaf Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 447 Senior Member	it's nearly impossible to escape the stringent ethical and psychological "hygiene" that is part-and-parcel of the Eightfold Path. A practice without these vital elements will shrivel. For instance, if a person's interaction with Buddhism consists only of a daily anapanasati, what he gains is simply a transitory stress-relief exercise. Stress -relief has many benefits, but will never be life-changing or transformative without the accompanying orientation to living a life of simplicity and compassion. Hi Glow, I see what you are saying regarding the risk of meditation being a shallow exercise when ill-informed or practiced out of context but I would not go as far as to state that practice without "stringent ethical and psychological hygiene" (however one defines that) will shrivel. Unfortunately, there are teachings out there which state that unless a disciple already leads a perfectly pure, virtuous and compassionate life, he/she can never get anywhere within Buddhism. I reject such teachings, as I believe everyone has to work with where they are and what they have. Otherwise a person may find themselves in a catch-22 situation; believing they are not virtuous enough to practice and, of course, with no practice comes no spiritual development. Daily anapanasati can yield great fruit. If done correctly it brings transformative insight into the path, not just stress relief.
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