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

**irridgita** · 04-13-2011, 08:16 AM

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.

Hi srivijaya. Points well taken. Maybe "hygiene" was the wrong word because it implies a foundation of "purity." I meant more the orientation itself: that people should take an interest in coming to know the nature of their mind and the patterns that are working themselves out in their lives. The suttas take this for granted, as do many modern books on meditation. But you'd be surprised how many people you will come across in meditation centers that don't not benefit from the practice because they never get beyond the initial calming that takes place -- they don't carry that stillness over to their everyday mundane lives.

04-13-2011, 08:16 AM	#16
irridgita Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 470 Senior Member	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. Hi srivijaya. Points well taken. Maybe "hygiene" was the wrong word because it implies a foundation of "purity." I meant more the orientation itself: that people should take an interest in coming to know the nature of their mind and the patterns that are working themselves out in their lives. The suttas take this for granted, as do many modern books on meditation. But you'd be surprised how many people you will come across in meditation centers that don't not benefit from the practice because they never get beyond the initial calming that takes place -- they don't carry that stillness over to their everyday mundane lives.
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