Criticism of Buddhism: Difference between revisions
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Buddhist denominations, nations and leaders have been criticized by the [[anti-religion|anti-religious]], by proponents of other religions and by practitioners of Buddhism itself. |
Buddhist denominations, nations and leaders have been criticized by the [[anti-religion|anti-religious]], by proponents of other religions and by practitioners of Buddhism itself. |
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==Corruption and greed== |
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Some critics claim that some Buddhist leaders and monks have been greedy and overly interested in power.<ref> |
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*{{cite book |
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|title=The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama |
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|first=Thomas |
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|last=Laird |
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|page=278 |
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|publisher=Grove Press |
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|year=2007 |
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}} |
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*{{cite book |
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|title=The impact of Buddhism on Chinese material culture |
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|first=John |
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|last=Kieschnick |
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|page=12-13 |
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|publisher=Princeton University Press |
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|year=2003 |
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}} |
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*{{cite book |
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|title=The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: From early times to c. 1800 |
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|first=Nicholas |
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|last=Tarling |
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|page=245 |
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|publisher=Cambridge University Press |
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|year=1992 |
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}} |
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*{{cite book |
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|title=Samdhong Rinpoche: uncompromising truth for a compromised world : Tibetan Buddhism and today's world |
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|first=Samdhong |
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|last= Rinpoche |
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|publisher=World Wisdom, Inc |
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|year=2006 |
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|page=139-140 |
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}} |
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*{{cite book |
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|title=Modern China: the mirage of modernity |
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|first=Ian W. |
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|last=Mabbett |
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|page=112 |
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|publisher=Taylor & Francis |
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|year=1985 |
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}} |
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</ref> |
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==Buddhist self-criticism== |
==Buddhist self-criticism== |
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{{mainarticle|Critical Buddhism}} |
{{mainarticle|Critical Buddhism}} |
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Revision as of 17:28, 9 April 2010
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Buddhist denominations, nations and leaders have been criticized by the anti-religious, by proponents of other religions and by practitioners of Buddhism itself.
Corruption and greed
Some critics claim that some Buddhist leaders and monks have been greedy and overly interested in power.[1]
Buddhist self-criticism
Critical Buddhism is a branch of Japanese Buddhist scholarship which aims to reform Buddhism through critical examination of its practices and philosophy.
Many individual schools of Buddhism are criticized by other practitioners as spiritually insincere, including Sōka Gakkai, the Dhammakaya Movement, and participants in the Dorje Shugden controversy. The Zen priest Brian Daizen Victoria has accused Japanese Buddhist institutions of enabling the Pacific War in his book Zen at War. The San Francisco Zen Center has been one focus of controversy in the United States.[2]
Marxist criticism
Marxist historians such as Luo Zhufeng[3] and Michael Parenti have criticized pre-Chinese Tibet for having theocratic and feudal elements.[4] However, the current Dalai Lama has stated that he is in favor of a Buddhist synthesis with Marxist economics.[5]
Feminist criticism
Buddhism has been criticized because it treats women, particularly women monks, as inferior to men.[6] Most schools of Buddhism have more rules for bhikkuni (nuns) than bhikku (monk) lineages. This has been a focus of controversy among feminists.
Buddhists explain that in the time of the Buddha, nuns had such problems like safety if they were to be ordained the same way as monks who travelled around in the forest and between cities. Thus, more rules have to be created for nuns, for instance: nuns are forbidden to travel alone. [7]
Christian criticism
Before becoming Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger criticised Buddhism in 1997 as "a spiritual self-absorption" without "concrete religious obligations". However, he was not being asked about Buddhists in general but only about Catholics who practice Buddhism.[8]
References
- ^
- Laird, Thomas (2007). The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama. Grove Press. p. 278.
- Kieschnick, John (2003). The impact of Buddhism on Chinese material culture. Princeton University Press. p. 12-13.
- Tarling, Nicholas (1992). The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: From early times to c. 1800. Cambridge University Press. p. 245.
- Rinpoche, Samdhong (2006). Samdhong Rinpoche: uncompromising truth for a compromised world : Tibetan Buddhism and today's world. World Wisdom, Inc. p. 139-140.
- Mabbett, Ian W. (1985). Modern China: the mirage of modernity. Taylor & Francis. p. 112.
- ^ Michael Downing. Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion, and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center. Counterpoint, 2002.
- ^ Luo, Zhufeng (1990). Religion under socialism. M.E. Sharpe. p. 40.
- ^ Friendly Feudalism - The Tibet Myth
- ^ http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes1.html
- ^ Gutschow, Kim (2004). Being a Buddhist nun: the struggle for enlightenment in the Himalayas. Harvard University Press. p. 207,225,240.
- ^ Women in Buddhism Template:En icon
- ^ [1] "Un chrétien ne peut pas renoncer à sa connaissance de la vérité, révélée pour lui en Jésus-Christ, fils unique de Dieu. Si le bouddhisme séduit, c'est parce qu'il apparaît comme une possibilité de toucher à l'infini, à la félicité sans avoir d'obligations religieuses concrètes. Un autoérotisme spirituel, en quelque sorte. Quelqu'un avait justement prédit, dans les années 1950, que le défi de l'Eglise au XXe siècle serait non pas le marxisme, mais le bouddhisme."