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Clearing Up Some Misconceptions about Buddhism
Epstein, Ron
Epstein, Ron
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Clearing_Up_.pdf
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Abstract
The historical Buddha Shakyamuni denied the divine authority of the Brahmins, the Hindu priestly class. He set up a system of taking refuge with the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) in which a member of the Buddhist monastic community becomes the representative of the Three Jewels and the teacher of individual lay Buddhists. He also set up lineages of enlightened masters, who were entrusted with the task of carrying on the authentic teachings. The Buddha also criticized mere ceremony in Hinduism, especially ritual bathing and mortification ceremonies. He did, however, establish some rituals of his own. The Buddha set up rituals that could act as aids or vehicles in the inner journey towards the discovery of one's own true nature. The Buddha was not interested in setting up a religion filled with religious dogma and metaphysical stances. He wished merely to give practical directions for people so that they could themselves permanently end their suffering. This principle is illustrated in the celebrated analogy of the poison arrow. The Buddha was not anti-tradition, but he did not believe in Tradition for tradition's sake. He taught that one should take the Truth for one's own, wherever it is found, and disregard that which is not the Truth. The system of lineage mentioned above is a way of ensuring that the Truth which the Buddha had discovered would not be lost. The Buddha encouraged people of all classes and of both sexes to seek for enlightenment in this very life.
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1999
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With permission of the license/copyright holder