Criticism of Buddhism

2008-09-05T11:28:59Z

211.28.38.27: /* Devotional practices */

{{buddhism}}

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.

==Devotional practices==
Most forms of Buddhism are [[nontheism|nontheistic]] or [[atheism|atheistic]].<ref>[http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/beliefs/atheism.htm Is Buddhism Atheistic?]</ref><ref>[http://www.vexen.co.uk/religion/buddhism_atheism.html Buddhism is Atheist]</ref><ref>[http://atheism.about.com/b/2005/11/28/buddhism-and-atheism.htm Buddhism and Atheism]</ref>

Australian Buddhist monastic [[Shravasti Dhammika]] has criticized [[Theravada]] for being superfluous - and sometimes damaging - in ritual and tradition,<ref>[http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/brokenbuddhanew.pdf Broken Buddha]</ref> while some forms of [[Mahayana]] such as [[Pure Land Buddhism]]<ref>[http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-PHIL/hideo.htm Mahayana Buddhism and Japanese Thought] see p.220 section</ref> are theistic, and this form of Buddhism is [[Atheism#Rationale|criticized by atheists]]{{who?}}.

Conversely, "[[Antitheism#The_New_Atheism |New Atheism]]" proponent [[Richard Dawkins]] stated in his book ''[[The God Delusion]]'' that there is a case to be made for seeing Buddhism and [[Confucianism]] as ethical systems and philosophies rather than religions
<ref>{{cite book
| last = Dawkins
| first = Richard
| authorlink = Richard Dawkins
| title = [[The God Delusion]]
| publisher = [[Bantam Books]]
| location =
| date = 2006
| pages =
| doi =
| isbn = 0-618-68000-4}}
</ref>, whereas [[Sam Harris (author)|Sam Harris]], another prominent proponent of New Atheism,<ref>Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens and [[Daniel Dennett]] have been described as the "Four Horsemen" of the "[[Atheism|New Atheism]]". See [http://richarddawkins.net/article,2025,THE-FOUR-HORSEMEN,Discussions-With-Richard-Dawkins-Episode-1-RDFRS 'THE FOUR HORSEMEN,' Discussions with Richard Dawkins: Episode 1, RDFRS - RichardDawkins.net] and [http://daviddent.net/blog/2007/06/17/the-four-horsemen-of-the-new-atheism/ » Blog Archive » The Four Horsemen of the New Atheism]</ref> practices [[Buddhist meditation]]. Harris believes that the term “Buddhism” should be removed entirely, and that Buddhist meditation should leave the realm of religion and enter the realm of science.<ref>[http://www.samharris.org/media/killing_the_buddha.pdf Killing the Buddha] by Sam Harris</ref>

[[Adnan_Oktar|Harun Yahya]], an [[Islamic creationism|Islamic creationist]] has criticized Buddhism for being idolatrous, through producing films on Buddhism.<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/buddhism02.php Islam and Buddhism – Harun Yahyah]</ref>

However, the fact should not be forgotten that all religions teach people to be good, including Buddhism. Among the Buddhist monks and Buddhists claims there are monks who do not follow the pillars of Buddhism make other people misunderstand of the religion, and thus all the good parts of the religion are forgotten.

==Buddhist nations==

Sam Harris argues that the [[kamikaze]] attacks of WWII were inspired by Buddhism<ref>Harris, Sam (2004). ''[[The End of Faith]]'', ch. 7, "Experiments in Consciousness."</ref>,despite the fact that [[Shinto]] was the state religion in Japan at the time and certain restrictions were actually placed on Buddhism. Moreover, Buddhism taught not to end any living things' lifes.<ref>Buddhism [[Five Precepts]]</ref>, and the Japanese kamikaze only use religion as an excuse for invading; while foreigners understand the religion wrongly without correct acknowledgment.

The writer [[Michael Parenti]] has also criticized pre-Chinese [[Tibet]] for having theocratic and feudal elements <ref>[http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html Friendly Feudalism - The Tibet Myth]</ref>, despite the fact of unreached Buddhism and the misunderstand of the religion, and more serious feudal in Christianity, Islamic and Hinduism.

==Contemporary leaders==

Regarding the [[Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]], [[Christopher Hitchens]] has been a vocal critic.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Hitchens
| first = Christopher
| authorlink = Christopher Hitchens
| title = [[God Is Not Great]]: How Religion Poisons Everything
| publisher = [[Twelve Books]], [[Hachette Book Group]]
| location =
| date = 2007
| pages = Chapter Fourteen: ''There Is No "Eastern" Solution''
| doi =
| isbn = 978-0-446-57980-3}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Criticism of religion}}

[[Category:Criticism of religion|Buddhism]]
[[Category:Anti-Buddhism]]

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Criticism of Buddhism