Criticism of Buddhism
Buddhist denominations, nations and leaders have been criticized by the anti-religious, by proponents of other religions and by practitioners of Buddhism itself.
Devotional practices
Most forms of Buddhism are nontheistic or atheistic.[1][2][3]
Conversely, "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 [4], whereas Sam Harris, another prominent proponent of New Atheism,[5] 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.[6]
Luna Tarlo, the mother of Andrew Cohen (spiritual teacher) [7] writes after having observed Tibetan Buddhists do the circular walk "chanting and prostrating flat down on the ground every few steps":
| “ | "Don't you think there's something weird about the way the Tibetans abase themselves with all those prostrations?" I asked Andrew the next morning at breakfast. "Who do you think they're bowing to? The Buddha? I thought the Buddha didn't believe in God and certainly didn't think of himself as God." "It's symbolic," Andrew explained. "They're expressing gratitude for the Buddha's teaching." I'd heard this before but it seemed to me, observing them, that they really were bowing to the Buddha himself and that they believed the Buddha was God. (p. 33) | ” |
Harun Yahya, an Islamic creationist has criticized Buddhism for being idolatrous, through producing films on Buddhism.[8]
Buddhist nations
Sam Harris argues that the kamikaze attacks of WWII were inspired by Buddhism[9].
The writer Michael Parenti has also criticized pre-Chinese Tibet for having theocratic and feudal elements [10].
Contemporary leaders
Regarding the Dalai Lama, Christopher Hitchens has been a vocal critic.[11]
References
- ↑ Is Buddhism Atheistic?
- ↑ Buddhism is Atheist
- ↑ Buddhism and Atheism
- ↑ Dawkins, Richard (2006). The God Delusion. Bantam Books. ISBN 0-618-68000-4.
- ↑ Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens and Daniel Dennett have been described as the "Four Horsemen" of the "New Atheism". See 'THE FOUR HORSEMEN,' Discussions with Richard Dawkins: Episode 1, RDFRS - RichardDawkins.net and » Blog Archive » The Four Horsemen of the New Atheism
- ↑ Killing the Buddha by Sam Harris
- ↑ Mother of God official website of Mother of God, Luna Tarlo's account of her time spent as a disciple of her son, Andrew Cohen
- ↑ Islam and Buddhism – Harun Yahyah
- ↑ Harris, Sam (2004). The End of Faith, ch. 7, "Experiments in Consciousness."
- ↑ Friendly Feudalism - The Tibet Myth
- ↑ Hitchens, Christopher (2007). God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Twelve Books, Hachette Book Group. pp. Chapter Fourteen: There Is No "Eastern" Solution. ISBN 978-0-446-57980-3.