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.
Critical Buddhism
Template:Mainarticle Critical Buddhism is a branch of Japanese Buddhist scholarship which aims to reform Buddhism through critical examination of its practices and philosophy.
Criticism of identifying Buddhism as religion
Most forms of Buddhism are nontheistic or atheistic. [1] [2] [3] [4]. "New Atheism" proponent Richard Dawkins states 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 [5]. Sam Harris, another prominent proponent of New Atheism,[6] 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.[7]
Buddhist "just war theory" and use in war
Sam Harris argues that the kamikaze attacks of WWII were inspired by Buddhism[8]. In the book God is not great, Christopher Hitchens argues that both the Showa period in Japan and the anti-Tamil governments in Sri Lanka were inspired by Buddhism.[9] Hitchens believes that there is a problem with Buddhists' desire to "put their reason to sleep, and to discard their minds along with their sandals".[10]
Sociology of Tibetan Buddhism
The writer Michael Parenti has also criticized pre-Chinese Tibet for having theocratic and feudal elements [11].
Regarding the Dalai Lama, Christopher Hitchens has been a vocal critic.[12]
Criticism from other religious viewpoints
Harun Yahya, an Islamic creationist has judged Buddhism as idolatry, while producing films on Buddhism.[13] Christians sometimes cite this claim as well.
References
- ↑ Is Buddhism Atheistic?
- ↑ Buddhism is Atheist
- ↑ Buddhism and Atheism
- ↑ Richard P. Hayes, Principled atheism in the Buddhist scholastic tradition
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Harris, Sam (2004). The End of Faith, ch. 7, "Experiments in Consciousness."
- ↑ See the chapter "There is no Eastern Solution" in God is not great, Atlantic, New York, 2006
- ↑ Page 204 in God is not great, Atlantic, New York, 2006
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Islam and Buddhism – Harun Yahyah