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Just emphasizing how important a point this is around the world. I've seen many in the US idealize Buddhism which has a similar view as in Hinduism that good ac
by rjf72 8y ago
Just emphasizing how important a point this is around the world. I've seen many in the US idealize Buddhism which has a similar view as in Hinduism that good actions in this life lead to a better place in the next [reincarnated] life. And indeed this seems like a really awesome baseline tenet for a religion, but in practice it ends up distorted just as all other 'divine imperatives' do.
As one example among many, a family I've lived with is what I'd describe as friendly, intelligent, and perfectly reasonable. They were also Buddhist. But they had some views I initially didn't understand. In one instance they found an individual with a crippling disability (leading to a sort of very awkward bow-legged walk) absolutely hilarious. In other they found people working in some really atrocious conditions at a fishery as comparably humorous. The issue is that they ultimately felt these individuals must have deserved such fates due to bad actions in a past life. After all, if they did good in their past life they would not have ended up in such positions in this life. So they viewed it as people getting what they deserved.
Never give people a divine righteousness, whether it be in religion or social belief held in a fashion otherwise indistinguishable from religion. They will find a way to screw it up no matter how unimaginably benevolent and harmless it sounds.
- dustinmoris 8y agoThis article was about Hindus and you talk about Buddhism. Sorry, but that makes your little rant look incredibly ignorant and uneducated (which it is).
- rjf72 8y agoThe topic is one of reincarnation status driven by good deeds, which is a key facet in both religions. I have extensive experience with Buddhism and can thus share insights on that front which many who have not immersed themselves in such cultures (beyond the superficial) may idealize without ever actually experiencing. An amusing nuance is that this is also not unique to e.g. western cultures. In eastern cultures there is similarly often an idealization of Christianity as individuals lack exposure to what it turns into in practice.
- Spare_account 8y agoThe second sentence in your reply is superfluous and almost certainly isn't consistent with HN comment guidelines regarding personal attacks.
- dang 8y agoPersonal attacks will get you banned here, regardless of how ignorant someone might be about Hinduism and Buddhism. Please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and avoid posting like that to HN again.
- helloindia 8y ago"So they viewed it as people getting what they deserved." . As a Buddhist, quite baffling to read about this "friendly, intelligent, and perfectly reasonable" buddhist family. In Mahayana Buddhism, which I follow and practice, special stress is given upon practice of compassion which requires seeing all sentient beings as your mother. So having a view similar to the family you referenced would be considered so un-buddhist.