Where is Buddhism going?

Snoopy · 11-29-2006, 01:41 PM

Hi,

This thread is a sort of Buddhist-specific adjunct to my “Where Are We Going” thread in the Belief and Spirituality forum.

My reading around religious “adherents” and growth in numbers was prompted by my thinking about the status of Buddhism around the world. The bare “facts” seem to be that Buddhism has about 350 million adherents, 4th behind Hinduism, Islam and Christianity (not that it’s a competition for numbers but just to give it some perspective). For 1990 -2000 there was a growth of 1.09%, compared with 2.13% for Islam, 1.69% for Hinduism, 1.36% for Christianity, and a world population growth of 1.41%. If we call atheism a religion for these purposes, it would be number 3 in the chart and growing the fastest (in the USA at least).

I’ve noted that Zen Buddhism is considered a “fast growing religion” and that Buddhism “pure and simple” is possibly the fastest growing religion in Australia (that was news to me) but also the top ten countries for populations of Buddhism are those where it is long established as a tradition, as part of the culture, from their historical past. For example, Japan has an officially high percentage of people (50%) who are “officially” Buddhist but this is more to do with tradition rather than the person’s actual belief which apparently is more likely to be atheist.

Some religions have a tradition of evangelising, that Buddhism does not engage in (or for me, should not; I’m ignoring SGI), which as mature adults we would not welcome perhaps, but for the religion itself may be a means of ensuring its growth or survival. The truth of the dharma we may think is evident upon our own enquiry but can this sustain it into the future, where evangelising and coercion seem to loom large?

I welcome your thoughts.

s.

bodhi_mindisfree · 11-29-2006, 06:51 PM

Very interesting to think about...

Francis king · 11-29-2006, 08:15 PM

well, I dont think the problem is lack of evangelising, as I see plenty of so-called buddhists doing just that, even if they are in the local community centre rather than knocking on doors... maybe its just the nature of thing to change, even religion (just dont tell the christians, as it terrifies them!) and buddhism is in a trough, while Islam is at a peak..?

...maybe buddhism is in decline because there are a few large yet cheap cults containing too many crap gurus spouting rubbish buddhism and their growth is unsustainable because there are only so many idiots to play...?

at night I pray that the messiah, maitreya, the giver of friendliness, hurries up doing whatever they are doing in Tusita heaven, and gets about the business of saving us all from rubbish buddhism, and I also pray that these rubbish gurus contract botulism and die in thrashing agonies, but so far nobody has come to answer my prayers... maybe we have too many messiahs in the mix, and they're having a sit down protest somewhere and we'll have to save ourselves..?

shocker... I'm prepared to roll up my sleeves and have a go at saving them all, but I'm still waiting to be asked..

Snoopy · 11-29-2006, 11:20 PM

Hi Francis,

Well zen seems to be a "fast growing group" and seems especially so in the USA from what I can gather.

Praying for intervention and bodhisattvas causing agonising death are things that I've not come across before in Buddhism. Am I ignorant of this then?

s.

Francis king · 12-03-2006, 02:04 PM

i was being facitious, snoopy... (even though I'm not sure if thats how u spell it..)

Snoopy · 12-03-2006, 02:09 PM

Hi,

I think we both were!

s.

Francis king · 12-03-2006, 03:53 PM

the outfits are better in Zen, though...

toujour_333 · 12-03-2006, 06:33 PM

well snoopy, i would have to say that i like the fact that buddhist dont go knocking on doors trying to spread the word. i hope this doesnt offend anyone, but i dont care how many people we have practicing the dharma, as long as the ones who are practicing are practicing the true dharma. and when the dharma does decay, then maitreya will come down and finally tell us the absolute truth face to face. so, as far as worrying about the dharma sustaining, i think thats missing the point. the dharma will decay no matter what we do, and when it does, the next buddha will arrive to turn the wheel of dharma again. but, thats my opinion.

be well in peace

PS: the outfits in zen are pretty neat.

Snoopy · 12-03-2006, 06:50 PM

Hi toujour,

Yes I know of the decay prior to Maitreya but wasn't really worrying just seeing what people thought about the dharma in the face of evangelism (and worse). IMO I think the growth of zen is because of it's bare bones rationality and directness. Plus of course the neat outfits.

s.

Blizzardry · 12-04-2006, 05:00 PM

Hey, Snoopy! That's you! You're The One! Nobody else is going to save Buddhism from disappearing up its own backside but You! All you need is to do is make people believe that enlightenment is attainable with a little bit of trying, despite what all these crap gurus say about how many empty rituals you need to perform or how many lifetimes banging gongs and freezing your nipples off on mountainsides you need to go through before you get this elusive thing that only took a week or so "back in the day".

17th Angel · 12-04-2006, 05:34 PM

I want an outfit!!!!!!!!!!!

Francis king · 12-04-2006, 05:34 PM

so its not me after all then..? talk about missing the bus...

Blizzardry · 12-04-2006, 07:36 PM

No way. Of course it can't be you. You are waiting for Maitreya, whereas Snoopy on the other hand is considering moving Buddhism into more evangelical world-reaching directions, so is actually a mover and shaker.

Unless you're harbouring secret desires to show the world the way, all signs point to Snoopy in this thread...

Yeah, we should all follow in the example of Buddha and not try to wander around teaching Dharma to people. Oh wait a minute...

Snoopy · 12-04-2006, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blizzardry

No way. Of course it can't be you. You are waiting for Maitreya, whereas Snoopy on the other hand is considering moving Buddhism into more evangelical world-reaching directions, so is actually a mover and shaker.

Unless you're harbouring secret desires to show the world the way, all signs point to Snoopy in this thread...

Yeah, we should all follow in the example of Buddha and not try to wander around teaching Dharma to people. Oh wait a minute...

Hi,

Taking the michael aside,

I wasn't considering moving Buddhism into more evangelical world-reaching directions; I was putting the thought up the flagpole regarding it's survival in a world that seems ever more prosletysing and coercing. Or is that what you've just realised?

Sorry to disappoint.

s.

Blizzardry · 12-04-2006, 07:45 PM

On the serious side though, (I wish I didn't have one of those), I think you're right about it being left for people to find by themselves. The writings of Buddha and his cronies are there for anyone to read, and forcing it on people isn't going to make them enlightened.

As long as the Dharma exists, and the practises of Zen work, there will always be something for people to look to. There doesn't even need to be an organisation. You could get wrapped up in wrapping up statues in gold or any of those things that aren't really enlightenment itself, but worship of Buddha.