First of all, let me say that I realize this photo is highly distasteful and I apologize if it seriously offends anyone. I chose this particular image because of its blatant absurdity and misrepresentation of Buddhism. Additionally, I find it shocking how far some individuals will go to get a laugh without regard to how inappropriate their tactics may be. This picture warns us to be a "good person" or risk being reincarnated as an overweight person's staff, or cane. I think that so often Americans, and specifically American Christians, assume that all Eastern religions involve a component of reincarnation. Additionally, the assumption is that one can be "reborn" as anything - another human being, a beetle, a chair, or a blade of grass. This stereotype is certainly condescending - "Those people believe that some one could be reborn as a walking cane, how ridiculous! Everyone knows that there are only two possibilities after death: heaven or hell." ...Right?
This misconception has a detrimental flaw - Buddhists are not concerned with what is to come after death. When one preoccupies himself with the future, he is no longer living in the present. Furthermore, a true Buddhist would realize that it is impossible to know what happens when this life is over and, therefore, it is futile to worry about it. The image above is a warning (though a sarcastic one) - essentially, be a good person or your next life may be unpleasant. The point is to lead a "good" life now to prevent being punished in the next. This automatically takes the focus away from the present and tarnishes all good deeds as impure and selfish. If an individual is only leading a moral, admirable life in order to have a better one next time around, is that individual truly being a "good" person? Unfortunately, in America, Christianity teaches us to be a good neighbor in order to ultimately get to heaven. Would we still be kind to others if there was no threat of burning in hell for all eternity? Buddhism would tell us to.
As I mentioned, one common misconception is that all Easterners believe in reincarnation or, as the above image suggests, that all Buddhists do. As Warner points out in the book Zen Wrapped in Karma, Dipped in Chocolate, not all Buddhists believe in rebirth - he doesn't. He does, however, explain the concept in a very interesting way - "Sometimes they'll say it's like using a lit candle to light another candle, then blowing out the first one. The new flame isn't really the same flame as the old one but it's not really completely different either," (p. 62). I think this is something that many Westerners simply are not aware of - upon being reborn, one is not completely separate from his former life/lives but is still connected to them. I think that many Americans, and more specifically Christians, find the whole concept of reincarnation to be rather silly and far-fetched. The truth is, however, that no one truly knows what happens when we die. Brad Warner addresses this in Chapter 8, "You wanted to know where people go when they die as told to you by a real live Zen master right here in a cheap-ass paperback book you bought on a whim because it had a funny title. Well, unfortunately, you seem to have me confused with someone dead. 'Cuz I don't know. And neither does anyone else who tells you they do, by the way," (p. 56). Ultimately, all we can do is live for the present and not concern ourselves with the "what-ifs" of the future. Whether an individual believes in heaven and hell or in reincarnation, worrying about what comes after death is a silly endeavor. After all, there is absolutely no way of knowing until it actually happens to us and by then, well, there isn't much sense in worrying about it anymore. Warner puts it very simply, "You won't understand life and death until you're ready to set aside any hope of understanding life and death and just live your life until you die," (p. 62).
Source for Image: http://www.motifake.com/buddhism-new-balance-sport-shoes-probably-for-her-3h-workout-demotivational-posters-98096.html
Source for Image: http://www.motifake.com/buddhism-new-balance-sport-shoes-probably-for-her-3h-workout-demotivational-posters-98096.html
It's true that christians are limiting themsleves by constantly thinking about life after death as being in one of two places: heaven or hell. They are definitely missing the part about living in the present as they focus on an unsure future. It is interesting also to read what you said about the impetus of Christians striving to be good just so that they could get the chance to get into the gates of heaven and avoid hell. In Buddhism, the equivalence would be to reincarnate into an undesirable position in the next life. The only way to be able to live "in the moment" according to Warner is to understand that one does not necessarily have to believe in life after death. pleasure to read.
ReplyDelete"Would we still be kind to others if there was no threat of burning in hell for all eternity?" I often wonder about this myself. That is a major reason Buddhism is appealing to me. You must be good to be truly good, not to calm a fear of what will happen to you in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think it's true that Americans' conception of eternity and death may be a bit forced. Buddhist seem to have a much more accepting nature concerning death and what comes after. I think because of how different Christianity and Buddhism are, Americans could think of Buddhists as selfish or in denial or something. You're image does go to show how Westerners seem to think of Buddhism as a joke. I keep coming across that in these blogs that we seem to not be able to take their practices seriously, when really I think Buddhist are much more accepting of the true nature of life. Being a Christian (more or less), I think it is kinda messed up to scare people into being good. In a way though, both religions do that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that americans think that all eastern religions include reincarnation. I also liked how you pointed out that Warner talks about how no one knows where they will go after death, and you won't know until your time comes. This was a very good stereotype to address.
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