Do you think that the higher tantric practices of Buddhism are appropriate for westerners?
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Tantric practice is a highly advanced form of psycho-physical exercises in order to achieve transformation of one's body and mind quickly into the perfected state of a Buddha. Simply said, these methods are not without danger when used without the proper guidance and precautions.  To avoid people getting involved in these practices without proper guidance, the practices are kept secret for people without explicit permission to practice from a qualified teacher. Often, teachers require disciples to do extensive practices before being allowed any permission; more about that is written in below paragraphs on prerequisites and preliminaries. So please keep in mind that the secrecy around tantra is basically for safety, just like it is proper to lock a gun away from the reach of children. \n\nTo clarify where tantric practices fit in the Buddhist system, it may be useful to explain a bit more about the various motivations or scopes. Traditionally, only the "small, middle and high scope" are taught to distinguish the various motivations for practising. Here, I would like to present a somewhat unconventional approach, starting even below spiritual practice: \n\n- The "Animal Scope": Wanting immediate happiness for oneself. \n- The "Worldly Human Scope": Wanting immediate happiness for oneself and others. \n- The Buddhist Small Scope: Wanting happiness for oneself in a future life. \n- The Buddhist Middle Scope: Wanting to escape the cycle of uncontrolled rebirth for oneself. (Hinayana)\n- The Buddhist Great Scope: Wanting others to go beyond suffering forever (enlightenment), and reach Buddhahood oneself to help others on their path. (Mahayana)\n- The "Buddhist Tantric Scope": Wanting others to be happy as soon as possible, and reach Buddhahood oneself quickly to serve them. (Vajrayana)\n\nPREREQUISITES \nThe following aspects are considered prerequisites before a disciple can engage in tantric practice: \n1. Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.\n2. Renunciation: a realisation is best, but a proper understanding is essential. \n3. Bodhicitta: a realisation is best, but a proper understanding is essential. For most of the initiations, it is required to take the aspiring Bodhisattva vows or the Bodhisattva vows. \n4. Emptiness: a direct realisation is best, but a proper understanding is essential (see the page on Wisdom). \n5. Reliance on a spiritual teacher: proper confidence in a teacher and verifying his/her qualifications is essential. \n6. Empowerment or initiation: without this ceremonial permission to practice by a qualified teacher, tantric practice is improper. \n7. Tantric vows: for the higher tantric classes, one needs to take tantric vows. These vows are secret to the uninitiated, so students need to take 'a leap of faith' and trust the teacher and the practice before taking them. \n8. Faith/confidence: solid confidence both in the teacher and the teachings is essential to avoid serious karmic problems when doubts arise. 'Blind faith' will generally not have the power to pull someone through when things are difficult. \n\nThe only proper motivation to practice tantra is bodhicitta, or the wish to become fully enlightened in order to help all sentient beings. This is the reason why at least an understanding of bodhicitta is essential prior to engaging in tantric practice. To enforce this motivation, usually, an extra prerequisite is taking either the Aspirational Vows or the full Bodhisattva Vows. \nNext, at least some understanding of the philosophy of emptiness is essential for tantric practice, as this is the basic mental state in which tantric practice becomes more than just ritual or strange practice of imagination. \nIdeally, a tantric practitioner should have full realisations of bodhicitta and emptiness instead of merely a conceptual understanding. In that case, tantric practice can guide one very swiftly to the state of Buddhahood.
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Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life.\nA Different Way of Faith \nThis makes Buddhism different from many other faiths for it is not centred on the relationship between humanity and God. \nBuddhism doesn't fit the pattern of other faiths and needs to be seen in its own terms to be understood properly.\nBuddhists do not believe in a personal creator God.\nIt does not have the concept of a Saviour, nor of Heaven and Hell in the popular sense. \nBuddhism doesn't demand blind faith or belief, and says that people should test its teachings against personal experience.\nThe Bare Essentials of Buddhism \n\n2,500 years old \n\n\n350 million Buddhists worldwide \n\n\nFounded by Siddhartha Gautama in India\n\n\nThe path to Enlightenment or Buddhahood is through the practice and development of morality, meditation, and wisdom.\n\n\nBuddhists do not believe in a creator God nor a personal God, but Buddhists are tolerant of those whose beliefs are different from theirs.\n\n\nBuddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent — change is always possible.\n\n\nBuddhism teaches that all life is interconnected, so compassion is natural and important.\n\nBeliefs\n\n  \n \n \n Tibetan monks use prayer wheel  \n \n \n\nSummary of the Teachings of Buddha\nAdmission to the monastic sangha involves two rites of passage: \n\nKarma: Actions have consequences; so our lives are conditioned by our past actions\n\n\nRebirth: Consciousness continues after death, and finds expression in a future life\n\n\nLiberation from karma: By following the Buddha's path one escapes the cycle of craving and suffering\n\n\nThe Four Noble Truths: The essentials of Buddhism\n\n\nEnlightenment:The highest goal of life is to reach Enlightenment; a state of being that goes beyond suffering\n\n\nDharma: The teachings and hence the way to nirvana\n\n\nThe Core of Buddhist teaching\nAt the heart of the Buddha's teaching lie The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path which lead the Buddhist towards the path of Enlightenment.\n\nFacing the Truth\nThe Buddha taught that the human tendency is to avoid the difficult truths of life and this in turn leads to suffering. \nBy enabling the mind to be at peace through meditation a human being can confront reality and overcome hatred and craving. \n\nfor more information visit :
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*Muttering for some of my better answers this last week got caught in those deletions*\nI myself am a rather strange mixture of eastern (mostly Buddhist), druidic and shamanistic beliefs. As to information sources, this one seems pretty good for a one stop comparison of most major religions including wicca. http://www.religionfacts.com
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Since you are interested in learning, you are obviously not doing something wrong.  There is a great book called "Buddhism: plain and simple" by Steve Hagen, it costs about 7 bucks on amazon and is a good introduction to Buddhism.\n\nAfter reading this short and easy book, you will realize that buddhism is not really a religion to follow, but simply a way of looking at the world that makes a lot of sense and can easily be applied to your everyday life, if you choose.  Buddhists don't worship the buddha and he is not a God, just a person who lived once and no longer does.  \n\nUnlike most religions, There is no reason for anyone to ever know that you regard buddhist teachings as useful, and you can practice other religions while studying buddhism and engaging and buddhist practices.  Buddhists don't usually come out and say "I'm a Buddhist" except if they are trying to make their parents mad or something, which of course is not exactly part of the teachings.\n\nAlso, buddhism does involve the concept of karma, but it's not like do good things so good things will happen to you, it's more like, try to want good things a little less and fear bad things a little less because being trapped in desire and fear can prevent you from seeing certain truths.
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Asian traditions recognize a number of pitfalls associated with intensive meditation practice, such as altered perceptions that can be frightening, and "false enlightenment," associated with delightful or terrifying visions (Epstein, 1990). Epstein (1990) describes a "specific mental disorder that the Tibetans call 'sokrlung' (a disorder of the 'life-bearing wind that supports the mind' that can arise as a consequence...of strain[ing] too tightly in an obsessive way to achieve moment-to-moment awareness" (p. 27). When meditative practices are transplanted into Western contexts, the same problems can occur. Anxiety, dissociation, depersonalization, altered perceptions, agitation, and muscular tension have been observed in western meditation practitioners (Bogart, 1991; Walsh & Roche, 1979). Yet Walsh and Roche (1979) point out that "such changes are not necessarily pathologic and may reflect in part a heightened sensitivity" (p. 1086).
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Lin-chi lived roughly from 810 to 866 A.D., in the Tang dynasty; this book was collated by his disciples soon after his death. He stands in the Ch'an (Japanese Zen) school of Mahayana Buddhism. This school emphasised immediate enlightenment over doctrinal concerns. The teaching goes something like this. \n\nThe prime concern of Buddhism is to free the mind from clinging to the world. The root of this clinging is distinguishing sense experience into good and bad, desirable and undesirable. Such dualistic thinking needs to be transcended. Ultimate reality is wholistic, without distinctions. However, if there are no distinctions in ultimate reality, then the immediate world and our everyday life itself is part of this ultimate reality (for to distinguish it from this reality would itself be dualistic thinking). Put another way, the Buddha nature is not esoteric and other-worldly, but permeates everything. So our own Buddha nature or (in more Taoist terms) our True Human-ness is not something to be sought for, but something that already exists in us. We must be brought to realise this, but trying to realise this takes us further from this realisation. Instead, the realisation (enlightenment) must be immediate, unmediated, unreflected-upon. (I must apologise for this clumsy exposition. Both Watson and Watts explain this much more clearly)\n\nThus Lin-chi's teaching is concerned with exhorting his students to realise their immanent Buddhahood.
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There is a reasonable amount of eastern philosophy in London. I know of Buddhist monasaries around London (I used to go to the monastary in Wimbledon when I could) and judging by the number of people from the subcontinent, I would guess that hinduism is fairly common. You could be correct though, about some of the lesser known teligions.
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My Dear Friends, \n\nEverything in the above that you have mentioned is totally valid and I commend you by placing my palms together in a prayer action; this is the way that Buddhists greet each other - it represents the utmost respect and trust to the recipient.  However, if I was a non-Buddhist and read these comments, I would feel very critical and believe that Buddhism is about belittling other religions.  Please permit me to give you some of my humble insight on what makes Buddhism a much favoured religion.  But please keep in mind that the points made below are all made in different points of view; due to the different lineages and traditions, different schools focus on different teachings.  I will present you a mix.\n\nWhen introducing a religion we must speak of both the positive and negatives aspects; as most of you know there are few of the latter in this religion, but nonetheless I am obliged to raise them.  In Buddhism there are no disagreements, but rather I would like to call it a problem with viewpoint.  For example, a student in Grade 1 says "1+1=2, but we cannot have 0-1=?" It is not they are lesser or inferior, but merely they do not have the teaching, and only when we get to Grade 4, we can say "1+1=2, 0-1=-1, but you cannot have letters like 2xy".  Now, in Grade 8 the students will think that those students below are foolish, but once again it is not because they are incapable, but merely they do not have the textbook - in this case sutra.  So the main arguments or disharmony in this religion are usually due to difference in teaching.\n\nWAIT! STOP! HALT! I can hear people calling me "LIAR" and at the same time ask "how can they be different teachings if they are all from the Lord Buddha?  That must mean there are fake Buddhisms out there."  Cleverly spoken, I would reply.  However, remember that the Lord Buddha taught us, "disseminate the Dharma according to the circumstances." Although Buddha's disciples were all of great caliber, I can say after 2550 years (after His birth), that no single person is identical; thus the understanding of the Dharma and the actual Dharma taught would obviously be different.  If I have made this too complex, just look at the above example about Maths in School - see what I mean now?  After the Lord Buddha pir-nirvana, His disciples congregated to write out the Sutras, which would become part of the Tripitaka (three ways that the Lord Buddha's teachings were recorded - if interested in the other two, and then some ASK about it.  I'll answer separately.)  Of course, the followers were of great achievements, but none of the present had actually attained Buddhahood (this is in the perspective of the Theravada); hence some arguments occurred, even the expulsion of the Lord Buddha's closest aide - Ananda.\n\nBUT - this is a big BUT - there is the unanimous opinion that Buddhism, in all, is about the Universe.  Due to this Universal attitude to all things, Buddhism also respects all other religions; even acknowledging the founder of each religion a holy deity.  The Lord Buddha Himself even proclaimed that Buddhist Dharma is about the Universe and not about Him - He is merely a tool used by the Universe to show how one should behave, speak and think when on the path to liberation.  Once again, depending on tradition you can find different methods to walk the Bodhi path; for some reason everyone has the stereotypical theory that all Buddhist live in mountains, away from the populous and only hope to save themselves - this is Theravada (Hinayana).  Just for the interest of you my friends, in Mahayana they mingle with the populous with the aim of saving others before fully attaining Buddhahood themselves; then of course there comes the Tantrayana (Vajrayana).  \n\nTo do justice to the religion, I will not go on any further, because in the end of the day we must have the attitude of a 1:9 ratio.  What would that be?  1 he
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Yes, but eastern philosophies are abound in contradictions and paradoxes, they love them infact.\n\nThis is the same thing as doing a good deed because you want to be seen as good.  It is just false.  As long as you hold onto the concept of wanting to be 'rid of desire' you will never be rid of desire.  This is an established 'doctrine' in buddhism and taoism, and nothing new i'm afraid.\n\nHaving a desire to be rid of desires can be used up until you have no more desires left, then you can rid yourself of this last one by dissolving the concept of self, and doing only what is natural, what tao would do.\n\nThey say you have to unlearn to become enlightened, but you can't do this without being learned first!  That's the bit they usually miss out.\n\nThey had more time on their hands than you :)
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Stupid question .. Only a silly people will ask this question .. You really know nothing about Buddhism dont you''\nhahahhahahahhahahahah\n\nWait , are you so dirty minded that you have nothing to joke about already ?\n\nPity you
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Absolutely! \n\nSiddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha was born into a Hindu family. He even had an arranged marriage. When he left his family and the trappings of luxury at age 29, he studied many aspects of Hinduism including Yoga and Brahmin meditation. He spent time as a Hindu mendicant monk and later a ascetic monk while practicing vigorous techniques of physical and mental austerity. It is said that Siddhartha Gautama was adept at these practices and was even able to surpass many of  his teachers. However, finding no answers to his questions and no end to suffering, he sat under a pipal tree and vowed not to rise until he found the truth. It was at this time that he reached enlightenment and started teaching what is today called Buddhism. \n\nI hope this helps.
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Need more clarification.  What enlightenment are you talking about?   Religion of Buddaisim and Latin America are pretty different
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There are cultural opinions everywhere. Don't think they talk about every aspect of life. They only talk of spiritual development. The budhist lamas are celibate monks so sexuality does not matter. It is about shunning materialism.\nDon't think a queer would fit in anywhere they are about fashion, partying etc which is materialistic.
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I have a feeling it's a pervasive story.\n\nI just saw "Onibaba"-- a Japanese film that retells an old Buddhist story along the same lines.
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Buddhism is a way of life that was passed down in a teacher-student relationship, unlike most religion in the west which is God -  man.  Since religion is define as worship to a God, Buddhism can not really be label as a religion since its not about worship detities; its a teaching about life, universe and the path to enlightenment.\n\nBuddhism in a nutshell is the search of understand yourself and its surrounding; Buddhist believe that man was pure in heart but for various reason we were polluted and tainted by desires and sin.\n\nSo the goal of Buddhism is to purify your soul/mind and through various methods to revert back to our original state of being.\n\nBuddhist follow the teaching of Buddha, a man that exist in India around 500 B.C.  He was born a prince but he gave everything away to pursuit the path of enlightenment. He ultimately achieved its goal and spend all his time teaching / sharing his knowledge to his students and people.\n\nBuddhism use different method to achieve its goal,hence you see different practice method of Buddhism: Zen, pure-land, Tibetan and many others.\n\nThere is no disrespect to try to understand something and ask question, I'm sure your friend would be happy to answer any question you may have.\n\nThis is just a very brief outline of Buddhism. If you are interested, there is an non-profit organization that promotes Buddhism in the U.S.  They have books and videos for free distribution.  \n\nYou can write or call them and they can send you books free of charge too.  Their website is http://www.amtb-usa.org
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That question cannot be answered fully in a few sentences. So please visit the following pages to read the entire thing:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_philosophy\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road_transmission_of_Buddhism