Why did Chinese people accept and reject Buddhism?
831987
Thay accept Buddhism because it helps in unfolding the Truth and now some reject it because the Communist regime is based on falsehood.
674142
chinese don't hate the chinese--but why do most westerners--it's preety simple--in some ways--and extremly complicated in others-but basically--in simple answer--(i am not talking about any racist view here -thats a different hate)--but in social terms--there culture is in direct contrast to ours--for example-in the west-for us--truth is paramount-but in china--harmony is--so in conflicts-when we are truthful we upset harmomny--when they keep harmony--they lie to us(e.g-yes the meeting is tmrw--BUT its not)\n\ncofusionism--and the 5 principles--(i won't go into this) but basically it also is about a circle--we are based on the individual--not in the circle-not inportant--self--centered driving force--towards the circleand the inner group--there fore they can not care and justify actions--because of disregrad--\n\noh boy--i should never have started this--i can go n for hours---The chinese are by far the most frustrating and difficult culture i have ever come across--and it hads so many levels that conflict--thay arehated -because they are not understopd by the outsiders--insiders yes-they are part of it--\nbut on the whole they come across--as self serving-- unfriendly--(to non associates) - superior (arrogant) money oriented --and sometime lazy\n\ni must stop-another time perhaps-- but for your info--inclosing\nthe chinese have one interesting trait--and it is built into even 2nd generations born in other lands--this superior -inferior complex--whch comes from(superior) there acient culture-traditions and kingdom/history etc-- i-(inferior)--becasue they closed the door to western and industrialisation--thye missed the boat--to the riches that enhance many super powers of today----sso they are technically behind-and weaker than others in many fields--(--a mix of envy/dissapointment with pride/arrogance/conceit)\n\nitsmessy\nsorry can't tell more\nthe racism--one--is just basic--because they are easy targets--and for someinthe west--its there inferior when thaey the chinese making the money--or with it-\nthis hate is not good\nthe other one--will be difficult to resolve--huge culture clash\ncheers\n\na further comment--Hate is a strong word--and my opinionis coming from inside china--and i would be lying if i did not say that i hear the word hate often from westerners when speaking ill of the chinese--is it right or wrong-wel it is not that easy--it easy to say hate of race is wrong-- often people say about another how they hate such and such a person---normally this stems from anger towards an action done by the other person.This too holds true here--however,because of theeir culture structure,trained idealistic narrowmined view (which is hard to blame on the individual)and complete obssession with money and the gaining of it atnearly any cost(which also stems from the history and culture),as well as added to this how thier heirarchial culture makes next to remove ineptmess from postion of control in business or elsewhere ,and can cause such absolute inconvenience and frustration .as well as desogns that are blatant miscalculated and flawed it is beyond funny and has moved towards the insulting--then the amount of people who (westerners ) are cheated and swindled or forced into buy outs and pay outs and the hidden xenophobia hidden by false respect and friendship - can lead soem here to curse the heavans(but there are none here of course)--the words that spill out at some bars are hidden-- but just like america and england and iraq and others-- much of this hate is directed at the end product of a situation that has been maintained for nearly 5000 years. so perhaps one should transfer the hate --not to the people but to the annals of the history of time.Finally,i think if one truly understands(if it is possible) the complexity of this culture and its people -people may hate it --but i think perhaps ,if one can, it should be tampered with understanding--whicg does not help the situation much--but may at least ma
378363
Until the invasion of China into Tibet in 1959, Tibet has been a sovereign country for centuries. Being forcefully overrun by an other country is rarely pleasant, but for the Tibetans it turned into a real disaster in the years following the take-over. People died during the invasion, although few Tibetans (being Buddhist) fought. Later consequences of Mao's policies proved devastating to the country.\nFor example, the central Beijing government ordered that certain crops should be grown in Tibet. Many of these crops were simply not suitable for the high altitude climate, resulting in many Tibetans starving to death.\nPossibly the best known disaster is the fact that in Tibet nearly all culture, philosophy and education was tightly related to Buddhism. As in Mao's China religion was considered a poison to the people, Tibetan Buddhism was almost literally wiped out. Of the estimated 6,000 monasteries, nunneries and temples only a handful were not fully destroyed. Monks and nuns were forced to break their vows and often killed if they were not prepared to break them. With the destruction of Buddhism, nearly all of Tibets cultural identity also vanished.\nHis Holiness the Dalai Lama is probably the best known propagator to a peaceful solution for the preservation of Tibetan culture and religion, but the Chinese authorities have managed not only to ignore his efforts, but to virtually bully the rest of the world into silence on the subject. (Often along the lines of: "If you want to trade with us, shut up on human rights." This method even bullied the Americans into submission....)\n\nconsidering china's population & weapons, do you think tibetans can defend themselves, even without buddhism?\n\nCould we say that the non-violent approach of the Buddhist Tibetan poeple may have provoked more violence to themselves, to the point of actually loosing their culture, and the teaching of non-violence in itself ?\n\nWar is out of date, obsolete. (dalai lama)\n1st realization: changing, decaying is inevitable.\n\nMany Buddhists have refused to take up arms under any circumstances, even knowing that they would be killed as a result. The Buddhist code that governs the life of monks permits them to defend themselves, but it forbids them to kill, even in self-defence.\n\nFor Buddhist countries this poses the difficult dilemma of how to protect the rights and lives of their citizens without breaking the principle of nonviolence.\n\nThe pure Buddhist attitude is shown in this story:\n\n    "A Vietnam veteran was overheard rebuking the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, about his unswerving dedication to non-violence.\n\n    'You're a fool' said the veteran 'what if someone had wiped out all the Buddhists in the world and you were the last one left. Would you not try to kill the person who was trying to kill you, and in doing so save Buddhism?!'\n\n    Thich Nhat Hanh answered patiently 'It would be better to let him kill me. If there is any truth to Buddhism and the Dharma it will not disappear from the face of the earth, but will reappear when seekers of truth are ready to rediscover it.\n\n    'In killing I would be betraying and abandoning the very teachings I would be seeking to preserve. So it would be better to let him kill me and remain true to the spirit of the Dharma.'"
653568
Buddhism and Catholicism are religions, not ethnicities.\n\nThere are 55 or 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in China, including the Han (the largest group), the Zhuang, the Manchu, the Hui, the Miao, Mongolians and many others. See list below.
637472
China was ruled by emperors. They justified their rule using a concept called the mandate of heaven, which is similar to the divine right theory of European kings.  Depending upon the time period, their economy was for the most part based on agriculture, and they kept themselves pretty isolated. Government philosophy was based on Confucian philosophy
85837
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 :
1029846
hello..\nactually i'm not a truly buddhist.. i'm an atheist but i learn lots from Buddhism..\n\nit's just hard to explain in words, Buddhist doesn't really care about religion, its focus in self-spiritual-development.. to gain wisdom and practice compassion..\n\n “Do not go by revelation or tradition, do not go by rumor, or the sacred scriptures, do not go by hearsay or mere logic, do not go by bias towards a notion or by another person’s seeming ability and do not go by the idea ‘He is our teacher’. But when you yourself know that a thing is good, that it is not blamable,  \nthat it is praised by the wise and when practiced and observed that it leads to happiness, then follow that thing.”\n\nThe Buddha taught us to try to understand our fears, to lessen our desires and to calmly and courageously accept the things we cannot change. He replaced fear, not with irrational belief but with rational understanding.\n\nthe Buddha saw that each human being had the capacity to purify the mind, develop infinite love and compassion and perfect understanding. He shifted attention from the heavens to the heart and encouraged us to find solutions to ¬ our problems through self-understanding.\n\nWe believe in humanity. We believe that each human being is precious and important, that all have the potential to develop into a Buddha — a perfected human being. We believe that humans can out¬grow ignorance and irrationality and see things as they really are. We believe that hatred, anger, spite and jealousy can be replaced by love, patience, generosity and kindness.  \n\nNo one saves us but ourselves, No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path, but Buddhas clearly show the way
962303
well I was a catholic ,then a Christain ,then an atheist and now I do agree with a lot of buddhist beliefs.Buddhism alwyas will put experience over scripture.Buddha was an enlightened person.nothing more.\n Buddhism accepts that science and spirtuality can coexist.......are in fact facets of the same "godhead"
90737
Buddhism started moving into China during the Han Dynasty following the opening of the Silk Road although there are records of missionaries in the earlier Qin dynasty. It also first started winning adherents amongst the Royal family and aristocracy during that period. A fresco shows the Emperor Han Wudi 156-87 BCE worshipping Buddha's although there is no record of him doing so in Chinese literature.\n\nBy the first century AD, an emperor became interested in Buddhism and sent for missionaries. From that period, Chinese scholars and Indian missionaries worked on translating Buddhist texts into Chinese. Bronze bells were also introduced at that time and would have an influence on Chinese music.
124956
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism.\n\nI believe however that most people are what is sometimes called Chinese Traditional Religion, which is a mixture of beliefs from Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, as well as local worship practices and beliefs, including ancestor worship and so on.  394 million are said to be Chinese Traditional Religion.
634045
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.
900999
its a type of qigong that was popular a few years ago.  it was started by li hongzhi. \ni practiced it a few times back when it was popular, and my opinion was that it was pretty good qigong. \n\nthe movement was becoming very popular, tens of millions of people, and the leader was making statements that were uncomfortable and somewhat power hungry, as like a religious cult.  so the government outlawed it, and punished (punishes) people for practicing it.   \n\ni think the fear is that it could have become like another taiping rebellion, with civil unrest and the like.
1143974
NO. And those that are saying Buddhism are either liars or ignorant of the truth.  Buddhists, including monks have killed, murdered, oppressed and repressed others for having different religions.  This does not mean that all Buddhists are murderers, but rather human and flawed.
471848
To start with, Christianity has a problem with any faith that does not conform to the doctrines set forth in their bible. Buddhism does not conform to their teachings in any way.\n\nFirst and foremost, the argument is that the bible does not recognizes Buddha as one of gods messengers. And if it is NOT in the bible, it is not the truth. \n\nChristians teach that there is one god and only one god.  => Buddhism teaches that there are many devas and none are worthy pf praise for they are just beings trapped in Samsara. (The cycle of life, death and rebirth.) \n\nChristians believe that Jesus was the son of god and thus, god himself. => Buddhists do not share this belief because gods are not omnipotent creators to be praised. \n\nChristians believe in a soul...a sprit that lives on after the death of the body => Buddhist do not. There is no self that lingers or move on or anything.  There is no 'self'. There is just the essence of the Chita. \n\nChristens believe in a heaven with their god  => Buddhist do not have a belief in heaven. \n\nChristians believe that Jesus died to free them of their sins.  => Buddhist do not believe in sin. There is karma, and only we can change the outcome our actions and thoughts will have on us, not some god.\n\nChristians believe that only the chosen will be liberated and go to heaven. => Buddhist believe that ALL beings can be liberated and attain enlightenment. \n\nChristians believe that the catalyst for their salvation is external to themselves, via god.  => Buddhist believe that the catalyst for enlightenment can ONLY be found within ourselves...our unborn Buddha Mind! \n\nThere are many other arguments, but these are the most prominent. \n\nI hope this helps.
1108993
There is a lot of nonsense surrounding Buddhist monks. They aren't as mystical and peaceful as people make them out to be. A lot of it is propaganda.\nThat's not to say Buddhism in general is bad. It is a lot more rational and peaceful than most mainstream religions. But we're talking religious 'authority' here and they are all the same no matter what religion - exploiters.\n Even the whole "Free Tibet" thing is purely politically motivated. The followers of the Dahli Lama were exploiting the peasants before the Commies moved in. Of course the Communists are just as bad, but people shouldn't act that putting the religious theocracy back in power in Tibet that suddenly Tibet would be free.
608899
Don't see... many... Buddhists? Don't live in China, do you? Estimates vary, but even low estimates are around 300 million worldwide. That's a little more than the population of the entire united states, for comparison.
524529
Buddhism doesnt compete with anything. It is compatible with all the religions because there is no dogma to follow. It just says be yourself, be the best person you can and become selfless. Who can disagree with that?