Comments on: Why Buddhist meditation? http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/24/why-buddhist-meditation/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug M http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/24/why-buddhist-meditation/#comment-4727 Doug M Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:47:18 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=9349#comment-4727 Hi Johnl, I definitely agree with you there. I grew up with a friend who eventually went on to be a Catholic priest and told me about the contemplative traditions within the Catholic Church, but I get the impression it's not widespread. Even less so for other groups. Agreed that Western groups then to approach things from a purely physical standpoint, which I guess is born out of the need to avoid touchy subjects of religion (since some people may have been burned by the religion of their birth) and be less exclusive, especially if you're trying to attract customers. Since a lot of these teachers don't have a thorough religious/social background in the subject, I tend to be a bit leery myself. I guess that's why I like the Buddhist approach since (at least ideally) it balances the three: wisdom, practice and conduct. But even here, I feel a lot of Buddhist lay teachers in the West still gravitate toward one or two at most. Again, the dearth of training and institutions doesn't help. C'est la vie. Hi Johnl,

I definitely agree with you there. I grew up with a friend who eventually went on to be a Catholic priest and told me about the contemplative traditions within the Catholic Church, but I get the impression it’s not widespread. Even less so for other groups. Agreed that Western groups then to approach things from a purely physical standpoint, which I guess is born out of the need to avoid touchy subjects of religion (since some people may have been burned by the religion of their birth) and be less exclusive, especially if you’re trying to attract customers. Since a lot of these teachers don’t have a thorough religious/social background in the subject, I tend to be a bit leery myself. I guess that’s why I like the Buddhist approach since (at least ideally) it balances the three: wisdom, practice and conduct. But even here, I feel a lot of Buddhist lay teachers in the West still gravitate toward one or two at most. Again, the dearth of training and institutions doesn’t help.

C’est la vie.

]]> By: johnl http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/24/why-buddhist-meditation/#comment-4724 johnl Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:01:34 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=9349#comment-4724 I think it is interesting that there are meditative traditions in Christianity, Judaism, Islam and probably others. But I think meditation is most noticeably 'mainstream' in Buddhism--I mean that it is an important practice for many sects/varieties of Buddhism. I know that Hindu/yoga might be considered to be centered on meditation, but 1) it has not shown the same kind of geographical expansion through history and 2) lots of people in the west approach yoga as purely a physical practice. I feel that meditation may be at the root of all religions, but many believers never get into it. I think everybody should meditate, whatever their religion, or even if they are not interested in religion. I think it is interesting that there are meditative traditions in Christianity, Judaism, Islam and probably others. But I think meditation is most noticeably ‘mainstream’ in Buddhism–I mean that it is an important practice for many sects/varieties of Buddhism. I know that Hindu/yoga might be considered to be centered on meditation, but 1) it has not shown the same kind of geographical expansion through history and 2) lots of people in the west approach yoga as purely a physical practice. I feel that meditation may be at the root of all religions, but many believers never get into it. I think everybody should meditate, whatever their religion, or even if they are not interested in religion.

]]>