Buddhism is philosophy and a way of life. The emphasis of Buddhism is compassion for others, and for all to be happy and free of suffering. To walk the Buddhist path is to explore our minds, our intentions, our viewpoints, our selfishness, and our delusions. To practice Buddhism is to work at being mindful, to be present while having respect and compassion for all other beings.
I have studied and practiced Buddhism for about seven years now. Through my meditative, observation practices, I have come to agree with about 75% of the Buddhist teachings. The meditation methods are wonderful for learning to examine your mind, to see how you think, and to retrain your brain towards more wholesome thought patterns and habits. The teachings on compassion and kindness help unite people, instead of splitting them apart through differences in beliefs. While Atheism taught me to be outwardly skeptical, practicing Buddhism taught me to be inwardly skeptical.
What I don’t agree with are the rituals that have been introduced into Buddhism over the centuries, and I can not verify rebirth after death. I also don’t “believe” in the unseen realms that Buddha spoke of in some of the teachings, nor do I view mind as limitless or not of the body. Yet, Buddhism has much to offer if we are careful not to fall for the cultural or religious dogma that is tucked in the teachings.
Additionally, Buddhism itself is empty, meaning it doesn’t exist in of itself, but only as a concept, or group of concepts that people have devised. Buddhism is what various groups of people say it is. For that reason I practice Secular Buddhism, which is free of religious entrapment and rituals, and sticks to the core teachings.
The Secular Buddhist interviewed myself and two of the people from the Skeptical Buddhist Sanga in Second Life:
If you want to know more about Skeptical Buddhism, you can watch these two wonderful videos about it:
Additionally, I own my own SIM, the Secular Community, where I hold meditations and discussions not only for Secular Buddhists, but for all non-believers. This is a community who focuses on modern day issues, including ecology and sustainability, separation of church and state, as well as core Buddhist teachings.
If you join Second Life (free), go to Secular Community, and join the Secular Buddhist Land and Skeptical Buddhist groups.
For More Information on Secular Buddhism:
Skeptical Buddhism on Facebook
