WildAboutHarry wrote:
Doodle wrote:In the past human action in this world was anchored to a religious foundation.
I would argue that this is a relatively recent invention as well, somewhere between fire and air travel.
I am sure our distant ancestors were superstitious, fearful of the unknown, etc. I am sure there was a shaman or two, interpreting signs and appeasing spirits. But the codification of deities, the formalization of religion, and the enforcement of the tenants of that religion, I would guess, arrived with agriculture. And that just wasn't too long ago.
Difficult to know since there is no written record. However, I would venture to guess that gods have existed for as long as humans have realized their own immortality. Real spiritual quest however can only take place once the basic necesities of life are accounted for. This is why there was such a flourishing of spiritual quests in countries like India where civilization first took root.
Pointedstick wrote:
doodle wrote:
Another thing to think about is that underlying all of these discussions is the fundamental question of the meaning of life. If we as a culture have no idea what the purpose of life is, it is very hard to argue the merits of this or that particular system.
In the past human action in this world was anchored to a religious foundation. Systems were constructed and meaning from life was derived through spiritual attainment. In the East there was a similar spiritual path of life in which people would aspire towards liberation or nirvana or moksha or whatever you want to call it.
Today in the post modern world this spiritual bedrock has been dynamited and hence people have been left to float without anything to attach to. In response modern people grasp at all sorts of things trying to find purpose and meaning in a universe where science often tells us there is none.
I actually agree very strongly with this premise.
Though I am a non-religious person, I envy the sense of purpose that the religious are able to attain in their lives. It seems like it can become a very strong center pivot for your entire life. And religious communities and nations appear more resistant to falling into materialism.
Unfortunately, I seem to be too rational to achieve this. Many times have I tried to awaken some kind of spirituality, but my rational mind is too strong.
I used to think of it as a universal advantage I had been blessed with but more and more I see the hindrances that an overabundance of rationality and a too-finely-tuned hypocrisy meter can cause in your life.
PS,
I too suffered from the same rational mind syndrome when it came to the western faiths. What drew me initially to the eastern philosophies/religions is that the topic of God rarely ever comes up. The Buddha didnt concern himself with God, but rather with earthly suffering. There is an inherent practicality to this that I found appealing. Even the somewhat questionable concepts of Karma and Reincarnation make sense in terms of science and dont require a huge leap of faith. Karma for instance is simply the law of action. In other words, what happens to you is a result of your actions.....very newtonian actually. Reincarnation similarly happens on the physical plane on a minute by minute basis. You for example are not the same person you were yesterday or last year or 10 years ago. Your body has in fact died and been reborn many times in your own lifetime. That which stays behind or your true essence is more elusive. In zen buddhism the core focus is to ask yourself that question....who am I...or what the nature of my essence? When you really meditate on that I think you will realize that you are in fact at the same time nothing and everything. This is related to the concept of dependent arising. The famous zen teacher thich nhat han gives the example of the book. When you look at a book and search for its essence what you will actually find is that the book is itself dependent on and representative of the entire universe. But for the sun, rain, soil, trees, paper mills, language, ideas, ink, etc. etc. you dont have a book. When you look at a book you cannot see it without seeing all of these things as well because without them, you do not have a book. Humans are of course no different.
Anyways...that was completely rambling and just a smattering of junk off the top of my head and Im by no means pushing buddhism as a faith. In fact, gautama buddha (everyone is actually a buddha....some are just sleeping and trapped on the plane of illusions while others are awake) would argue that identifying yourself with a concept like buddhism is already a grave mistake. .....
But what im saying is that for the 21st century rational mindset, to me I think buddhism as a means or method to ground oneself is as good as any out there. The other nice thing about buddhism is that it actively encourages you to attack it. You are encouraged to ask questions and try to tear its logic apart and if you find it lacking or mistaken, then disgard it. At the end of the day it is the truth that you are after.