Aug 16, 2022 08:57 PM
https://aeon.co/essays/buddhists-mission...me-to-them
EXCERPTS: Christian missionaries fulfil the Bible’s Great Commission, attempting to emulate the early apostles of Jesus. The Great Commission is in the Book of Matthew (28:18-20), when Jesus proclaims to his disciples: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’
[...] Buddhist monks are missionaries too, just in more subtle and indirect ways. Their goal is not to create more Buddhists in the world. Identification as a Buddhist is considered by the Buddhist tradition as unnecessary for reaching the goal of enlightenment, or nirvana.
However, it is much easier to reach this goal and be inspired to attain it if one comes into contact with Buddhist temples and monks. Buddhist monks missionise by taking advantage of the rise in popularity of Buddhism in recent years, due to its perceived message of peace, and the benefits of its meditation and mindfulness practices. Instead of approaching people using the methods of Christian missionaries, Buddhist monks make themselves available for those interested ‘to come and see’.
[...] The Buddha told his disciples, who had already attained nirvana, to find those beings who are ready to hear Buddhist wisdom, those ‘with little dust in their eyes’, and teach them. In what scholars have called Buddhism’s ‘great commission’, the Buddha directed these enlightened beings to walk and wander: ‘Let not two (of you) go by one (way). Monks, teach dhamma [Buddhist teachings] that is lovely at the beginning, lovely at the middle, and lovely at the end.’
This is the central idea from Buddhist scriptures, which indicates Buddhism as a missionary religion. Those beings who want to understand the Buddhist teachings will benefit from hearing it. The Buddha told his realised disciples to spread out and be available to help these types of people who are ready for the teachings.
Not all Buddhist missionaries have to go out to find people ready to listen. Those who are curious come to them. Buddhist monks in Thailand have established new ways to spread their religion that take advantage of globalisation and religious tourism. Thai monks created opportunities for non-Buddhist travellers to participate in a meditation retreat, join a Buddhist community, talk with a monk, and they allow volunteers to teach English in a temple setting.
[...] In 1977, when Thai monks first arrived in England to set up a temple, they went out each morning collecting alms as part of the regular routine of monastic discipline that they would have followed in Thailand. They did not post any announcements or tell the villagers what they would be doing. At first, they received nothing but stares and empty alms bowls. Eventually, their mindful and calm walking attracted followers, who, curious to know more, came to the temple to ask how they could support the monks. Although the alms round appeared to be pointless, because they did not receive much sustenance from the practice, it demonstrated their commitment. The Buddhist monks believed that when people see monks, they are reminded of the possibility of renunciation and of living a life of moral purity.
[...] Unlike Christian missionaries, who have one life to save a person, Buddhists believe we are continually reborn into new lives. If someone does not get to the Buddhist goal of nirvana in one lifetime, then they have many more chances in future ones. This is a much less urgent scenario than the one for Christian missionaries: if they do not expose people to Jesus, then those people might die and go to hell for all eternity.
Buddhist scriptures reveal a complex cosmology consisting of 31 realms of existence into which a being can be reborn in the cycle of death and rebirth called samsara. Each realm of rebirth is temporary and based on one’s karma. Because of this, the possible circumstances in which a being is born, exists and dies are vast. These realms are usually divided into three parts: the immaterial world, the fine-material world and the sensuous world. Those who are born into the four realms of the immaterial world are gods, who cultivate deep states of meditation. The fine-material world contains 16 realms of gods, who experience high degrees of mental pleasure, because in their past actions they have not expressed any hatred or anger towards others. These two upper worlds are the heaven realms, and are considered favourable births. The lower sensuous world is more diverse with 11 realms, including both beneficial and unpleasant situations. The human realm is favourable, but the lowest four realms, containing animals, ghosts, demons and hell realms are the worst destinations. The ultimate goal of nirvana leaves all of these realms behind and views all of samsara as suffering.
Although rebirth makes Buddhist missionising less forceful and direct, images of the Buddhist cosmos can instil a sense of urgency. [...] Because of this ‘come and see’ approach, scholars of Buddhism, as well as travellers, often have not noticed that monks are missionaries... (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPTS: Christian missionaries fulfil the Bible’s Great Commission, attempting to emulate the early apostles of Jesus. The Great Commission is in the Book of Matthew (28:18-20), when Jesus proclaims to his disciples: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’
[...] Buddhist monks are missionaries too, just in more subtle and indirect ways. Their goal is not to create more Buddhists in the world. Identification as a Buddhist is considered by the Buddhist tradition as unnecessary for reaching the goal of enlightenment, or nirvana.
However, it is much easier to reach this goal and be inspired to attain it if one comes into contact with Buddhist temples and monks. Buddhist monks missionise by taking advantage of the rise in popularity of Buddhism in recent years, due to its perceived message of peace, and the benefits of its meditation and mindfulness practices. Instead of approaching people using the methods of Christian missionaries, Buddhist monks make themselves available for those interested ‘to come and see’.
[...] The Buddha told his disciples, who had already attained nirvana, to find those beings who are ready to hear Buddhist wisdom, those ‘with little dust in their eyes’, and teach them. In what scholars have called Buddhism’s ‘great commission’, the Buddha directed these enlightened beings to walk and wander: ‘Let not two (of you) go by one (way). Monks, teach dhamma [Buddhist teachings] that is lovely at the beginning, lovely at the middle, and lovely at the end.’
This is the central idea from Buddhist scriptures, which indicates Buddhism as a missionary religion. Those beings who want to understand the Buddhist teachings will benefit from hearing it. The Buddha told his realised disciples to spread out and be available to help these types of people who are ready for the teachings.
Not all Buddhist missionaries have to go out to find people ready to listen. Those who are curious come to them. Buddhist monks in Thailand have established new ways to spread their religion that take advantage of globalisation and religious tourism. Thai monks created opportunities for non-Buddhist travellers to participate in a meditation retreat, join a Buddhist community, talk with a monk, and they allow volunteers to teach English in a temple setting.
[...] In 1977, when Thai monks first arrived in England to set up a temple, they went out each morning collecting alms as part of the regular routine of monastic discipline that they would have followed in Thailand. They did not post any announcements or tell the villagers what they would be doing. At first, they received nothing but stares and empty alms bowls. Eventually, their mindful and calm walking attracted followers, who, curious to know more, came to the temple to ask how they could support the monks. Although the alms round appeared to be pointless, because they did not receive much sustenance from the practice, it demonstrated their commitment. The Buddhist monks believed that when people see monks, they are reminded of the possibility of renunciation and of living a life of moral purity.
[...] Unlike Christian missionaries, who have one life to save a person, Buddhists believe we are continually reborn into new lives. If someone does not get to the Buddhist goal of nirvana in one lifetime, then they have many more chances in future ones. This is a much less urgent scenario than the one for Christian missionaries: if they do not expose people to Jesus, then those people might die and go to hell for all eternity.
Buddhist scriptures reveal a complex cosmology consisting of 31 realms of existence into which a being can be reborn in the cycle of death and rebirth called samsara. Each realm of rebirth is temporary and based on one’s karma. Because of this, the possible circumstances in which a being is born, exists and dies are vast. These realms are usually divided into three parts: the immaterial world, the fine-material world and the sensuous world. Those who are born into the four realms of the immaterial world are gods, who cultivate deep states of meditation. The fine-material world contains 16 realms of gods, who experience high degrees of mental pleasure, because in their past actions they have not expressed any hatred or anger towards others. These two upper worlds are the heaven realms, and are considered favourable births. The lower sensuous world is more diverse with 11 realms, including both beneficial and unpleasant situations. The human realm is favourable, but the lowest four realms, containing animals, ghosts, demons and hell realms are the worst destinations. The ultimate goal of nirvana leaves all of these realms behind and views all of samsara as suffering.
Although rebirth makes Buddhist missionising less forceful and direct, images of the Buddhist cosmos can instil a sense of urgency. [...] Because of this ‘come and see’ approach, scholars of Buddhism, as well as travellers, often have not noticed that monks are missionaries... (MORE - missing details)
