An awful lot of people consider Buddhism to be "an easy way out" or a cop-out religion... (please understand, most emphatically, I am not saying that's the case here...!) because an awful lot of people misunderstand Buddhism, and it's primary objective:
The Buddha stated that his only quest was to "teach the cause of suffering and the cessation of Suffering."
And because it is such a simple edict, and because people think we're worshipping a fat guy, people think we're choosing the easy (not to say laid-back) option.
In fact, being accountable, or trusting in an 'outer Power' is, to many Buddhists, the actual cop-out.
Being able to behave in a sinful way, is really not that bad, because God/Jesus forgives. You can always come back to him, because he understands, and is an all-encompassing forgiving being. (remember that the vast majority of Buddhists in the West are ex-Christians, or have lived and been brought up in a Christian culture.....)
A Buddhist has no such avenue to follow. We're the ones who have to not only face up to our unskillful actions, but we have to do the hard work to change, because we - and only we - can put things right.
(The Tiger Woods thread in this forum is an interesting read.....I am given to understand that reference to his Buddhist upbringing caused a furore, in the USA. Must say, we in good ol' UK are none to pleased, either.....)
But see? All cynicism aside, Tiger has nobody to confess to, no atonement for his sins, no "I'll give it all up to God"....
He has to do this on his own.
for Tiger Woods - and all sincere Buddhists, there is no wire across the canyon.
we got to do this alone.
And you know what?
We're happy to.
Because if I mess up, then I know what my failings are, and I know that it's all up to me to steer it back to centre. Hard work, at times. But I prefer it to being able to shove it all off my shoulders and let somebody else handle it.
But at least, for my part, I can look at myself in the mirror, and know that I am "all my own work".
hey, credit where credit's due......
