Really Dim Buddhists

I have noticed that, almost without exception, Buddhists on sites such as this and in classes I have attended are more intelligent than average.

Now, I know that in many countries, those born into a Buddhist culture will probably have the same mixture of talent and brains as the rest of us, so do they actually understand their native faith?

I've asked Hindus about their faith and many have little idea of the ideas behind it - they just go to the temple, make offerings and worship. Maybe that's enough anyway , and certainly not far removed from 'Christians' here in the UK , most of whom probably can't recite the Ten Commandments or list the books in the New Testament.

Do you need to be intelligent to understand Buddhism?

Does progress in one school require more of an 'intellectual' approach than in another?


Or maybe it is even tougher if you are used to using your intellect instead of your instincts and emotions. I know of one incredibly dim person who understood 'one hand clapping' instantly - probably because he did not ponder about it.

It is surely easier to understand 'God says do bad things and I'll send you to hell' than to get your head around karma, merit, Buddha-nature etc. etc.

And I've probably spent far too much time thinking about this, so I'll just shut up and get back to reading my 'Buddhism for Dummies' - I can't even understand that!

Dharanidhar wrote:I have noticed that, almost without exception, Buddhists on sites such as this and in classes I have attended are more intelligent than average.

Now, I know that in many countries, those born into a Buddhist culture will probably have the same mixture of talent and brains as the rest of us, so do they actually understand their native faith?

I've asked Hindus about their faith and many have little idea of the ideas behind it - they just go to the temple, make offerings and worship. Maybe that's enough anyway , and certainly not far removed from 'Christians' here in the UK , most of whom probably can't recite the Ten Commandments or list the books in the New Testament.

Do you need to be intelligent to understand Buddhism?

Does progress in one school require more of an 'intellectual' approach than in another?


Or maybe it is even tougher if you are used to using your intellect instead of your instincts and emotions. I know of one incredibly dim person who understood 'one hand clapping' instantly - probably because he did not ponder about it.

It is surely easier to understand 'God says do bad things and I'll send you to hell' than to get your head around karma, merit, Buddha-nature etc. etc.

And I've probably spent far too much time thinking about this, so I'll just shut up and get back to reading my 'Buddhism for Dummies' - I can't even understand that!

Where as other religions are far more simple in their teachings of do good and avoid the bad buddhism elaborates alot futher and give you valid reasons why these should be abondoned, Some people have the capacity to think for them selves others need someone to tell them what to do, buddhist seem to fall into the first catagory as distinguishing between the effects of karma and so forth requires alot more individual anyalsis and to use both approaches of intellect and wisdom, i wouldnt say buddhist are smarter then anyone else just more lucky more fortunate to have be born to a place where they have easy access to dharma and the ability to understand it ( for those who can ) Where as other religions are paths to higher realms within samsara buddhism is the way out but of course again not everyone has the same capability to cross the Ocean of suffering, some prefer to stay on the islands where as others will take the premade rafts to escape.
Understanding the teachings of buddha requires wisdom, lam chug was one of the least intelligent people about yet through buddha's methods he managed to gain great wisdom.

I think Dhar Might be more then he appears

peace

xxx

You are right Dharanidhar, but it not so much that the Dharma is difficult, but that we are converts. Whether we came from another religion or secularism or indifference, we had to crack the books to find out what was what. Some of us may have just wandered into a temple and learned the proper temple behavior and traditions and let it go at that - but I suspect that is a minority. But that is what the ethnic Buddhists (in the main, excepting some monastics) have done for generations. They are not dim, just comfortable & a little lazy.

To become a good Buddhist one does not have to master Dignaga's works on logic or the many brain-busting works on emptiness. Nor does one have to read every sutta & sutra.

Going the other way, I think you will find that converts to Catholicism or any other religion are better informed that most of the native adherents.

The other aspect to consider is the fact that of all the religions, Buddhism alone tells us we must seek self-reliance. That is to say, at one point or another, the mysteries of a deity remain just that. A mystery. To question and probe, gains the seeker a reputation for meddling at best, to being a doubter at worst.
Although the study of Theology is a massive subject, at one point or another, you come to a dead end. Either that, or you come to a point where answers become speculative, and 'faith-in-the-unseen' based.

In Buddhism, not only are we encouraged to question everything, but we're even encouraged to question the answers we find.....So we're constantly alert to new subjecst to ponder, and even old subjects to go over, from perhaps a different perspective....Therefore, as Mind is the seat of 'knowing', we delve and delve.....

GeishaW: Buddhism alone tells us we must seek self-reliance.

"Buddhism alone" - no, not quite. The Jains are non-theistic and very self-reliant. Also there is a ancient stream within Hinduism that is also so.

Here is a compilation from the Yoga Vasishta I ran across:

http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/selfrely.html

Thank you Will, I stand corrected.

You see?
We never stop learning, informing, asking....
Ah, but it's grand!!

Will wrote:

GeishaW: Buddhism alone tells us we must seek self-reliance.

"Buddhism alone" - no, not quite. The Jains are non-theistic and very self-reliant. Also there is a ancient stream within Hinduism that is also so.

Here is a compilation from the Yoga Vasishta I ran across:

http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/selfrely.html

Jains do have deities, and are quite similar to Buddhists in not regarding them as supreme beings:
http://www.umich.edu/~umjains/jainismsimplified/chapter21.html

They are indeed self-reliant. I have met many who are involved in the jewellery business or in finance. The requirement of adhering to 'ahimsa' (non-harm) in all aspects of life, including employment, has been significant in this development of self-reliance.
( I am sure they make sure gemstones are ethically sourced.)

Buddhists are taught to regard their human life as precious and their current situation as extremely fortunate in that they are able to receive Dharma teachings and make progress on the path. I guess being born with poor intelligence may also be seen as the result of karma, making access to the Dharma more difficult.

It's a good point that converts probably work harder to learn and probably wind up with a greater knowledge than those born into a religion.

My Uncle converted to Judiasm and he became super-Jew in order to marry my Aunt. He was very orthodox. When I went to his house for a Cedar on Passover one year he really lectured me about not following my own religion. He was sort of nasty about it too.

As some have previously mentioned, I think that those in the Buddhist tradtion must have a base understanding on some of concepts such as suffering, cause/effect, dependant origionation, etc. At some level it just has to make a bit of sense. This usually requires reading, pondering, meditating (surely like a lot of religions...). In theistic religions, one may take the approach to put their faith in/or leave it up to god...This takes a great deal of pressure off understanding what it all might be and how it all might work. I think this is why some feel that Buddhism is a science (not so sure myself...).
People of Buddhism must think and rationalize their way through alot of the points, and then challenge those points as well. Sometimes it seems it never ends! I can usually re-read a book or re-listen to a dharma talk and get something more or a new insight out of it than I could the last time.
For the most part (surely with some exceptions!) I would find that Buddhists are a little more honest with themselves or usually more aware of self/ego. When people are speaking or acting from ego, they do say or do silly things some times!