I took refuge in 1986 with a Mahayana tradition. In time [years!] I became disenchanted and came, in my own opinion, to believe that this group had lost their way as both a corporate enterprise and as a spiritual path. So, in 2009 I resigned formally as a member of that group.
Then, after 5 years of academic research and mirror searching I concluded that Theravada Buddhism was in fact following in the footsteps of the Buddha. And have found my way into a Theravada community.
The following article made me for the first time think to ask âhave I switched my religion?â in this particular light.
Buddhism and Christianity Lead Global Trend in Religious Switching
Iâm the same. I was raised in a Mahayana tradition, but honestly they were very close to a religious evangelic cult. I try not to harbor any hate, desdain or pity, although is very hard. Theyâre extremely conservative, most of the time the environment was full of hate, pride, gossip, humiliation and over simplification of the Buddhaâs teaching.
It was a Nichiren tradition. I still wonder how can they be considered (and consider themselves) buddhists. The mantra chanting was always forced, so I never took real interest on it. When I reach independence in life I just distanced myself. For a time I considered myself an atheist, even an apatheist, but since my mothers death, I started to search for buddhism more aligned with the oldest scriptures and then EBT.
Ours is a minority road to have taken. Leaving a group youâve been with for years and years can be brutal. I lost all my dharma linked friends. I walked through a dark valley of doubt. But what I did is rightfully called âgatting free.â
I can relate to what you and @moxu are sharing here.
I trained in the Zen tradition for many years. While I found much that was inspiring and beneficial, there were significant doctrinal issues and questions for me.
After reading the PÄli suttas and Ägamas, it was like receiving teachings from a very different tradition â for which Iâm very grateful.
Hello! I can relate to what youâre saying.
I was raised Catholic, like many Westerners, and I was happy (to be honest). I even wanted to become a nun.
When I was a teenager, I started practicing Buddhism because when I read about it, I recognized things I believed in: karma, impermanence, rebirth, right effort, etc.
But sometimes, when things get particularly difficult, without even thinking about it, I still pray to God or Mother Mary. Itâs instinctive, it just comes (from habitual patterns, I guess). Then I feel guilty (which, letâs be honest, is a very Catholic thing :).
But I followed the precepts. And the Mahayana vows. And I was baptized. And confirmed.
No need to feel guilty. Asian Buddhists will pray to all kinds of Gods for help! We Buddhists are pantheists in a sense. If you have a good, working relationship with some deity, youâre welcome, encouraged even, to keep it up after converting. In AN 5.58, for example, the Buddha encourages wealthy householders to give offerings to the deities. And in MN 56, the Buddha even encourages Upali to continue to support other ascetics after converting.
As Buddhism spread across Asia, its adaptability to existing cults and local gods and practices was key to its success.
Welcome to the D&D forum! We hope you enjoy the various resources, FAQs, and previous threads. We encourage you to use the search function for topics and keywords you are interested in.
We also ask you to please take a moment now to familiarize yourself with the forum guidelines: Forum Guidelines. May some of these resources be of assistance along the path.
If you have any questions or need further clarification regarding anything, feel free to contact the moderators by including @moderators in your post or a PM.
:).