Criticism of Buddhism facts for kids

Criticism of Buddhism is when people talk about things they don't agree with or find fault with in the Buddhist religion. This is similar to how people criticize other religions too. Most of the time, these criticisms come from people who have different beliefs. This includes people who are agnostic (they don't know if God exists), skeptic (they question things), or those who follow other religions. Sometimes, even Buddhists themselves offer criticism because they want to see changes or improvements.

Not Always Following Buddhist Ideas

Some people criticize Buddhism because certain beliefs or practices found in Buddhist cultures and groups don't seem to match the original ideas of Buddhism. For example, some thinkers like Sam Harris and people who practice Buddhist meditation say that many Buddhists treat their faith in a way that isn't quite right. They believe that some followers act in ways that are "naive" (too simple), "petitionary" (always asking for things), or "superstitious" (believing in magic or luck). These critics think that such actions prevent people from truly living by the main Buddhist principles.

Another criticism is that some Buddhist followers and leaders have become too interested in property and money. Critics say that these individuals might be "corrupt" and care more about wealth and power than about the core teachings of Buddhism.

War and Violence Concerns

Some experts, like Michael Jerryson, believe that Buddhism has been linked to governments since it began. He thinks that when people can't imagine a country without Buddhism, it can lead to a type of religious nationalism. This means people might think their country and their religion are strongly connected, which can sometimes lead to conflicts.

In the past, during the Middle Ages in Southeast Asia, there were many Buddhist kingdoms, such as the Pagan Kingdom, the Sukhothai Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa. In modern Sri Lanka, Buddhist monks have sometimes taken part in politics. This is interesting because the Buddha himself believed in letting people make their own choices about government.

In East Asia, some Mahayana Buddhist groups have also received money from governments. A Zen priest named Brian Daizen Victoria wrote a book called Zen at War. In it, he said that some Buddhist groups supported Japanese military actions during wartime. After his book came out, several groups apologized for their past actions.

Claims of Violence

After some problems in the Tibetan area of China in 2008, China claimed that the Dalai Lama was involved in creating the problems and violence. A Chinese spokesperson said that many guns and explosives were found in monasteries in the capital of Tibet.

Criticism About Women's Roles

Buddhism has also faced criticism because it sometimes treats women differently from men. This is mostly about women monks, called bhikkuni (nuns). Most Buddhist schools have more rules for nuns than for male monks (bhikku).

Buddhists explain that during the time of the Buddha, nuns faced more dangers, especially when traveling. Monks often traveled alone through forests and between cities. Because of these safety concerns, more rules were made for nuns, such as not being allowed to travel alone.

At a meeting in Hamburg in 2007, the Dalai Lama said that men and women should have equal rights. However, he also noted that sometimes culture can influence how things are done.

Related pages

• Criticism of Christianity
• Criticism of Islam

See also

In Spanish: Crítica al budismo para niños