So many types of Buddhism

[Ian Meads]

As you will see I am new to this group but not new to Buddhism, I have been skirting it for at least 20 years, never coming close to the heart of its teachings.  But the more I read  and digest the more 'muddy' the waters become.  As I get close I find another form of Buddhism which has a slightly different twist.  I know that if one asks for a simple explanation it is 'never' simple.

So here's the question, asked by an enquiring mind from a soul that has lost his way.

'Why are there so many types of Buddhism'?

[Zhenlian]

A religion in fact opens a vision of a happy life that all of us can attain, or in other words all religions offer some kind of solutions to our miseries. But all of these solutions to end our miseries and all the paths to a happy life look attainable, yet so impalpable, all people tend to interpret these philosophies according to their own experiences and aspirations . So we have so many types of Christianity, so many types of Communism, and naturally we have many types of Buddhism. Only the philosophy of Communism offers materialistic solutions to a better society, religions on the other hand offer only super natural and spiritual solutions to our miseries, therefore religions have much more possibilities for different interpretations, it is not easy to assess a way which is impalpable, that is to say the solutions to our miseries exist only in our minds, we cannot see it materially, there are as many types of Buddhism as there are many minds in these this world, so you see it is too natural that there are many types of Buddhism.

[Dharmavidya]

There is a perfectly orthodox Buddhist answer to this question. There are many presentations of the Dharma because there are many different types of people. Buddha responded appropriately to each person who came before him. As the people were different, so the presentation of the teaching varied. Behind this variety, however, there remains a deeper unity. The variety is a response to varying conditions - especially the conditions prevailing in the minds of individuals at particular times. The Dharma, however, always points toward the unconditioned.

Amida Pureland Buddhism, to which this site is dedicated, is a presentation of the Dharma especially tailored for those who realise their vulnerable and fragile human nature - called the bombu paradigm - but who nonetheless want to celebrate what the Buddhas bring into the world. Amidists are not expecting to achieve Buddhahood by their own effort any time soon. Rather they live in fellow-feeling with other beings circling in samsara while taking refuge in their faith in the benevolent action of the Buddhas. This, therefore, is a relatively modest approach, devotional and celebratory rather than achievement oriented.

This means, of course, that it is not for everybody. Those who prefer to rely upon their own power, who want to become masters of wisdom themselves quickly, whose temperament is suited to ascetic practice, who are basically materialists, or who want a short-cut to escape the suffering of this world, might be better in a different approach. Shakyamuni taught many approaches and his leading disciples each came to embody different presentations of the Dharma. A variety of "schools" thus already existed in Shakyamuni's own time. This was the skilful means by which he made the Dharma available to all manner of folk.

I hope this helps.

[Thomas Myojo Radcliffe]

Hi, I don't know why there are so many different schools of Buddhism - probably because people like to be separate and important in some way. Having practiced for 20 years I have realized, as Dharmavidya points out, that no matter what, there is the unconditioned. All forms of Buddhism point in some way at That. Some schools give the impression that you can make enlightenment happen. I think this is not true. For the unconditioned to be seen the dream of separation has to die - obviously the individual cannot bring this about - it would be a contradiction in terms. I still sit in 'meditation' but I no longer meditate. The thrust of my practice is now outward. I have faith that when the time is right the veil will fall - till then it's best to be useful and human. There is one thing we all share - we are alive! Let's celebrate that and work for the happiness of all. There is one life in many forms.

Myojo