Misunderstandings and Objections to Buddhism

This last month was one of those great times where I had the opportunity to spend time with great Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Khenpo Choga Rinpoche (Dzogchen Monastery) spent a week here and Lama Osel (Shechen Monastery) had stayed the previous two weeks here. I feel completely blessed and fortunate. I feel that no matter how long I study and train in Buddhism, I will never reach a tenth of their wisdom and depth of their practice….however, I will keep trying.

Khenpo Choga Rinpoche posed a very interesting question while he was here. He asked “What are the major obstacles and misunderstanding of Buddhism here in the West?” I started to write down them and share them with him. However, I thought it might be helpful to put them down here. If there is anyone out there who would like to add to this list please write.

While I definitely know very little about the wisdom and essence of Buddhism, I feel somewhat comfortable with responding to all of the following items. I would like to keep this writing short so I am not going to go into detail explanations here. Maybe in the future, I will.

First, here is my list of objections/problems I hear from Westerners:

- No God
- It’s a foreign religion (Asian and Indian based)
- Its confusing
- Bad examples: False teachers and false practicitioners

Second, here is my list of matters related to Buddhism which are misunderstood in the West:

- No self: you are saying that I do not exist?
- Rebirth/reincarnation and past lives
- Nonattachment (really misunderstood even by lots of Western Buddhist!)
- Loving All beings
- Deities within Tibetan Buddhism
- Prostrations
- The importance of a teacher
- Nonviolence/ not harming others no matter what
- Attention to death and dying
- Attention to suffering in our lives

If you have anything to add, let me know. Also, if anyone reads this and would like a explanation of any of these, let me know. It’s a great way for me to know what to add in the future.

Many Dharma Blessings, Geoff