Secularisation Flashcards
What are the three main challenges of secularisation?
- The replacement of religion as the source of truth and moral values
- The relegation of religion to the personal sphere
- The rise of militant atheism: the view that religion is irrational
What is secularism?
The principle of keeping the state separate from religious institutions, and neutral on matters of religion
What is secularisation?
The shift in society away from religious concerns, values, and traditions
What could potentially replace religion as the source of truth and moral values?
Social and cultural trends, celebrities and influencers / science / scientism / Humanism / other philosophical views and political ideologies / New Age spirituality and other forms of alternative expression
Why might the replacement of religion as a source of truth and moral values be an issue for Buddhists?
People less likely in a secular society to turn to religion for guidance, including Buddhism / could undermine sources of wisdom e.g. Pali Canon, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas / makes it harder for the Sangha to maintain a relationship with ordinary people if they are no longer valued
Why might the replacement of religion as a source of truth and moral values be an opportunity for Buddhists?
The shift away from Christianity as a source of truth leaves former Christians open to alternatives sources of truth e.g. Buddhism / Buddhism could use Upaya to adapt its teachings e.g. through secular Buddhism / society has experienced a ‘crisis of meaning’ as a result of the ‘death of God’ or replacement of religion, and Buddhism could address this
What is the personal sphere?
The part of life where individuals enjoy the greatest authority and freedom from state interference, e.g. the family, home, close friends. Also known as the private sphere.
How has religion already been relegated to the personal sphere in Britain?
Law on daily worship in schools no longer enforced / case of Michaela School banning prayer / most religious laws e.g. blasphemy, homosexuality now abolished at state level / less tolerance for public expression of religion
Why might the relegation of religion to the personal sphere be an issue for Buddhists?
Many Buddhist practices are public in nature and involve ordinary people, e.g. alms walks/building of temples and stupas / fewer people learning about religion means fewer opportunities to teach the Dharma / the bodhisattva ideal involves trying to save all sentient beings, which goes beyond practicing religion in the personal sphere
Why might the relegation of religion to the personal sphere be an opportunity for Buddhists?
Many Buddhist practices can be done at home and without affecting the public sphere e.g. Puja at a personal shrine, meditation, chanting / isolated Buddhist communities such as Amaravati would not be affected by this / Buddhists could use Upaya to present a more personalised, less institutionalised, form of Buddhism
What is militant atheism
The belief that religion is irrational and harmful, and should be actively opposed
What are some of the main arguments of militant atheism against religion?
It encourages people to be satisfied with a lack of understanding / the portrayal of God in holy scripture raises many moral problems / faith often goes directly against reason and evidence (e.g. rejecting evolution) / religion is the main cause of war and conflict and holds society back with outdated attitudes
Why might the rise of militant atheism be an issue for Buddhists?
Buddhism is a religion so would be damaged by any large-scale atheist movement / Buddhists have some outdated views which militant atheists would attack (e.g. blaming karma for misfortune in life, women having to follow additional precepts, not ordaining homosexual monks) / some forms of Buddhism are very reliant on faith rather than reason (e.g. Pure Land) and so would be seen as irrational
Why might the rise of militant atheism be an opportunity for Buddhists?
Militant atheism is mostly opposed to Abrahamic religions, and any damage to these could cause more people to turn to Buddhism instead / many of the militant atheist arguments apply far less to Buddhism, e.g. there is no problem of evil, Buddhists very rarely get involved with war and conflict, many Buddhist scriptures have very liberal messages (e.g. Dragon King’s Daughter) / Batchelor argues Buddhism is not a religion so could not be attacked by militant atheists
Which British Buddhist school has preserved traditional forms of Buddhism?
Amaravati (based on Thai Forest)
What are the two new forms of Buddhism which have emerged in the UK?
Triratna and Secular
What aspects of traditional Buddhism are preserved by Amaravati?
Traditional monastic lifestyle / following precepts / reliance on donations / running retreats for laypeople / aspiring to the Arhat ideal
How does Triratna Buddhism adapt Buddhist teachings for a new audience?
Moving away from “cultural accretions” such as the bodhisattva and arhat ideals / focus on Samatha and mindfulness meditation / encouraging followers to live together in single-sex communities but without a distinction between monks and laypeople / encouraging and supporting Right Livelihood businesses
Why might Amaravati appeal more than other forms of religious expression?
In an increasingly secularised world it is an opportunity to experience traditional and authentic religion / it could be good for those looking for opportunities to build self-discipline through stricter practice
Why might Triratna appeal more than other forms of religious expression?
Allows laypeople to continue to pursue secular goals while having a religious life / it is adapted to the needs of British people so may be less challenging to follow
Why might Secular Buddhism appeal more than other forms of religious expression?
It doesn’t require people raised in a secular world to believe what they might see as far-fetched religious ideas / it is based around mindfulness so has psychological benefits / it is not a ‘religion’ so does not carry as much stigma
Which form of Buddhism would be the most obvious response to the replacement of religion as a source of truth and moral values?
Triratna -> argues that religion still has a place in guiding our lives even in a secular world
Which form of Buddhism would be the most obvious response to the relegation of religion to the personal sphere?
Amaravati -> does not require followers to engage at the level of the public sphere
Which form of Buddhism would be the most obvious response to the rise of militant atheism?
Secular Buddhism -> redefines Buddhism so it is not a religion and therefore less vulnerable to attack
Name a key text by Stephen Batchelor
Confession of a Buddhist Atheist / Buddhism Without Beliefs
Name the key text by David Brazier
Buddhism is a Religion: You Can Believe It
How does Batchelor redefine the Four Noble Truths, and why?
Four Great Tasks: redefined so they do not appear to be “dogmas” (absolute truths)
How does Batchelor suggest we can identify the Buddha’s “true” teachings?
Disregard all those which were shared by other Ancient Indian religions and see what remains
What examples would Batchelor give of teachings which Buddhism likely picked up from other religions?
Rebirth / samsara / gods
What examples would Batchelor give of authentic Buddhist teachings?
Anatta / Sunyata / the Eightfold Path
What is Batchelor’s view of Enlightenment?
It is nothing more than a means to an end - a way of focusing one’s goals
For Batchelor, what is the main form of Buddhist practice, and how does he define this?
Mindfulness - defines as a psychological technique based on awareness
For Batchelor, what is the aim of Buddhism?
“moment-to-moment human flourishing”
For Brazier, where is salvation found?
Beyond the self - in Buddha
For Brazier, how has Western secular culture distorted the nature of Buddhism?
By turning it into a “personal development program”
How does Brazier view the Buddha?
As a metaphysical being (as seen in the Trikaya teaching)
According to Brazier, why do the metaphysical teachings of Buddhism have value?
They provide our life with meaning and purpose, making it “richer”
For Brazier, what is the main form of religious practice?
Worship, not mindfulness - e.g. circumambulation around stupas, use of shrines
What is a liberationist?
A person who seeks equal status or just treatment for a group believed to be discriminated against
Which Buddhist monk famously self-immolated (set himself on fire) to protest the treatment of Buddhists in South Vietnam?
Thich Quang Duc
Who coined the phrase ‘Engaged Buddhism’ and came up with the 14 Precepts of Engaged Buddhism?
Thich Nhat Hanh
When did Thich Nhat Hanh rise to fame, and how did he show a liberationist approach?
During the Vietnam War / Led antiwar protests, rebuilt villages, resettled refugees, lobbied internationally for peace talks, published books
The first precepts of Engaged Buddhism is “Do not be idolatrous”. What does Thich Nhat Hanh mean by this?
Do not worship/be bound to any ideology or doctrine, even Buddhism
The tenth precept of Engaged Buddhism is “Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain.” What does Thich Nhat Hanh mean by this?
Do not use Buddhism as a means to furthering your political cause/ideology - Engaged Buddhism should be properly Buddhist and driven by mindfulness and compassion
The twelfth precept of Engaged Buddhism is “Do not kill or let others kill”. Why does Thich Nhat Hanh add this second part?
Because Buddhists who are not socially engaged might think that it is enough to not actively kill, unaware that they are supporting killing e.g. through their consumption/silence/being complicit in oppression
The fourteenth precept of Engaged Buddhism is “Do not mistreat your body”. What does this have to do with Engaged Buddhism?
To do Engaged Buddhism properly we must look after our body’s energies so we can be effective / this also involves sexual misconduct as we must think carefully about when it is appropriate to bring children into the world and how to raise them
Why might it be argued that Buddhism has always been engaged in social action?
Buddha was opposed to the caste system and taught that it was not ultimately real (Agganna Sutta) / The Buddha was inspired to renounce his life of privilege when he witnessed the suffering of the poor and sick / the Bodhisattva Vow is essentially socially engaged
What did Ashoka do that could be considered an example of Engaged Buddhism?
Built wells, reservoirs and trees for fruit & shade / started welfare services / offered financial support for ex-prisoners / constructed rest houses for travellers / ensured elderly people and orphans were cared for / banned torture
What is materialism?
A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values
What does it mean to have ‘materialistic secular values’?
Placing material acquisition at the centre of their lives / valuing possessions as a means to achieving happiness / seeing wealth and possessions as a mark of personal success
How might Buddhism be seen to agree with materialistic secular values?
In the Sigalovada Sutta the Buddha says that those who acquire wealth “in harmless ways” like “to a bee that honey gathers” will live blamelessly / The Buddha gave advice to many rich kings and businessmen and did not tell them to give up their wealth / Examples such as Ashoka show that material wealth can be used in a responsible way
How might Buddhism be seen to disagree with materialistic secular values?
In the Anana Sutta, Buddha says that the blisses of material wealth are not worth one sixteenth of a sixteenth of the bliss of living with blameless karma / Having a materialistic outlook is a form of craving, which causes dukkha and further rebirth / Buddha’s renunciation shows that the ideal of a Buddhist’s life is to let go of material possessions
