Finally, The Economist speaks!

[TopCat]

Buddhism is not a monotheist religion. In fact, it doesn't have any god in particular. And they do idol worship - big difference with Islam! It is more of a faith than a religion.

Yes big difference with Islam as well as it is different than Hinduism. They are monotheist. They do idol worship like Christianity not like Hindus.

 

[Dalai Lama]

Okay, Bangladeshis are Arab Buddhists. Accepted. Now discuss the topic.

 

[aakash_2410]

Well you are talking about school of thought. As some Beda (Hindu) even called to cut the tongue if anybody talks polytheism. Buddhism is just a continuation of that school of thought. It did not come out of blue sky.

But the ground reality is Hindus do idoltry and polytheism also the caste is a integral part.

Not really mate. Hinduism is Henotheistic. 'Henotheism is the belief and worship of a single god while accepting the existence or possible existence of other deities.'

Contemporary Hinduism is mostly monistic, or in some instances monotheistic. The concept of Brahman implies a transcendent and immanent reality, which different schools of thought variously interpret as personal, impersonal or transpersonal. With the rise of Shaivism and Vaishnavism in the early centuries of the Common era, Hinduism is generally monistic and henotheistic: there is practically a consensus that there is a supreme, absolute, and omnipresent divine entity. Of the four major sects, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism each regard only one specific Indic deity (Shiva, Vishnu, or Shakti) as the supreme being and principal object of worship, whereas all other divinities are considered merely "sub-gods" or manifestations of it.

So I don't buy this polytheism thing.

And if Idoltry is a sin than Chrstians and Buddhists are sinners as well. And 'Christopher John Fuller, professor of anthropology at London School of Economics notes that an image cannot be equated with a deity and the object of worship is the deity whose power is inside the image, and the image is not the object of worship itself.'

I'll give you the caste part but then again Muslims in subcontinent also follow the castes.

Caste system among South Asian Muslims - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[LaBong]

In one pashtun forum i even saw people claiming sidhhartha gautam was born in now what is khyber pakhtunkhawa!!

 

[LaBong]

In Bengal mostly it is.. I am not talking about south India

dont know about bd but there is no such rule in west bengal. although bengali brahmins do have pretty high percentage of r1h1 or whatever u call that.

 

[LaBong]

budhhisn is athestic religion and budhhist do worship idols. it has whatsoever no compatibility with Islam. Bengal did have a high percentage of Buddhist(if not majority!) before Islam was introduced here.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Images are essential to focus one's thought and devotion.

One cannot concentrate into open space or vacuum, unless one has achieved immense power of concentration.

In every religion, no matter what is claimed, icons are there.

 

[LaBong]

And anyway all major Budhhisht sites and monasteries were in West Bengal(just as all major everything else! ). Atish Dipankar Srigyan who established Sarma lineage of Budhhism to Tibet was an ancient Indian Bengali. East Bengal always had been our hinterland and rice bowl and we will get it back soon. Akhand Bharat FTW! \m/

 

[Maira La]

So, the truth exposes!

.. You, sir, claim yourself to be a Bengali and don't know our History? Go dig the net and find out for yourself what the Senas did to the Pal dynasty and their Buddhist subjects. When the Afghans arrived, the remaining Buddhists literally welcomed them. Now don't come back making unsubstantiated claims before laying your hands on a History book, would ya?

 

[Maira La]

And anyway all major Budhhisht sites and monasteries were in West Bengal(just as all major everything else! ). Atish Dipankar Srigyan who established Sarma lineage of Budhhism to Tibet was an ancient Indian Bengali. East Bengal always had been our hinterland and rice bowl and we will get it back soon. Akhand Bharat FTW! \m/

I sometimes wonder if that's Vodka you're holding. Doesn't seem so. Must be really intense though.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

.. You, sir, claim yourself to be a Bengali and don't know our History? Go dig the net and find out for yourself what the Senas did to the Pal dynasty and their Buddhist subjects. When the Afghans arrived, the remaining Buddhists literally welcomed them. Now don't come back making unsubstantiated claims before laying your hands on a History book, would ya?

Read Abir's post.

Too many history books in my place.

It is just a coincidence that the authority on Ancient Indian History happens to be my uncle and his books are adequate for me.

Those who have good reasons to hide their past, are the one who are keen to re-invent history and their lineage.

 

[Maira La]

budhhisn is athestic religion and budhhist do worship idols. it has whatsoever no compatibility with Islam. Bengal did have a high percentage of Buddhist(if not majority!) before Islam was introduced here.

No Buddhism is not atheistic religion. They don't deny the existence of God, but they don't give a **** about it either. It's an awesome attitude, no? >D

 

[Maira La]

Read Abir's post.

Abir's joking. Go back to History lessons now.

 

[Maira La]

dont know about bd but there is no such rule in west bengal. although bengali brahmins do have pretty high percentage of r1h1 or whatever u call that.

Don't get into the r1h1 now bro. It's gonna get messy here with everyone claiming Martian lineage and whatnot.

 

[Maira La]

Yes big difference with Islam as well as it is different than Hinduism. They are monotheist. They do idol worship like Christianity not like Hindus.

That's not the original Buddhism. Followers of most major religion convert to Idiocracy after a few centuries from their founding. Includes Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.