Buddhist Druid

[Muddy Fox]

Passing forward, from an admired person's web blog

THE KALAMA SUTTA

The people of kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones, who like himself passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard.

The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha's reply.

Do not believe anything on hearsay.
Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.
Do not believe anything on account of rumours or because people talk a great deal about it.
Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some Ancient Sage.
Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a God or other wonderful being.
Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in it's favour, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.
Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers or Priests.
Do not accept any doctrine from reverence but first try it as gold is tried by fire.

But whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find you agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

[eilis]

THE KALAMA SUTTA ...Do not believe anything ...
But whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find you agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

Now that is extremely useful! Thank you so much for that.

[Muddy Fox]

Thanks but sorry, I cannot take any credit for that paragraph, it is solely Buddha, I missed the last bit off as well, in a rush as usual.
The final paragraph should have been that Buddha said that all of the above must be applied to his own teachings as well. Apologies.

[Michael C. Page]

Thanks but sorry, I cannot take any credit for that paragraph, it is solely Buddha, I missed the last bit off as well, in a rush as usual.
The final paragraph should have been that Buddha said that all of the above must be applied to his own teachings as well. Apologies.

And here is another translation of the text: http://www.shabkar.org/scripture/sutras ... _sutra.htm

[Fiona The Bard]

Looks like I'm late to the party, but... I'm a Buddhist Druid. At the risk of being redundant (I have a post all about it in the Bard Introductions forum), I'm a Nichiren Buddhist who found Druidry through research of Pagan traditions. I started with witchcraft, but my path eventually led me to OBOD. Don't know if I have anything to add except to raise my hand and prove my existence...

So far what I've found in various Pagan circles is that if ever there is a Buddhist, she or he is more often than not a follower of Tibetan Buddhism, or a dabbler of sorts in Buddhist meditation; more interested in the philosophy and teachings of the schools of Buddhism. I've yet to find someone whose background is in Nichiren Buddhism, and I often wonder what brings people from other traditions to the Druid approach to spirituality. For me personally, I've found that Druidry is compatible in every way with a Nichiren Buddhist life, the only difference between the two being that Buddhism turns one's consciousness inward, whereas Druidry turns one's consciousness outward - teaching us to honor the divinity in nature, thereby teaching us that all of life, even our own bodies are divine.

That's a gross generalization, but I think that's essentially what differentiates them. Nichiren Buddhism is a very active practice, and I was missing the passive; I did a lot of talking and not a whole lot of listening. I sought out Druidry/witchery as a complement to that practice, because I felt like I wasn't satisfied with my spiritual expression, the part that most religions have by default: celebrations to commemorate the passing of time, rites of passage through life, some sort of tangible way to honor the sacredness in life. I know we all find Druidry from different necessities, but maybe there aren't as many Jewish/Hindu, etc. members because parts of what this path offers are already provided by their customs? I could be completely off, but it's just a thought.