Stephen Batchelor- Buddhism Without Beliefs - World Religions Excerpt (Buddhist Agnosticism)

Pragmatism

"Poisoned Arrow" Parable (Buddha)

T.H. Huxley's definition of "agnosticism"

("Darwin's Bulldog") POSITIVE: "Follow your reason as far as it will take you." NEGATIVE: "Do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable."

The Buddha's own "agnosticism"

- "Silent" on all questions of metaphysics. - Did not use the word "God" - Did not appoint a spiritual successor.

Sensible Moderation

- Advocated a practical "Middle Path": Between Indulgence and Mortification - Only after 500 years, considered a "quasi-divine figure"; Metaphysics becomes important.

Stephen Batchelor

- British Author, Scholar of Buddhism - Ordained novice monk in 1974 - Meditation Leader - "Agnostic Buddhism"

Dharma Method

- Starts by facing up to "the primacy of anguish" - "Anguish" comes from craving PERMANENCE in a changing, unreliable IMPERMANENT world. - Only thing certain in life: We die. - Empirical "CONFRONTATION," not religious "CONSOLATION" (Promise of a better afterlife for doing good deeds, reciting mantras, or chanting the name of Buddha.)

Buddhism as Religion?

- wat (Thailand); gompa (Tibet) - Nuns, Monks, theologies, schisms, reforms, "churches"

"Method" not "Belief System"

Agnosticism - The Practice of only following your reason Buddhism - "Dharma Practice"* *Batchelor: The Buddha gave us no set of facts to believe it. Only a method.

No Answers

When the "question of existence" becomes clearer to us: - No consoling answers; It just becomes more puzzling -Therapeutic?

Not Knowing

Where does this method lead? Either: 1) "There is neither something nor nothing at the core of ourselves." or 2) An "intense perplexity that leave the certainty-seeking mind nowhere to rest."