common misconceptions about Buddhism (attend, experience, theist, faith, muslim)

[finalfrogo]

I think the most widespread misconception about Buddhism is that Buddhists worship Buddha. Of course, misconceptions about Buddhism go hand-in-hand with misconceptions about Asians. For example, "All Asians know martial arts," supports the thought that "All Buddhists know martial arts."

Overall, though, I don't think there are that many damaging misconceptions about Buddhism, ecspecially considering misconceptions of other religions. Take Islam, for example.

[c0da]

The most common one I have had is the assumption from people that Chineese monk Hotei is the 'historical' Buddha.

Another misconception I often get is people thinking the Buddha is a god or some sort of higher order.

[MysticSang'ha]

I've found the same misconceptions, too, about Buddhism. The biggest one has for me, by far, been that I worship the Buddha, and that the Buddha was/is a God.



The issue of "suffering" has also been misunderstood, too. I thought I'd read somewhere that Christian missionaries translated dukkha to mean "suffering", when it isn't EXACTLY that. SInce then, modern English works on Buddhism has kind of run off with the term, and it's stuck.





The talk of "suffering" and death/rebirth, and the resulting misconception of Buddhism as nihilistic and gloomy, has turned off some people to learning more deeply of the dharma.





Peace,
Mystic