A bedside Buddhist is someone who identifies with the spiritual beliefs of Buddhism but may not fully embrace the culture and traditions of the religion. They may have had negative experiences with traditional organized religion and see Buddhism as a philosophy rather than a religion. Critics suggest that a casual approach to Buddhism lacks dedication and may not fully understand the religion’s rituals and philosophy. Some American Buddhists are concerned about the growing interest in bedside Buddhism, as it may not fully embrace the culture and traditions that inspired the philosophy.
A number of people do not claim a particular religious belief, but when pressed on the matter will respond that Buddhism describes their spiritual belief structure better than anything else. Christian author Thomas Tweed called such a casual practitioner of Buddhism a bedside Buddhist, largely due to the number of books on Buddhist philosophy such a person would keep on his bedside table for bedtime reading.
A bedside Buddhist is more of a dabbler in the superficial philosophy of Buddhism rather than a traditional convert or ethnic Buddhist who has been raised in the philosophy since birth. This doesn’t mean that a bedside Buddhist isn’t sincere in his or her spiritual beliefs, but critics of the practice suggest that there is a significant difference between reading basic books on Buddhism and actually embracing the entire culture and tradition of what many Buddhists ethnic groups seen as a religion rather than a philosophy.
There are a number of people who would describe themselves as spiritual seekers, but have had bad personal experiences with traditional organized religion or have problems with the rituals and other symbols of Christianity and Judaism. These traditional religions do not address what a bedside Buddhist would consider the basic spirituality inherent in all people, not just those who ascribe to an established religion. Many bedside Buddhists would have considered themselves agnostics or skeptics before embracing the Buddha’s alternative teachings.
One of the concerns surrounding the practice of bedside Buddhism is the level of dedication of the practitioner. Ethnic Buddhists traditionally practice long periods of meditation and reflection, often in retreat centers far removed from the trappings of modern society. Buddhist monks and other devout Buddhists spend years learning the rituals and philosophy associated with true Buddhism. A bedside Buddhist may not be able to devote a significant amount of time to meditation, and it may be difficult to find a suitable Buddhist temple or spiritual advisor.
Some American Buddhists have expressed concern about the growing interest in bedside Buddhism, mainly because it has already proven difficult to import true Buddhism from its Asian origins. American and European Buddhists may be able to study philosophy and shape their behavior by observing ethnic Buddhists, but the culture and traditions that inspired the philosophy are much more difficult to adopt. A bedside Buddhist may be able to grasp the concepts of Zen Buddhism by reading the literature, but the religion of Buddhism has as many symbols, hypocrisy, rituals, and birth defects as the mainstream religion that he has previously dismissed.
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