Key elements of secular Buddhism – a framework

September 16, 2019


While all secular Buddhists share a skeptical view of the supernatural deities and processes of traditional Buddhism (e.g. rebirth), there is a wide range of views among secular Buddhists concerning various beliefs, perspectives and practices.

Even though there is no secular Buddhist orthodoxy, all secular Buddhists share a framework for a more mindful and compassionate life.

In the context in which we find ourselves, this framework is in essence a pragmatic program for human flourishing that has no use for metaphysical beliefs and religious truth-claims. A secular dharma stands for a developmental direction that is typically Buddhist in its open-minded scepticism and its desire to let the dharma speak most effectively, that is in culturally available terms.

A "this-worldly" practical and ethical philosophy

In secular Buddhism, there is an emphasis on how the dharma is valuable to us for and in this life, helping to promote human flourishing. It’s a “this-worldly” philosophy. On the other hand, some versions of traditional Buddhism focus instead on attaining nirvana and escaping or freeing oneself from the suffering in samsara, our day to day life.

Skepticism or rejection of supernatural entities or processes

Virtually all secular Buddhists share a skepticism about or rejection of some key concepts in traditional forms of Buddhism, such as rebirth in another life, as well as gods, devas and other supernatural entities, etc. 

The Buddha as a historical person

Secular Buddhists believe that Gotama, later called the Buddha, was a human being who came to realize and teach a new way of living in the world which promotes human flourishing. While he was a great teacher and meditator, and lived an exemplary ethical life, he did not have supernatural powers and didn’t lay claim to any.

Retain the essential insights, jettison the cultural accretions not relevant to our contemporary world

Secular Buddhists believe that the original insights of Gotama are crucial for promoting human flourishing and a just society. However, those insights were transformed into an institutionalized, hierarchical and other-worldly religion as Gotama’s teachings were assimilated into existing Indian and other Asian perspectives and beliefs. While in no way disrespecting the Asian cultures in which traditional forms of Buddhism developed, we focus on those aspects of the  Buddha’s teachings which are relevant to the challenges and problems that we face today in our lives.

A pragmatic, ethical path – not a set of truths

Secular Buddhists assert that Gotama did not identify a set of universal or metaphysical truths about the world, rather that he provided us with practices and insights that enable us to live in an uncertain world skillfully, with compassion towards oneself and others. 

Promoting a culture of mindfulness and compassion

Secular Buddhists value meditation practice and understand the need for transformation on an “internal” level. However, just as or perhaps more importantly, secular Buddhists emphasize the importance of building democratic communities (or sanghas) to help promote human flourishing. Secular Buddhists recognize that individual transformation does not occur in a vacuum, but is intrinsically connected, both as a cause and effect, with the creation of a more just society which gives all people the opportunity to flourish.


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2 Replies to “Key elements of secular Buddhism – a framework”

Deb Gilson

Much of what you say rings true for me.

Jinpa

Je suis bouddhiste depuis presque 50 ans mais beaucoup de choses me gênent, comme la reincarnation, le karma des vies anterieures, les superstitions que l’on trouvent dans le Vajrayana. Les déites me gênent pas elle correspondent souvent à des qualités sur les nous pouvons travailler si elles sont manquantes chez nous. Il y a aussi presqu’un culte de la personnalité envers les grands Maitres, en les mettant sur des trônes, les faire deplacer avec un parasol au-dessus de la tête, on en fait presque des dieux.

The English translation: I have been a Buddhist for almost 50 years but many things bother me, such as reincarnation, the karma of past lives, the superstitions found in Vajrayana. The deities don’t bother me, they often correspond to qualities on which we can work if they are missing from us. There is also almost a cult of personality towards the great Masters, by putting them on thrones, making them move around with a parasol above their heads, we almost make them gods.

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