According to Eric Hoffer, movements usually gain adherents by preying on people's frustrations. Since beliefs like Buddhism essentially talk of the extinction of a person's desire as a way to reach Enlightenment, how does this explain (using Hoffer's own heuristic) Buddhism's growth as a philosophy and belief system despite the fact that a large part of its core principles involves the de-escalation of personal frustrations? Wouldn't that effectively stop Buddhism in its tracks?
>>24820067It probably wouldn't, or at least not uniformly. It might account for some eschatological or apocalyptic movements, maybe the practices of some schools versus others (e.g., the way Tibetann Buddhism operates politically). Look to how it spreads historically in certain regions. Consider what the practitioners were saying to persuade new converts, and what the causes of historical declines were in certain regions.
>>24820067Buddhism in asian country were syncretized with local beliefs and the average lay worshipper doesn't understand the dharma and just see the the buddha as another god you can pray for good health or harvest.
>>24820147Unfortunately I can only get third person accounts on this because I live in the west. I guess maybe a work of comparitive religion centered around Buddhism's own internal sects could be useful though.
>>24820309That's lame. Oh well.
>>24820067The way you present it does make it seem like he was contradicting himself and it was just a half-baked theory
>>24820644That's a uncharitable reading. An account that's true for the most part is still a good account. And it's not clear that it wouldn't apply to Buddhism in certain cases.
>>24820323Buddhism in the west and among the modern educated spread because its adherents are looking for peace from worldly frustrations without the abrahamic dogmatism they're used to. I haven't read hoffer but wouldn't the ability to placate frustrations all the more reason to join a movement?
>>24820728Sure, but then they would have become ex-Buddhists which is definitely not the case.
>>24820067Buddhism is not a belief system or a collective movement. It's an individual pursuit to experience reality as it is.
>>24820736I don't think people quit a religion just because it has served its purpose. Besides it cannot get rid of suffering completely and deeper, constant peace also require deeper, constant practice of Buddhism. They don't obtain enlightenment after a few sessions.
>>24820742>I don't think people quit a religion just because it has served its purpose.Many 12 step programs and self help groups or organizations would be inclined to disagree with you. Sometimes its not even an abrupt quit, like slowly drifting away from said religion and falling back on old habits. The only religions (and this includes ideologies as replacement faiths) only keep people in line through fear and control. Those tend to be cults, from quasi-religious doomsday cults like Heaven's Gate to political grifts like the LaRouche Foundation
>>24820748Buddha himself calls buddhism a raft which should be discarded once the river has been crossed.
>>24820756You probably meant to reply to the other guy
