Is Buddhism Ready for Secularism?

Meditation is the key element in Buddhism which can be used to help people adapt to Western society.

For example, cognitive behavior therapy uses Buddhist meditation and much of the therapy reminds me of Zen. There is also Morita therapy. However, it costs $$$ to become a CBT facilitator.

Buddhism is religious because its abuse in politics is dangerous. The Buddhist majority in Sri Lanka precipitated the civil war with Tamil peoples by making Buddhism a state religion. However, it is because the Buddhist clergy wielded power in Buddhist nations such as Thailand and Burma that politic conflicts exist.

As well, the Hindu fanatics consider Buddhism to be a part of their religion - to the point where Mahayana is heresy!

In order for Buddhism to be effective as a non-religion, there would have to be a change of mind to view it thusly. Furthermore, the Buddhist clergy would have to abandon their political power in Buddhist nations — such a tradition is hard to let go.

Zen may have the trappings of religion, but it appeared to the West precisely because it considers reading the sutras secondary to the koan and meditation.

In order for Buddhism to be a non-religion, its spiritual aspects would have to be transformed into psychobabble, and represented as metaphysical in a form that the laity can understand without losing the religionists who are attracted to the orderliness of rites and rituals.

In India, Buddhism lives on as part of the Hindu Sanatanadharma with strong hints of Hinduism.

For Buddhism to become a tool of secularists, especially atheists, the Hindu gods would be best described in psychological terms i.e. representing the human qualities such as compassion and wisdom.

The Buddha and His Dhamma, by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

The Buddha and His Dhamma, by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

The strongest case for neo-Buddhism, the Buddha and His Dhamma, is a must-read for social activists with sympathy for the poor.