[DF] Help with creating a Buddhist cleric and holy warrior

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by tantric

Honestly, it depends on your sect. Tibetans love rituals, Zen has fewer. They all know the rituals lack inherent meaning, but that doesn't mean they aren't useful. The Buddha resisted efforts to establish Buddhist rituals at first, but then have in. A marriage ritual has no inherent meaning, true, but it has lots of symbolic and emotional meaning for the bride and groom. Thus as the Buddha came to understand that his teachings would become a true religion and not just a philosophy, he allowed his followers to make up such rituals, so long as it was done with Right Intention or whatever.

Consider Tibetan sand paintings. Are they pointless rituals? Not so much, became they teach detachment and emphasize the ephemeral nature of beauty and creation. Knowing that beauty fades with times intellectually is one thing, experiences your own hard work, watching your gorgeous creation be blown away - is a deep learning experience, a dharmic lesson.

Interesting. Then planting the British, Indian, and Nepali flags on top of the highest mountain in the world reminds that all glory is fleeting?