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It is a wrong belief that Buddhism is negative. On the contrary, it teaches us to live in the present world and not place too much hope in an afterworld. And this is despite of the pain and suffering. How do we accept that? How do we accept misfortune that has befallen upon us? Put it on your Karma. Like reincarnation, the concept of karma existed before Buddhism. We should not place too much worldly meaning to it. It is just used as a tool to explain difficult to understand concepts. Indeed if the present life is found too demanding, death would be welcomed deliverance and Buddhism teaches us not to cling on to permanence. Death becomes easier to accept for yourself or for your loved ones. There a Buddhist concept (not in the early teachings) that was illustrated in the Ten pictograms of the Ox in which a good Buddhist goes through life, first getting rid of unnecessary desires and performing good deals, then helping others to achieve enlightening, eventually attaining enlightening himself and then returning in one full circle as a normal person and doing things what a normal person would do as if nothing matters. If you really need to combine modern reality of profit making with being a Buddhist, read some books by Suzuki who tried to show Zen Buddhism can coexist with business making in the modern world. I am not a Buddhist but if forced to choose a religion, I will choose this one. Ever wonder why if you go into a Buddhist temple, whether you are a Christian, a Hindhu or nobody, and you ask for food or other help, you will be helped? Most other religions are too preoccupied with helping their own kind because in Buddhism there is no thing as Self.
buddhisum does not teaches us to live in the present world and not place too much hope in an afterworld. if not , why use recarnation to inject fear in ppl ?
if we should not place too much worldly meaning to it ..then why use it as a tools to explain concepts ? its like comparing apple with oranges ...
different religions painted different image for their own organisation . for christains , they painted whoever join their organisation is treated as " brothers or sisters " ..for buddhisum they painted a different image ...which is to treat all humans with welcome arms ...end of the day ...all those religion only have one goal that is to recuit more members to their organisation ...period .