What's the difference between Spirituality and Buddhism?

What is the difference between Buddhism and Spirituality? Is it that they have "Belief" first, then "Experience." Or that it is anothers teaching? The thing is I agree a lot what the Buddhists have to say about staying Present and illusions. Any opinions?

Greetings..

Originally Posted by moke64916

What is the difference between Buddhism and Spirituality? Is it that they have "Belief" first, then "Experience." Or that it is anothers teaching? The thing is I agree a lot what the Buddhists have to say about staying Present and illusions. Any opinions?

Spirituality is the inherent awareness that we are "parts of a greater whole", Buddhism is a particular belief about the relationship between the parts and the whole..

Be well..

Originally Posted by moke64916

What is the difference between Buddhism and Spirituality?

Buddhism offers its own brand of spirituality.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Buddhism is Spirituality.

I agree with Eudaimonist & TzuJanLi, more or less.

Buddhism is a religious interpretation of spiritual/transcendent/whatever experiences. Although it may emphasize 'experience' rather than belief, it's still a religion with it's own notions on how things work, that will influence the things it's adherents experience, to a fair degree.

depends what kind of buddhism. For me, buddhism is a religion - but the true path and the comprehension of enlightenment over spiritual ascension or elitist spiritualities like abrahism and 'you can only be in it if you join' idea.

The actual reality is that enlightenment, which is the real meaning of buddhism and should be more accurately targetted is a fundamental tool for living life. Simple as. Spirituality tends to be for the future, buddhism creates heaven in the present in a way that isn't 'believe based' and instead relies on the intelligent ability to comprehend concepts of psychology which perpetuate healthy thoughts and intelligent and grounded common sense and compassion. There's really no 'spirit' involved in knowing what buddha means - just present.

The reason buddhism isn't popular with spiritualists unless they rehash it into more afterlife, spirit world, hidden ****, occult doo dah is because buddhism doesn't say 'there's something magical out there waiting for you'. it says 'stop pretending stuff, and for 15 minutes of your life get with the actual reality of it without entertaining and distracting yourself'.

the reward of this is so immense that it makes all religions, all spiritualities including buddhism and buddhist traditions and all paths become a small part of a small world on a speck in space. There's nothing wrong with that, but with that understanding you can't suffer.

so.. spirituality is entertainment.
buddhism (if the teacher is enlightened) is turning off the TV and finding beauty in doing the dishes.

Spirituality is a very broad category. It often delves into the nuances about our nonphysical soul/spirit such as our reason for BEing & our connection to the energies we see as God, & our connection to the broader Universe (if we see this as different from what we call God). Some include a code of morality in this broad category of spirituality. Some don't.

Spirituality does not necessarily involve an organized religion, but for those whose beliefs are anchored by a particular religion they will see THEIR religion & spirituality as indivisible. Others who aren't into the organized religion thing will see spirituality as completely separate from organized religion.

Organized religions offer a particular specific ordered belief system to explain these spiritual things. Some religions deny other beliefs as valid, insisting that their belief is the only valid one. Some are more tolerant of others' beliefs. Some organized religions get it more right than others, but all have their inherent problems, rigidity of beliefs being a common thread. Although virtually all religion's beliefs have changed markedly over time this flexibility is seldom recognized as a productive as most organized religions want their flock to look at their beliefs as rock solid & NOT transmutable. They seldom encourage their members to look at new beliefs, fearful that this will cause the flock to stray (read: stop funding them).

Buddhism is a particular belief system, one of the organized religions.

Some people have a fluid spirituality that freely borrows from many of the organized religions’ beliefs, while adhering to none of them. Those who cleave to organized religion often think this is religion-light, & that those who hold this view are lacking in faith or real religious focus. Religious slackers!! LOL. They view their form of spirituality being defined by an organized religion as more genuine. While they have the right to believe whatever they want, this doesn't make their view accurate.

The ability to remain open-minded about religious beliefs examining new ones is a great asset when thinking about spirituality & navigating our journey. It is perfectly natural that as we expand our consciousness & grow spiritually/energetically that we will see things in a new way. What is a belief at one portion of our journey can be highly limiting at another portion of it. This spiritual flexibility opens the door to tremendous growth as it allows for exploring & adopting new beliefs & using what works for us today, not yesterday or tomorrow. Change is the constant in the Universe & is desirable in us.

Agree with Eudaimonist. Spirituality is a very, very, very general term; Buddhism is a specific form of it. (Yes it is also a whole series of religions and philosophies as well.)

Greetings..

Originally Posted by breath

depends what kind of buddhism. For me, buddhism is a religion - but the true path and the comprehension of enlightenment over spiritual ascension or elitist spiritualities like abrahism and 'you can only be in it if you join' idea.

The actual reality is that enlightenment, which is the real meaning of buddhism and should be more accurately targetted is a fundamental tool for living life. Simple as. Spirituality tends to be for the future, buddhism creates heaven in the present in a way that isn't 'believe based' and instead relies on the intelligent ability to comprehend concepts of psychology which perpetuate healthy thoughts and intelligent and grounded common sense and compassion. There's really no 'spirit' involved in knowing what buddha means - just present.

The reason buddhism isn't popular with spiritualists unless they rehash it into more afterlife, spirit world, hidden ****, occult doo dah is because buddhism doesn't say 'there's something magical out there waiting for you'. it says 'stop pretending stuff, and for 15 minutes of your life get with the actual reality of it without entertaining and distracting yourself'.

the reward of this is so immense that it makes all religions, all spiritualities including buddhism and buddhist traditions and all paths become a small part of a small world on a speck in space. There's nothing wrong with that, but with that understanding you can't suffer.

so.. spirituality is entertainment.
buddhism (if the teacher is enlightened) is turning off the TV and finding beauty in doing the dishes.

Well, that's an interesting interpretation.. but, it's just an interpretation, Buddhism is no less "afterlife, spirit world, hidden ****, occult doo dah" than anything else, regardless of the interpretation..

As you suggest, a simple glimpse of Life, as it 'is' wipes away all other 'interpretations', including Buddhism, Taoism, and all the other 'isms'.. and, it is as simple as actually observing/experiencing Life with a 'still-mind', without any preconceptions or expectations.. that instant of clarity, inspires the remainder of your understandings about Life..

Be well..

Be well..

Originally Posted by mattie

Spirituality does not necessarily involve an organized religion, but for those whose beliefs are anchored by a particular religion they will see THEIR religion & spirituality as indivisible.

I've noticed this as well. And furthermore, they will often define spirituality in terms of their religious worldview. To them, spirituality can only be spoken of in terms of their religious concepts, and so people from other religions (or no religion) will not so readily be regarded as spiritual.

So, I tend to take a very broad view of what it is to be "spiritual". So broad that even atheists can be fully spiritual, and even if they don't believe in life after death or other familiar trappings of religious spirituality. Being spiritual does not mean sharing the exact same spiritual realizations of others, but pursuing and having one's own realizations.

It is perfectly natural that as we expand our consciousness & grow spiritually/energetically that we will see things in a new way.

And that is the heart of what spirituality is -- learning to see things in a new way. This transforms one's perspective on the deep issues of life, and thus transforms the way in which one relates to everything else, and how one lives one's life.


eudaimonia,

Mark