Misconceptions Of Modern Buddhism

Buddhists beliefs and practices in the West have been evolving over years into their own separate activities and outlets for practicing mindfulness. I would say this is mostly due to Buddhism not having a set system of instruction or a specific direction it is headed. Misconceptions in modern Buddhism include focuses in being compassionate and being able to obtain a more pseudo, hyper awareness of one’s surroundings. These misconceptions stem from traditional buddhism focusing on the reality of all life and those of the past and future, along with the important connections being made over time. Modern buddhism seems to have its roots planted deep into who is capable of being targeted and what will they be targeted for. This is where the authenticity
Within the mainstreaming of Buddhism a lot of traditions seemed to be lost, but a lot also seem to be maintained or even regained. These losses put an impact on the authenticity and connection of modern Buddhism compared to tradition. From normal societal pressures, diet plays a large part in an individual’s life. It is the sustenance that creates the fuel for one to live. It also is the sustenance that one usually has control over in their life. With control comes the need to be mindful. Wilson states that in traditional Buddhism, life is a hardship and it is perpetual, never ending (116). It is recommended to find a way to escape this unfortunate depressive cycle with things that not only nourish the soul, but the body as well. It is suggested that one uses food and control one’s diet. Mindful eating is a
On page 116, Wilson talks about unbalanced consumption is considered more of an addiction and reducing the portions or meal sizes would be the easy solution. I disagree with this, however, because of serious health factors. If one is seeking to practice, or is practicing Buddhism in America specifically, they may have encountered the “Buddha Bowl” or the “Buddha Diet”. In marketing Buddhism, this is one of the strategies to sell this practice and make it a fun hobby rather than a spiritual practice. It doesn’t promote mindfulness as traditional Buddhism is more focused on. As everyone knows, every human boy is different with a few similarities. For example, every human has a way of metabolizing food, but everyone metabolizes food differently and needs more, or less, of certain nutrients. Additionally, everyone has a different required calorie intake. It was stated by another author that the troubles we have with food can lead to mental disorders that are capable of breaking us down. These illnesses are big factors that pay into premature death, other chronic diseases, and more. This is why this specific link should not be dismissed. I don’t believe that traditional Buddhism focuses on dying prematurely just to maintain a mindful lifestyle. In fact, it would be the exact opposite of being mindful of your diet and