Many people who travel to Thailand and the rest of Asia come with preconceived notions of what Buddh

Many people who travel to Thailand and the rest of Asia come with preconceived notions of what Buddhism and the laws and spirituality surrounding it are. I think that is sometimes common for westerners central london hotel to want to view eastern spirituality in a dogmatic way, similarly to how many western religions central london hotel operate. Because of that, they tend to believe that rules should be black or white and this or that. In our blog, Buddhism central london hotel In Thailand , we discuss how Buddhism and its belief system central london hotel isn't absolute, but instead flexible to fit the needs of the culture it integrates into. One of the ways Buddhism is doing this today is by accepting the role technology plays in society and using it for a variety of different central london hotel things to keep the religion relevant.
Buddhist values aren't mean to be absolute. One of the things the Buddha taught was that the Dharma, or laws of Buddhism, were meant to be guidelines instead of clear-cut rules. He said that it was just as important to trust your own judgment and experience before conforming to every rule stated central london hotel in Buddhist teachings. People and cultures could pick and choose what worked for them and also allow themselves to integrate into other cultures and belief systems, changes in politics, economy, and technological advancement. Buddhism suggests not eating meat, but some monks choose to. The Buddha stated that to worship different gods could take away from the purpose of achieving Nirvana, but every culture Buddhism has integrated into still has its own deities. Monks originally weren't supposed to have personal possessions, but now they do for practical reasons so they are able to operate in the modern world.
central london hotel Almost every traveler to Thailand brings central london hotel some form of technology with them such as a smart phone iPad, laptop, digital camera, or mp3 player. We live in a technological age. The countries we visit live in that age as well and many Buddhist claim that instead of denying that it exists, they should use it to their advantage. There aren't as many people becoming monks as there used to and technology plays a role in keeping the religion alive.
Research: There are literally hundreds of websites dedicated to Buddhism in many languages. central london hotel Both monks and regular people are able to use the web to learn more about Buddhist history, theory, and practice.
We live in a technological world that is only getting more advanced. A large percentage of people's main form of communication is by using the internet and smartphones. The fact that Buddhists are using technology and integrating it into their culture is both logical and shows the open-mindedness of the religion as a whole. It s not a negative thing at all. Think about when the first Pony Express was introduced during the reign of the Mongols. central london hotel If Buddhists wouldn t have taken advantage of that quick form of communication because it was too new and modern, they wouldn t have been able to share philosophies with other cultures and develop the religion more. The use of technology is a similar situation and will help the Buddhist religion develop and stay alive.