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Old 07-15-2010, 08:42 PM
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Default What kind of cults are in Buddhism?

Does Buddhism have any of the following cults: please provide examples like the ones i have to define the terms

Individualistic Cults - It?s a do it your self religion Ex/ saying prayers before going to bed, (just involves you), Buddhism meditation
Communal Cults - A community that get together No full time or part time religion specialist needed
Ecclesiastical Cults - Maintained by social specialists through the social structure Ex/ Priest that can conduct marriages, baptism
Shamanistic Cults - A person that has a special contention to the spirit world, goes directly into the spirit world to find the answers
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Old 07-19-2010, 08:42 PM
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Get back into the kitchen.
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Old 07-20-2010, 08:42 PM
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Confucius is a Buddhist cult. They tried to bend Buddhist teaching to a point that a true Buddhist would not recognize it anymore.
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Old 07-22-2010, 08:42 PM
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Depending on which school of Buddhism, all of the above.
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Old 07-24-2010, 08:42 PM
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Individualistic cults ... yes, people of all religions say prayers when they are by themselves. My daughter is a Lutheran and says prayers every night before climbing into bed. In Buddhism, the term "prayer" only fits in a loose way ... there are no communications made to a higher power. Rather, Buddhist "prayers" most-closely fit the model of cognitive-behavioral therapy with their self-statements and aphorisms designed to bring about a change in attitude.

Communal cults - most Western Buddhist gatherings have a teacher, someone who is well-trained in the practice of Buddhism, who can direct the group. Just as my daughter's Lutheran church has a pastor.

Ecclesiastical cults - there is no baptism in Buddhism. One can get married with or with a monk attending. Ecclesiastical cults are more in the domain of Christianity.

Shamanistic cults - My understanding is that superstitious and uneducated populations in all religions ask for "messages" from some divine source ... I have seen this behavior in documentaries about Catholic populations in South America and Buddhist populations in Mustang (a small isolated kingdom on the edge of Nepal high in the Himalayan mountains) ... also in Tibetan culture with their oracles (although here, the oracles functioned only for the leaders). However, neither Christianity nor Buddhism in the West promotes or teaches shamanistic rituals or attitudes.
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Old 07-26-2010, 08:42 PM
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A type of cult you did not list, and is often seen in Buddhism, is a personality cult, and an example of that is Kunzang Palyul Choling in Poolesville, MD (http://www.tara.org) and their leader Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. Do a Google search and you'll find some info.
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