Buddhism is a genuine religion of peace (although countries associating themselves with buddhism may have done bad things, you'd be hard pressed to find bad things done in the name of buddhism) and is compatible with science.
It would only make sense to found a monastic order to further philosophy and science. Remember monasteries were centers for science in the olden times and that makes total sense to me.
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
-- Albert Einstein
(Obviously this doesn't count for anti-science philosophies, but I think what AE means, is that while science can explain the world, what it can't do, is explain how we are meant to LIVE, and that is where "religion" comes in... you know, morality and stuff)
The other point is, the goal would not be to reject the natives culture and replace it, but to create a blend. For example, though I say I'd teach buddhism, I would not teach of any wise man known as Buddha and I would not recite a single parable from buddhism. I would simply teach the concepts like compassion and the practices like meditation. In this teaching, I would use examples purely from the native's world and experience.
I neglected to mention how I would introduce myself. I would not speak for 30 days. I would go to the tribe and mingle, communicate through smiles and gestures, but not say a single word, simply listening, observing and learning their ways (and just determining the most powerful approach).
Then after the period of silence, I would then speak. And damn, they'd be like ZOMGLISTEN! That's the way to make a first impression (yay myths!) and the process of observation would be necessary anyway to learn how to teach dhamma to the natives in a way they can comprehend.
Religion is a means towards an end, monastic order is a means towards an end.
It would only make sense to found a monastic order to further philosophy and science. Remember monasteries were centers for science in the olden times and that makes total sense to me.
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
-- Albert Einstein
(Obviously this doesn't count for anti-science philosophies, but I think what AE means, is that while science can explain the world, what it can't do, is explain how we are meant to LIVE, and that is where "religion" comes in... you know, morality and stuff)
The other point is, the goal would not be to reject the natives culture and replace it, but to create a blend. For example, though I say I'd teach buddhism, I would not teach of any wise man known as Buddha and I would not recite a single parable from buddhism. I would simply teach the concepts like compassion and the practices like meditation. In this teaching, I would use examples purely from the native's world and experience.
I neglected to mention how I would introduce myself. I would not speak for 30 days. I would go to the tribe and mingle, communicate through smiles and gestures, but not say a single word, simply listening, observing and learning their ways (and just determining the most powerful approach).
Then after the period of silence, I would then speak. And damn, they'd be like ZOMGLISTEN! That's the way to make a first impression (yay myths!) and the process of observation would be necessary anyway to learn how to teach dhamma to the natives in a way they can comprehend.
Religion is a means towards an end, monastic order is a means towards an end.
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