As an historian of religions I study and comment on what people say and do. As for the Tibetan traditions of omens, as I noted in the pod, they are undoubtedly connected to earlier Buddhist concepts going back at least as far as the legend of the historical Buddha. When we study religions it is important that we understand principally what people believe to be true (and how they act on those beliefs). That was my point in explaining this cultural historical phenomonen.
I hope that was in a good way. Thanks for writing. The issue of this child's life being co-opted by a religious destiny imposed upon him by his elders is more than a little troubling to me. I was heartened to hear that his mother says he doesn't have to do it if he reaches 18 and has different ideas. But by then won't he be who they have made him? All very complicated.
I too am ambivalent about the issue. This is their tradition, their world, and I have respect for people living their lives as they see fit. I have my own ideas about the sacrality of personal autonomy and deep aversion to any and all religious indoctrination of the young---so this also makes me wince.
The best and most comprehensible (by far!) explanation of reincarnation I've ever heard--thank you for this, DB! I'm considering your quote above (the "aversion to any and all religious indoctrination of the young"): do you distinguish this from other cultural training? As you described karma, I felt the walls of individual choice closing in...is free will left simply an illusion, a confluence of past events and context creating the next moment? (Also, still wondering about the Cyrillic in these Substack transcripts...? 😉)
As an historian of religions I study and comment on what people say and do. As for the Tibetan traditions of omens, as I noted in the pod, they are undoubtedly connected to earlier Buddhist concepts going back at least as far as the legend of the historical Buddha. When we study religions it is important that we understand principally what people believe to be true (and how they act on those beliefs). That was my point in explaining this cultural historical phenomonen.
That was a fast 59 minutes.
I hope that was in a good way. Thanks for writing. The issue of this child's life being co-opted by a religious destiny imposed upon him by his elders is more than a little troubling to me. I was heartened to hear that his mother says he doesn't have to do it if he reaches 18 and has different ideas. But by then won't he be who they have made him? All very complicated.
I’m not sure where I stand on this issue but your podcast sure is making me think.
I too am ambivalent about the issue. This is their tradition, their world, and I have respect for people living their lives as they see fit. I have my own ideas about the sacrality of personal autonomy and deep aversion to any and all religious indoctrination of the young---so this also makes me wince.
The best and most comprehensible (by far!) explanation of reincarnation I've ever heard--thank you for this, DB! I'm considering your quote above (the "aversion to any and all religious indoctrination of the young"): do you distinguish this from other cultural training? As you described karma, I felt the walls of individual choice closing in...is free will left simply an illusion, a confluence of past events and context creating the next moment? (Also, still wondering about the Cyrillic in these Substack transcripts...? 😉)