What does the _concept_ of religion mean to you personally? How does the _idea_ of religion itself make you feel?
I am totally okay with the concept of religion. The first book I read on Buddhism was Damien Keown’s little book called A Short Introduction to Buddhism. In it he introduced me to Ninian Smart’s model of the Seven Dimensions of Religion. I post a paraphrased version I created below.
Seven Dimensions of Religion based on the Ninian Smart Model
Practical and Ritual -- Practices such as
worship, prayer, regular gatherings, rites of passage
Experiential and Emotional -- Includes religious experiences such as visions, revelations, enlightenment, and general religious ecstasy -- The acute and earth-shaking, as well as the gentler, more mundane religious feelings.
Narrative or Mythic -- Stories that explain and inspire. The "story side" of a religion; includes written as well as oral tales, formal as well as informal teachings, alternative histories, and predictions.
Doctrinal or Philosophical -- The official, formal teachings that underpin the narrative/mythic parts of a religion, though it's important to note that the doctrine doesn't necessarily predate the narrative. Creeds and scripture representing formal teachings are included in this dimension.
Ethical and Legal -- The laws, formal and moral, that shape behavior.
Social and Institutional -- Requires physical form. The Social Dimension consists of the formal organization, such as the church, mosque, synagogue, sangha and other institutions that may come about as a result of the religion; for instance the Salvation Army and Meditation Retreat Centers.
Material -- An outgrowth of religious experience/encounter. This dimension contains all the physical creations of a religion, including buildings and architecture, icons, art, instruments of ritual, music, and symbol. It also includes natural features of the earth which may be important to the system, for instance sacred mountains, stones, holy ground, Jerusalem, etc. The objects of the material dimension may be stunning, elegant works of art, or they may be very simple and plain creations.
I feel that Buddhism, or my practice and sense of Buddhism touches upon or I would like it to touch upon many of these dimensions.
- How familiar are you with the history and origin of the idea of religion (the concept, not the phenomenon)?
Religion is a construct defined by scholars and practitioners in many different ways. There is no one definition of religion that all will agree with! It is hard to say if you feel what you do is religious unless you have a working definition of religion. The term religion was created by people-- Westerners, scholars that needed to explain beliefs and practices of various cultures, so that these beliefs and practices could be studied and categorized. I believe the term “religion” is a relatively new concept –perhaps nineteenth century. This is my surface understanding of he concept.
- Why do you choose to engage with Buddhism as a religion rather than just as a body of valuable wisdom and practices? For me the path of Buddhism and taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha is a sacred way of being in the world; it is a way of moving toward and experiencing happiness (sukha-what I understand the Buddha ultimately discovered). Based on my experience, practice is a sacred activity. Meditation is noble, choosing not to step on the spider has an aspect of the sacred (reverence and respect), pausing to really observe and run my hand across a homing pigeon’s back noting the silky feathers is a mindful moment that, for me, has a sacred element. By sacred I mean reference, respect, mindfulness, and a calm way of being in the moment.
- For you personally, what elements of Buddhism need to be viewed through the lens of "religion"? I am not sure any of the elements “need” to be viewed through the lens of religion. I’m not sure what you mean.
- Is meditation inherently a religious activity? It is a noble activity.
- Is lovingkindness inherently a religious activity? You do not have to be religious to practice lovingkindness. Practicing lovingkindness is also a noble activity . These are the questions I feel able to answer clearly. I am not defending a position, I’m just sharing how I perceive my understanding of my practice at this point in my life.