Celebrity Buddhist Watch…
1st December 2006
Okay – we talked about Richard Gere: I suggest we now collect examples of pop-stars and other celebs giving their views on Buddhism – and indeed other spiritual matters: I will start with Ricky Martin (remember him?) talking on Buddhist Philosophty, as reported in an Indian newspaper at: http://www.dailyindia.com/show/86856.php/Ricky-Martin-admires-Buddhist-philosophy
more examples welcome (maybe we should have a prize for the best/worst?) – so use comments to nominate the naffest news story of Celebrity Buddhist matters – or equivalents…
Dave.
I know Lisa Simpson says she is a Buddha….
Or Buddhist? But, yes – she is… Maybe a better one than many celebrity Buddhists?
sorry lol Buddhist! I’m slowly losing my mind….
does the Dali Lama count?
It’s ironic that celebrities – who generally have the most in material terms and also in terms of human adulation – should be drawn to a philosophy (Buddhism couldn’t really be called a religion since it’s atheistic) that recommends they eschew the very circumstances that gave them their celebrity in the first place.I’m reading a book introducing the basic ideas of Buddhism and it’s very, very interesting. Pondering over the Noble Eightfold Path – ie meditating on your behaviour measured against 8 rules in the Buddhist code – seems a pretty profound – and, ultimately, very useful thing to do.So let’s hear it for the fat man – and if a few celebs enrich their lives with something a little deeper than what they do in their day jobs then it’s all to the good.
Buddhism isn’t neccesarily atheistic. The Buddha himself rejected metaphysical speculation as a matter of principle, and his teachings focused entirely on the practical ways to end suffering. Buddha did not explicitly rule out the existence of a God or gods, and very shortly after his death a devotional element formed within Buddhism. Stupas were built to contain relics of the Buddha and pilgrimmages were made to places where he had walked.