Addressing Pastor Rony’s Misconceptions
NUSBS has issued a statement addressing the misconceptions held about Buddhism in Pastor Rony Tan’s videos. This statement has also been published on the Kent Ridge Common: http://kentridgecommon.com/?p=6275
Misconception 1: Pastor Rony commented about Buddhist chanting: “One could chant ee-ee-oo-ah-ah, ting-tang-wala-wala-bing-bang, it doesn’t mean anything.”
Answer: Buddhist chanting is not meaningless babble. In Buddhism, chants have definite meanings, contrary to what Pastor Rony’s interviewee claimed. For instance, the chants may refer to the practitioner’s wish to radiate loving-kindness to other beings. Chanting is also an aid to meditation. By focusing on the act of recitation, chanting helps to stop the mind from wandering and instead cultivate inner happiness.
Misconception 2: Pastor Rony said, “The teaching is this, everybody is potentially a god … and you can be above God and be even more powerful than God.”
Answer: Buddhism does not subscribe to the theistic concept of God that is common to the Abrahamic faiths. We believe that everyone has the potential to develop into a Buddha – a perfected being free from hatred, anger, and ignorance.
Misconception 3: Pastor Rony’s interviewee (a former monk) didn’t know what Nirvana was, and said that his fellow monks didn’t know either, implying that Buddhists don’t know what they’re talking about when they refer to Nirvana.
Answer: Nirvana is not a meaningless entity. In conventional language, the best approximate we can say is this: Nirvana is the freedom from the underlying cause of all suffering – the illusion of being a separate self. The word ‘Nirvana’ literally means ‘blowing out’, like the extinguishing of a flame. It’s the extinguishing of all delusions, leading to extraordinary clarity and peace. It is a state that defies conventional language, and belongs to the realm of spiritual attainment, not logical understanding. So we may know what Nirvana is logically, but not know what it is on the experiential level. It is like knowing the possibility of zero-gravity but without the actual experience of weightlessness in space.
Misconception 4: Pastor Rony said, “If something bad [happens], they say it’s because of your karma … If somebody falls sick, oh it’s because of your karma. It’s so easy to explain… It seems that you cannot do anything about the bad things that are happening.”
Answer: The doctrine of karma does not entail fatalism. The word ‘karma’ literally means ‘action’, and refers to our intentional mental actions. What we are now is determined by our thoughts and actions in the past, and similarly, what we will experience in the future is influenced by our thoughts and actions in the present. Karma doesn’t mean that we’re dealt a fixed destiny that we have to passively accept. Our karma continuously changes depending on how we think and act now. By changing our thoughts and behaviour, we can definitely transform the quality of our lives for the better.
Misconception 5: Pastor Rony claimed that Buddhism had simply ‘repackaged’ the doctrine of reincarnation as ‘rebirth’.
Answer: Reincarnation and rebirth are philosophically distinct concepts. Reincarnation is the belief, common to Hinduism and Jainism, that each individual has a soul, and that this soul will travel to another body after death. Rebirth, however, is the theory that there is no such thing as a soul (because each individual is a flowing, continuous process) and it is the mind which establishes itself as a personality, much like how a flame is passed from one candle to another.
Misconception 6: Pastor Rony said, “How could you ever learn from your past life when you do not know what you were or who you were; whether you were a prince or a cockroach, you also don’t know… Surely there isn’t any past life because when you were born as a baby, you started with a new slate with no recollection whatsoever… There is no such thing as a previous life, or to be reborn into the next life.”
Answer: This understanding of the mind stems from John Locke’s epistemological theory of ‘tabula rasa’, which claims that individuals are born as a blank slate, and all their knowledge comes from experience and perception. This theory is still subject to ongoing philosophical debate. In any case, according to the doctrine of rebirth, our thoughts and actions leave imprints on our consciousness which we may not be fully aware of. These imprints result in consequences which come to fruition when causes and conditions allow them to.
Misconception 7: Pastor Rony said, “Ladies should be very offended [by the doctrine of rebirth]… One of the Buddhist persons who argued with me many years ago, he said, ‘…You are such an unbeliever, he said, next life ah, … you’ll be born as a woman!’ So you ladies, don’t believe in reincarnation.”
Answer: Buddhism does not regard women as inferior to men. In fact, the Buddha himself was explicit about treating men and women equally; he initiated women into the Sangha (the Buddhist monastic order) despite fierce controversy. Any sexist sentiments of individuals derive from the attitudes of their cultures, not from Buddhism.
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February 15th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Also why this Ex-monk not read the Buddhist Tri-Pitaka, there have many things about 84,000 Chapters.
Chanting is not real of Buddhist teaching, chanting is from Hindu but that Ex-monk said, Buddhist is chanting sutras only that mainly. When I told my friend about Ex-monk, my friend is very angry about Ex-monk.
I want know, why he want to become monk? please answer in any comment message, Ex-monk destroy Buddha teaching and tell lied.
Peter cheng
February 15th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
The Ex-Buddhist gave wrong information to non-Buddhist, may be all of us must send the real Buddhist teachings to them to understanding, that Ex-Buddhist gave rubbish to them(Audience), that Audience laughed, may be they think Buddhist just like potato(cook half hour then can eat).
That Ex-Buddhist, Karma will attack them, we are Buddhist not need to worry, their karma will arrange for them. But we must protect who come to destroy our Buddhist teaching, we can’t heard in silent, thank you.
Peter Cheng
February 16th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Thanks for this wonderful write-up! I would like encourage you to include a few more misconceptions ( e.g. “The Buddha’s last words were ‘I am still finding the way’…”) and request that it be published on the Straits Time.
While Pastor Rony Tan has apologised for being insensitive to Buddhist, the many misconceptions he made in the video clips were not clarified. To make matter worse, due to the hype surrounding this sage, more than the average number of people would have viewed the video and may go away with a wrong impression of Buddhism.
I think the article could do much more good if it could reach more people.
Do consider my suggestion and a big SADHU for preparing this article!
February 19th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Hi NUSBS,
Thank you for this write-up. Most of these misconceptions exist not because non-Buddhists misunderstood them. Rather, it is because these doctrines are questionable themselves, and hence need further clarification from the Buddhists and further mutual learning from both sides.
The NUSBS’s statement is important for inter-religious understanding. By such correspondence, everyone from every sides may avoid being “obstinately misapprehends what he himself has known, seen and felt; insisting on that alone [and says] ‘Only this is true, anything else is wrong.’” (Maha-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Great Exposition of Kamma, 136).
My reflection on your statement is here, if you are interested to find out: http://szezeng.blogspot.com/2010/02/reflecting-on-national-university-of.html
February 19th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Thank you for coming out with this statement. The statement is important for inter-religious understanding. By such correspondence, everyone from every sides may avoid being “obstinately misapprehends what he himself has known, seen and felt; insisting on that alone [and says] ‘Only this is true, anything else is wrong.’” (Maha-kammavibhanga Sutta: The Great Exposition of Kamma, 136)
My response to the statement is here, if you are interested: http://szezeng.blogspot.com/2010/02/reflecting-on-national-university-of.html
March 6th, 2010 at 12:05 am
Feb 12, 2010
A slippery slope for religious leaders
I REFER to the recent reports on Senior Pastor Rony Tan’s insensitive comments on other religious beliefs.
Religious leaders should refrain from interpreting the teachings of other religions, especially when addressing a congregation, or in any form of media which is accessible to the public.
The scriptures of major religions are all valuable intellectual writings which can give rise to differing interpretations, even within a generic religious community.
Quoting out of context and misrepresentations are some inevitable pitfalls of any untrained interpretations. At their worst, interpretations can be grossly inaccurate, warped and offensive.
Social harmony is of paramount importance. It is a slippery slope when a religious leader promotes his faith by denigrating other faiths.
I appeal to all religious leaders to promote their faiths by expounding the merits of their teachings.
Insinuations, be they direct or implied, are unavoidable when comparisons are made. This may create a rift within the basic family unit, lead to misunderstandings between communities and threaten the cohesive fabric of our peaceful society.
Let us all be wiser after this episode. It is not so very difficult to be understanding as well as accommodative of the religious beliefs and related customs of family members, neighbours and the society at large.
Vincent Lai
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Reproduced above was my letter published in the Forum of the Straits Times on 12 February 2010. The above letter summed up my thoughts, in a nutshell, on Rony Tan’s insinuations with regard to Buddhism and Taoism.
Subsequently, I have read comments in our major dailies and also browsed through several websites to have a feel of the general responses to this episode.
The comments and debates in Mr. Chua Chin Leng’s blog (mysingaporenews.blogspot) are very lively and interesting. However, I would like to caution that we must never allow any comments, debates and arguments to degenerate into mudslinging.
Objective and constructive criticisms should be directed at Rony Tan, and not Christianity. Please exercise restraint and put a stop to anything DISRESPECTFUL and offensive. Otherwise, you will find yourselves tumbling down the same slippery slope.
Some clarifications on Buddhism in the NUS Buddhist Society’s website and the moonpointer.com have been very timely, informative and enlightening.
Various thoughts flowed through my mind in the past weeks. This prompted me to sum up my thoughts again. I will now attempt to go a little further.
The Video Clips
I have watched the video clips. What impressed me was Rony Tan’s eloquence and flare in public speaking. I would like to compliment Rony for his talents and his dogged commitment to sharing his religious beliefs. Notwithstanding, the ruckus today would not have taken place if he had used his flare to proselytise by just propounding the good teachings of his religious beliefs. Any reference and comparisons to other religious beliefs, if necessary, should have been done in an INFORMED, ACCURATE, INTELLECTUAL AND ACADEMIC manner.
Perhaps, in the first place, the two “ex-monk” and “ex-nun”, Joseph and Rita, should not have agreed to assist in publicly denouncing other religions. If they had thought through the matter maturely, they should have first questioned themselves as to how much they know about Buddhism although they professed to have been a Buddhist monk and nun respectively. It is an extremely serious matter, both legally and morally, to publicly imply that a certain set of beliefs is demonic when one is not even well-versed with that set of beliefs.
Both religious leaders and their followers need to have maturity and a strong sense of moral and social responsibility in the course of spreading their faiths. Explicit or implicit condemnation of other religions is tantamount to driving a wedge between one community and another. This will certainly have dire effects on the long term harmony and social cohesion of a nation. We should always remind ourselves that a peaceful and stable society is a necessary prerequisite for practicing and spreading the good teachings of one’s religious beliefs.
ISD? / Police?
Many have questioned why Rony Tan was let off after having been given just a slap on the wrist by the Internal Security Department (ISD). There were many calls for his arrest and prosecution by the Police.
Let us attempt to put the issue in perspective. Rony Tan is a senior pastor with tens of thousands of followers. He is a respected religious leader in a privileged position, especially through the PULPIT, to exert influence on a very sizeable following. We should never compare him to some youthful and seemingly immature persons who uttered some insensitive and offensive stuff through Facebook. The former shapes and influences the WORLD VIEW of a religious community which may have undesirable long term social implications. The latter is a group of pranksters who immediately invited condemnation from all corners.
I am of the opinion that the authorities have acted most timely and appropriately. The magnitude and long term implications of the matter require the weight of the ISD and the ISA. The message is now loud and clear for ALL religious leaders. On the other hand, pranksters can be effectively dealt with by the Police.
Clarifications Of Misconceptions Within The Christian Community?
There were calls for Rony to be briefed on the misconceptions that he had on other religions. In the same vein, some have also called for the clarifications of misconceptions within the Christian community at large.
There are very basic and IRRECONCILABLE differences between religious beliefs. Perhaps matured intellectual and academic exchanges for purposes of mutual respect and mutual understanding may pave the way for social and religious harmony. However, any form of exchange would not be effective if Christian leaders were to emphasise the dichotomy between God and Satan to the extent of demonising all other religious beliefs without due regard to the common secular space that we share every day.
It becomes divisive. The perceived difference between “I” and “you” become unconsciously, subconsciously or consciously accentuated. We are already divided along the lines of language, ethnicity, perceived socio-economic status, etc. Let us not add another dimension in the form of religious beliefs. Religious ideologies can be a very powerful and influential dimension that may drive the wedge starting from the family.
The Rony Tan case, which surfaced because of the video clips being made public through the internet, may just be the tip of the iceberg. We are not certain as to how often do MISINTERPRETATION, MISREPRESENTATION, BELITTLING and CONDEMNATION of other religious beliefs and practices occur when religious leaders address their followers within closed doors. These distorted representations may be explicit, implicit or subtle. The damaging effects on our social fabric may not be immediately visible. However, the undercurrents may turn into tidal waves one day.
Reminder
Perhaps, it may be more effective for ONE AND ALL to be reminded of the fact that we live in a larger society. There must always be a good balance between the pursuit of religious ideals and this-worldly realities. One of the realities is the need to build a peaceful and harmonious environment. A peaceful environment is essential for practicing and propagating religious beliefs. This will in turn contribute towards our long term survival as a nation.
Cracks within a society can be formed over a period of time if we are not careful in identifying and checking the subtleties of today that may lead to undesirable outcomes for tomorrow. As responsible members of the community, we have a duty to blow the whistle when such subtleties are identified.
Compulsory Membership Of The NCCS?
Some have also called for the compulsory membership of the National Council Of Churches Of Singapore (NCCS) for all churches. To be fair, we will also need to enforce compulsory membership of the Buddhist Federation, Taoist Federation, etc. for religious groups of the respective faiths. We are then implying that the respective councils or federations shall henceforth, over and above religious matters, be responsible for defining the out-of -bound (OB) markers for their members.
If we were to take this a step further, are we going to have various agencies to also clearly define OB markers for our secular life? Who should define the OB markers? What aspects of our lives should OB markers be defined? What are the OB markers to be defined in each aspect? …… There will be no end to defining OB markers once we get started.
Have we not come of age after more than forty years of independence? We ought to wake up if we have not. Let us keep in mind the fact that we need to live in harmony with our family, neighbours and the community. Let us be guided by our common sense.
Last but not least, let this be a lesson for ALL of us.
Vincent Lai W. Y.
B.A.(1985), B.Soc.Sci.(Hons.)(1986), NUS
March 7th, 2010 at 11:51 am
I feel Christians should read about other religions.The idea that Jesus appeared before Buddha at his death bed to claim
he is the way is highly ridiculous. Buddha was more than 400years before Jesus. Rony Tan does not know Buddhism nor
does he know history. But what worries me the most is churches stationing youths at MRT stations and outside schools to
distribute pamphlets and to proclaim theirs is the One and Only Way. It may anger other youths and involve adults and a
religious riot may result. I also wonder why the pastor was just given a warning for giving such dangerous statements.
I believe other churches may be doing so. Singaporeans want harmony and double standards put a question mark to how
rony tan was treated. Why is it that after 85 police reports , there is no action taken? At least an explanation should be
issued. Just because we Buddhists exercise loving kindness and compassion, it does not mean that other religions might
not be offended. I love Singapore and certainly would not like to see the riots I have seen before.
May Singapore be peaceful always.
May all beings be well and happy ( even rony tan after his punishment)
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