The number of Buddhist centers is increasing in Catalonia, where there is more and more interest in this worship of oriental origin
Saidus 15.05.2014 09:38
Autor/s: Néstor Arrabal Martínez I Lluís Bages Virgili
In recent years, Hollywood actors and actresses, writers or characters from the world of show have already been publicly confessed Buddhists or influenced by Buddhism. This has made this cult more popularity, acquiring a certain glamor and credibility in public opinion.
Catalonia has not remained out of the rise of this philosophy of life, also considered a religion. Although it may seem that 21st century Catalan society is increasingly secular, The fact is that data indicates that a large number of religions so far considered minority are growing around our environment. Immigration is the main cause, multiplying the presence of Muslim faithful, ortodoxos i protestants, But it should also be noted that a good number of Westerners are attracted to Eastern beliefs Like Buddhism. Just observe how the spaces of worship and meditation have been significantly increased in the last ten years: he 2004 eren 28 centres, and there are currently 66, which belong to different disciplines of Buddhism.
Com indicates L’A Agustí Iglesias, technician Directorate General of Religious Affairs of the Generalitat de Catalunya, “The increase in the number of Buddhist centers is not due to immigration, nor to a redistribution of worship centers, but basically obeys to internal reasons for the development of one's own religion ”. For some reason, Buddhism is getting new followers.
A "sympathetic”
Liliana Arroyo, Doctor in Sociology, Researcher and teacher of the University of Barcelona believes that Buddhism is, for now, the religion that has a more understandable message in our house as his speech “is fully compatible with the scientific and rational thought”. Besides, Many associate Buddhism with pacifism and harmony, and usually it can be said to "fall well", as indicates Xavier Fabà, volunteer at the House of Tibet Foundation.
Not only religious entities, but also cultural as the Casa del Tibet Foundation themselves were the first to bring the Buddhist message to Spain and Catalonia, During the first years of the transition. The rept was difficult: fer arribar una forma de vida oriental a una societat que portava segles convivint dia a dia amb l'Església Catòlica. The internationalization and increasing interest in the Tibet got Buddhism a place on the Catalan religious map. Many exiled Tibetan teachers brought their teachings to the West, Where did his message of peace and non-violence root.
An element to take into account can also be the economic crisis. According to Arroyo, “This crisis comes mainly from the Material part of existence, and one of the messages that Buddhism is trying to convey is precisely that the material is not so important ”. It's not strange, therefore, Check that much of the new Catalan Buddhists are people who considered themselves to belong to the middle class of society before the crisis. They constitute, According to Arroyo, the main potential audience of the Buddhist message.
From the new practitioners, All experts agree to highlight the Great names of gifts. Its presence in Buddhist centers is higher than that of men. Mostly it is about professionals liberals like doctors, teachers or psychologists, with a medium-high socioeconomic level and with great cultural capital. Often, many of them have had previous religious experiences of those who have not been very satisfied or have crossed difficult personal moments.
Searching for solutions to troubles showed at once and is not coherent answers is one of the main reasons to get started in Buddhism, ha that focuses on looking for them causes inside the same person. The teachings of this philosophy of life explain that the origin of human suffering is none other than desire. If s’elimina the desig, suffering is eliminated. To achieve this, practitioners must resort to the so -calledNoble Octuple Road, a series of eight vital guidelines marked by the Buddha own.
Unlike other beliefs, Buddhism is based mainly on l’practical scope. This allows many other profiles of Buddhist practitioners to exist. One of them, For example, is that of that person of a fairly high economic level that makes spiritual retreats During a week at the various centers spread out in the mountainous places. On weekdays, Its religious practice is often almost null·the. This fact is not strange in Buddhism. The explanation is found in its own nature: was not born as a religion, but as a philosophy of life preached by Buddha.
For this reason, No sacrilege is considered to remove all the religious component in different practices and stay only with them. In fact, This is what is happening to many sports centers, where meditation classes are offered. Besides, People who belong to other religions, As Catholic include in their day -to -day Buddhist practices. Arroyo calls this phenomenon “Instrumentalization” and claims that it may be the main means of expansion of Buddhism in our territory: “We may be becoming a more Buddhist society becoming more and more, But unknowingly ”.
