So, I'm done with the Buddhist thread now

[Agent]

What does the last one mean?

[Despanan]

I think it's referring to when people let scripture do their thinking for them.

EDIT: Yeah, that dictum comes out of his criticism of the Vinaya school of Buddhism, who's emphasis was on following a very strict code of monastic conduct all the time.

A modern western equivalent might be someone who makes their version of Christianity about following all the rules outlined in the bible to a "T".

The other three in order are criticism of:

1) The Pure Land School, for teaching that people were too meager to attain enlightenment in this lifetime and had to beg Amida Buddha to save them so they'd be reborn in the buddha's "Pure Land". Pretty much the Buddhist equivalent of "Accept Jesus as your personal savior so you can go to heaven".

2) The Zen School, which encouraged their practitioners to cut themselves off from the world and other people and try to attain enlightenment via navel-gazing seated meditation.

3) The Sacred Word School, which focused on showy esoteric rituals that were supposed to magically bring fortune to their followers and the nation. A modern version might be occultists who think magic is real and can be used for fun and profit.

[dexeron]

A modern version of 3 might also be the so-called "prosperity gospel."

[Despanan]

Yep. exactly.

[Agent]

Would that count if magic was real?

[Despanan]

If it was real, it wouldn't be Occult.

[Agent]

Would you still be a buddhist if you could do magic?

[Despanan]