That religion has intrigued me, and I understand little about it. However, after reading ancient Chinese works like Monkey, I am struck by how Buddhism is slightly cruel. People seem to accept their lot in life because they believe that it is due to something (in the case of the misfortunate) horrible they did in a previous life, thus putting the fault of their own misfortune on themselves. And, of course, the patricians did something good and should be more revered because they were virtuous in a previous life. I may be mistaken, but it seems kind of cruel to me.
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Exactly, that's the point! But normally, when someone from Western culture starts to follow a foreign religion (like Buddism), he only absorbs the "good parts" and ignores all the other countless "holy crap" this religion (like every other religion as well, of course) has.