Tiger Woods and Buddhism

Miami Heat small forward LeBron James moves with the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) defends during the first half at Game 1 of the NBA finals basketball series, Tuesday, June 12, 2012, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) / Jeff Roberson

In his statement today about his recovery from the failings that have impacted his family and career, golfer Tiger Woods vowed a return to the teachings of Buddhism which had guided him since childhood.

Part of his therapeutic quest, Woods said, would be Buddhism, "which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years.

"Buddhism teaches that a creation of things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught."

Woods said that while he will continue to pursue therapy, one thing he has learned is "the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping [it] in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered, so I can see the things that are most important to me: My marriage and my children."

According to Reuters and Times of London interviews in March 2008, when asked if he were a practicing Buddhist, Woods said he practices meditation, and has attended temple with his mother, but stressed the tenets of Buddhism about internal growth: "In the Buddhist religion you have to work for it yourself, internally, in order to achieve anything in life and set up the next life."

He said his mother has preached to him that "you have to work for everything in life, and you get out of it what you put into it. So you're going to have to work your butt off in every aspect of your life. That's one of the things people see in what I do on the golf course, but that's just one small facet of my life."

"I believe in Buddhism. Not every aspect, but most of it," Woods told Sports Illustrated in 1996. "So I take bits and pieces. I don't believe that human beings can achieve ultimate enlightenment, because humans have flaws."

The foundation of Buddhist philosophy is ethics, James Shaheen, editor and publisher of the Buddhist magazine Tricycle, told the Associated Press: "An ethical life leads to a life of less suffering."

Buddhists are taught that redemption for unethical actions is sought not through an omnipotent figure but through oneself.

Fox News commentator Brit Hume raised a stir last month when he suggested that the only way for avowed Buddhist Woods to achieve forgiveness and redemption was to "turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world."

That stirred the ire of many Buddhists, including Robert Thurman, a professor of Tibetan studies at Columbia University, who called Hume's assertion that the Buddhist faith does not provide for forgiveness or redemption "ridiculous."

"It is insulting to Buddhism to indicate that Buddhism doesn't take care of its own believers and followers. But I think he will discover that Buddhists are very forgiving about his stupid statements," Thurman told the Associated Press.

Complete Tiger Woods coverage:

Tiger: "I Am Deeply Sorry"
Tiger Won't "Rule Out" Golf Return in 2010
Watch Tiger Woods' Statement
Reaction Divided over Tiger's Apology
Scott Tinley: And There It Is - Tiger's Polished Apology
Photos: Tiger Apologizes
CBSSports.com's Steve Elling Blogs about Tiger
Steve Elling: Tiger Must Serve Penance for Repentance to Be Believed
Mike Freeman: Tiger's Words Were Strong But Will Change Follow? Doubtful
Ray Ratto: Tiger's Apology Far Too Public for Private Problems
Tiger the Pitchman Not Out of the Woods
Analyst: We Just Want Tiger Back
Mid-Apology, Tiger Denies Drug Use
Text of Tiger Woods' Statement
Tiger Woods Word Cloud
Tiger Woods and Buddhism

[GWonderwheel]

The story has an error in the quotation. He did not say "Buddhism teaches that a creation of things outside ourselves ...." he said "Buddhism teaches that a craving of things outside ourselves...." Woods was referring to the Second Noble Truth of Buddha's Four Noble Truths that says, "Suffering is caused by thirst and craving."

[scubbasteve01]

Top 20 Things Tiger Shouldn't Say At His Press Conference

20) " Good morning, and thank you for joining me. I hope most of you have already got in your morning sex and are about to have some during lunch-time too after my statement. Everyone has a good reason to be critical of me since you all know I have a problem keeping my pants on. I want to be simple and direct. I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in even though this is rehearsed. I thought the rules didn't apply to me. But they do. I've never done any performance enhancing drugs. I have had Minute Maid and sniffed a little glue at one time or another like anybody else. I would like to ask the press to leave my wife and kids alone. I can verify any rumors about anymore infidelity to them without your help. I must start living a life of integrity without wild unprotected sex that can get caught by the press. Character and decency are important when using Trojan condoms. They do say that the ribbed ones are the best ones for true pleasure. I strayed away from Buddhism and went straight into hard core Bootyism. "
19 ) " I am sorry that I was caught and now have to apologize to so many women that I will never have sex with."'
18) '' When hearing my caddy scream hole in one. I had no idea how many holes I could get into off of the course."
17 ) " Yes, I AM TIGER. I AM TIGER. I AM A SEX MACHINE. I AM A GIGOLO. I AM MAN. THEY ARE WOMEN.
I AM A SEX ADDICT. I'M NOT ARROGANT. I'M TRYING TO APOLOGIZE. ''
16) '' I apologize to my wife and my fans. Because I had so many women on my TO DO LIST.''
15) '' My 9 clubs are usually saved for the golfing tour and not for my head. Elin never hit me on Thanksgiving night even though I was the real turkey. She did however threaten me several times during our arguments about how she desperately wanted to cut my b****off. Some people have made up thing that never happened. Like saying I had sex with another Hooters girl in the back of her car. Elin deserves praise and not blame. I was caught for being a bad cheater. That's why! Whenever I play I say foursome. I mean FOUR! ''
14) " It was never my intention to engage in any lascivious behavior with any Disney Characters. "
13) I am sorry that I didn't know about the settings on my I-Phone before this happened to me. My failures have made me realize if you're going to cheat then do it the smart way. "
12) '' I do believe that all fire hydrants should be safe for the fire departments and dogs to use.''
11)'' Yes, I was sex-texting before I had my crash."
10) I don't need racial diversity training like people think. Yes, I know some of them were s****s and weren't black women. But somebody had to hit it.
9) I received no personal consultation from Congressman Joe Wilson and his white supremacy group Sons OF The Confederacy on the rules of lying.
8) '' I NEVER had sex with that woman! But I did have sex with that woman."
7) '' No I haven't gotten any email from the Pope about my playlist. Noo! No! My music playlist. ''
6) '' No, I don't endorse sex with animals like some people do."
5) '' Yes, I do endorse hanging out with girl groupies like John Mayer and saying the '' N'' word.
4) '' I'm sorry, son. I'm not your father. But I did have sex with your mother."
3) '' No, I don't have a Top Ten List of Women for the Lettermen Show.''
2) '' No! No! The rumors about a Tiger Woods SEX App for the I-Phone are all untrue. As I continue to move forward. I will still look at women with really big booties. I will return to golf one day and have those great sudden death matches that I used to have without jumping in bed with many women."

Top 20 Reason No. 1

'' Finally, there are many people in this room and at home who believe in me. Today I ask for your help and that you find room in your heart to believe in me again yes, me, Tiger Woods. A $billion dollar athlete who has had sex with many women and wants sympathy from everybody while more important things are going on in the world. Look! The rumors about me being booked through out the summer at the Bunny Ranch in Las Vegas are false. Thank you. "

WHO CARES? Could switching to GEICO now save him 15% or more on his car insurance? Are his girlfriends also insured? Will cartoon Icon Bugs Bunny finally eat fricassee of rabbit? Will Elmer Fudd finally get proper pronunciation locked down? WHAT? Is he crying?

[scubbasteve01]

Top 20 Things Tiger Shouldn't Say At His Press Conference

20) " I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in even though this is rehearsed. I thought the rules didn't apply to me. But they do.
I strayed away from Buddhism and went straight into hard core Bootyism. "
19 ) " I am sorry that I was caught and now have to apologize to so many women that I will never have sex with."'
18) '' When hearing my caddy scream hole in one. I had no idea how man holes I could get into off of the course."
17 ) " Yes, I AM TIGER. I AM TIGER. I AM A SEX MACHINE. I AM A GIGOLO. I AM MAN. THEY ARE WOMEN.''
16) '' I apologize to my wife and my fans. Because I had so many women on my TO DO LIST.''
15) '' My 9 clubs are usually saved for the golfing tour and not for my head. Elin never hit me.
Whenever I say foursome. I mean FOUR! ''
14) " It was never my intention to engage in any lascivious behavior with any Disney Characters."
13) I am sorry that I didn't know about the settings on my I-Phone before this happened to me."
12) '' I do believe that all fire hydrants should be safe for the fire departments and dogs to use.''
11)'' Yes, I was sex-texting before I had my crash."
10) I don't need racial diversity training like people think. Yes, I know some of them were s****s and weren't black women. But somebody had to hit it.
9) I received no personal consultation from Congressman Joe Wilson and his white supremacy group Sons OF The Confederacy on the rules of lying.
8) '' I NEVER had sex with that woman! But I did have sex with that woman."
7) '' No I haven't gotten any email from the Pope about my playlist. Noo! No! My music playlist. ''
6) '' No, I don't endorse sex with animals like some people do."
5) '' Yes, I do endorse hanging out with girl groupies like John Mayer and saying the '' N'' word.
4) '' I'm sorry, son. I'm not your father. But I did have sex with your mother."
3) '' No, I don't have a Top Ten List for Women for the Lettermen Show.''
2) '' No! No! The rumors about a Tiger Woods SEX App for the I-Phone are all untrue."

Top 20 Reason No. 1

'' Look! The rumors about me being booked
through out the summer at the Bunny Ranch in Las Vegas are false."

WHO CARES? Could switching to GEICO now
save him 15% or more on his car insurance?
Are his girlfriends also insured?
WHAT? Is he crying?

[joetheplumbers]

It?s not just that its not their business. They do it to. I bet Peyton Manning is knee deep in some ***** right now and he doesn't know her name. This is why the Indians said the white man talks with a forked tongue. If they sin and kill in the name of America its good and patriotic. Somebody else does it then its evil and the bad. They protest Vick, Bonds and Tiger. Do you think Barry Bonds could come back to baseball like Mark McGuire did with no protest? Their protesting Woods at golf patches already. white people become uppedy and like to act like their better than they really. That?s just what they do. The media is also playing to white Americas black hate for ratings as well. They know as long as Glenn Beck has the highest ratings there is a targeted audience that will love to see the media lynch a minority. Floyd Landis broke the law by hacking computers but that?s not a story. Where?s Nancy Grace on that ****!!! She got Tiger a traffic ticket though. They can?t do white people like this because they would have hung themselves. White politicians do something and they show us Kanye and Serena Williams. Who are Athletes being compared to politicians. White Politicians cheat and they show us more Tiger Woods than the politician. Black entertainers and atletes vs. white politicians.

[katkat1664]

Shame on all of these reporters for making this the top story of the evening news!! While our men and women in the military are getting shot at overseas the top story in the news is about a guy who can't keep Mr. Winkie in his pants!!

[huskerneal]

Tiger Woods has forfeited his soul through sin as has everyone in the world. It cannot be redeemed through Buddha or anything he himself does. Jesus Christ is the only one who can save him and I pray Tiger seeks Christ.

[hmmIwonder]

Buddhist philosophy is to be what 'true life' meant to be in the Universe (= natural world = science = in connection with all lives and things), not what 'individual fame, wealth, or gratification' meant to be (= artificial = no universal meaning = disconnected with true meaning of life in the Universe). Why need to turn to Christian faith?

[erlindab]

I've said it before, and I will repeat: I believe a lot of sports figures - and just plain old men - are wiping their browns because they aren't that different from Tiger Woods. He got caught, and they didn't. The more emphasis placed on Tiger's transgressions, the less likely the bloodhounds will go sniffing somewhere else. I hope Tiger comes back stronger - as a spouse, parent, and athlete. It will not affect my life one bit, but I hope he succeeds as he addresses this obstacle.

[TVO1CITW]

There goes the neighborhood.

[leepoe1]

@stormerF2 I believe you don't know what you are talking about.