108 Misunderstandings About Buddhism

Buddhism is frequently encountered through cultural stereotypes, secondhand summaries, and casual assumptions. This article works through 108 common misunderstandings — spanning the nature of the Buddha, karma and rebirth, dependent origination, the Eightfold Path, monastic and lay practice, sectarian differences, and contemporary adaptations — drawing on Pali, Mahayana, and Vajrayana sources for clarification. Each entry traces the origin of the misunderstanding and points toward what the relevant canonical material actually says.