user5866: In this answer, I was told,

Many Mahayana schools of Buddhism, including at least some Zen sects and some Tibetan Vajrayana lineages, understand the supernatural as skillful means (upaya), i.e. useful metaphors/simplifications pointing to aspects of "reality".

Assuming this to be true, can these schools of thought discard the supernatural aspects (which we may refer to as "myths of Buddhism"), as such metaphors may be less useful or not useful in the modern age? In other words, may we "modernize" Buddhism as an upaya?
If the supernatural elements or "myths" (such as Buddhist cosmology etc.) are skillful means rather than integral to The Buddha's teachings, then is it correct to say that "modernizing" the teachings could also be an Upaya?
Has any recent guru (within the past 50 years or so) mentioned such a possibility of "modernizing Buddhism" in his writings or his speeches? Kindly give references.

user254: Here's a quote from Science at the Crossroads by Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama,

Because of this methodological standpoint, I have often remarked to my Buddhist colleagues that the empirically verified insights of modern cosmology and astronomy must compel us now to modify, or in some cases reject, many aspects of traditional cosmology as found in ancient Buddhist texts.

I don't know whether this quote (therefore this answer) addresses the "metaphor" and "upaya" and "supernatural" parts of your question, but I think it's partially relevant given your mention of cosmology.
This speech was composed for "the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience".

5866: <p>In <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/11485/254">this answer</a>, I was told,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Many Mahayana schools of Buddhism, including at least <em>some</em> Zen sects and <em>some</em> Tibetan Vajrayana lineages, understand the supernatural as skillful means (<em>upaya</em>), i.e. useful metaphors/simplifications pointing to aspects of "reality".</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Assuming this to be true, can these schools of thought discard the supernatural aspects (which we may refer to as "myths of Buddhism"), as such metaphors may be less useful or not useful in the modern age? In other words, may we "modernize" Buddhism as an upaya?</p>

<p>If the supernatural elements or "myths" (such as Buddhist cosmology etc.) are skillful means rather than integral to The Buddha's teachings, then is it correct to say that "modernizing" the teachings could also be an Upaya?</p>

<p>Has any recent guru (within the past 50 years or so) mentioned such a possibility of "modernizing Buddhism" in his writings or his speeches? Kindly give references.</p>
 254: <p>Here's a quote from <a href="http://dalailama.com/messages/buddhism/science-at-the-crossroads" rel="nofollow">Science at the Crossroads</a> by Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Because of this methodological standpoint, I have often remarked to my Buddhist colleagues that the empirically verified insights of modern cosmology and astronomy must compel us now to modify, or in some cases reject, many aspects of traditional cosmology as found in ancient Buddhist texts.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I don't know whether this quote (therefore this answer) addresses the "metaphor" and "upaya" and "supernatural" parts of your question, but I think it's partially relevant given your mention of cosmology.</p>

<p>This speech was composed for "the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience".</p>
