What is the meaning of being Vegetarian??
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Actually a lot of temples are not Buddhist temples, not only those I Kuan Dao white temples.Originally posted by ah_kwang:iC. interesting read. thanks. so those pure white temples are not traditional buddhist temples.
Those temples that worship deities and spirit-deities are not Buddhist temples, they are Taoist/Folks tradition temple. Buddhism does not practise worshipping of deities or gods. -
Just to clarify something abt bodhisattva vows, it is not a requirement in buddhism for all its followers, it is only taken up by bodhisattvas or at least those with bodhicitta. For lay followers, bodhicitta here refers to relative bodhicitta, a combination of wisdom and compassion for all sentient beings. This is the hallmark of Mahayana Buddhism, not applicable to those of the Theravada vehicle.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:I was telling a friend here in sgforums, hopefully that friend is not offended by what I said...
Buddhism and I Kuan Dao is very different. Buddhism asks its disciples to make Bodhisattva vows of great compassion to liberate both himself and other sentient beings and eventually attain Buddhahood... whereas I Kuan Dao makes very different kind of 'swearings'. (swearing by their god for their lives/else get struck by lightning etc)
Regarding Maitreya, please read The Next Buddha
Taking up bodhisattva vows does not mean one becomes holy, it is the intention behind one's dharma practice which determines one's spiritual level. Vows are very powerful practices, not to be taken lightly, eg. one who indulges in sexual misconduct will suffer the appropiate negative karma but a member of the sangha who has taken a vow of celibacy who commits the same act will fall straight into the hell realms. -
Yes indeedOriginally posted by martinchew71:Just to clarify something abt bodhisattva vows, it is not a requirement in buddhism for all its followers, it is only taken up by bodhisattvas or at least those with bodhicitta. For lay followers, bodhicitta here refers to relative bodhicitta, a combination of wisdom and compassion for all sentient beings. This is the hallmark of Mahayana Buddhism, not applicable to those of the Theravada vehicle.
Taking up bodhisattva vows does not mean one becomes holy, it is the intention behind one's dharma practice which determines one's spiritual level. Vows are very powerful practices, not to be taken lightly, eg. one who indulges in sexual misconduct will suffer the appropiate negative karma but a member of the sangha who has taken a vow of celibacy who commits the same act will fall straight into the hell realms.