Do not Condemn or Insult Other Religions
-
How did you know Jesus go to India during the period he went into the "wilderness"?Originally posted by assfer:I agree with what Shade343 said. In fact , Judaism, Islam , Christianity, all three religions share the same God. And Judaism is the mother of Christianity that is to say Christianity comes from Judaism. The Old Testament is Jewish scriptures.Jesus Christ gone to India to learn Buddhism and Hinduism before.All religions have Doomdays Teachings, including Buddhism which has a future Buddha calls Maitreya coming to save the world. -
It must be noted that euthanasia and abortion is 2 different things. When it comes to abortion, no killing is done if the soul has not yet entered the newborn baby.Originally posted by marcteng:Euthanasia or abortion or killing, who gave you the right to take away other people's life, especially a life with consciousness and emotion.
If you want to have a peace of mind, do not kill or injure other living beings.
How can one get a peace of mind, if one is to kill another living being.
You won't get salvation through killing, as simple as that, common sense.
Thats why the Buddha first precept is not kill. -
There is a book, written by a german, entitled Jesus lived in India.Originally posted by shade343:How did you know Jesus go to India during the period he went into the "wilderness"?
I got the book. -
Originally posted by assfer:
we don't just end there, actually Buddhism(and also Tao de ching) extend the "Doomdays" teachings.
[b]I agree with what Shade343 said. In fact , Judaism, Islam , Christianity, all three religions share the same God. And Judaism is the mother of Christianity that is to say Christianity comes from Judaism. The Old Testament is Jewish scriptures.Jesus Christ gone to India to learn Buddhism and Hinduism before.All religions have Doomdays Teachings, including Buddhism which has a future Buddha calls Maitreya coming to save the world.
There are standard 4 cycle principle for all things. as we know there's day and night, cycle of 4 seasons etc.
There is production, dwelling, change, and extinction.
for example in the human lifespan, People take twenty years to grow up. They dwell for twenty years,
they are sick for twenty years, and during the last twenty years they
are preparing to die. One's birth is production. One has a period of dwelling in the world. Sickness is change, and death is extinction.
Worlds also undergo production, dwelling, change, and
extinction. A world takes a long time to undergo production. It
takes twenty small kalpas to produce a world. It dwells for twenty
small kalpas. It undergoes destruction for twenty small kalpas, and
it is empty for twenty small kalpas.
din't scientists also say this regarding the universe and the sun, stars and planets.
Absolutely anything can be used to illustrate the principle.
table is another example. When this piece of wood was growing it
was sealed with the destiny to become this table; that is production.
Dwelling is when it was made into the table. It will not always
remain as it is now, and after a long period of use it will fall apart,
and that is change. Once it falls apart it cannot be used any longer,
so it is burned, and that is extinction.
/\ -
whats the name of the german author?Originally posted by marcteng:There is a book, written by a german, entitled Jesus lived in India.
I got the book. -
I need to check toniteOriginally posted by shade343:whats the name of the german author? -
In Buddhism, for a baby to form there must be consciousness to take place. Therefore in 99% if not all abortion cases, there is already consciousness in him.Originally posted by shade343:It must be noted that euthanasia and abortion is 2 different things. When it comes to abortion, no killing is done if the soul has not yet entered the newborn baby.
As for the 5 senses to form, it takes only a few months. Like I said, unfortunately, abortion legal period can go as far as 6 months. I dont know about Singapore law. -
Except that .... the Doomsday Teachings of Buddhism and other religions differs. See: When will it be the End of the World?Originally posted by assfer:I agree with what Shade343 said. In fact , Judaism, Islam , Christianity, all three religions share the same God. And Judaism is the mother of Christianity that is to say Christianity comes from Judaism. The Old Testament is Jewish scriptures.Jesus Christ gone to India to learn Buddhism and Hinduism before.All religions have Doomdays Teachings, including Buddhism which has a future Buddha calls Maitreya coming to save the world.
In My Humble Opinion: I agree that Jesus Christ is a highly enlightened being. However even though he is highly enlightened and is a mahabodhisattva, he probably couldnt teach the ultimate truth to everyone. Not everyone has that kind of capacities. In most of the gospels I see, Jesus Christ taught people to ascend to heaven, the celestial realms in Buddhism, by loving all, being virtuous and shunning evil. But in Buddhism that is still not ultimate. Practising virtuously and avoiding evil alone will not lead to liberation, only by purification of the mind will it lead to liberation.. that is no more sentient mind.
Probably few has caught the essence of what Jesus taught.
1. And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."
2. Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all. [And after they have reigned they will rest.]"
3. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you.
When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."
22. Jesus saw some babies nursing. He said to his disciples, "These nursing babies are like those who enter the (Father's) kingdom."
They said to him, "Then shall we enter the (Father's) kingdom as babies?"
Jesus said to them, "When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom]."
28. Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in flesh I appeared to them. I found them all drunk, and I did not find any of them thirsty. My soul ached for the children of humanity, because they are blind in their hearts and do not see, for they came into the world empty, and they also seek to depart from the world empty.
But meanwhile they are drunk. When they shake off their wine, then they will change their ways."
62. Jesus said, "I disclose my mysteries to those [who are worthy] of [my] mysteries.
77. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained.
Split a piece of wood; I am there.
Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."
91. They said to him, "Tell us who you are so that we may believe in you."
He said to them, "You examine the face of heaven and earth, but you have not come to know the one who is in your presence, and you do not know how to examine the present moment."
113. His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?"
"It will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Rather, the Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it." -
In my opinion, "ascending to heaven" is the same as "being enlightened".
-
According to scientific statements, it is generally safe to abort the baby when the baby in the womb is less than 3 months old. To abort the abby after that would put the mother in a risky situation also. Doctors advise that abortion should also be carried out in the early stages of the pregnancy period.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:In Buddhism, for a baby to form there must be consciousness to take place. Therefore in 99% if not all abortion cases, there is already consciousness in him.
As for the 5 senses to form, it takes only a few months. Like I said, unfortunately, abortion legal period can go as far as 6 months. I dont know about Singapore law.
Hmm,, generally I believe that if the baby is less than 3 months old, no soul is in it yet. So its ok to abort it as no harm will be done. Perhaps this explains why the mother would be subjected to risky conditions if she terminates it after 3 months....she would be harming the soul inside. -
On the relative level Jesus did teach his disciples to ascend to heaven (as in the samsaric celestial plane), and avoid going to hell. Heaven and hell in this notion is still dualistic, one being very virtuous, enjoyable, the other being very horrible, undesirable, etc.Originally posted by shade343:In my opinion, "ascending to heaven" is the same as "being enlightened".
But on the higher level, and to some of his disciples he felt have the capacity to realise the 'mysteries' or truths, the Kingdom of God sounds more like Dharmakaya to me, being the all pervasive non-dual reality.
I would also like to suggest that in this,
77. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained.
Split a piece of wood; I am there.
Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."
Jesus Christ is not egotistic and is not refering to a 'self'. Just as Chuang Tzu (a Taoist sage) said,
Tung-kuo Tzu asked Chuang Tzu "Where is the Tao?"
`It is everywhere,' replied Chuang Tzu.
Tung-kuo Tzu said "You must be more specific."
"It is in the ant" said Chuang Tzu.
"Why go down so low?"
"It is in the weeds."
"Why even lower?"
"It is in a potsherd."
"Why still lower?"
"It is in the excrement and urine," said Chuang Tzu.
----
Generally, it means Pure Awareness/Dharma Nature/Buddha Nature (but buddha nature is more often used in Sentient Beings because it suggests a 'potential' to attain enlightenment) is all pervading, and can be found everywhere.Originally posted by sinweiy:Buddha at the very begining did show/perform abit of True Self in the idea of Hua Yen Sutra (All-in One, One-in-All) and the walking of 7 steps, one finger pointing the sky and one finger pointing the ground and said, "Heaven and Earth, Wei2 Wo3 Du2 Zhun1" (Under "My" Submit). if people don't know it can be very arrogant.
Although Buddha in the begining taught non-self for 22years, generally tell us to be selfless and be more considerate. But at the end of this preaching period of 8 years, He did taught the Lotus sutra and Nirvana Sutra that taught about the Da Wo(Biggest 'Self'). But the whole idea is that without firstly understood non-self, it's misunderstanding to precieve the True Self.
But this True Self does not contradict the non-self, it's not two, like all sentient beings are part of you, then helping them is as good as helping ourself so to speak.
/\ -
Like I have posted earlier, all findings suggest that consciousness starts much much earlier than what we think.Originally posted by shade343:According to scientific statements, it is generally safe to abort the baby when the baby in the womb is less than 3 months old. To abort the abby after that would put the mother in a risky situation also. Doctors advise that abortion should also be carried out in the early stages of the pregnancy period.
Hmm,, generally I believe that if the baby is less than 3 months old, no soul is in it yet. So its ok to abort it as no harm will be done. Perhaps this explains why the mother would be subjected to risky conditions if she terminates it after 3 months....she would be harming the soul inside.
http://www.abortion-education.com/Site/When.htm -
I just checked, Singapore's abortion legal limit is 24 weeks pregnancy. (six months!!)
Now, compare it to the website I shown you. See for yourself!
Abortion is the most widely used method of birth control in the world. It has been estimated that nearly 1 in 4 pregnancies are terminated, many illegally. There has been a gradual liberalization of abortion laws, and today well over 75% of the world's population live in countries where abortion is to a greater or lesser extent legal. Different countries have different laws. The limit of abortion varies from 20 to 24 weeks in various countries. In Singapore, abortion is legalised on socio-medical ground. The legal limit is 24 weeks pregnancy. -
BTW, in Buddhism, conception of consciousness into the womb generally occurs at point of COPULATION...
-
It can be noted for the weby taht at week 12 :The baby has all of the parts necessary to experience pain, including nerves, spinal cord, and thalamus. Vocal cords are complete. The baby can suck its thumb.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Like I have posted earlier, all findings suggest that consciousness starts much much earlier than what we think.
http://www.abortion-education.com/Site/When.htm
So if you terminate the baby at that time, you caused it suffering as it can experience pain. So counciousness would have been present. However, in the early stages, the foetus does not have counciousness. -
It says by 8th week, HEARING consciousness is present.
Prior to that, I suspect there is already subtle mental consciousness, as at 7th week, the baby is already kicking and swimming. Even though all pain receptors are only full developed at 12th week, even prior to that, it's already partially developed.
Prior to that, even at Day 22, heart begins to beat, which shows that it is a LIVING thing and not a dead one.
And prior to that, according to Buddhism, at Day 1 the 7th Consciousness has found and abided in the womb. The 7th Consciousness (ego/self-consciousness) relies on the 8th Consciousness (storehouse consciousness) and took rebirth in the mother's womb.
We therefore should not presume that consciousness starts only when our 5 Sense Consciousness plus Mental Consciousness is present. For example when one is in a temporary coma, his mental consciousness is also not active. His 5 sense consciousness is not active. But his 7th Consciousness is still present.
Lets talk about death. When we die, its reverse. When death occurs, that I mean by clinically dead, the sense consciousness dies gradually, and the 7th and 8th Consciousness is the last to leave the body. Even when the body is dead, sometimes, it is noted that the clinically dead person can still cry... if everyone cries and a relative shouts 'Don't go away! Don't leave me!', there are really those who still cry. It shows that although he's clinically dead, his consciousness does not pass away immediately. -
from a woman's point of view - me......
its a wonderful experience to go through pregnancy from the day one knows she's expecting. even as tiny as 2months old foetus, i could still feel it tiny-ly kicking moving inside... as it grows and grows.... no need to even touch the skin to feel its movement, you can see the silouette of its body moving under the skin..... amazing.....
my natural birth was so so....... not easy and not difficult. was extremely painful it was like in between life and death that kinda pain and situation....
didn't scream just moaned in pain and kept reciting "bodhisattva avalokiteshvara" crying calling out to her in my heart....
after discharged from hospital when reach home, the moment i stepped in, i held my baby in my arms and bowed to bodhisattva avalokiteshvara's for "hearing and guiding" me. but my mother inlaw stopped me immediately from paying further respects to bodhisattva avalokiteshvara because she said i was not "clean"..... -
Hmmm, but I do believe that abortion would still be appropriate to a couple if they are not ready to accept the child. But I still maintain that no soul is present if the baby is less than 3 months old.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:It says by 8th week, HEARING consciousness is present.
Prior to that, I suspect there is already subtle mental consciousness, as at 7th week, the baby is already kicking and swimming. Even though all pain receptors are only full developed at 12th week, even prior to that, it's already partially developed.
Prior to that, even at Day 22, heart begins to beat, which shows that it is a LIVING thing and not a dead one.
And prior to that, according to Buddhism, at Day 1 the 7th Consciousness has found and abided in the womb. The 7th Consciousness (ego/self-consciousness) relies on the 8th Consciousness (storehouse consciousness) and took rebirth in the mother's womb.
We therefore should not presume that consciousness starts only when our 5 Sense Consciousness plus Mental Consciousness is present. For example when one is in a temporary coma, his mental consciousness is also not active. His 5 sense consciousness is not active. But his 7th Consciousness is still present.
Lets talk about death. When we die, its reverse. When death occurs, that I mean by clinically dead, the sense consciousness dies gradually, and the 7th and 8th Consciousness is the last to leave the body. Even when the body is dead, sometimes, it is noted that the clinically dead person can still cry... if everyone cries and a relative shouts 'Don't go away! Don't leave me!', there are really those who still cry. It shows that although he's clinically dead, his consciousness does not pass away immediately.
I wonder why the website does not focus on the health of the mother when abotion takes place at the different stages of the baby..... -
soul...wat soul ? buddhists do not believe in soulsOriginally posted by shade343:Hmmm, but I do believe that abortion would still be appropriate to a couple if they are not ready to accept the child. But I still maintain that no soul is present if the baby is less than 3 months old.
I wonder why the website does not focus on the health of the mother when abotion takes place at the different stages of the baby.....
-
this reminded me...Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Lets talk about death. Even when the body is dead, sometimes, it is noted that the clinically dead person can still cry... if everyone cries and a relative shouts 'Don't go away! Don't leave me!', there are really those who still cry. It shows that although he's clinically dead, his consciousness does not pass away immediately.
i was sitting alone beside my father's body after he had passed away more than 2hours ago.... i saw tears still flowing down his cheek..... before that there was no tears..... i was wondering then how come after 2hours my dad passed away he was still crying......
he was cremated on the very same day (according to hinduism culture cos he was hindu by religion)
and i dreamt of him the same night, he came all disfigured eyes popping face features all burnt and disfigured (but i just knew it was him) and he said to me," i really don't wish to leave yet".... i just kept silent all the time. -
Yes thats right. Not only your father, but many many others have reported similar thing. Their tears fall even after passing away. And they feel very uncomfortable because they are no longer in control of their body (remember I said sleep paralysis was just like death?).. and they are attached to the loved ones. Consciousness generally can abide there up to 8 hours after death, but in extreme cases, for a few days. That is why my taiwanese teacher ask people to delay as far as possible from sending the corpse into the frozen morgue. It will freeze him to death and the consciousness will experience the sufferings of the Ice Hells.Originally posted by paperflower:this reminded me...
i was sitting alone beside my father's body after he had passed away more than 2hours ago.... i saw tears still flowing down his cheek..... before that there was no tears..... i was wondering then how come after 2hours my dad passed away he was still crying......
he was cremated on the very same day (according to hinduism culture cos he was hindu by religion)
and i dreamt of him the same night, he came all disfigured eyes popping face features all burnt and disfigured (but i just knew it was him) and he said to me," i really don't wish to leave yet".... i just kept silent all the time.
In any case, it seems your father has been too attached and even appears in your dreams. I suggest every year during 7th Month you attend Ksitigarbha Pujas, Ullabanadharma Puja, and dedicate the merits of offerings to the Sangha to your father in case he has fallen into the spirit realm so that he can quickly reborn in human realm again. Even if he is reborn in virtuous realms, dedicating merits will help him gain blessings. Even if he is in Amitabha Pure Land, dedication of merits will also help him raise the 'grade'. (See: Ullambana Dharma - Not Festival Of Hungry Ghosts) Tell your father that you are going to dedicate merits to him and ask him to attend the puja during which you dedicate the merits to him. Since his 'yuan' is strong with you he should easily resonate with your thoughts.
BTW, you are not Chinese or your father is not Chinese?
I don't remember seeing your photo as Indian. -
Im not sure if buddhism speak of souls...but treat it as something used to describe my point.Originally posted by neutral_onliner:soul...wat soul ? buddhists do not believe in souls -
I get what he meant.. but yes strictly speaking in Buddhism we dont talk about soul, but 'consciousness'. The difference is.. that the soul is not our true self, it is illusional.Originally posted by neutral_onliner:soul...wat soul ? buddhists do not believe in souls -
Hmm, I thought buddhism teaches on self realisation? That is to discover who you really are?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:I get what he meant.. but yes strictly speaking in Buddhism we dont talk about soul, but 'consciousness'. The difference is.. that the soul is not our true self, it is illusional. -
i dreamt of him quite frequently for like few months after he passed away. each time is different. he's been gone for more than a decade now. the last time i dreamt of him was really the very last time.... in the dream it was really so real that everything seemed so real. i knelt down to his feet touched his feet and asked for forgiveness for the past that i've not been a good daughter and couldn't repay him anymore.... he was smiling and didn't utter any word as far as i could recall. i hugged him and then i turned around and turned back at him and he was gone.... all became silent and so empty.... so real......Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Yes thats right. Not only your father, but many many others have reported similar thing. Their tears fall even after passing away. And they feel very uncomfortable because they are no longer in control of their body (remember I said sleep paralysis was just like death?).. and they are attached to the loved ones. Consciousness generally can abide there up to 8 hours after death, but in extreme cases, for a few days. That is why my taiwanese teacher ask people to delay as far as possible from sending the corpse into the frozen morgue. It will freeze him to death and the consciousness will experience the sufferings of the Ice Hells.
In any case, it seems your father has been too attached and even appears in your dreams. I suggest every year during 7th Month you attend Ksitigarbha Pujas, Ullabanadharma Puja, and dedicate the merits of offerings to the Sangha to your father in case he has fallen into the spirit realm so that he can quickly reborn in human realm again. Even if he is reborn in virtuous realms, dedicating merits will help him gain blessings. Even if he is in Amitabha Pure Land, dedication of merits will also help him raise the 'grade'. (See: Ullambana Dharma - Not Festival Of Hungry Ghosts) Tell your father that you are going to dedicate merits to him and ask him to attend the puja during which you dedicate the merits to him. Since his 'yuan' is strong with you he should easily resonate with your thoughts.
BTW, you are not Chinese or your father is not Chinese? I don't remember seeing your photo as Indian.
thanks i will do that.
i'm not 100% chinese.