What will happen to people who don't believe in Buddhism?
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I asked you a direct question about yourself and you point me somewhere else? Are you so famous that TIME knows about you? Does TIME knows you more than yourself.Originally posted by concerned_man:Like I said the answer which you want to hear is not here. It is at another place - TIME.
La2 Zhe3 Bu4 Ju4, Qu4 Zhe3 Bu4 Liu2. -
Science has not prove the existence of Heaven and Hell to be false. Technically, it cannot be classified as illusion or imagination.
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How is it possible prove that something does not exists?Originally posted by concerned_man:Science has not prove the existence of Heaven and Hell to be false. Technically, it cannot be classified as illusion or imagination.
I tell you that there is a man who has a head of a cow and a human body and who can cure cancer by staring at the patient for one minute and can fly to the moon and back.
So if nobody can prove that the man I describe does not exist. it proves that the man I describe exists? Proves that it is not illusion or imagination? -
No, unless someone has seen it himself.Originally posted by casino_king:How is it possible prove that something does not exists?
I tell you that there is a man who has a head of a cow and a human body and who can cure cancer by staring at the patient for one minute and can fly to the moon and back.
So if nobody can prove that the man I describe does not exist. it proves that the man I describe exists? Proves that it is not illusion or imagination?
There are lots of people who have seen the other realms. For example, spirit realm. And the others. -
None of the truths Buddha taught are imagined. They are all what he realised.Originally posted by casino_king:What I want to know is what good comes out of believing in imagination as truth?
The Perfect One is free from any theory, for the Perfect One has understood what the body is, and how it arises, and passes away. He has understood what feeling is, and how it arises, and passes away. He has understood what perception is, and how it arises, and passes away. He has understood what the mental formations are, and how they arise, and pass away. He has understood what consciousness is, and how it arises, and passes away.
Therefore, I say, the Perfect One has won complete deliverance through the extinction, fading away, disappearance, rejection, and getting rid of all opinions and conjectures, of all inclination to the vainglory of I and mine.
- Majjhima Nikaya, 72
There is no need for blind faith in Buddhism. But it is important that we must be open minded and not dogmatic to our own predicated ideas. Eventually we will see the Truths for ourselves.Kalama Sutra
Buddha means 'The Enlightened One'. Everyone can be enlightened. For Buddha himself said - Everyone's Buddha Nature is wholly complete. We will all attain Buddhahood. Buddha Nature is already present here right now - it's only a matter of Awakening or Ignorance.
"Rely not on the teacher/person, but on the teaching. Rely not on the words of the teaching, but on the
spirit of the words. Rely not on theory, but on experience.Do not believe in anything simply because you
have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do
not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is
written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and
elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is
conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
- the Buddha
see also: the full Kalama Sutta - http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/anguttara/an03-065.html
The Buddha taught the way to be liberated from sufferings forever and attain the highest bliss. There are countless people who have become enlightened and liberated since Shakyamuni Buddha's arrival who can testify that. Even some of our forumers are highly enlightened (excluding me
).
Happiness is the common interest of humanity. Nobody wants sufferings, everybody likes happiness. And I also have said if you practise, you will attain the Highest Bliss through Nirvana. Everyone has his own ideas of hapiness. To some people, earning big bucks is happiness. To the others, having lots of sex is happiness. But this is very narrow and limited.
Buddhism is the true 'Bliss Culture' as my Master puts it.http://www.jenchen.org.sg/buddhism.htm#dharmatalk
Also see: Proved: Buddhists are Happier!
The title of your Dharma talk is Human Bliss Culture; why then when you answer questions from the audience you did not mention Human Bliss Culture at all? Many of my friends here and I would like to know what is Human Bliss Culture.
It is because the bliss culture that you have in mind and what I have in mind are different. The bliss culture that you have in mind may be how to prosper with great wealth and fortune, or how to have a good wife in order for the family to have bliss. In this manner, the definition of bliss is too narrow! We need to know that the culture of Buddhism is the real bliss culture. If everybody is able to attain the ultimate Nirvana, then this is indeed the real bliss culture.
The purpose of our learning Buddhism is to distance from suffering and attain happiness. Many people think that to distance from suffering and attain happiness means going to the Western Pure Land. In fact, it is not only this. When we distance from suffering and attain happiness, we have to instantaneously distance from suffering, instantaneously attain happiness and liberation. Some people may be suspicious; how can liberation be attained so easily? In fact, it is very simple. If someone scolds you, and you apologize to him, then that is a small liberation. If someone hits you, and you retaliate; an eye for an eye, then isnÂ’t that very miserable? What happen if that results in loss of life? Even though you are rude to me, I will still apologise very politely to you. IsnÂ’t that being liberated? This is Jen Chen BuddhismÂ’s teaching of liberation. If whilst alive, we cannot even attain small liberationÂ’s like this, then what more to say of liberation after death? In the course of our daily lives, if we are liberated at every moment, then in time to come we will be able to attain the great liberation. Please think it over, isnÂ’t this a very blissful? This is but to use a small matter to illustrate the path of liberation. If we are able to understand more of the Buddha-Dharma and apply them in our life, family, society, country, and to the extent of the entire humanity of the world, then isnÂ’t this a great bliss culture? Therefore, we say that the culture of Buddhism is Bliss Culture.
If you are one of the open minded - I invite you to get an introductory book on Buddhism to know what exactly is its teachings about. There are also lots of websites and links in the Post useful links thread.
Enjoy -
So we have to take their word for it? How do we know that it was not their imagination and or illusion or even self delusion?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:No, unless someone has seen it himself.
There are lots of people who have seen the other realms. For example, spirit realm. And the others.
Where is the collaborating evidence. Where is the forensic evidence?
Worse still, if you ask 2 different people who claimed to have seen the spirit realm and ask them to describe it, they give you different description. -
I am open minded. I have attended meditation classes conducted by an English monk in a California Fitness club.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Also see: Proved: Buddhists are Happier!
If you are one of the open minded - I invite you to get an introductory book on Buddhism to know what exactly is its teachings about. There are also lots of websites and links in the Post useful links thread.
Enjoy
I do agree with a lot of what Buddhism teaches.
But heaven and earth and supernatural realms and supernatural beings????
That is more like Harry Potter and LOTR to me. -
It is not just one sentence that makes us to become a buddhist.Originally posted by casino_king:I am open minded. I have attended meditation classes conducted by an English monk in a California Fitness club.
I do agree with a lot of what Buddhism teaches.
But heaven and earth and supernatural realms and supernatural beings????
That is more like Harry Potter and LOTR to me.
Same for answering your question.
There are alot of topics in this forum, go and read about them.
If you want to believe some jokers who claimed to have created you, that is your own freedom. -
Like modern science, Buddhism talks about the existence of billions and billions of galaxies. The consciousness of a person born on earth may have come from a galaxy far away, drawn here by the force of karma, which connects that person’s mental energy to this planet. On the other hand, the consciousness of a person dying on this earth may at the time of death be karmically directed to a rebirth in another galaxy, far from here. If more minds are being drawn to earth, the population increases; if fewer, it declines. That does not mean that brand new minds are coming into existence. Each mind taking rebirth here on earth has come from its previous life—perhaps in another galaxy, perhaps on earth itself, but not from nowhere—in accordance with the cyclic nature of worldly existence.Originally posted by casino_king:How come reborn and reborn but population gets bigger and bigger?
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If you can realize your own mind’s continuity from the time you were a tiny embryo in your mother’s womb up to the present time, then you’ll understand. The continuity of your mental energy is a bit like the flow of electricity from a generator through the wires until it lights up a lamp. From the moment it’s conceived, as your body evolves, mental energy is constantly running through it—changing, changing, changing—and if you can realize that, you can more easily understand your own mind’s previous continuity. It’s never simply a question of belief. Of course, initially it’s difficult to accept the idea of reincarnation because these days it’s such a new concept for most people, especially those brought up in the West. They don’t teach you continuity of consciousness in school; you don’t study the nature of the mind—who you are, what you are—in college. So of course, it’s all new to you. But if you think it’s important to know who and what you are, and you investigate your mind through meditation, you will easily come to understand the difference between your body and your mind; you will recognize the continuity of your own consciousness; from there you will be able to realize your previous lives. It is not necessary to accept reincarnation on faith alone.Originally posted by casino_king:And of course you do not have any verifiable scientific data to support what you say about all these realms and heaven and hell - the question is why are there no evidence? Without evidence, we have to assign it to delusion, illusion, imagination and beliefs. It goes for all the other religions in the world.
The the question is why would anybody believe in illusions unless there are benefits to do that.
Self delusion can be comforting.
Banding together a group of people is political.
Why do you do it? What is in it for you? I am curious. -
When we study Buddhism, we are studying ourselves, the nature of our own minds. Instead of focusing on some supreme being, Buddhism emphasizes more practical matters, such as how to lead our lives, how to integrate our minds and how to keep our everyday lives peaceful and healthy. In other words, Buddhism always accentuates experiential knowledge-wisdom rather than some dogmatic view. In fact, we donÂ’t even consider Buddhism to be a religion in the usual sense of the term.So whether heaven or hell exists is not much of our concern.Originally posted by casino_king:TIME magazine recently had an issue with extensive coverage on the human brain.
Meditation was cited as beneficial for the brain in that it teaches the human brain to concentrate. So many activities need concentration and especially "brainy" activities like study and learning. So children who practice meditation should do much better than those who do not and who cannot concentrate.
Well it is very big leap from understanding the benefits and practising meditation to accepting that heaven and hell exists.
So you see, the scienctific studies you quote are meaningless to prove that there are 6 realms and ghosts and gods.
Certainly the studies you quoted did not make it to the magazine SCIENCE as the research would not be able to withstand scrutiny.
So what is left is what benefits believing in illusions and imaginations accrue to you personally?
That is what I want to know.
When we are happy and contented we are in “heaven.” When we suffer physically or mentally we are in “hell.” There is no need to wait to die to experience either of these states. -
can u explain to a man who is born blind what colour is ? how does yellow , blue , red look like?Originally posted by casino_king:You cannot see but you can show evidence. You can do experiments to prove their exsistence.
So if you tell me that there is such a thing as rebirth and 6 other realms - please show me the evidence other than I know because I know.
since all of us are not awakened yet (as we all have untamed minds),there are many things we are still unabled to understand.
try explaining or proving engineering maths equation to someone who still have not master multiplication table yet or explaining networking to uncles in the coffee shops -
The human mind instinctively seeks happiness. East, West—there’s no difference; everybody’s doing the same thing. But if your search for happiness is causing you to grasp emotionally at the sense world, it can be very dangerous. You have no control.Originally posted by casino_king:TIME magazine recently had an issue with extensive coverage on the human brain.
Meditation was cited as beneficial for the brain in that it teaches the human brain to concentrate. So many activities need concentration and especially "brainy" activities like study and learning. So children who practice meditation should do much better than those who do not and who cannot concentrate.
Well it is very big leap from understanding the benefits and practising meditation to accepting that heaven and hell exists.
So you see, the scienctific studies you quote are meaningless to prove that there are 6 realms and ghosts and gods.
Certainly the studies you quoted did not make it to the magazine SCIENCE as the research would not be able to withstand scrutiny.
So what is left is what benefits believing in illusions and imaginations accrue to you personally?
That is what I want to know.
Now, donÂ’t think that control is an Eastern thing, a Buddhist thing. We all need control, especially those of us caught up in the materialistic life; psychologically, emotionally, weÂ’re too involved in objects of attachment. From the Buddhist point of view, thatÂ’s an unhealthy mind; the person is mentally ill.
Actually, you already know that external, scientific technological development alone cannot satisfy the desires of your attachment or solve your other emotional problems. But what Lord BuddhaÂ’s teaching shows you is the characteristic nature of human potential, the capacity of the human mind. When you study Buddhism, you learn what you are and how to develop further; instead of emphasizing some kind of supernatural belief system, Buddhist methods teach you to develop a deep understanding of yourself and all other phenomena.
However, whether you are religious or a materialist, a believer or an atheist, it is crucial that you know how your own mind works. If you donÂ’t, youÂ’ll go around thinking youÂ’re healthy, when in reality, the deep root of afflictive emotions, the true cause of all psychological disease, is there, growing within you. Because of that, all it takes is some tiny external thing changing, something insignificant going wrong, and within a few seconds, youÂ’re completely upset. To me, that shows youÂ’re mentally ill. Why? Because youÂ’re obsessed with the sense world, blinded by attachment, and under the control of the fundamental cause of all problems, not knowing the nature of your own mind.
It doesn’t matter if you try to refute what I’m saying by telling me that you don’t believe it. It’s not a question of belief. No matter how much you say, “I don’t believe I have a nose,” your nose is still there, right between your eyes. Your nose is always there, whether you believe it or not.
I’ve met many people who proudly proclaim, “I’m not a believer.” They’re so proud of their professed lack of belief in anything. You check up; this is important to know. In the world today there are so many contradictions. Scientific materialists boast, “I don’t believe”; religious people say, “I believe.” But no matter what you think, you still need to know the characteristic nature of your own mind. If you don’t, then no matter how much you talk about the shortcomings of attachment, you have no idea what attachment actually is or how to control it. Words are easy. What’s really difficult is to understand the true nature of attachment.
For example, when people first made cars and planes, their intention was to be able to do things more quickly so that theyÂ’d have more time for rest. But whatÂ’s happened instead is that people are more restless than ever. Examine your own everyday life. Because of attachment, you get emotionally involved in a concrete sense world of your own creation, denying yourself the space or time to see the reality of your own mind. To me, thatÂ’s the very definition of a difficult life. You cannot find satisfaction or enjoyment. The truth is that pleasure and joy actually come from the mind, not from objective phenomena.
Nevertheless, some intelligent, skeptical people do understand to a degree that material objects do not guarantee a worthwhile, enjoyable life and are trying to see if there really is something else that might offer true satisfaction.
When Lord Buddha spoke about suffering, he wasnÂ’t referring simply to superficial problems like illness and injury, but to the fact that the dissatisfied nature of the mind itself is suffering. No matter how much of something you get, it never satisfies your desire for better or more. This unceasing desire is suffering; its nature is emotional frustration.
Buddhist psychology describes six basic emotions that frustrate the human mind, disturbing its peace, making it restless: ignorance, attachment, anger, pride, deluded doubt and distorted views. These are mental attitudes, not external phenomena. Buddhism emphasizes that to overcome these delusions, the root of all your suffering, belief and faith are not much help: you have to understand their nature.
If you do not investigate your own mind with introspective knowledge-wisdom, you will never see whatÂ’s in there. Without checking, no matter how much you talk about your mind and your emotions, youÂ’ll never really understand that your basic emotion is egocentricity and that this is whatÂ’s making you restless. -
You have certainly written too much for me to quote so I will just respond based on the impressions I get from your writings.
Buddhism and Science to me is like
Rhino Horn and Panadol
Both remove fever.
It used to be that people laugh when you ask them to take rhino horn for fever.
In the days before "scientific" medicine yes, rhino horn has its place.
Today with the availability of paracetamol and aspirin; taking rhino horn for fever smacks of, if not stupidity, then superstition.
So now we have psychiatry and psychology - scientific disciplines vs religions like Buddhism.
Why would you entrust conditioning of your mind and the attainment of happiness on religion when by googling, you can read for yourself what the latest research and studies show regarding the issues?
These research and studies are peer reviewed and many times they are replicated and must be replicable. There is good basis to trust the research and findings.
Not so religion. One is expected to accept concepts like "human life is a continuum from many previous lives on earth and even from other previous universe and other realms and even animals."
What is the evidence for that? None. So the proper place to put these concepts is in science fiction and or fantasy and or brilliant imagination but imagination nonetheless because there is no evidence.
To me if you choose to believe in science fiction and live your life according to fantasy worldviews, well and good, that is your perogative.
The question is why you would want to do that. What does it do for you personally to live in a fantasy worldview? That is what I like to know. -
Firstly your idea of worldview seems simpleton and flawed , I have to said youOriginally posted by casino_king:You have certainly written too much for me to quote so I will just respond based on the impressions I get from your writings.
Buddhism and Science to me is like
Rhino Horn and Panadol
Both remove fever.
It used to be that people laugh when you ask them to take rhino horn for fever.
In the days before "scientific" medicine yes, rhino horn has its place.
Today with the availability of paracetamol and aspirin; taking rhino horn for fever smacks of, if not stupidity, then superstition.
So now we have psychiatry and psychology - scientific disciplines vs religions like Buddhism.
Why would you entrust conditioning of your mind and the attainment of happiness on religion when by googling, you can read for yourself what the latest research and studies show regarding the issues?
These research and studies are peer reviewed and many times they are replicated and must be replicable. There is good basis to trust the research and findings.
Not so religion. One is expected to accept concepts like "human life is a continuum from many previous lives on earth and even from other previous universe and other realms and even animals."
What is the evidence for that? None. So the proper place to put these concepts is in science fiction and or fantasy and or brilliant imagination but imagination nonetheless because there is no evidence.
To me if you choose to believe in science fiction and live your life according to fantasy worldviews, well and good, that is your perogative.
The question is why you would want to do that. What does it do for you personally to live in a fantasy worldview? That is what I like to know.
came here for an agenda .
Your dariness in opposing all other dimension seems to cough out little response to me ,becos you simply deny and might possible disown all fraternity with people you known to believe in "fantasy worldview"
If Buddha Sakyamuni have mentioned in 20 percent or even up to 50 per cent of his teaching on the other realms , I dont think He fabricate this up just to scare His follower ,for ,truth prevails and lies away uncovered after long time .
I guess your posting here isnt searching for spirituality
but ,for a denial of Spiritual happenings .So I see no purpose we have to argue with you on that .
I have friends who attribute this ghostly happenings to pyschology effect , but they realised their folly during Basic Military Training days .So in the middle of the night ,when everyone sleeps ,where is that lady voice coming from ,
in a Male-dominated Pulau Tekong ???
I just wish you good luck and never to encounter such eerie encounter because I know of people who become mad after denial of ghostly existence and met violent ghost in their life .
so take heed ,I just hope you be flexible in your lifestyle , and be willing to shower your concern in the woeful realms of wandering ghost ,hell and animals. -
There is a mental illness that cause people to see people and things that are not there. Did you watch the movie "A beautiful mind?" Russel Crowe?Originally posted by bohiruci:Firstly your idea of worldview seems simpleton and flawed , I have to said you
came here for an agenda .
Your dariness in opposing all other dimension seems to cough out little response to me ,becos you simply deny and might possible disown all fraternity with people you known to believe in "fantasy worldview"
If Buddha Sakyamuni have mentioned in 20 percent or even up to 50 per cent of his teaching on the other realms , I dont think He fabricate this up just to scare His follower ,for ,truth prevails and lies away uncovered after long time .
I guess your posting here isnt searching for spirituality
but ,for a denial of Spiritual happenings .So I see no purpose we have to argue with you on that .
I have friends who attribute this ghostly happenings to pyschology effect , but they realised their folly during Basic Military Training days .So in the middle of the night ,when everyone sleeps ,where is that lady voice coming from ,
in a Male-dominated Pulau Tekong ???
I just wish you good luck and never to encounter such eerie encounter because I know of people who become mad after denial of ghostly existence and met violent ghost in their life .
so take heed ,I just hope you be flexible in your lifestyle , and be willing to shower your concern in the woeful realms of wandering ghost ,hell and animals.
Even if it is not that; given the lack of evidence in ghost and spirits, one would look for a "reality based" explanation. Even if one cannot find a relity based explanation one does not jump to conclusions based on superstitions.
I never said that Buddha fabricated anything. I am sure there are valid reasoms for him to say the things he said.
We will never know because he is dead and we cannot ask him.
Again, without a good explanation, we go for an explanation that is "reality based" rather than one that is based on a fantasy worldview.
Why is it so difficult for you to tell me why you believe even when there is no evidence to support these fantasy worldviews? -
Originally posted by casino_king:
we do have left-overs, called sutras, over 3000++ copies of Buddha's teachings of this worldview of "true reality". if one go through them, even like Albert Einstein (formost in science ) would find it rational.
I never said that Buddha fabricated anything. I am sure there are valid reasoms for him to say the things he said.
We will never know because he is dead and we cannot ask him.
Again, without a good explanation, we go for an explanation that is "reality based" rather than one that is based on a fantasy worldview.
Why is it so difficult for you to tell me why you believe even when there is no evidence to support these fantasy worldviews? [/b]
“If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.”---Albert Einstein
"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description."---Albert Einstein
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Well your quote does not say that Einstein believes that there are 6 realms and that there are ghosts and spirits does it?Originally posted by sinweiy:we do have left-overs, called sutras, over 3000++ copies of Buddha's teachings of this worldview of "true reality". if one go through them, even like Albert Einstein (formost in science ) would find it rational.
“If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.”---Albert Einstein
"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description."---Albert Einstein
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This is what I mean when I say that believers lacks intellectual rigour and use associations and assumptions to form their worldview instead of looking at evidence and reality.
From the way I read it; Einstein support for Buddhism is based on the fact that Buddhism "transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology" but nowhere does it say that he suscribes to the fantastic claims of Buddhists.
The fact that he is not a Buddhist (we know for sure he was not a practising Buddhist) and did not claim to belong to any faith should tell you that he does not suscribe to the teachings of any religion known to him so much so that he became a member. -
Originally posted by casino_king:
i can also put it another way.
Well your quote does not say that Einstein believes that there are 6 realms and that there are ghosts and spirits does it?
This is what I mean when I say that believers lacks intellectual rigour and use associations and assumptions to form their worldview instead of looking at evidence and reality.
From the way I read it; Einstein support for Buddhism is based on the fact that Buddhism "transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology" but nowhere does it say that he suscribes to the fantastic claims of Buddhists.
The fact that he is not a Buddhist (we know for sure he was not a practising Buddhist) and did not claim to belong to any faith should tell you that he does not suscribe to the teachings of any religion known to him so much so that he became a member. [/b]
there was no proof that he was not a Buddhist either.
we can get some parallels below:
http://home.btclick.com/scimah/einstein.htm
http://www.integralscience.org/einsteinbuddha/
one don't have to be an apparent Buddhist to be a Buddhist within.
e=mc^2 to me is the product of Buddha's 'form is emptiness, emptiness is form...'.
Buddha teachings IS the Science of the Mind.
Buddha Abhidhamma - Ultimate Science
www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhaultsci.pdf
another quote:
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.---Einstein
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There is no proof that you are not a murderer and so you must be a murderer? What in the world are you talking about? You are giving Buddhism a bad name if one assumes that all Buddhists are as nonsensical as you.Originally posted by sinweiy:i can also put it another way.
there was no proof that he was not a Buddhist either.
By your kind of logic; maybe the late Pope was a closet Buddhist since he met with the Dalai Lama?Originally posted by sinweiy:we can get some parallels below:
http://home.btclick.com/scimah/einstein.htm
http://www.integralscience.org/einsteinbuddha/
one don't have to be an apparent Buddhist to be a Buddhist within.
to me it is the product of yada yada yada... and that makes sense to you?Originally posted by sinweiy:e=mc^2 to me is the product of Buddha's 'form is emptiness, emptiness is form...'.
And you claim that Buddha'a teaching is the ultimate science... behold it must be so? No wonder you believe fantasy as and inmagination as facts.Originally posted by sinweiy:Buddha teachings IS the Science of the Mind.
Buddha Abhidhamma - Ultimate Science
www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhaultsci.pdf
another quote:
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.---Einstein
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Evidence; varifiable and repeatable research; peer reviewed data and conclusions my good man. Don't simply swallow nonsensical sproutings and fantastic basless assertions as eternal truths and then repeat them making yourself sound so incredible. -
To be fair to the Buddhists I am also asking the Christians difficult questions:
www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=179498 -
Originally posted by casino_king:
on the contrary, i had gave you a simple sensical logic of what matter most is the inside rather than the outside. but you are saying what matter most is outside and not the inside? i think evidences don't always reflect the truth. eg. an innocent person did not kill, and due to some apparent evidences, he was convicted as a murderer.
There is no proof that you are not a murderer and so you must be a murderer? What in the world are you talking about? You are giving Buddhism a bad name if one assumes that all Buddhists are as nonsensical as you.
none the less nonsensical is what philosophy is about. Buddhism can also be philosophical.By your kind of logic; maybe the late Pope was a closet Buddhist since he met with the Dalai Lama?
again my logic is very simple, what matter most is the content rather than what it appears to be.to me it is the product of yada yada yada... and that makes sense to you?
e=mc^2 or energy can become matter and matter can become energy do.No wonder you believe fantasy as and inmagination as facts.
if you haven't read them all, please don't be a superstition of superstition and judge the book by the cover and make basless labelings.
Evidence; varifiable and repeatable research; peer reviewed data and conclusions my good man. Don't simply swallow nonsensical sproutings and fantastic basless assertions as eternal truths and then repeat them making yourself sound so incredible.
proofs and convictions are when the concepts are tested and proven through an understanding. you don't have to believe if you have not tested it.
doesn't make sense to one, doesn't mean it doesn't make sense to another.
can material technology sever birth, old age, sickness and death or eventually make one happy? maybe can check out Neuroscience and Buddhism.
http://sg.search.yahoo.com/search?p=neuroscience+Buddhism&ei=UTF-8&x=wrt
Scientists Humerbto Maturnana and Francisco Varella, as well as Elenaro Rosch and Thompson, all advocate Buddhism as a tool to unlock the mind.
another article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3047291.stm
Scientists say they have evidence to show that Buddhists really are happier and calmer than other people.
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Content based on verifiable evidence and not on fantasy and imagination; always demand proof before you believe or you are simply fantasizing.Originally posted by sinweiy:on the contrary, i had gave you a simple sensical logic of what matter most is the inside rather than the outside. but you are saying what matter most is outside and not the inside? i think evidences don't always reflect the truth. eg. an innocent person did not kill, and due to some apparent evidences, he was convicted as a murderer.
[/quote]
Just because some people get convicted based on falsified evidence it is better to convict and hang people based on superstitions? Please be more reasonable.Originally posted by sinweiy:
none the less nonsensical is what philosophy is about. Buddhism can also be philosophical.
again my logic is very simple, what matter most is the content rather than what it appears to be.
[quote]Originally posted by sinweiy:e=mc^2 or energy can become matter and matter can become energy do.
Einstein's equation is based on mathematics and some experiments proving his theory was done and so the world now accepts his worldview.
Show me the research that was ever done to prove that 6 realms exists and that God and spirits exists as claimed by Buddhism. Show me the research that was done to prove that reincarnation is not an imagination.Originally posted by sinweiy:if you haven't read them all, please don't be a superstition of superstition and judge the book by the cover and make basless labelings. proofs and convictions are when the concepts are tested and proven through an understanding. you don't have to believe if you have not tested it.
So which fantastic Buddhist claims have been tested and proven?Originally posted by sinweiy:can material technology sever birth, old age, sickness and death or eventually make one happy? maybe can check out Neuroscience and Buddhism.
I do not dispute that self delusion can make people happy; just like children believing in santa claus can be very happy and excited just before christmas expecting presents on christmas day.
http://sg.search.yahoo.com/search?p=neuroscience+Buddhism&ei=UTF-8&x=wrt
Scientists Humerbto Maturnana and Francisco Varella, as well as Elenaro Rosch and Thompson, all advocate Buddhism as a tool to unlock the mind.
another article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3047291.stm
Scientists say they have evidence to show that Buddhists really are happier and calmer than other people.
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You are also not saying that Buddhists are the only happy people in the world. The other people who are happy hopefully are not happy because of self delusions but is rooted in reality.
There are also many research done to tell people how to be happy without having to indulge in superstitions and fantasy.
Try reading the book Authentic Happiness by Dr. Martin Seligman; Chairman of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center -
If you are asking about spirits, I myself have seen spirits before. I did and I can assure you that it is not my hallucination or illusion as I was perfectly awake and conscious at that moment. Many people can also testify the existence of spirits due to their experiences and encounters, I believe.Originally posted by casino_king:So we have to take their word for it? How do we know that it was not their imagination and or illusion or even self delusion?
Where is the collaborating evidence. Where is the forensic evidence?
Worse still, if you ask 2 different people who claimed to have seen the spirit realm and ask them to describe it, they give you different description.
What exactly are you asking? If you're asking about Past Lives, there are many trustworthy people who I know personally, who have recalled their past lives. In fact some of our forummers have also recalled their past lives, like Longchen. It's not a difficult thing to recall past life. If you meditate regularly it is likely to come to you one day. Others may also have recalled their past life through past live regressions.. etc. There are really a lot a lot of people who have recalled past lives. There are also those who recalled existences in the celestial realms or lower realms.
As for forensic evidence, I believe you can read up on Ian Stevenson, and many scientists pertaining to the fact that consciousness does indeed survive death and is not merely our body. You can also do a search on the internet about near death experiences. Many many people travelled out of their body after death after being clinically dead, witnessing medical procedures, and later revived - they could tell you what procedures happened during his 'death'. This kind of things have happened many times. There are also countless Near Death Experiences which you can find in the internet. -
Show me the research that was ever done to prove that 6 realms exists and that God and spirits exists as claimed by Buddhism.
I believe as you knew, Buddhists do NOT believe in God. We do not believe in a Creator. Those who who have been introduced to the basics of Buddhism should already have known about this...
And if you are talking about celestial beings, then I would say that celestial realms are really very far away from us. Since our current science have not even reached far beyond our solar system, how can they search for even further places?
And if you're talking about forensic evidence of spirits, I have not done research on it, but I believe many paranormal investigators around the world have fruitful findings. And as for PHYSICAL forensic evidence, since ghost are not physical, you cant expect much.Show me the research that was done to prove that reincarnation is not an imagination.
As I have mentioned numerable times, do a search on Dr. Ian Stevensons.
Here is a link. http://www.childpastlives.org/stevenson.htm
Happy searching