I can believe in Buddhism and still keep my faith?
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Well, that is just relativistic in thinking.
For one, Buddha rejects the idea of a Creator. Can I believe both now? No.
Truth is ALWAYS exclusive and objective. -
You can indulge in Buddhist teachings without embracing ALL of Buddhists teachings. This is also Buddhist teaching.
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Why should I believe in half truth?
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Buddha said to work it out yourself. Do not take his words as dogma. You will come into the truth. Use what he says that you agree on and use it to improve your life. It it improves your life, Buddha is happy. He has saved you. As for anything else, it is up to you. Buddha will not be disturbed by your refusal to accept his teaching. His teaching is for your own good, not for Buddha's sake.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Why should I believe in half truth? -
Well , in Buddhism , you really dun have to take it as a religionOriginally posted by SocialOutcast:Well, that is just relativistic in thinking.
For one, Buddha rejects the idea of a Creator. Can I believe both now? No.
Truth is ALWAYS exclusive and objective.
in fact if you are a Christian , you can still believe in Buddhism
there are Catholic nun and Catholic Community who welcome Dalai Lama for talks on Buddhism
You should read
Ven Chodron
"Spiritual Sister " is a book of discussion of the Roman Catholic faith with the Buddhist belief in Avalokiteshvara
Buddhist sutra also mention a brahmin (hindu priest) who choses his religion but come to Buddhism to learn meditation
this is an era of exchange of religious dialogue -
well it really up to you.But pls noe tat when u have reach a 'mature' level u have to choose one inorder to 'progress'Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Well, that is just relativistic in thinking.
For one, Buddha rejects the idea of a Creator. Can I believe both now? No.
Truth is ALWAYS exclusive and objective.
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Originally posted by neutral_onliner:
Christians do not believe idols, by producing the picture, you are just confusing him.
well it really up to you.But pls noe tat when[b] u have reach a 'mature' level u have to choose one inorder to 'progress'[/b] -
There are many problems assoc with a Creator God. Like why did He create satan & demons? Like why He allow humans to suffer? Like why if He is good & at the same time omnipotent He cannot prevent suffering & bad things from happening? There are so many contradictions with a Creator God. So many questions of which human suffering is one of them. JMHO.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Well, that is just relativistic in thinking.
For one, Buddha rejects the idea of a Creator. Can I believe both now? No.
Truth is ALWAYS exclusive and objective. -
Ey..... can pm me if u interested on the Buddhist explanationOriginally posted by ICanOnlyHope:There are many problems assoc with a Creator God. Like why did He create satan & demons? Like why He allow humans to suffer? Like why if He is good & at the same time omnipotent He cannot prevent suffering & bad things from happening? There are so many contradictions with a Creator God. So many questions of which human suffering is one of them. JMHO.
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our creator is the Original Mind. so in a way, we don't exactly reject a creator.
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Why don't u explain briefly here? I am sure a lot of people want to know why.Originally posted by bohiruci:Ey..... can pm me if u interested on the Buddhist explanation -
What do u mean by Original Mind? Thanks.Originally posted by sinweiy:our creator is the Original Mind. so in a way, we don't exactly reject a creator.
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agree...our MIND have no beginning no endOriginally posted by sinweiy:our creator is the Original Mind. so in a way, we don't exactly reject a creator.
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YesOriginally posted by sinweiy:our creator is the Original Mind. so in a way, we don't exactly reject a creator.
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In the Heart sutra explanation it mention the 4 kinds of mind (xing)
Yuan lu xing (the mind of principle and karmic ,which is propelled by the law of cause and effect of Past and Present
read up about centripetal force to understand this part
Rou tuan xing (the mind that is made up of meat lump) the mind that have no thinking nature and is just a piece of meat
Chao Mu xing (the mind of grass and trees) mind that is of plants have functionality without the wisdom seeing nature and thinking like sentient beings
zhen ru xing (the mind of True Suchness) the mind that is minds of all Buddhas and Bodhisattva alike -
Why then did the mind create.....Originally posted by ICanOnlyHope:There are many problems assoc with a Creator God. Like why did He create satan & demons? Like why He allow humans to suffer? Like why if He is good & at the same time omnipotent He cannot prevent suffering & bad things from happening? There are so many contradictions with a Creator God. So many questions of which human suffering is one of them. JMHO. -
Originally posted by Repented John 2:
can read HH Dalai Lama's explaination:
What do u mean by Original Mind? Thanks.[/b]
The "creator of the world," basically, is the mind. In the Sutras, the mind is described as an agent. It is said that consciousness has no beginning, but we must distinguish here between gross consciousness and subtle consciousness. Many gross consciousnesses appear as dependents of the physical aggregates, of the body. This is evident when you consider the different neurons and the functioning of the brain, but just because physical conditions are met does not mean that this is enough to produce a perception. In order for a perception which will have the faculty to reflect and know an object to arise, it must have a consubstantial cause. The fundamental consubstantial cause, of the same substance as its result, will in this case be the subtle consciousness. It is this same consciousness or subtle mind which penetrates the parental cells at the moment of conception. The subtle mind can have no beginning. If it had one, the mind would have to be born of something that is not the mind. According to the Kalacakra Tantra, one would have to return to the particles of space to find the fundamental consubstantial causes of the external physical world as well as of the bodies of sentient beings.
cont...
http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes22.html
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The difference between Christianity and Buddism is this, for the sake of making things clearer.
Ultimately these two systems are going in opposite directions, and following either means that one would have less and less of either teachings until one is quite purely in the attitude of mind of either. In any case, I do feel that those who follow either ought to make their choice on facts.
Firstly these two agree on many things, kindness to others, making the world a better place and finally reaching this state of being. However the results which either desire couldn't be more different.
Buddhism seeks union with the Eternal Mind and awarness, a state where there are no more passions and the value of illusion of this world has passed away.
The end result of Christianity is an eternal, seperate awareness of this Eternal Mind as an individual, a state where passions are far more powerful and vivid then the strongest we have today, and having a world that is even more real and vivid that we have now.
Hence it seems that if Buddhism is a way to escape the illusion of this world, Christianity is a kind which calls this 'illusion' good and seeks to make it even stronger.
Obviously one has to choose between the two in the end. -
Well of course you can, but eventually you'll have to choose either because modern Christianity has a strong dualistic attachment and may not be entirely compatible with Buddhism. Also modern Christianity teaches about ascending to heaven, in Buddhism ascending to heaven is not ultimate but liberation is.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Well, that is just relativistic in thinking.
For one, Buddha rejects the idea of a Creator. Can I believe both now? No.
Truth is ALWAYS exclusive and objective.
My Shi Fu used to be a Christian pastor, he turned to Buddhism after reading the Buddhist teachings. He recommends that Buddhists and Christians alike read up on each other religion's and then decide for themselves. He also suggested that a new society called 'da shi zhi ye shu ji du zhong' be created so that christians and buddhists alike can learn more about each other. -
Originally posted by casino_king:
commonly said it's ignorance.
Why then did the mind create.....According to the Law of Dependent Origination, there are twelve factors which account for the continuity of existence birth after birth. The factors are as follows:
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/dhammananda/106.htm
Through ignorance are conditioned volitional actions or kamma-formations.
Through volitional actions is conditioned consciousness.
Through consciousness are conditioned mental and physical phenomena.
Through mental and physical phenomena are conditioned the six faculties(i.e., five physical sense-organs and mind).
Through the six faculties is conditioned (sensorial and mental) contact.
Through (sensorial and mental)contact is conditioned sensation.
Through sensation is conditioned desire, 'thirst".
Through desire ('thirst') is conditioned clinging.
Through clinging is conditioned the process of becoming.
Through the process of becoming is conditioned birth.
through birth are conditioned decay, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair.
in my own word, the mind moved, because we wanted to know, hence it formulated existence. not knowing that the Mind IS the know. like in I-Ching, Tai-ji to Liang-yi (Yin and Yang) to Four Graphs to Eight Trigrams to 64 etc. keep on discriminating. not able to RETURN to ONENESS. actually the original source/mind is already perfect without good or bad, past or future, big or small, if one can just return to it 's original state.
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pls read Uniqueness of buddhismOriginally posted by ICanOnlyHope:Why don't u explain briefly here? I am sure a lot of people want to know why.
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=185088
pls read The Four Noble Truths
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=185275 -
Well it would depend on what you know about Christanity and Buddhism wouldn't it?Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:The difference between Christianity and Buddism is this, for the sake of making things clearer.
Ultimately these two systems are going in opposite directions, and following either means that one would have less and less of either teachings until one is quite purely in the attitude of mind of either. In any case, I do feel that those who follow either ought to make their choice on facts.
Firstly these two agree on many things, kindness to others, making the world a better place and finally reaching this state of being. However the results which either desire couldn't be more different.
Buddhism seeks union with the Eternal Mind and awarness, a state where there are no more passions and the value of illusion of this world has passed away.
The end result of Christianity is an eternal, seperate awareness of this Eternal Mind as an individual, a state where passions are far more powerful and vivid then the strongest we have today, and having a world that is even more real and vivid that we have now.
Hence it seems that if Buddhism is a way to escape the illusion of this world, Christianity is a kind which calls this 'illusion' good and seeks to make it even stronger.
Obviously one has to choose between the two in the end.
People as a species, have very little understanding no matter how much you want to protest; when it comes to "spiritual" and "eternal" matters.
Unless you are Born Again like what Jesus said and unless you become Enlightened like what Buddha speaks of, you can but only speculate. It is fine to speculate, but the whole point of seeking (speculating) is to be Born Again and to be Enlightened. As long as you understand that.
What you just did is scratched the surface ot Buddhism and Christianity. You have not touched on the ultimate aim of both. It is good to seek (speculate) but it is better to have found. Million dollar question: Can one find without seeking? -
If it came from the original state then, how does "returning" help?Originally posted by sinweiy:http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/dhammananda/106.htm
in my own word, the mind moved, because we wanted to know, hence it formulated existence. not knowing that the Mind IS the know. like in I-Ching, Tai-ji to Liang-yi (Yin and Yang) to Four Graphs to Eight Trigrams to 64 etc. keep on discriminating. not able to RETURN to ONENESS. actually the original source/mind is already perfect without good or bad, past or future, big or small, if one can just return to it 's original state.
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Our minds and the whole universe are like that. This world is impermanent. Everything is always changing, changing, changing, moving, moving, moving, nonstop. Even one second of our lives seems full of so much movement and change in this world that we see. But your mind--right now--is like a lens whose shutter speed is one divided by infinite time. We call that moment-mind. If you attain that mind, then this whole world's movement stops. From moment to moment you can see this world completely stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Like the film, you perceive every frame--this moment--which is infinitely still and complete. In the frame, nothing is moving. There is no time, and nothing appears or disappears in that box. But this movie projector--your thinking mind--is always moving, around and around and around, so you experience this world as constantly moving and you constantly experience change, which is impermanence. You lose moment-mind by following your conceptual thinking, believing that it is real."
When you transcend your thinking mind in the realization of your own pure, timeless, ever-present Awareness, then the illusion of time completely collapses, and you become utterly Free of the samsaric cycle of time, change, impermanence, and suffering. This, my friend, is nothing at all to be "depressed" about! Rather, the fact that your own Buddha Mind exists beyond time, in THIS very moment, is itself the key to your permanent and eternal (timeless) Liberation. -
Originally posted by casino_king:
it would help end fighting, killing, discrimination, stealing etc.
If it came from the original state then, how does "returning" help?[/b]
that said enlightenment is when the small little wave realised that it's part of the ocean.
or our cells realise that it's part of our entire body. they don't go around fighting one another, wave fighting wave, cell fighting cell. if cell were to fight will cell, we get illness. in the more extreme, returning to oneness can also stop rebirth, old age, illness and death of the mind.
realising this, Buddha/enlightened beings go around and spread the teachings to other wave/cell/beings, so that one can make life a better place for all sentient beings. each individual have to realise this.
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You do not understand my question.Originally posted by sinweiy:it would help end fighting, killing, discrimination, stealing etc.
that said enlightenment is when the small little wave realised that it's part of the ocean.
or our cells realise that it's part of our entire body. they don't go around fighting one another, wave fighting wave, cell fighting cell. if cell were to fight will cell, we get illness. in the more extreme, returning to oneness can also stop rebirth, old age, illness and death of the mind.
realising this, Buddha/enlightened beings go around and spread the teachings to other wave/cell/beings, so that one can make life a better place for all sentient beings. each individual have to realise this.
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If the Mind created all the suffering and imperfections; the demons, the spirits then how thus returning to this mind help? Unless you are willing to say that creation did not originate from the MIND?