Is there a differences in Buddhism, between the Chinese and the Hindus? Why so much argument in it? Sorry, I'm young and not too sure of this. I find it odd why they would actually arugu, bear in mind they're adults. Sorry if I offended anyone. I would just go to both temple and pray, is that wrong? I don't find anything wrong in that.
Buddhism is a teaching by Buddha on the four noble truths:
1) the truth of suffering (both physical and mental sufferings like birth, ageing, sickness, death, rebirth, stress, sorrow, association with the loathed, departing from loved ones, not getting what one wants, etc etc) in life,
2) the cause of suffering (craving, attachment, ignorance),
3) the end of suffering (end of craving, attachment, ignorance, i.e. Nirvana),
4) the path that ends suffering (noble eightfold path), which is: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration.
He is like a doctor diagnosing our disease and cause and prescribing us a medicine that cures a disease. We practice his teachings to cure this disease which is to attain Nirvana. The noble eightfold path is summed up as the practice of 1) Morality, which supports 2) Samadhi, meditative composure, which supports 3) Wisdom, direct meditative insights into impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non-self of all phenomena, and into dependent origination and the four noble truths, which leads to release from all mental afflictions and clinging (Nirvana).
In Buddha's days, there were thousands of people who attained awakening and nirvana. Even today, I have met many people who achieved awakening, so Buddhism's goal is very realistic.
Chinese folk religion is mostly about respecting, worshipping, one's ancestors and gods.
Hindu religion is very wide -- mostly what you see in Singapore is also just about worshipping gods, etc. A folk based religion. There are also more 'meditative' forms of Hinduism like Advaita Vedanta, however their teaching is not the same as Buddhism as their goal is to attain realization of their Ultimate Self (Atman-Brahman) that is God-consciousness, but Buddha refutes an Ultimate Self (seeing their experience as distorted by a form of subtle delusion and clinging) and teaches anatta -- no-self/non-self. Although Hinduism also aims to get one out of samsaric rebirth by attaining moksha, their idea of what Nirvana is is quite different from Buddhism, as their moksha is absorption in infinite consciousness in a state of samadhi, while Buddha would say that it is still a subtle form of samsara and clinging and one will eventually be reborn again even if one is absorbed in that state for millions of years as a formless being. Samadhi alone does not liberate, wisdom does.
I used to study and practice Hinduism's Advaita Vedanta for many years and attained Self-realization/God-realization. But more recently after contemplating on Buddha's teachings and anatta, I had a further awakening and saw the profundity of Buddhism.
In conclusion, yes there are differences between the three. Only Buddhism leads to awakening, liberation from suffering of samsara and rebirth. Religions like Hinduism, and all the other major religions etc may lead a person to a higher rebirth in samsara (there are many levels of heavens -- some sensual, some form, some formless) due to cultivating good karma (for greater enjoyment, eventually returns to lower realms again as its part of a beginningless cycle of rebirth) by practicing virtue/morality generosity etc, but not Nirvana -- freedom from suffering, rebirth.
Therefore it is ok to visit temples, but what are you truly getting out of it? Those who have the opportunity to meet Buddhism but does not try to understand it or practice it is like entering a cave full of gold nuggets but not trying to get anything out of it. It's a waste. Try to understand Buddhism and apply its teachings. That is what the Buddha wanted of all others -- attain the Nirvana, liberation, awakening like him. That can only be achieved by taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, following, relying on their teachings and practicing them.
Even if you do not achieve Nirvana in this life, even by understanding the Buddha's teachings properly or having faith in the teachings, your awakening in this life is assured and full Nirvana is assured to occur in at most 7 lifetimes. (as I wrote in a very long article before in http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/early-buddhisms-model-of-enlightenment.html) Once you attain awakening, you remove the first three fetters including view of a self, attachment to rites and rituals, and doubt (as you have experiential realization of the Buddha's teaching you can no longer doubt it).
Once that first level of awakening is attained, you can no longer be reborn in lower realms (such as hell, ghost, or animal), and destined to attain full Nirvana in no more than 7 more lifetimes (or you can attain it in this lifetime if you practice hard).
The problem is most people do not properly understand his teachings nor practice it.
Awakening is truly possible, I speak from experience. I had an awakening to anatta a few years ago when I was doing BMT (while marching) and contemplating on the Buddha's teachings in Bahiya Sutta.
My experience is similar to my mentor's: http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com.au/2007/03/thusnesss-six-stages-of-experience.html
Thanks for the clarification. This is very helpful.
One method of battling the religion was taxes. In Kalmykia, the faithful were required to pay: a unified agricultural tax, a class tax, an income and property monetary tax, an equalization fee, a local duty, a civil tax..................
Ashley2: off-topic?
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