actually i oni want to say...
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muahahaha. he got study boh? or he ling shi bao fo jiao?Originally posted by NeonTetra:my cousin always pray to Confucius before exams....i hoped he wont be confused. -
btw, that "someone" is from a certain religion......
Yes! Always happen, unfortunately.
while trying to "convert" me, he started to speak ill of his so-called "other religions"....attempting to compare.....
after he said a few sentences, i realised he did not do his homework properly or he is being brainwashed with the twisted concepts.....
sibeh ho cheo sia.....
My master was also like that.... yes, master. He was a Christian PASTOR who criticize Buddhism, especially due to his misunderstandings, he criticize Buddhism for supposed superstitions. When his university lecturer asked him to do something more constructive, research into Buddhism and writing a books about the flaws of Buddhadharma, then did my master realise how wrong he had been in the past, and he become very regretful for his actions. He found out that the Buddhadharma is more advanced in its doctrines than any other religions... and could not find any flaws at all.
He thus converted into a Buddhist monk. This is just a tuned down story... who wanna find out more about my master's story or even want to come to my dharma centre can PM me.
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A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
If you call Buddha a "spiritual leader", then so be it. Personally, I would rather call him a great teacher of truths, a saint who was able to wisely teach us dharmas that lead us to liberation of sufferings in life, and it live in bliss. Buddhism can be considered a religion, or it cannot be considered a religion, depends. Most importantly, we should not fall into blind faiths and dogmas, this is a very important concept within Buddhism.Rely not on the teacher, 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 rumoured 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. - Buddha -
If you call Buddha a "spiritual leader", then so be it. Personally, I would rather call him a great teacher of truths, a saint who was able to wisely teach us dharmas that lead us to liberation of sufferings in life, and it live in bliss. Buddhism can be considered a religion, or it cannot be considered a religion, depends. Most importantly, we should not fall into blind faiths and dogmas, this is a very important concept within Buddhism.
TRUE -
Usually, many people look into the 1st Noble Truth (life is suffering) and forsake the last noble truths, that promises liberation from sufferings. Buddhism is a Blissful Culture, it is not a pessimistic religion, but balances pessimism with optimism. The bad, we don't do. The good, we do. And most importantly, we purify our minds. Purification of the mind is most important - because all virtue and all evil originates from our minds.This is what Buddhism differs from most other religions - not only does it provide disciplinary precepts, It tells us to TREAT the root - The Mind! This is the source of everything - sufferings, blissfulness, evil, everything comes from the mind!Originally posted by NeonTetra:Buddhists do not worship any gods or God. People outside of Buddhism often think that Buddhists worship the Buddha. However, Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) never claimed to be divine, and Buddhists reject the notion of any supernatural power. The universe operates by natural law. Life is seen as consisting of pain: pain in birth, sickness, death, and continuous sorrow and despair. Most Buddhists believe a person has hundreds or thousands of reincarnations, all bringing misery. And it is the desire for happiness that causes a person's reincarnation. Therefore, the goal of a Buddhist is to purify one's heart and to let go of all desires. A person must abandon all sensuous pleasures, all evil, all joy and all sorrow.
To do so, Buddhists are to follow a list of religious principles and intense meditation. When a Buddhist meditates it is not the same as praying or focusing on a god, it is more of a self-discipline. Through dedicated meditation a person may reach Nirvana -- "the blowing out" of the flame of desire.
Buddhism provides something that is true of most world religions: disciplines, values and directives that a person may want to live by. Some of these Buddhist guidelines are: Do not destroy any living creature; abandon all sensual pleasures; abandon all evil qualities, and both joy and sorrow.
Buddhism recognises that Some rebirths are happy - jhanic realms, heavens, etc. However, these bliss is Impermanent, and therefore still belongs to Samsara. Endless-cycle in Samsara, as a whole is considered as Sufferings. It is a vicious cycle where people fall into illusions, commit acts and bring his own downfall and sufferings.
Yes - desire for sensual pleasures is samsaric. But sensual pleasures are samsaric happiness, Buddhism's bliss is ultimate, it is the highest bliss, it is bliss through Wisdom, and thus, the forum name "Buddhism: Wisdom Bliss". Have you read the topic on "Prooved: Buddhists are Happier!"?
"The innate desire of humankind is happiness", The Dalai Lama
Buddhism provides the path towards attaining the Highest Bliss... cultivate and achieve the pure Nirvana, that is the highest, fullest and most complete, and most ultimate bliss. Not some ordinary samsaric bliss that is so impermanent, unstable. Contentment itself brings happiness... not desires.
BTW, both Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition views that the 4 Noble Truths are Hinayana* view, as stated in the Heart Sutra (xin jing): Nai Zhi Wu Lao Shi (up to no old age and death), Yi Wu Lao Shi Ji (no end of old age and death), WU KU JI MIE DAO (no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path). And thus, even the 4 Noble Truths are empty in nature. All sufferings are EMPTY in nature! There is No sufferings. The Mahayana is not contradicting the 4 noble truths, but is encompassing it in an ultimate sense. This is the ultimate view of the Mahayana. The Heart Sutra... as I view it, is the heart sutra of Mahayana, like the "centre" teachings.
* Hinayana: self-liberation practitioner, highest attainment is Arhatship (sainthood). The Hinayana method is never to be looked down upon of course, because it is suited to many people, it is a path that Buddha taught. -
death is "si" not "shi"
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alright.. my pronunciation is bad. sorry
BTW, it is a core view of Buddhism that NOTHING is permanent - even tho lifespan in hells and heavens are extremely long, lasting millions, billions of years, they still eventually end.
Like the Matrix says - Everything that has a start, has an end.
But I would like to say something that more - Everything that has no start, has no end, too The ultimate nature of Nirvana is without start and without end, thus Nirvana is Permanent.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel414.html
In this website, Buddha dealt with many Devas* who fell into the illusion that their lives are permanent, they do not die.
* Heavenly Beings -
i feel this thread is pointless
no offence to other forum ppl but i mean, ppl come here with a certain mindset they want others to bend over for. -
In fact all religions never was a religion in the first place. It all started as a way of life and philosophy until people started calling themselves things like "buddhist" "christian" "catholic" "hindu".
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all religions started off as cults.
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By religion we mean things like... "Do you believe in God"? or a supreme being...
In Buddhism's case there is no Supreme being... if you say Buddha is a supreme being, we all also have Buddha nature and a potential to become "supreme beings" too. -
What is your definition of cult?
One that doesn't go mainstream?
I think what you mean by a cult is one which follows another religion to some point, yet deviating it... for example, I-Kuan-Dao is considered a Buddhist cult, because it has copied things from Buddhism, yet it's not Buddhism.
Buddhism has its own set of teachings, path, practices. Buddha renounced his ascetic ways, he left his teachers who could not bring him enlightenment.
I don't know about Christianity, but Jesus taught the new testament too, right? He also did not support certain old practices. -
something like heresy
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i think religions that started off as independant with different ideas and path dont need to be considered as cults...
Buddhism is different from other hindu sects in a number of ways.
Cult or not... just a matter of perspective..
there's no right or wrong, but rather... where is your path leading to? -
All paths leads to GodOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:i think religions that started off as independant with different ideas and path dont need to be considered as cults...
Buddhism is different from other hindu sects in a number of ways.
Cult or not... just a matter of perspective..
there's no right or wrong, but rather... where is your path leading to? -
In Buddhism, gods are referred to as devas.Originally posted by HENG@:correction: in Buddhism, there are no Gods, there are only the buddhas, bodhisattvas and other beings of lower enlightenment.
If u believe in chinese gods, that is taoism.
We do not worship devas as they are not enlightened.
For even the devas transcend realms to hear the Buddha's teaching according to scriptures.
There are 6 realms as explained by AEN.
One realm is the devas realm.
Another is ghost realm.
Just concentrate on the practise and do not worry about the devas or ghosts. For we are all still in samsara together. Do not worry too much. Karma takes care. If you have the opportunity to open your buddha nature, let it be. If you are unconvinced, let it be. After all, it is the very nature of all sentient beings to be happy. -
Buddhist is a religion
U believe in 6 realms ? U act in the direction of tat belief (meditation) ? Then u r in a religion. I really don't understand... Why don't want it to be called a religion ? Is "religion" a dirty word or something ? -
When everybody join the cult then it become culture.
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(this post is pretty much repeated..)
Meditation has little links with the 6 realms.
We meditate because we want some "inner peace" (which is simply pure awareness), we want to sharpen our awareness, we want liberation in this life. In Buddhism, meditation and dharma removes our 3 poisons - Greed, Hatred, Ignorance. Without the 3 poisons, life is without sufferings, life is blissful.
Anyone can meditate no matter what beliefs he hold.
Regarding whether Buddhism is a religion, it depends on your view.
If a religion means having to follow a supreme being blindly, or in fact believe and worship any gods, even Buddha, then Buddhism is not a religion.
This quote from Albert Einstein perfectly sums up and describe Buddhism.
"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and the spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity"
So Buddhism is more about the experience of sentient beings than anything else....
As you know, Buddha did not force everyone to meditate, whether buddhists or non-buddhists, but says this:Rely not on the teacher, but on the teaching
So basically, he's trying to tell us that if we find meditation useful, then we meditate. He does not promote blind faith and dogmas.[/quote]
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 rumoured 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.
- Buddha -
Just now I saw a fallen tree...
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I'm hungry now...
Time to have dinner... -
before i go for dinner...
Juz wanna say tis...
Religion is juz a term or word and thats all... -
x2Originally posted by erijazz:before i go for dinner...
Juz wanna say tis...
Religion is juz a term or word and thats all...
Its just for easy reference to Buddhism, Christianity and others...
No need to shun it like its some dirty word. -
Depends on how you define "religion".
If you link religion as one which there is a superior race/person who controls the destiny of all human race, then Buddhism is not a religion.
But if you define religion as one which there is supernatural power(s) which controls the destiny of all human race, then Buddhism is a religion.
As for myself, I believe Buddhism only up to the part where it does not include supernatural elements. I do not believe life is suffering too. -
There is often a misunderstanding on the 1st noble truth: Life is Sufferings.Originally posted by Qitai:Depends on how you define "religion".
If you link religion as one which there is a superior race/person who controls the destiny of all human race, then Buddhism is not a religion.
But if you define religion as one which there is supernatural power(s) which controls the destiny of all human race, then Buddhism is a religion.
As for myself, I believe Buddhism only up to the part where it does not include supernatural elements. I do not believe life is suffering too.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Oh yes - can you explain what you meant by "supernatural force controlling destiny"?
Usually, many people look into the 1st Noble Truth (life is suffering) and forsake the last noble truths, that promises liberation from sufferings. Buddhism is a Blissful Culture, it is not a pessimistic religion, but balances pessimism with optimism. The bad, we don't do. The good, we do. And most importantly, we purify our minds. Purification of the mind is most important - because all virtue and all evil originates from our minds.[b]This is what Buddhism differs from most other religions - not only does it provide disciplinary precepts, It tells us to TREAT the root - The Mind! This is the source of everything - sufferings, blissfulness, evil, everything comes from the mind!
Buddhism recognises that Some rebirths are happy - jhanic realms, heavens, etc. However, these bliss is Impermanent, and therefore still belongs to Samsara. Endless-cycle in Samsara, as a whole is considered as Sufferings. It is a vicious cycle where people fall into illusions, commit acts and bring his own downfall and sufferings.
Yes - desire for sensual pleasures is samsaric. But sensual pleasures are samsaric happiness, Buddhism's bliss is ultimate, it is the highest bliss, it is bliss through Wisdom, and thus, the forum name "Buddhism: Wisdom Bliss". Have you read the topic on "Prooved: Buddhists are Happier!"?
"The innate desire of humankind is happiness", The Dalai Lama
Buddhism provides the path towards attaining the Highest Bliss... cultivate and achieve the pure Nirvana, that is the highest, fullest and most complete, and most ultimate bliss. Not some ordinary samsaric bliss that is so impermanent, unstable. Contentment itself brings happiness... not desires.
BTW, both Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition views that the 4 Noble Truths are Hinayana* view, as stated in the Heart Sutra (xin jing): Nai Zhi Wu Lao Si (up to no old age and death), Yi Wu Lao Si Ji (no end of old age and death), WU KU JI MIE DAO (no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path). And thus, even the 4 Noble Truths are empty in nature. All sufferings are EMPTY in nature! There is No sufferings. The Mahayana is not contradicting the 4 noble truths, but is encompassing it in an ultimate sense. This is the ultimate view of the Mahayana. The Heart Sutra... as I view it, is the heart sutra of Mahayana, like the "centre" teachings.
* Hinayana: self-liberation practitioner, highest attainment is Arhatship (sainthood). The Hinayana method is never to be looked down upon of course, because it is suited to many people, it is a path that Buddha taught.[/b]
Sentient beings never escape the law of Karma. Every cause will have its effect, it is like a universal balance. Destiny of human is not controlled by something else, other than your mind (and thus leading to speech and actions).
Extract from The Matrix...
Morpheus: Do you believe in fate, Neo?
Neo: No.
Morpheus: Why not?
Neo: Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life.
Oracle: You'll remember you don't believe in any of this fate crap. You're in control of your own life, remember?