Your thoughts on Brit Humes charming comments *wink* on how Tiger Woods needs to convert to Christianity, as Buddhism lacks "redemption and forgiveness."|||I think we should live and let live!
Mind our own business!
I know I have enough on my own plate to keep me busy for the rest of my life! :D
(((UP)))|||Brit Hume is the biggest Nitwit in all of FOX Nitwitdom. It is like he stole the trappings of William F. Buckley's persona but skipped the part about becoming educated and literate.
His faux deliberate and slow manner is not a manifestation caused by deep thought - it is a reflection of the fact that he does not have a brain.
He also lacks a soul - which is what distinguishes him from the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz.|||I am so over the whole tiger Woods thing I could scream.. Surprise surprise...a billionaire sports hero puts it about a bit...well I bet he's the first one who ever did that.
Spare me...there are children starving, women being blown up in market places, young men dying in pointless wars all over the globe. Tuvalu is sinking in to the South Pacific ocean and there are only 8 northern white rhinos left in the whole bloody world.
i don't give flying **** at a rolling donut what some spoilt rich golfer and his spoilt rich ***** of a wife do about their sordid personal problems...or who they pray to or who said mean things about them...or .if they drop off the edge of the world, quite frankly.|||He has the right to free speech and to profess his faith on TV.
BUT He was wrong on a few things: 1)he had no right to denigrate Buddhism and claim its inferiority to Christianity and 2)He should not speak about a religion he knows little or nothing about.|||My thoughts are that it was Fox News, thus expected. However, is that dude seriously implying that I can bone any thing I want, but it is okay in societies eyes if I pray to Jesus for all the sweet poon when I am done?|||I just love how people like Humes can sit in judgement of others. You just know he's got to have a few skeletons in his own closet.
Mind you, even his closet isn't nearly as Fabulous as mine.|||Well looking at the source in which it came from, I find it laughable that Brit Humes feels so important in his social standings that he even offers that question.|||I think the words that come out of the mouths of Fox News pundits never cease to amaze me with their sheer arrogant stupidity.|||I think, I wish I had Tiger Woods money. So long as he took care of me, let him go get it wherever.|||I don't watch the news for Altar Calls-- there's Christian Broadcasting for that. Brit Hume is an ignoramus and a bigot.|||Nothing that comes out of that man's mouth surprises me any more.|||it must just kill conservatives that Tiger doesn't believe he is going to hell|||He made a fool out of himself.|||rotfl.
I wonder if Hume wants a guest spot on The 700 Club now.|||are you really suprised???
dude its faux news what the hell did you expect|||I was very impressed with his answer. He was very humble and gave his opinion. He gave a good testimony of his own Christian faith. He was totally correct when he said the mention of Jesus Christ causes all hell to break loose. I would have to say he is spot on about that.
I don't have any knowledge of Buddhism, so I along with Brit Humes, are not aware of any "redemption or forgiveness".
I am not surprised that unbelievers find his comments objectionable. He has every right to offer his opinion, if he had denigrated the christian faith no doubt many of you would be saying "right on".
He is a brave man for speaking out.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The nearest library is very far away, and I want to study more about buddhism before I consider myself?
And I can't drive yet, and there is no way my parents would let me check out a book on buddhism.
Any suggestions? I have already researched it a little bit online, but I don't want to choose buddhism based on things I have read online.|||Honestly, for beginner/intermediate learners of Buddhism, the internet is the best source to learn about Buddhism. *http://www.buddhanet.net/ is one of the most reliable and accurate websites to learn about Buddhism, and to gain wisdom: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/inde鈥?/a> *You may wish to consider checking out the book on Buddhanet called: "What Buddhists Believe" By: Dr. K. Sri Dhammanada http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbe鈥?/a>
And, as mentioned - "Mindfulness in Plain English" By: Ven. Henepola Gunaratana: http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/ is an excellent book to learn how to practice Mindfulness Meditation. *Henepola Gunaratana-in his book "Mindfulness in Plain English" covers what meditation is, what it isn't, attitude, the practice, what to do with your body, what to do with your mind, structuring your meditation, set-up exercises, dealing with problems, dealing with distractions, sati or mindfulness, mindfulness vs. concentration and mindfulness in everyday life.
Thubten Chodron-an American Buddhist Nun-has a very good
website to learn from: http://www.thubtenchodron.org/
Thubten Chodron has authored an excellent book called "Buddhism For Beginners" - which teaches the Essence of Buddhism, the Life of The Buddha, Love and Compassion, Beginning Meditation, Impermanence and Suffering, Selflessness, Science/Creation/Rebirth, Karma: the functioning of cause and effect, The Buddhist Traditions {ie: Theravada, Mahayana, Pure Land, Zen, Vajrayana, etc.), Steps Along the Path, Working With Emotions, Dharma in Everyday Life, Women and The Dharma, Family %26amp; Children, Spiritual Teachers, and Prayers and Rituals. She has also authored a very good book called: "Open Heart, Clear Mind" which is a beginner/intermediate Buddhist book.
Andrew Weiss, who is ordained in both Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing and the White Plum Lineage of Japanese Soto Zen Traditions, has an excellent beginner's book called: "Beginning Mindfulness: Learning The Way of Awareness" which teaches Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Tonglin: the Art of Practicing Compassion, and Mindfulness in Everyday Life.
-Best Wishes on your Journey.|||go to wikipedia and stuff and just type in Google ... buddhism and whatever you want to research. the internet has TONS. you just have to look a lot|||Mindfullness in Plain English is a free E-Book that you can download and actually distribute for free.
It focuses on Vipassana Meditation and was written by a very learned Buddhist Monk.
Also, I think another good beginner book is called Lotus Sutra.|||Say you're going to check out different books. Get three books: and when carrying them home, sandwich the buddhism one in the middle. Read alone in your room and lock your door so your parents can't find it. Take the keys with you.|||There's a lot more online than you have probably already seen. I would say you would get a lot more info online than on a book, and by your standards, I think online is your best option. Just go to a website all about religion and Buddhism. One sight off the top of my head is Religionfacts.com, which has basically every religion know to man and then some on it. Hope you find something you like.|||There are plenty of good sites online to learn about Buddhism from. I suggest you keep at it online for now. Seems your best option. There are even some which teach courses via email that are completely legit.|||research more. lots of buddhist monks on youtube giving lectures on buddhism.|||DO NOT LOOK ON WIKIPEDIA!!!!!
Sorry, but wiki sites are ones where anybody can go a write whatever they want.
I would stick to the internet for the time being. Start off with www.religioustolerance.org that will describe some things about Buddhism and it will even give you websites to further investigate for yourself.
Would your parents take you to a Buddhist temple? They are always wonderful and the monks there are (in my experiences) always such sweethearts who are prepared to answer any question.|||I commend you for being a seeker of truth at such a young age.
From what you've said, I do believe the internet is the answer for you. You might also try a search on His Holiness the Dalai Lama -- this is where I started my Buddhist practice.|||I'm assuming you are a student. Can you get yourself assigned a paper or report on Buddhism or something pertaining to Buddhism? Your parents would insist on you doing it if it were homework. They would be proud of you for learning enough to get a good grade.|||You have some very good links given already; www.buddhanet.net is very big and has virtually everything there is to know about every kind of Buddhism. I also like to refer people to www.thebigview.com/buddhism only because it is concise, offers the basics, and is easily navigated. After you go there and you get some general ideas, then go to buddhanet and you'll find it easier to find what you seek.|||If you go to the following world-wide online forum with loads of more or less knowledgeable members of all forms and colours (also including lamas, monks, nuns, experienced lay practitioners, professional buddhologists, beginners and just normal people interested in buddhism), you can ask any questions you want about buddhism, from the details of the Buddha's teachings to questions about different Buddhist traditions, groups, centres and teachers: http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/
There are many good Buddhist websites on the Internet, but also many that are not reliable. The problem for a beginner is how to know which is good and which is not. The E-sangha at the website I mentioned is by most serious Buddhists considered the number one site of them all, and helps you understand how to find which websites, groups, teachers, and so on, are reliable, and which is surely to avoid.
And if you for some reason don't want to actually ask the questions, you can probably find the answers to most of them just by reading what is already being discussed. :)
http://www.buddhanet.net/ mentioned above is also a good site, but not by far as extensive and active as the E-sangha.
The e-Sangha is an excellent place to browse around also if you don't know which kind of Buddhism you feel more connected to. There are people from different Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, Theravada and more Western traditions.
The following recommendations on the other hand are more from the Tibetan perspective (except the first book), simply because that's the tradition I know and practice myself. Nevertheless, I think they are all still relevant regardless of which tradition you may later end up in.
As for books, I have four suggestions to start with:
1. Read about the Buddha's life, including his teachings, in the wonderfully poetic prose biography "Old Path, White Clouds" by the famous Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh:
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetai鈥?/a>
2. Read the accessible introductions to Buddhism by the American nun Thubten Chodron, Buddhism for Beginners" (answers and questions style) and "Open Heart, Clear Mind" (more focusing on how Buddhist psychology is relevant for modern Westerners):
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/Publicatio鈥?/a>
You can also find many interesting texts on her homepage, including everything you need to know about meditation:
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/Meditation鈥?/a>
3. Any book by the incomparable and unconventional Tibetan teacher Lama Thubten Yeshe (the "hippie lama", as he called himself). On this site you can find many texts online, and also order a number of excellent books for free (donation suggested):
http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php
4. The somewhat more traditional, but still highly relevant and accessible explanations of the basics of the Buddhist teachings by HH the Dalai Lama, in for example "How to Practice. The Way to a Meaningful Life" (a short but not superficial overview of the entire Buddhist path) and "A Simple Path" (an exceedingly beautifully illustrated explanation of the Four Noble Truths, the foundational teaching of all Buddhism):
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetai鈥?/a>
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetai鈥?/a>
Anorther website that is totally fabularious in its wealth of information, on all levels from total beginners to very advanced, tantric levels, is the Berzins Archives (Alex Berzin has lived and studied with Tibetan masters in India for decades, translated for the Dalai Lama on numerous occasions and now lives in Berlin):
http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/ind鈥?/a>
Any suggestions? I have already researched it a little bit online, but I don't want to choose buddhism based on things I have read online.|||Honestly, for beginner/intermediate learners of Buddhism, the internet is the best source to learn about Buddhism. *http://www.buddhanet.net/ is one of the most reliable and accurate websites to learn about Buddhism, and to gain wisdom: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/inde鈥?/a> *You may wish to consider checking out the book on Buddhanet called: "What Buddhists Believe" By: Dr. K. Sri Dhammanada http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbe鈥?/a>
And, as mentioned - "Mindfulness in Plain English" By: Ven. Henepola Gunaratana: http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/ is an excellent book to learn how to practice Mindfulness Meditation. *Henepola Gunaratana-in his book "Mindfulness in Plain English" covers what meditation is, what it isn't, attitude, the practice, what to do with your body, what to do with your mind, structuring your meditation, set-up exercises, dealing with problems, dealing with distractions, sati or mindfulness, mindfulness vs. concentration and mindfulness in everyday life.
Thubten Chodron-an American Buddhist Nun-has a very good
website to learn from: http://www.thubtenchodron.org/
Thubten Chodron has authored an excellent book called "Buddhism For Beginners" - which teaches the Essence of Buddhism, the Life of The Buddha, Love and Compassion, Beginning Meditation, Impermanence and Suffering, Selflessness, Science/Creation/Rebirth, Karma: the functioning of cause and effect, The Buddhist Traditions {ie: Theravada, Mahayana, Pure Land, Zen, Vajrayana, etc.), Steps Along the Path, Working With Emotions, Dharma in Everyday Life, Women and The Dharma, Family %26amp; Children, Spiritual Teachers, and Prayers and Rituals. She has also authored a very good book called: "Open Heart, Clear Mind" which is a beginner/intermediate Buddhist book.
Andrew Weiss, who is ordained in both Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing and the White Plum Lineage of Japanese Soto Zen Traditions, has an excellent beginner's book called: "Beginning Mindfulness: Learning The Way of Awareness" which teaches Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Tonglin: the Art of Practicing Compassion, and Mindfulness in Everyday Life.
-Best Wishes on your Journey.|||go to wikipedia and stuff and just type in Google ... buddhism and whatever you want to research. the internet has TONS. you just have to look a lot|||Mindfullness in Plain English is a free E-Book that you can download and actually distribute for free.
It focuses on Vipassana Meditation and was written by a very learned Buddhist Monk.
Also, I think another good beginner book is called Lotus Sutra.|||Say you're going to check out different books. Get three books: and when carrying them home, sandwich the buddhism one in the middle. Read alone in your room and lock your door so your parents can't find it. Take the keys with you.|||There's a lot more online than you have probably already seen. I would say you would get a lot more info online than on a book, and by your standards, I think online is your best option. Just go to a website all about religion and Buddhism. One sight off the top of my head is Religionfacts.com, which has basically every religion know to man and then some on it. Hope you find something you like.|||There are plenty of good sites online to learn about Buddhism from. I suggest you keep at it online for now. Seems your best option. There are even some which teach courses via email that are completely legit.|||research more. lots of buddhist monks on youtube giving lectures on buddhism.|||DO NOT LOOK ON WIKIPEDIA!!!!!
Sorry, but wiki sites are ones where anybody can go a write whatever they want.
I would stick to the internet for the time being. Start off with www.religioustolerance.org that will describe some things about Buddhism and it will even give you websites to further investigate for yourself.
Would your parents take you to a Buddhist temple? They are always wonderful and the monks there are (in my experiences) always such sweethearts who are prepared to answer any question.|||I commend you for being a seeker of truth at such a young age.
From what you've said, I do believe the internet is the answer for you. You might also try a search on His Holiness the Dalai Lama -- this is where I started my Buddhist practice.|||I'm assuming you are a student. Can you get yourself assigned a paper or report on Buddhism or something pertaining to Buddhism? Your parents would insist on you doing it if it were homework. They would be proud of you for learning enough to get a good grade.|||You have some very good links given already; www.buddhanet.net is very big and has virtually everything there is to know about every kind of Buddhism. I also like to refer people to www.thebigview.com/buddhism only because it is concise, offers the basics, and is easily navigated. After you go there and you get some general ideas, then go to buddhanet and you'll find it easier to find what you seek.|||If you go to the following world-wide online forum with loads of more or less knowledgeable members of all forms and colours (also including lamas, monks, nuns, experienced lay practitioners, professional buddhologists, beginners and just normal people interested in buddhism), you can ask any questions you want about buddhism, from the details of the Buddha's teachings to questions about different Buddhist traditions, groups, centres and teachers: http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/
There are many good Buddhist websites on the Internet, but also many that are not reliable. The problem for a beginner is how to know which is good and which is not. The E-sangha at the website I mentioned is by most serious Buddhists considered the number one site of them all, and helps you understand how to find which websites, groups, teachers, and so on, are reliable, and which is surely to avoid.
And if you for some reason don't want to actually ask the questions, you can probably find the answers to most of them just by reading what is already being discussed. :)
http://www.buddhanet.net/ mentioned above is also a good site, but not by far as extensive and active as the E-sangha.
The e-Sangha is an excellent place to browse around also if you don't know which kind of Buddhism you feel more connected to. There are people from different Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, Theravada and more Western traditions.
The following recommendations on the other hand are more from the Tibetan perspective (except the first book), simply because that's the tradition I know and practice myself. Nevertheless, I think they are all still relevant regardless of which tradition you may later end up in.
As for books, I have four suggestions to start with:
1. Read about the Buddha's life, including his teachings, in the wonderfully poetic prose biography "Old Path, White Clouds" by the famous Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh:
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetai鈥?/a>
2. Read the accessible introductions to Buddhism by the American nun Thubten Chodron, Buddhism for Beginners" (answers and questions style) and "Open Heart, Clear Mind" (more focusing on how Buddhist psychology is relevant for modern Westerners):
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/Publicatio鈥?/a>
You can also find many interesting texts on her homepage, including everything you need to know about meditation:
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/Meditation鈥?/a>
3. Any book by the incomparable and unconventional Tibetan teacher Lama Thubten Yeshe (the "hippie lama", as he called himself). On this site you can find many texts online, and also order a number of excellent books for free (donation suggested):
http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php
4. The somewhat more traditional, but still highly relevant and accessible explanations of the basics of the Buddhist teachings by HH the Dalai Lama, in for example "How to Practice. The Way to a Meaningful Life" (a short but not superficial overview of the entire Buddhist path) and "A Simple Path" (an exceedingly beautifully illustrated explanation of the Four Noble Truths, the foundational teaching of all Buddhism):
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetai鈥?/a>
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDetai鈥?/a>
Anorther website that is totally fabularious in its wealth of information, on all levels from total beginners to very advanced, tantric levels, is the Berzins Archives (Alex Berzin has lived and studied with Tibetan masters in India for decades, translated for the Dalai Lama on numerous occasions and now lives in Berlin):
http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/ind鈥?/a>
Is there any good documentary videos out there that are good on History of Buddhism?
I i'm looking into all kinds of Buddhism and i am wondering if you know of any videos that might have had someone showing the teachings or how the life of a Buddhist is. i;m looking into Mahayana and Hinayana. i'm also looking in on the different types of Buddhism.|||Here's a Good BBC Documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2NLQGrbf鈥?/a>
Best Wishes,
Goodfella
XX|||www.buddhanet.net %26lt;--- This makes your hunt easier, so that you can follow the information as YOU would like to.
_()_|||Try historychannel.com.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2NLQGrbf鈥?/a>
Best Wishes,
Goodfella
XX|||www.buddhanet.net %26lt;--- This makes your hunt easier, so that you can follow the information as YOU would like to.
_()_|||Try historychannel.com.
Where is a good buddhism temple in the Chicago area?
I am interested in buddhism temple where they are accepting of newcomers just trying to learn a little about the religion. I researched some temples on google but do not know much about the religion and do not know if many white people go to these temples. Also some websites said there was requirements to become a member but I just want to visit the temple, maybe take some meditation classes just to try it out.|||The Ten Directions Zen Community has 7 practice locations in Chicago and surrounding communities. I know some of the people in this organization, including the teacher, and I think you'll find them to be welcoming and without expectations.
They offer instruction in meditation and, while membership is available to those who are interested, anyone can participate.
Here's their website: http://www.tendirectionszen.org/
Best wishes on your path!|||What part of the Chicago area do you want to go to? Chicago is huge. Do you want to drive an hour and a half away? Or are you looking for something close to where you live?|||Find their phone numbers and call them and ask.
"The Buddhist Temple of Chicago is open to all and newcomers are especially welcome." "Everyone is welcome to attend 11 am Sunday services and scheduled open-ended classes and meditation (see the Buddhist Education Center page for schedule). "
However, the Uptown location is not the greatest neighborhood.
http://www.budtempchi.org/|||There is a list at
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Chicago%2C鈥?/a>|||Chicago Karma Thegsum Choling
708-652-9722
director@chicagoktc.org
2100 S. Central Avenue
Cicero, Illinois 60804
This is the Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist center of the Karmapa. I also googled Buddhist center in Chicago and there were quite a few that came up.
They offer instruction in meditation and, while membership is available to those who are interested, anyone can participate.
Here's their website: http://www.tendirectionszen.org/
Best wishes on your path!|||What part of the Chicago area do you want to go to? Chicago is huge. Do you want to drive an hour and a half away? Or are you looking for something close to where you live?|||Find their phone numbers and call them and ask.
"The Buddhist Temple of Chicago is open to all and newcomers are especially welcome." "Everyone is welcome to attend 11 am Sunday services and scheduled open-ended classes and meditation (see the Buddhist Education Center page for schedule). "
However, the Uptown location is not the greatest neighborhood.
http://www.budtempchi.org/|||There is a list at
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Chicago%2C鈥?/a>|||Chicago Karma Thegsum Choling
708-652-9722
director@chicagoktc.org
2100 S. Central Avenue
Cicero, Illinois 60804
This is the Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhist center of the Karmapa. I also googled Buddhist center in Chicago and there were quite a few that came up.
What practices/philosophies are the opposite of Buddhism?
I mean Buddhism in general. What would be the "anti" to Buddhism? Or reversal?|||Greed, hatred %26amp; delusion: the three unskillful roots.
The opposites-to-the-opposites of Buddhism (lol) are non-greed (generosity, sacrifice), non-hatred (universal loving kindness), and non-delusion (wisdom, insight).
In a way, everything is necessary because we need to learn. If we'd never been greedy %26amp; got the results of being greedy, we would never know why it is unskillful.
Sometimes greed (desire) can lead to the ending of desire, as the Buddha has said.
If it is looked at in that way... there IS no opposite of Buddhism.
Buddhism is everything: the completed product.
(Which was my initial response, as i read your question). : )
Best Wishes,
Goodfella
XX|||greed?|||Overt materialism and consumerism, maybe..?|||anything encompassing greed, cruelty, intolerance.|||Based on previous answers, I would say... being American.|||LeVayen Satanism: Its teachings are based on individualism, self-indulgence, and "eye for an eye" morality. Members feel free to satisfy their urges responsibly, exhibit kindness to their friends, and attack their enemies.|||If you consider the Four Immeasurables: Love, compassion, joy and equanimity, then anything that advocates hate, indifference, jealousy or wanting others to suffer is the opposite.|||well, the opposite of Buddhism would be to love and indulge in anything that one desires accompanied by the belief that there is nothing beyond what is seen and observed - matter is the only existant thing and there is no after life.
I don't know what that is considered.|||Too many to list here: www.buddhanet.net
Be well,
_()_
The opposites-to-the-opposites of Buddhism (lol) are non-greed (generosity, sacrifice), non-hatred (universal loving kindness), and non-delusion (wisdom, insight).
In a way, everything is necessary because we need to learn. If we'd never been greedy %26amp; got the results of being greedy, we would never know why it is unskillful.
Sometimes greed (desire) can lead to the ending of desire, as the Buddha has said.
If it is looked at in that way... there IS no opposite of Buddhism.
Buddhism is everything: the completed product.
(Which was my initial response, as i read your question). : )
Best Wishes,
Goodfella
XX|||greed?|||Overt materialism and consumerism, maybe..?|||anything encompassing greed, cruelty, intolerance.|||Based on previous answers, I would say... being American.|||LeVayen Satanism: Its teachings are based on individualism, self-indulgence, and "eye for an eye" morality. Members feel free to satisfy their urges responsibly, exhibit kindness to their friends, and attack their enemies.|||If you consider the Four Immeasurables: Love, compassion, joy and equanimity, then anything that advocates hate, indifference, jealousy or wanting others to suffer is the opposite.|||well, the opposite of Buddhism would be to love and indulge in anything that one desires accompanied by the belief that there is nothing beyond what is seen and observed - matter is the only existant thing and there is no after life.
I don't know what that is considered.|||Too many to list here: www.buddhanet.net
Be well,
_()_
Why were several foreign kings in India more likely to convert to Buddhism than to Hinduism?
a. Buddhism was a more optimistic religion
b. hte philosophy of Buddhism is easier to understand
c. Hinduism does not allow new converts
d. Hinduism had no easy mechanism for working foreigners into its system of class and caste
please %26amp; thank you! :)
this is exactly how the teacher wrote it, she might have made some typos (like in B), just saying.|||I think D is the most likely. Not a or b, because the two religions are very similar in content. Not c, because Hinduism does allow converts. So I would choose d, not just by elimination, but because Buddhism is more successful than Hinduism in gaining converts worldwide.|||ITS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR THE INDIAN "UNITY IN DIVERSITY"!
BUDDHISM HAS ITS ROOT IN HINDUISM, BUDDHA USED MANY ASPECTS OF HINDUISM LIKE DHARMA, THE CYCLE OF BRITH-DEATH-REBIRTH ETC
ON THE OTHER SIDE BUDDHA IS SEEN AS ONE OF LORD VISHNUS AVATARS.|||d. Nobody joins a religion that relegates converts to the bottom tier.
b. hte philosophy of Buddhism is easier to understand
c. Hinduism does not allow new converts
d. Hinduism had no easy mechanism for working foreigners into its system of class and caste
please %26amp; thank you! :)
this is exactly how the teacher wrote it, she might have made some typos (like in B), just saying.|||I think D is the most likely. Not a or b, because the two religions are very similar in content. Not c, because Hinduism does allow converts. So I would choose d, not just by elimination, but because Buddhism is more successful than Hinduism in gaining converts worldwide.|||ITS A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR THE INDIAN "UNITY IN DIVERSITY"!
BUDDHISM HAS ITS ROOT IN HINDUISM, BUDDHA USED MANY ASPECTS OF HINDUISM LIKE DHARMA, THE CYCLE OF BRITH-DEATH-REBIRTH ETC
ON THE OTHER SIDE BUDDHA IS SEEN AS ONE OF LORD VISHNUS AVATARS.|||d. Nobody joins a religion that relegates converts to the bottom tier.
What makes the Buddha such a powerful figure in Buddhism?
What makes the Buddha such a powerful figure in Buddhism?
(other than he invented it!)
And why is the eight fold path so important?|||What makes the Buddha such a powerful figure in Buddhism?
The teachings of the Buddha, the Dharma, are not something he invented. Instead, it is something that, like the Law of Gravity, must be discovered. In the Buddhist tradition, the Buddha is highly revered because he discovered the Dharma with no one to help him. The actual term for this is samma-sam-buddho (fully and self-awakened one) in Pali language.
The second reason why he is revered so greatly is that after he attained Nirvana, he lived an exemplary life. He did not crave anything, but just dwelt in peace. When someone needed his help, he went out of his way to help them. Read the story of Angulimala for example. He averted wars between neighboring tribes, helped a woman who had lost her son, and so on.
Because he had let go of his selfish, petty nature, he became the consummate altruist.
As to the Eightfold Path, and why it helps, allow me to quote from the Buddha's first sermon:
"And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata [the Buddha] that 鈥?producing vision, producing knowledge 鈥?leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that 鈥?producing vision, producing knowledge 鈥?leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding."
Found here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html
In short, the Eightfold Path is the essence of the Middle Way, and the Middle Way is the road away from the extremes of hedonism and self-mortification.
Hope that helps.|||The Buddha's true name was Siddhartha Guatama. He was (and is) so important in Buddhism because he was the first Buddha (contrary to popular belief, he is not the only Buddha. Buddha means "Enlightened One," so according to Buddhism, anyone who follows the Eightfold Path - which is intended to be a way to spiritually transcend the material world - can become enlightened, and therefore, a Buddha).|||Its teachings that he learned from life, not what he learned from other people, and everyone is invited.
"Learning from life is knowledge, learning from people is ignorance."|||His wisdom!
He didn't invent anything, he realized the ultimate truth and laws and taught them accordingly. You can't invent truth and laws. Thus, he want you to realize the same truth.
His profound teaching are not found anywhere else, only in Buddhism. In addition, his total approach on a complete teaching including morality, equality, mindfulness and wisdom is unmatched (all other teachings are either biased or neglected some aspects). Most importantly, his teaching focused on human (us), you have total control over your future.
The eight fold path is important because it is the path towards enlightenment, liberating one from all sufferings.|||The Buddha is a powerful image to me because he is human, just like me, and it means that I, as a human, have the potential to become as great as him.
The Eightfold Path ensures not only good living through moral precepts but supports the development of inner happiness and positive states of mind. And what do people want other than to be happy?|||The greatness of the Buddha is not only his power but His compassion to people in the world. The Buddha Shakyamuni gave up his prince crown and became enlightened in order to spread his teaching to helps his disciples to reach Enlightenment.
Buddha Shakyamuni also told the prophecy about the udumbara flowers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7mycKWAp鈥?/a>
http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-6-13/564鈥?/a>
The 'eight fold path' maybe important to certain sect in Buddhism. For example, a rediscovered Buddhist belief, Falun Gong holds that the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance as the highest standard.
(other than he invented it!)
And why is the eight fold path so important?|||What makes the Buddha such a powerful figure in Buddhism?
The teachings of the Buddha, the Dharma, are not something he invented. Instead, it is something that, like the Law of Gravity, must be discovered. In the Buddhist tradition, the Buddha is highly revered because he discovered the Dharma with no one to help him. The actual term for this is samma-sam-buddho (fully and self-awakened one) in Pali language.
The second reason why he is revered so greatly is that after he attained Nirvana, he lived an exemplary life. He did not crave anything, but just dwelt in peace. When someone needed his help, he went out of his way to help them. Read the story of Angulimala for example. He averted wars between neighboring tribes, helped a woman who had lost her son, and so on.
Because he had let go of his selfish, petty nature, he became the consummate altruist.
As to the Eightfold Path, and why it helps, allow me to quote from the Buddha's first sermon:
"And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata [the Buddha] that 鈥?producing vision, producing knowledge 鈥?leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the middle way realized by the Tathagata that 鈥?producing vision, producing knowledge 鈥?leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding."
Found here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn56/sn56.011.than.html
In short, the Eightfold Path is the essence of the Middle Way, and the Middle Way is the road away from the extremes of hedonism and self-mortification.
Hope that helps.|||The Buddha's true name was Siddhartha Guatama. He was (and is) so important in Buddhism because he was the first Buddha (contrary to popular belief, he is not the only Buddha. Buddha means "Enlightened One," so according to Buddhism, anyone who follows the Eightfold Path - which is intended to be a way to spiritually transcend the material world - can become enlightened, and therefore, a Buddha).|||Its teachings that he learned from life, not what he learned from other people, and everyone is invited.
"Learning from life is knowledge, learning from people is ignorance."|||His wisdom!
He didn't invent anything, he realized the ultimate truth and laws and taught them accordingly. You can't invent truth and laws. Thus, he want you to realize the same truth.
His profound teaching are not found anywhere else, only in Buddhism. In addition, his total approach on a complete teaching including morality, equality, mindfulness and wisdom is unmatched (all other teachings are either biased or neglected some aspects). Most importantly, his teaching focused on human (us), you have total control over your future.
The eight fold path is important because it is the path towards enlightenment, liberating one from all sufferings.|||The Buddha is a powerful image to me because he is human, just like me, and it means that I, as a human, have the potential to become as great as him.
The Eightfold Path ensures not only good living through moral precepts but supports the development of inner happiness and positive states of mind. And what do people want other than to be happy?|||The greatness of the Buddha is not only his power but His compassion to people in the world. The Buddha Shakyamuni gave up his prince crown and became enlightened in order to spread his teaching to helps his disciples to reach Enlightenment.
Buddha Shakyamuni also told the prophecy about the udumbara flowers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7mycKWAp鈥?/a>
http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-6-13/564鈥?/a>
The 'eight fold path' maybe important to certain sect in Buddhism. For example, a rediscovered Buddhist belief, Falun Gong holds that the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance as the highest standard.
The Dalai Lama said that if Science contradicted Buddhism, Buddhism would have to change?
It's interesting that Buddhism and science coexist so well. Buddhism is totally open to Science. And in 2500 years, science has not contradicted any Buddhist ideas. What are your opinions on this?|||Unlike Christianity, Buddhism has never claimed to explain how the universe came into being or why it is the way it is at all. Some revelations of modern physics even seem to confirm the Buddhist conception of a mind-bogglingly old and immense universe that is both overflowing with being and also, in a fundamental sense, "empty." And there has never been the presumption that humanity was at the center of the universe, so modern scientific findings to the contrary have not come as a shock to Buddhists.
That said, a literal adherence to the exact descriptions of the cosmos one finds in traditional Buddhism can lead one to some very unscientific conclusions. But it is not necessary to take such descriptions literally in order to recognize the worth of the Buddha's teachings. The spiritual doctrine of karma and rebirth is obviously not one that most scientists would accept; but it is not clear that even this doctrine makes any hard and fast claims about the physical structure of the universe, and it does not pose the same aggressive challenge to scientific reason that, say, creationism does. Hence the relative lack of conflict between Buddhism and science.|||Buddhism is a very practical and open philosophy and belief system. It is in fact very much in sync with the universe; when chanted properly it has been demonstrated that the frequency of the sound "om" is the same frequency of the vibrations of the universe. Many of it's ideas and philosophies are inline with quantum physics, and the fact that it's willing to flow with science is what Buddhism is about, being in sync with the universe.|||According to Buddhism, there is no absolute truth. Truth is a relative term depending on the observer. But science (Western or Modern Science, that is) states that there is an absolute truth.
Therefore Buddhism and Western Science are totally different knowledge systems. And if one believes in Buddhism, he/she should not try to "rationalize" Buddhism according to Western Science.|||Buddhism is probably my favourite religion/philosophy. And the Dalai Lama is rather adorable. I know that sounds weird, but we watched this documentary in class about him and it was awesome. He crashed his car when he was a teen :D. But Buddhism is rather liberal and I think that might come from not actually preaching about a god, but about morals.|||To be put it bluntly, Dalai Lama wa wrong.
Because, sceince is a study of relative laws(relativity).
Budddhim is a practice to understand absolutivity.
They can co-exist healthily even if there are differences as their angle of views are different.|||That's because Buddhists don't believe in absolute truth therefore, they cannot know with any certainty that their truth IS the truth. Truth is all relative to them.
That said, a literal adherence to the exact descriptions of the cosmos one finds in traditional Buddhism can lead one to some very unscientific conclusions. But it is not necessary to take such descriptions literally in order to recognize the worth of the Buddha's teachings. The spiritual doctrine of karma and rebirth is obviously not one that most scientists would accept; but it is not clear that even this doctrine makes any hard and fast claims about the physical structure of the universe, and it does not pose the same aggressive challenge to scientific reason that, say, creationism does. Hence the relative lack of conflict between Buddhism and science.|||Buddhism is a very practical and open philosophy and belief system. It is in fact very much in sync with the universe; when chanted properly it has been demonstrated that the frequency of the sound "om" is the same frequency of the vibrations of the universe. Many of it's ideas and philosophies are inline with quantum physics, and the fact that it's willing to flow with science is what Buddhism is about, being in sync with the universe.|||According to Buddhism, there is no absolute truth. Truth is a relative term depending on the observer. But science (Western or Modern Science, that is) states that there is an absolute truth.
Therefore Buddhism and Western Science are totally different knowledge systems. And if one believes in Buddhism, he/she should not try to "rationalize" Buddhism according to Western Science.|||Buddhism is probably my favourite religion/philosophy. And the Dalai Lama is rather adorable. I know that sounds weird, but we watched this documentary in class about him and it was awesome. He crashed his car when he was a teen :D. But Buddhism is rather liberal and I think that might come from not actually preaching about a god, but about morals.|||To be put it bluntly, Dalai Lama wa wrong.
Because, sceince is a study of relative laws(relativity).
Budddhim is a practice to understand absolutivity.
They can co-exist healthily even if there are differences as their angle of views are different.|||That's because Buddhists don't believe in absolute truth therefore, they cannot know with any certainty that their truth IS the truth. Truth is all relative to them.
Can someone explain to me the primary differences between Buddhism and Hinduism in general?
They both seem to believe in reincarnation.
Are there any mutually exclusive contradictions between the two religions making them irreconcilable?
Or could someone believe in both Buddhism and Hinduism simultaneously without any mutually exclusive contradictions?
Could someone explain the core differences between the two religions to me?|||Actually, if you examine both, they are not too different.
The Essence of both is the same in that they both see the Parama Atma or the Universal Consciousness of the Eternal Soul as the inevitable, ultimate goal of all the Atma [Soul, technically, of the individual] and do not have any Sky Daddy nor Heaven and Hell and see Moksha [Liberation] as the one focus the individual should strive for to gain Nirvana [Eternal Bliss].
Buddhism was more of a Reformist Movement initiated by Skayamuni Siddhartha Gautama Buddha against the the ritualization and promotion of the Trimurthy [Hindu Trinity] and the moving away from the core concepts by the Brahmans of those days.
The difference is not in the Core Concepts, but in the Path used to attain the Goal.
The tenet of Buddham sharanam gachchami, Dharmam sharanam gachchami, Sangham sharanam gachchami [ I seek refuge in Buddha, the Path and in the Order] differentiates them from the Sanathana Dharma, the real name of Hinduism, which actually doesn't have any Order [of Monks and monasteries etc], though the later "Hinduism" degenerated to such, and neither requires any seeking of refuge in anyone or anything, for the simple reason that whether you like it or not, the Soul - Atma, will at some point of time, inevitably merge with the Parama Atma, the Collective Universal Consciousness.
Buddhism organizes the original Philosophy and prepares you for the moment when you need to break away from the bindings [bandhanas] so that you can get Release from the cycle of Rebirth [Moksha] and move on to merging with your Original Self - the Parama Atma to be forever in Nirvana or Eternal Bliss.
.|||In very brief, I think in Hinduism, devotees pray and respect for the god, spiritual power is the God. Buddhism is a vision, anyone can follow the Noble four truths, Noble eight fold pathway and achieve the spiritual power which is Nirvana, where there is no suffering, the eternal true happiness. If I am wrong please kindly make me correct.|||Buddhism is actually an atheistic religion.
It has no real deity to worship to.
Hinduism, however, has over 200, I believe.
Also, just because two religions have a similar belief doesn't make them the same.
Are there any mutually exclusive contradictions between the two religions making them irreconcilable?
Or could someone believe in both Buddhism and Hinduism simultaneously without any mutually exclusive contradictions?
Could someone explain the core differences between the two religions to me?|||Actually, if you examine both, they are not too different.
The Essence of both is the same in that they both see the Parama Atma or the Universal Consciousness of the Eternal Soul as the inevitable, ultimate goal of all the Atma [Soul, technically, of the individual] and do not have any Sky Daddy nor Heaven and Hell and see Moksha [Liberation] as the one focus the individual should strive for to gain Nirvana [Eternal Bliss].
Buddhism was more of a Reformist Movement initiated by Skayamuni Siddhartha Gautama Buddha against the the ritualization and promotion of the Trimurthy [Hindu Trinity] and the moving away from the core concepts by the Brahmans of those days.
The difference is not in the Core Concepts, but in the Path used to attain the Goal.
The tenet of Buddham sharanam gachchami, Dharmam sharanam gachchami, Sangham sharanam gachchami [ I seek refuge in Buddha, the Path and in the Order] differentiates them from the Sanathana Dharma, the real name of Hinduism, which actually doesn't have any Order [of Monks and monasteries etc], though the later "Hinduism" degenerated to such, and neither requires any seeking of refuge in anyone or anything, for the simple reason that whether you like it or not, the Soul - Atma, will at some point of time, inevitably merge with the Parama Atma, the Collective Universal Consciousness.
Buddhism organizes the original Philosophy and prepares you for the moment when you need to break away from the bindings [bandhanas] so that you can get Release from the cycle of Rebirth [Moksha] and move on to merging with your Original Self - the Parama Atma to be forever in Nirvana or Eternal Bliss.
.|||In very brief, I think in Hinduism, devotees pray and respect for the god, spiritual power is the God. Buddhism is a vision, anyone can follow the Noble four truths, Noble eight fold pathway and achieve the spiritual power which is Nirvana, where there is no suffering, the eternal true happiness. If I am wrong please kindly make me correct.|||Buddhism is actually an atheistic religion.
It has no real deity to worship to.
Hinduism, however, has over 200, I believe.
Also, just because two religions have a similar belief doesn't make them the same.
What are some good books to get introduced to Buddhism?
I'm interested in learning more about Buddhism. So, two things are necessary:
a) I'd prefer it to be secular and academic rather than "preachy"
b) I'd like to be an informative summary, but accessible enough for someone unfamiliar with the religion
Thank you.|||Here are some books that aided me along my path. I would consider them the foundation of my buddhist library.
Introductory Buddhism
1. What The Buddha Taught - classic book introducing people to buddhism since 1959
http://www.amazon.com/What-Buddha-Taught鈥?/a>
2. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching - more in depth explanations of fundamental buddhist teachings
http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Buddhas-Teac鈥?/a>
Meditation %26amp; Mindfulness
1. Beginning Mindfulness - ten week course that helps develop the daily practice of mindfulness and meditation.
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Mindfuln鈥?/a>
2. Mindfulness in Plain English - the beginners meditation manual. A must have for any meditator.
http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Plain-鈥?/a>
(online free version) http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.鈥?/a>
3. Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness - sequel to the above book. Helps one learn and incorporate the eightfold path into daily life.
http://www.amazon.com/Eight-Mindful-Step鈥?/a>
Buddhist Texts
1. The Dhammapada - most widely read Buddhist scripture; Fronsdal's translation is a very enjoyable read. http://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Transla鈥?/a>
2. Transformation and Healing. Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness - fundamental buddhist sutra with commentary by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. This book is one that changed my life and guided me into buddhist practice.
http://www.amazon.com/Transformation-Hea鈥?/a>
3. In the Buddha's Words. An Anthology of Discourses from the Pail Canon - collection of buddhist sutras organized for easy reference. http://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anth鈥?/a>
Hope this can be of some assistance. I wish you much success along your journey :)|||There are, of course, hundreds of introductory books on Buddhism. Unfortunately, most of them are either sectarian, or written by enthusiasts/scholars, rather than by teachers.
For this reason, I almost always recommend "It's Easier Than You Think" by Sylvia Boorstein.
This short book has several virtues:
- It introduces the foundations of Buddhism without jargon or sectarian bias
- It's warm, witty, and wise, as befits a senior Buddhist teacher
- It focuses on how Buddhist teaching applies in everyday, modern life
Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H2MEGY?tag鈥?/a>
If you read this book and are still interested in learning more, then an excellent next step would be to visit a Buddhist center near you and get instruction on Buddhist practice. When you do that, then you follow in the footsteps of the Buddha. Here's a list of centers around the world:
http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/
Best wishes in your re(search)!|||The Gospel of Buddha by Paul Carus. You can buy the book. You can also read it on-line: http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/
Also, another books published and put available on-line: http://www.vipassanadhura.com/dhammatalk鈥?/a>
Reflection on a Mountain Lake by Ani Tenzin Palmo.
A Cave in Snow by Vicky Mackenzie
Other online sites about Buddhism:
http://dhammafriends.net/Sub%20pages/Dha鈥?/a>
http://www.buddhanet.net./e-learning/ind鈥?/a>
http://www.tara.org/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo鈥?/a>
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/ForThoseNe鈥?/a>
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/鈥?/a>
http://www.bswa.org/
http://tenzinpalmo.com/index.php?option=鈥?/a>
http://www.jhanagrove.org.au/content/vie鈥?/a>
a) I'd prefer it to be secular and academic rather than "preachy"
b) I'd like to be an informative summary, but accessible enough for someone unfamiliar with the religion
Thank you.|||Here are some books that aided me along my path. I would consider them the foundation of my buddhist library.
Introductory Buddhism
1. What The Buddha Taught - classic book introducing people to buddhism since 1959
http://www.amazon.com/What-Buddha-Taught鈥?/a>
2. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching - more in depth explanations of fundamental buddhist teachings
http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Buddhas-Teac鈥?/a>
Meditation %26amp; Mindfulness
1. Beginning Mindfulness - ten week course that helps develop the daily practice of mindfulness and meditation.
http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Mindfuln鈥?/a>
2. Mindfulness in Plain English - the beginners meditation manual. A must have for any meditator.
http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Plain-鈥?/a>
(online free version) http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.鈥?/a>
3. Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness - sequel to the above book. Helps one learn and incorporate the eightfold path into daily life.
http://www.amazon.com/Eight-Mindful-Step鈥?/a>
Buddhist Texts
1. The Dhammapada - most widely read Buddhist scripture; Fronsdal's translation is a very enjoyable read. http://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Transla鈥?/a>
2. Transformation and Healing. Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness - fundamental buddhist sutra with commentary by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. This book is one that changed my life and guided me into buddhist practice.
http://www.amazon.com/Transformation-Hea鈥?/a>
3. In the Buddha's Words. An Anthology of Discourses from the Pail Canon - collection of buddhist sutras organized for easy reference. http://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anth鈥?/a>
Hope this can be of some assistance. I wish you much success along your journey :)|||There are, of course, hundreds of introductory books on Buddhism. Unfortunately, most of them are either sectarian, or written by enthusiasts/scholars, rather than by teachers.
For this reason, I almost always recommend "It's Easier Than You Think" by Sylvia Boorstein.
This short book has several virtues:
- It introduces the foundations of Buddhism without jargon or sectarian bias
- It's warm, witty, and wise, as befits a senior Buddhist teacher
- It focuses on how Buddhist teaching applies in everyday, modern life
Here's the link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H2MEGY?tag鈥?/a>
If you read this book and are still interested in learning more, then an excellent next step would be to visit a Buddhist center near you and get instruction on Buddhist practice. When you do that, then you follow in the footsteps of the Buddha. Here's a list of centers around the world:
http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/
Best wishes in your re(search)!|||The Gospel of Buddha by Paul Carus. You can buy the book. You can also read it on-line: http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/
Also, another books published and put available on-line: http://www.vipassanadhura.com/dhammatalk鈥?/a>
Reflection on a Mountain Lake by Ani Tenzin Palmo.
A Cave in Snow by Vicky Mackenzie
Other online sites about Buddhism:
http://dhammafriends.net/Sub%20pages/Dha鈥?/a>
http://www.buddhanet.net./e-learning/ind鈥?/a>
http://www.tara.org/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo鈥?/a>
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/ForThoseNe鈥?/a>
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/鈥?/a>
http://www.bswa.org/
http://tenzinpalmo.com/index.php?option=鈥?/a>
http://www.jhanagrove.org.au/content/vie鈥?/a>
Which of these statements about Buddhism is true?
A. Gautama, founder of Buddhism, was common fisherman.
B. Buddhism remains a dominant religion in present-day India.
C. In India, Buddhists accepted the Hindu caste system.
D. Buddhists taught the virtues of the eightfold path.|||Only D is true. Gautama is a prince so A is WRONG. Hinduism is the dominant religion in India so B is wrong. C is also wrong. Buddhism does not have a structured caste system.
D is the correct answer!|||letter D is quite near to the Buddhist Philosophy.... others are out of the question...|||well I know the first one is wrong Siddhartha Gautama was the son of a king. the rest I don't know.|||E. Buddha always did his own homework.|||D: The Buddha taught that the Middle Way or Noble Eightfold Path is the means to ending suffering to attain peace and happiness:
There is much to learn when it comes to Buddhism - if you are studying this philosophy with purpose to practise it - encourage you to take it slow.
Start out by understanding the Four Noble Truths %26amp; the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism:
The Buddha's way to Presence was through the problem of suffering.
What is suffering, he asked. How does it arise?
Can it be ended? How do we end it? When other spiritual teachers and philosophers asked
The Buddha to describe his teaching - he answered: "I teach one thing and one thing only -
Suffering and the End of Suffering."
The Buddha formulated in his first teaching
the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation(end) of suffering, and
the Path to cessation. The Four Noble Truths
of Lord Buddha are in fact based on a simple
problem-solving model:
What is the problem?
What is the root of the problem?
Is there a solution?
How do you put the solution into effect?
As you may already know, the Middle Way or The Noble Eightfold Path is the Solution and it in itself teaches How to put the Solution into
effect.
Suffering takes place from emotional reactivity.
Is it possible to disengage from reactivity?
Yes. Reactive patterns within humanity have been in place for a long time. To dismantle these patterns we must take apart our lives. Attention works to dismantle patterns the way the energy
of the sun melts ice. The direct energy of attention dissolves the structure of unwholesome patterns, releasing the energy locked in them. We experience the freed energy as awareness and presence.
To Cultivate and apply Attention, we travel the Eightfold Path: Skillful Speech, Skillful Action,
Skillful Livelihood, Skillful Effort, Skillful Mindfulness, Skillful Attention, Skillful View and Skillful Cognition. The Best means to cultivate Attention is through mindfulness meditation: as we daily walk the Noble Eightfold Path with wisdom and compassion.
Respectfully, reading "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness" by: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana AND reading "Wake Up to your Life: The Buddhist Path of Attention" by: Ken McLeod may be quite encouraging toward your experience of living in the here and now-with mindfulness and presence.
To Learn the 4 Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, more in detail:
http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/fo鈥?/a>
http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/in鈥?/a>
Below is the free Book "What Buddhists Believe"
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev鈥?/a>
To Learn how to practise Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation daily read the free Book Below:
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mfneng/mind0.鈥?/a>
With Metta (loving-friendliness; loving-kindness).
.|||A. Gautama was not a fisherman.
B. Hinduism is the dominant religion in present day India.
C. Buddhists do not accept the cast system .
D. Buddhists teach the virtues of the the eightfold path.|||D. is the right answer.
NOT A) he was a prince
NOT B) that's Hindu.
NOT C) they would reject the Caste system!|||D. all the way|||D/ but eightfold path is just the basic knowledge. There are many other things you must know in order to master Buddha's teaching!
B. Buddhism remains a dominant religion in present-day India.
C. In India, Buddhists accepted the Hindu caste system.
D. Buddhists taught the virtues of the eightfold path.|||Only D is true. Gautama is a prince so A is WRONG. Hinduism is the dominant religion in India so B is wrong. C is also wrong. Buddhism does not have a structured caste system.
D is the correct answer!|||letter D is quite near to the Buddhist Philosophy.... others are out of the question...|||well I know the first one is wrong Siddhartha Gautama was the son of a king. the rest I don't know.|||E. Buddha always did his own homework.|||D: The Buddha taught that the Middle Way or Noble Eightfold Path is the means to ending suffering to attain peace and happiness:
There is much to learn when it comes to Buddhism - if you are studying this philosophy with purpose to practise it - encourage you to take it slow.
Start out by understanding the Four Noble Truths %26amp; the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism:
The Buddha's way to Presence was through the problem of suffering.
What is suffering, he asked. How does it arise?
Can it be ended? How do we end it? When other spiritual teachers and philosophers asked
The Buddha to describe his teaching - he answered: "I teach one thing and one thing only -
Suffering and the End of Suffering."
The Buddha formulated in his first teaching
the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation(end) of suffering, and
the Path to cessation. The Four Noble Truths
of Lord Buddha are in fact based on a simple
problem-solving model:
What is the problem?
What is the root of the problem?
Is there a solution?
How do you put the solution into effect?
As you may already know, the Middle Way or The Noble Eightfold Path is the Solution and it in itself teaches How to put the Solution into
effect.
Suffering takes place from emotional reactivity.
Is it possible to disengage from reactivity?
Yes. Reactive patterns within humanity have been in place for a long time. To dismantle these patterns we must take apart our lives. Attention works to dismantle patterns the way the energy
of the sun melts ice. The direct energy of attention dissolves the structure of unwholesome patterns, releasing the energy locked in them. We experience the freed energy as awareness and presence.
To Cultivate and apply Attention, we travel the Eightfold Path: Skillful Speech, Skillful Action,
Skillful Livelihood, Skillful Effort, Skillful Mindfulness, Skillful Attention, Skillful View and Skillful Cognition. The Best means to cultivate Attention is through mindfulness meditation: as we daily walk the Noble Eightfold Path with wisdom and compassion.
Respectfully, reading "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness" by: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana AND reading "Wake Up to your Life: The Buddhist Path of Attention" by: Ken McLeod may be quite encouraging toward your experience of living in the here and now-with mindfulness and presence.
To Learn the 4 Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, more in detail:
http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/fo鈥?/a>
http://www.parami.org/buddhistanswers/in鈥?/a>
Below is the free Book "What Buddhists Believe"
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev鈥?/a>
To Learn how to practise Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation daily read the free Book Below:
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mfneng/mind0.鈥?/a>
With Metta (loving-friendliness; loving-kindness).
.|||A. Gautama was not a fisherman.
B. Hinduism is the dominant religion in present day India.
C. Buddhists do not accept the cast system .
D. Buddhists teach the virtues of the the eightfold path.|||D. is the right answer.
NOT A) he was a prince
NOT B) that's Hindu.
NOT C) they would reject the Caste system!|||D. all the way|||D/ but eightfold path is just the basic knowledge. There are many other things you must know in order to master Buddha's teaching!
What should I read to learn about Zen Buddhism?
I am interested in learning about the Zen Buddhism but unlike other major religions it doesn't have a central text (Bible, Koran, etc). What are some essential writings (best English translation) as well as good summaries of the concepts?|||There is no official central text of Zen Buddhism, but there is a vast literature.
I would recommend the Dhammapada to anyone interested in Buddhism. It's a central text to all Buddhism, not just Zen.
For a good introduction to Zen, I would recommend "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki.|||The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Bodhi鈥?/a>|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_at_War|||anything by the dalai lama =D that and the intraveb has some good resources
I would recommend the Dhammapada to anyone interested in Buddhism. It's a central text to all Buddhism, not just Zen.
For a good introduction to Zen, I would recommend "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki.|||The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Bodhi鈥?/a>|||http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen_at_War|||anything by the dalai lama =D that and the intraveb has some good resources
How has buddhism influenced the society and its folllowers?
How has buddhism influenced the society and its folllowers?|||During the Tang Dynasty, the Buddhist scripture was brought back by a Chinese monk from India. The Buddha caves along the Silk Road started to appear when Buddhist monks carved the statues along cave walls, or painted murals on them. The monks' work provides a glimpse of the Chinese art in painting and sculpture. More importantly, the images of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Varja, and Arhats along with the proper attire are shown. Buddhism, along with Daoism, and Confucius' teaching sustained the Chinese tradition, heritage, and culture for the last few thousands of years.
The Buddhist belief teaches compassion, karma, reincarnation, meditation, karmic retribution, enlightenment, and respect of Heaven and Earth. Today majority of Tibetans are Buddhists and many dedicate to practice for the next life. Many Asians go to Buddhist temples in lunar new year day to offer incense.
While many Buddhists enjoy the freedom in many countries, except in Communist countries such as China. Falun Gong, Tibetans, other Buddhists, and Christians have been persecuted in China. The most offensive human right violation is the organ harvesting from the Falun Gong practitioners in China.
http://cipfg.org/en/news/petition.html
Falun Gong is a unique Buddhist School, found in 1992 by Master Li Hongzhi in China. About 100 million people practice in over 80 countries worldwide. Falun Gong is an ancient practice for the body, mind, and spirit based upon the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong consists of five sets of powerful exercises.|||to run away from your fears|||Homework?
Sorry, I don't answer those. Do some research - it's good for you to not cheat. You learn more.|||As with all religions by its spirit unity. Thinking man has always feared to be held by a religion. When a strong and moving religion threatens to dominate him, he invariably tries to rationalize, traditionalize, and institutionalize it, thereby hoping to gain control of it. By such procedure, even a revealed religion becomes man-made and man-dominated. Modern men and women of intelligence evade the religion of Jesus because of their fears of what it will do to them--and with them. And all such fears are well founded. The religion of Jesus does, indeed, dominate and transform its believers, demanding that men dedicate their lives to seeking for a knowledge of the will of the Father in heaven and requiring that the energies of living be consecrated to the unselfish service of the brotherhood of man.
The Buddhist belief teaches compassion, karma, reincarnation, meditation, karmic retribution, enlightenment, and respect of Heaven and Earth. Today majority of Tibetans are Buddhists and many dedicate to practice for the next life. Many Asians go to Buddhist temples in lunar new year day to offer incense.
While many Buddhists enjoy the freedom in many countries, except in Communist countries such as China. Falun Gong, Tibetans, other Buddhists, and Christians have been persecuted in China. The most offensive human right violation is the organ harvesting from the Falun Gong practitioners in China.
http://cipfg.org/en/news/petition.html
Falun Gong is a unique Buddhist School, found in 1992 by Master Li Hongzhi in China. About 100 million people practice in over 80 countries worldwide. Falun Gong is an ancient practice for the body, mind, and spirit based upon the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong consists of five sets of powerful exercises.|||to run away from your fears|||Homework?
Sorry, I don't answer those. Do some research - it's good for you to not cheat. You learn more.|||As with all religions by its spirit unity. Thinking man has always feared to be held by a religion. When a strong and moving religion threatens to dominate him, he invariably tries to rationalize, traditionalize, and institutionalize it, thereby hoping to gain control of it. By such procedure, even a revealed religion becomes man-made and man-dominated. Modern men and women of intelligence evade the religion of Jesus because of their fears of what it will do to them--and with them. And all such fears are well founded. The religion of Jesus does, indeed, dominate and transform its believers, demanding that men dedicate their lives to seeking for a knowledge of the will of the Father in heaven and requiring that the energies of living be consecrated to the unselfish service of the brotherhood of man.
Does anyone know any good books related to Buddhism?
It doesn't have to specifically about Buddhism; the plot can relate to it.|||Here are a few, which may be helpful:
**"What The Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada. -By: Walpola Rahula.
"It's Easier Than You Think" -By: Sylvia Boorstein - is a nice, witty, easy to read beginner's book on Buddhism.
*"Buddhism For Beginners." By: Thubten Chodron - teaches the Essence of Buddhism, the Life of The Buddha, Love and Compassion, Beginning Meditation, Impermanence and Suffering, Selflessness, Science/Creation/Rebirth, Karma: the functioning of cause and effect, The Buddhist Traditions {ie: Theravada, Mahayana, Pure Land, Zen, Vajrayana, etc.), Steps Along the Path, Working With Emotions, Dharma in Everyday Life, Women and The Dharma, Family %26amp; Children, Spiritual Teachers, Prayers and Rituals. She also has an excellent sequel to this book called:
"Open Heart, Clear Mind."
The Internet Book: "What Buddhists Believe" By: Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda - may be quite helpful in learning about Buddhism and What Buddhists Believe.
*'Mindfulness in Plain English' By: Henepola Gunaratana - is a how to manuel on the practice of Vipassana (Mindfulness) Meditation - covering how to meditate, what to do with your body, what to do with your mind, dealing with distractions during meditation, what the difference is between Sati (mindfulness) and concentration, and the practice of Loving-kindness Meditation.
*Andrew Weiss, who is ordained in both Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing and the White Plum Lineage of Japanese Soto Zen Traditions, has an excellent beginner's book called: "Beginning Mindfulness: Learning The Way of Awareness" which teaches Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Tonglin: the Art of Practicing Compassion, and Mindfulness in Everyday Life.
*"Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness' By: Henepola Gunaratana, is an excellent book which teaches how to walk the Noble Eightfold Path of The Buddha.
May all beings be happy and free from suffering.|||Siddharta (it's short but it's one of my favorites)|||Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The Last Temptation of Christ.
Dick and Jane Go to the Circus.
The Gateless Gate.|||you dont need to buy a book
dollar-he-ra-ma himself
is in Tibet.|||Living buddha living christ by Thich Nhat Hahn
**"What The Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada. -By: Walpola Rahula.
"It's Easier Than You Think" -By: Sylvia Boorstein - is a nice, witty, easy to read beginner's book on Buddhism.
*"Buddhism For Beginners." By: Thubten Chodron - teaches the Essence of Buddhism, the Life of The Buddha, Love and Compassion, Beginning Meditation, Impermanence and Suffering, Selflessness, Science/Creation/Rebirth, Karma: the functioning of cause and effect, The Buddhist Traditions {ie: Theravada, Mahayana, Pure Land, Zen, Vajrayana, etc.), Steps Along the Path, Working With Emotions, Dharma in Everyday Life, Women and The Dharma, Family %26amp; Children, Spiritual Teachers, Prayers and Rituals. She also has an excellent sequel to this book called:
"Open Heart, Clear Mind."
The Internet Book: "What Buddhists Believe" By: Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda - may be quite helpful in learning about Buddhism and What Buddhists Believe.
*'Mindfulness in Plain English' By: Henepola Gunaratana - is a how to manuel on the practice of Vipassana (Mindfulness) Meditation - covering how to meditate, what to do with your body, what to do with your mind, dealing with distractions during meditation, what the difference is between Sati (mindfulness) and concentration, and the practice of Loving-kindness Meditation.
*Andrew Weiss, who is ordained in both Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing and the White Plum Lineage of Japanese Soto Zen Traditions, has an excellent beginner's book called: "Beginning Mindfulness: Learning The Way of Awareness" which teaches Mindfulness of Breathing, Walking Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Tonglin: the Art of Practicing Compassion, and Mindfulness in Everyday Life.
*"Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness' By: Henepola Gunaratana, is an excellent book which teaches how to walk the Noble Eightfold Path of The Buddha.
May all beings be happy and free from suffering.|||Siddharta (it's short but it's one of my favorites)|||Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The Last Temptation of Christ.
Dick and Jane Go to the Circus.
The Gateless Gate.|||you dont need to buy a book
dollar-he-ra-ma himself
is in Tibet.|||Living buddha living christ by Thich Nhat Hahn
Buddhism vs Agnosticism, which is the hip religion of the moment?
I've been arguing with my Agnostic hipster friend about this. Generally on hipster matters, I trust her judgment but this one area we can not agree on. She still says that Buddhism is the hipster religion of choice.
I think she's just trying (futilely) to distance herself from the hipster crowd.
Do you agree with me? Isn't Buddhism kinda Spring of 2008?|||JESUS SAVES SO NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!!!!!!!!!|||Neither is a religion, depending on your POV. Buddhism can double as a philosophy. Agnosticism... actually I don't even think they exist without being either theist or atheist also, since agnostic simply means "not positive" basically, and you either do or don't believe in something right? I would assume that if you weren't sure, that would mean you don't believe... or else if you were sure you'd be a believer. I think we are all a little agnostic--well, for the most part.|||i'd don't know which is more hip BUT : buddhism is still just another mysogynistic, ritual based, money grubbing religion....not much historical warfare - kinda makes it cool to us who see christs generals romping all over the world - but when sharon stone and richard gere are the hollywood advocates you just kinda feel like scientology is creeping up at you...for a real scare look into " happy science " - a class act buddhist cult from japan..|||i think you're both idiots for trying to fashion religion. You two are the opposite of what Buddhism and Agnosticism stand for. Why don't you argue about designer purses or something and leave the substantial arguments to people who can think past what's hip or cool?|||I don't know. Buddhism was big in the 60's, but it seems to be less popular these days. I find that religions tend to become less popular the more people get to know about them.
At one time, Haitian vooddo was believed to be the truth by certain crackpots-maybe it still is. On the other hand, some people still believe that the world is flat.|||Buddhism is kinda like not spring of 2008. Besides neither are religions so your question fails. BUDDHISM ALL THE WAY!|||Agnosticism is not a religion and we Buddhists are basically atheist in philosophy.
It's dependent upon the individual's use of anything as to what makes it what it is, so if someone's going to consider it "hip" then that's what they'll make of it.
_()_|||No worries, be happy.|||I'm from Los Angeles where the hipster thing for years is Buddhism, so I guess Agnosticism is the only option. However, Agnosticism is not a religion so I guess it's really a trick question.|||Personally, I believe Catholicism has the better views on things. But apparently, Jesus was so last century.
I'd go for Buddhism. It actually has similiar teaching Christianity does.|||It would have to be Buddhism, simply because Agnosticism is not a religion.|||it shouldn't matter if a religion is "hip" or not. it should matter where you are going to spend eternity.|||It's now rad to be a hardcore beer drinking cross clutching eastern orthodox christians in the US, follow suit!|||Maybe you should discuss with your friend how you both got to be so shallow.|||No its 6th Century BC|||Get with the times... secular humanism's where it's at.|||Wow. You're priorities in life are that of a crack-smoking mom.|||Is being hip still 'hip'?
I think she's just trying (futilely) to distance herself from the hipster crowd.
Do you agree with me? Isn't Buddhism kinda Spring of 2008?|||JESUS SAVES SO NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!!!!!!!!!|||Neither is a religion, depending on your POV. Buddhism can double as a philosophy. Agnosticism... actually I don't even think they exist without being either theist or atheist also, since agnostic simply means "not positive" basically, and you either do or don't believe in something right? I would assume that if you weren't sure, that would mean you don't believe... or else if you were sure you'd be a believer. I think we are all a little agnostic--well, for the most part.|||i'd don't know which is more hip BUT : buddhism is still just another mysogynistic, ritual based, money grubbing religion....not much historical warfare - kinda makes it cool to us who see christs generals romping all over the world - but when sharon stone and richard gere are the hollywood advocates you just kinda feel like scientology is creeping up at you...for a real scare look into " happy science " - a class act buddhist cult from japan..|||i think you're both idiots for trying to fashion religion. You two are the opposite of what Buddhism and Agnosticism stand for. Why don't you argue about designer purses or something and leave the substantial arguments to people who can think past what's hip or cool?|||I don't know. Buddhism was big in the 60's, but it seems to be less popular these days. I find that religions tend to become less popular the more people get to know about them.
At one time, Haitian vooddo was believed to be the truth by certain crackpots-maybe it still is. On the other hand, some people still believe that the world is flat.|||Buddhism is kinda like not spring of 2008. Besides neither are religions so your question fails. BUDDHISM ALL THE WAY!|||Agnosticism is not a religion and we Buddhists are basically atheist in philosophy.
It's dependent upon the individual's use of anything as to what makes it what it is, so if someone's going to consider it "hip" then that's what they'll make of it.
_()_|||No worries, be happy.|||I'm from Los Angeles where the hipster thing for years is Buddhism, so I guess Agnosticism is the only option. However, Agnosticism is not a religion so I guess it's really a trick question.|||Personally, I believe Catholicism has the better views on things. But apparently, Jesus was so last century.
I'd go for Buddhism. It actually has similiar teaching Christianity does.|||It would have to be Buddhism, simply because Agnosticism is not a religion.|||it shouldn't matter if a religion is "hip" or not. it should matter where you are going to spend eternity.|||It's now rad to be a hardcore beer drinking cross clutching eastern orthodox christians in the US, follow suit!|||Maybe you should discuss with your friend how you both got to be so shallow.|||No its 6th Century BC|||Get with the times... secular humanism's where it's at.|||Wow. You're priorities in life are that of a crack-smoking mom.|||Is being hip still 'hip'?
Why does Buddhism continue to attract increasing numbers in the United States and other Western countries?
why does Buddhism continue to attract increasing numbers in the United States and other Western countries?|||Albert Einstein apparently called Buddhism the religion of the future and the reason it is so popular in the west is because it gives you the choice to either believe in God or not to. Also you do not have to believe in anything you don't want to and have to focus on doing good work by following the 8 Fold Path. So the religion is more like a philosophy and a way of life and young people think that is very cool. Also Buddhism was never spread by violence like the Crusades and is very tolerant of all other religions. Plus many Hollywood movie stars are Buddhist and the Dalai Lama is the most popular religious figure on the world scene. Today in the west there are more Buddhists than Muslims and Hindus and it is the 3rd largest religion after Christianity and Judaism. Also many scholars believe that a lot of the NT is based on Buddhism and that Jesus studied Buddhism during what is referdd to as his "lost years" between the age of 12 and 30. Hence Buddhism is very compatible with Christians. Also many White people feel that their ancestors were actually closer to Buddhism than to Christianity and this feeling was also shared by Hitler of all people.|||Try it and you may discover!
One of the main things that I assume is attractive to westerners like myself is that there is no emphasis on blind faith in order to be a good practitioner. Especially in Catholicism that is experienced by many modern westerners as a non-brainer. The Buddha stated that we should check his teachings and test them with our own experience in life, and we should not accept things on blind faith, hearsay or 'because it is written'. Only if it does not contradict our own logic and experience, it is suitable to accept the teachings and practice them.
Besides that, I found the philosophy much more consistent and logical then any of the Jewish-Christian-Muslim explanations, and the practice of meditation extremely useful and powerful. But then, I'm not very objective....
One of the main things that I assume is attractive to westerners like myself is that there is no emphasis on blind faith in order to be a good practitioner. Especially in Catholicism that is experienced by many modern westerners as a non-brainer. The Buddha stated that we should check his teachings and test them with our own experience in life, and we should not accept things on blind faith, hearsay or 'because it is written'. Only if it does not contradict our own logic and experience, it is suitable to accept the teachings and practice them.
Besides that, I found the philosophy much more consistent and logical then any of the Jewish-Christian-Muslim explanations, and the practice of meditation extremely useful and powerful. But then, I'm not very objective....
Why does Buddhism seem like a world renouncing religion?
Buddhists believe desire is the root of all suffering......
Attachment and desire are the reason for suffering, but you see buddhist monks using laptop computers, smoking cigarettes, and using sell phone and more?
If desire and attachment leads to suffering, and part of living in the world is having desire and goals, then isn't buddhism a world renouncing religion and why?|||"You see"
No, I have never seen buddhist monks using laptops or smoking.|||Buddhism is not a world renouncing religion but it is the truth-finding-about-the-world religion.
If you study and practice deeply enough, you will realize that everything in this universe including human beings, animals, plants, non-living things, stars, even the universe itself other than Enlightenment (Nibbana or Nirvana) is marked by three characteristics: (1) Dukkha, (2) Anicca, and (3) Anatta. The simple explanation is that all phenomena cannot stay in the same condition. They will arise and eventually vanish. They are therefore neither self nor belong to anyone.
The root cause of suffering (Dukkha) is Body/Mind (= Rupa/Nama = Five Aggregates = Five Khandhas). Without desire and/or attachment, the Body/Mind is still suffering.
Monks are human beings and are still living in this world. They are using available tools including computer, cell phone, car, etc to reach their goal which is the Enlightenment and to teach Dharma to interesting persons.
Some monks used to smoke before and this habit is very hard to quit. Like any other lay persons, the sooner they quit the better.|||The teachings do not say that desire or attachment ceases.
The teachings say that in order to reach enlightenment, one stops being "hooked" by their desire, attachment ... and aversion. Don't forget aversion. This is a very subtle distinction, and it takes about 5 to 10 years of actual, dedicated Practice before you even start to grasp the distinction. It is easy to misunderstand the teachings.
Another thing that is often misunderstood is the difference between practicing Buddhism and being Enlightened. When one becomes enlightened (I can't say I know one who is yet there), one doesn't need to "practice" anymore. That's what they call it "practicing" Buddhism :) Until that, expect to see imperfection.
As for monks using laptops and cell phones, they have duties to fulfill. My teacher is a monk, and he teaches at 3 Buddhist centers in our province, spending many hours on the road going from one to another. He is called upon to attend religious conferences as a speaker, etc. etc. Somehow he finds 4 hours to do his practice every morning, and is always manages to show us how to remain centered, calm, gentle, aware, and kind.
As for smoking cigarettes, you can be sure that any Buddhist understands that the have to "un-hook" the hook of their desire, and that includes cigarettes. Either they haven't mastered it yet ... or they are not sincere practitioners (which is always a possibility). I just know that I would never take lessons from a Buddhist teacher who smoked.|||you are true that buddhists beleives attachment and desire are the reason for suffering. but it does not mean buddhism is reserve for poor people. anyone can be buddhist whether you are a street begger or Richard Gere. having computers, using cell phone is not the root of samsara. it is one's attachment which attach us in samsara. you can have a computer, cell phone but dont attach to it. this is what buddha said "if you attach to samsara then there is no renunciation". My friend practicing buddhism is how to react when things go up and down. how to be OK when you have and when you dont. that is why we call it buddhism is way of life. in buddhist history many rich has become ARHAT although they had everything. so certainly some monks are using computers and cell phone because they are in 21st century and some necessary to comunicate not because they are too much attach to it. do you think monks should be ban to traval by cars, planes if they have to go abroad? yeah some young monks can be really attach to it. but even in buddha's time not all the monks became Arhat. so same story here.
no monks smokes except thai monks. but now they too dont smoke. its wasnt because smoking ll not lead to nirvana it was because of health problem and not seen wise in society.|||Renunciation has nothing to do with worldly objects. True renunciation means to give up the ego and attachment to the objects. Change is the law of nature and over the period of time everything changes.
Renouncement does not mean giving up worldly life. It is the attachment to the desires that lead to suffering.|||Using worldly things is not the same thing as being attached to them. Ideally, the Buddhist would not care what computer or cell phone he might be using or whether he actually owned it. The smoking is something of a problem. But every one is still working their way toward enlightenment.|||Yeah, I've never seen a Buddhist monk doing the **** you said... and my parents are Buddhist. By the way, how many Buddhist monks do you know? Do you spend much time with them? Why haven't you asked them why they do it?
Most Buddhist I know follow a path mainly based on "Don't be a dick-ism"|||True in Buddhism desire is the root of all suffering, but they also wish to liberate this world of ignorance. Where are these new world monks, traditional monks live miles form modern civialization.|||It more like this:
For Buddhists, it's alright (and necessary) to consume worldly items, but what you need to avoid is having them consume you.|||Buddhists are humans and are trying to deal with life like the rest of us. Its much like saying god says don't kill but christians have murdered almost a billion people in just over 2000 years.
Atheist with Buddhists ties|||actually cell phones are only used for transmitting info and not entertainment also no buddhist monk would EVER smoke|||I have not seen the monk using laptops or smoking. I think you said is false followers of Buddhism.
Attachment and desire are the reason for suffering, but you see buddhist monks using laptop computers, smoking cigarettes, and using sell phone and more?
If desire and attachment leads to suffering, and part of living in the world is having desire and goals, then isn't buddhism a world renouncing religion and why?|||"You see"
No, I have never seen buddhist monks using laptops or smoking.|||Buddhism is not a world renouncing religion but it is the truth-finding-about-the-world religion.
If you study and practice deeply enough, you will realize that everything in this universe including human beings, animals, plants, non-living things, stars, even the universe itself other than Enlightenment (Nibbana or Nirvana) is marked by three characteristics: (1) Dukkha, (2) Anicca, and (3) Anatta. The simple explanation is that all phenomena cannot stay in the same condition. They will arise and eventually vanish. They are therefore neither self nor belong to anyone.
The root cause of suffering (Dukkha) is Body/Mind (= Rupa/Nama = Five Aggregates = Five Khandhas). Without desire and/or attachment, the Body/Mind is still suffering.
Monks are human beings and are still living in this world. They are using available tools including computer, cell phone, car, etc to reach their goal which is the Enlightenment and to teach Dharma to interesting persons.
Some monks used to smoke before and this habit is very hard to quit. Like any other lay persons, the sooner they quit the better.|||The teachings do not say that desire or attachment ceases.
The teachings say that in order to reach enlightenment, one stops being "hooked" by their desire, attachment ... and aversion. Don't forget aversion. This is a very subtle distinction, and it takes about 5 to 10 years of actual, dedicated Practice before you even start to grasp the distinction. It is easy to misunderstand the teachings.
Another thing that is often misunderstood is the difference between practicing Buddhism and being Enlightened. When one becomes enlightened (I can't say I know one who is yet there), one doesn't need to "practice" anymore. That's what they call it "practicing" Buddhism :) Until that, expect to see imperfection.
As for monks using laptops and cell phones, they have duties to fulfill. My teacher is a monk, and he teaches at 3 Buddhist centers in our province, spending many hours on the road going from one to another. He is called upon to attend religious conferences as a speaker, etc. etc. Somehow he finds 4 hours to do his practice every morning, and is always manages to show us how to remain centered, calm, gentle, aware, and kind.
As for smoking cigarettes, you can be sure that any Buddhist understands that the have to "un-hook" the hook of their desire, and that includes cigarettes. Either they haven't mastered it yet ... or they are not sincere practitioners (which is always a possibility). I just know that I would never take lessons from a Buddhist teacher who smoked.|||you are true that buddhists beleives attachment and desire are the reason for suffering. but it does not mean buddhism is reserve for poor people. anyone can be buddhist whether you are a street begger or Richard Gere. having computers, using cell phone is not the root of samsara. it is one's attachment which attach us in samsara. you can have a computer, cell phone but dont attach to it. this is what buddha said "if you attach to samsara then there is no renunciation". My friend practicing buddhism is how to react when things go up and down. how to be OK when you have and when you dont. that is why we call it buddhism is way of life. in buddhist history many rich has become ARHAT although they had everything. so certainly some monks are using computers and cell phone because they are in 21st century and some necessary to comunicate not because they are too much attach to it. do you think monks should be ban to traval by cars, planes if they have to go abroad? yeah some young monks can be really attach to it. but even in buddha's time not all the monks became Arhat. so same story here.
no monks smokes except thai monks. but now they too dont smoke. its wasnt because smoking ll not lead to nirvana it was because of health problem and not seen wise in society.|||Renunciation has nothing to do with worldly objects. True renunciation means to give up the ego and attachment to the objects. Change is the law of nature and over the period of time everything changes.
Renouncement does not mean giving up worldly life. It is the attachment to the desires that lead to suffering.|||Using worldly things is not the same thing as being attached to them. Ideally, the Buddhist would not care what computer or cell phone he might be using or whether he actually owned it. The smoking is something of a problem. But every one is still working their way toward enlightenment.|||Yeah, I've never seen a Buddhist monk doing the **** you said... and my parents are Buddhist. By the way, how many Buddhist monks do you know? Do you spend much time with them? Why haven't you asked them why they do it?
Most Buddhist I know follow a path mainly based on "Don't be a dick-ism"|||True in Buddhism desire is the root of all suffering, but they also wish to liberate this world of ignorance. Where are these new world monks, traditional monks live miles form modern civialization.|||It more like this:
For Buddhists, it's alright (and necessary) to consume worldly items, but what you need to avoid is having them consume you.|||Buddhists are humans and are trying to deal with life like the rest of us. Its much like saying god says don't kill but christians have murdered almost a billion people in just over 2000 years.
Atheist with Buddhists ties|||actually cell phones are only used for transmitting info and not entertainment also no buddhist monk would EVER smoke|||I have not seen the monk using laptops or smoking. I think you said is false followers of Buddhism.
What are some good books critical of Buddhism and Hinduism?
I'm looking for some serious books that analyze Buddhism and Hinduism (sacred texts, beliefs, practices) and point out inconsistencies, things that are clearly wrong, and probable non-divine sources for both faiths (came from an earlier religion, for instance). No, I don't have a particular grudge against either faith, and no, I'm not looking to read a book that is bigoted or poorly researched. Thanks.|||You could try "The Kingdom of the Cults" by Walter Martin. It covers those religions and atleast 100 others.|||I'm not sure, you can try to check out the links at the bottom of this webpage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_o鈥?/a>
Sorry, I can't be of more help.|||First of all, anyone who tries to "criticize" Buddhism, Hinduism and any other "Religion" would necessarily do it from their standpoint, which would mean it's a biased stand.
For example, you'll find that Mullah Zakir Naik, who is a rather street smart charlatan, knows a collection of verses from the Hindu "Scriptures" that he'd learned from "Hindu Scholars" who had earlier drawn parallels between their concept of Hinduism and the Desert Messianic Faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Now, Mullah Zakir Naik, who is a self appointed "Dr.", uses these to sound like he's a savant.
If you are as unbiased as you claim to be, try to study the Oriental Faiths yourself.
You might benefit from that.
Just to provide you with a small sample of what you would be against, if you try to see the Oriental Faiths from a Desert Messianic Faith perspective, here are a few facts.
Both Buddhism and the Sanathana Dharma, aka Hinduism, have undergone many changes over the millenniums that they have lasted. They have assimilated a lot of folklore from many a culture foreign to themselves; while still maintaining the core beliefs and tenets of the original.
None of the Oriental Faiths originally even spoke of the Beginning and the End of Days. Their reply to that question was simply - No one has this Knowledge.
God, to them, is not a He nor a "Sky Daddy". It's a phase or a stage of Human Evolution.
Ergo, "God" doesn't give Mankind "Dominion over all Creatures". Man is just another of the denizens of Earth and must respect the Rights of all other animate and inanimate objects, according to their Philosophy.
Their Philosophy doesn't have any Commandments nor any set of "Thou shalt not..."
There are a lot more of this kind of thing, but, let's stop here.
Now, you can either view these Concepts as "Heathen and Pagan" or as Advanced Thought.
The "Critics" usually opt for the former because they "believe" it makes more sense for them "see" it from their own convictions that some Male Entity suddenly decided to make this whole thing that we call our Universe and said things like "Let there be Light" and there it was !?
Now, this is the "Critic" who claims to be a Savant and "believes" that an Entity like he has been told by someone from a period where they didn't even know how build a toilet, that he was told this by some servant Entity called an Angel, if not "God" Himself!? This is a person who did not even ask the most common sense question - "How could an Entity that didn't have any concept of what Light could be like, and could not posses vocal chords to "say" this with, do such a thing?"
Now, you can see for yourself what an uphill task it is going to be for you to find any worthwhile "Critic".|||This link may be a introduction on the basic differences on buddhism and popular two philosophies of Hinduism.
http://www.veda-academy.com/articles/ved鈥?/a>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_o鈥?/a>
Sorry, I can't be of more help.|||First of all, anyone who tries to "criticize" Buddhism, Hinduism and any other "Religion" would necessarily do it from their standpoint, which would mean it's a biased stand.
For example, you'll find that Mullah Zakir Naik, who is a rather street smart charlatan, knows a collection of verses from the Hindu "Scriptures" that he'd learned from "Hindu Scholars" who had earlier drawn parallels between their concept of Hinduism and the Desert Messianic Faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Now, Mullah Zakir Naik, who is a self appointed "Dr.", uses these to sound like he's a savant.
If you are as unbiased as you claim to be, try to study the Oriental Faiths yourself.
You might benefit from that.
Just to provide you with a small sample of what you would be against, if you try to see the Oriental Faiths from a Desert Messianic Faith perspective, here are a few facts.
Both Buddhism and the Sanathana Dharma, aka Hinduism, have undergone many changes over the millenniums that they have lasted. They have assimilated a lot of folklore from many a culture foreign to themselves; while still maintaining the core beliefs and tenets of the original.
None of the Oriental Faiths originally even spoke of the Beginning and the End of Days. Their reply to that question was simply - No one has this Knowledge.
God, to them, is not a He nor a "Sky Daddy". It's a phase or a stage of Human Evolution.
Ergo, "God" doesn't give Mankind "Dominion over all Creatures". Man is just another of the denizens of Earth and must respect the Rights of all other animate and inanimate objects, according to their Philosophy.
Their Philosophy doesn't have any Commandments nor any set of "Thou shalt not..."
There are a lot more of this kind of thing, but, let's stop here.
Now, you can either view these Concepts as "Heathen and Pagan" or as Advanced Thought.
The "Critics" usually opt for the former because they "believe" it makes more sense for them "see" it from their own convictions that some Male Entity suddenly decided to make this whole thing that we call our Universe and said things like "Let there be Light" and there it was !?
Now, this is the "Critic" who claims to be a Savant and "believes" that an Entity like he has been told by someone from a period where they didn't even know how build a toilet, that he was told this by some servant Entity called an Angel, if not "God" Himself!? This is a person who did not even ask the most common sense question - "How could an Entity that didn't have any concept of what Light could be like, and could not posses vocal chords to "say" this with, do such a thing?"
Now, you can see for yourself what an uphill task it is going to be for you to find any worthwhile "Critic".|||This link may be a introduction on the basic differences on buddhism and popular two philosophies of Hinduism.
http://www.veda-academy.com/articles/ved鈥?/a>
Do all sects of Buddhism require someone to practice Buddhism for a few years before becoming a monk or lama?
Could I go to a temple and become trained as a monk or lama or would I need a few years of experience in Buddhism first? I'm looking for the sects that allow you to have careers, as I would like to contribute much to the world.|||Before you can become ordained, the teacher will be looking to see if your interest is genuine and your practice is progressing. Not everyone is accepted into monkhood. In Tibetan Buddhism, you can take ordination after showing genuine knowledge and understanding of Buddhism and you will be questioned as to what your motivation is. You will need to do a couple (or more) years as a novice and then, depending on what you have learned, you can take more vows. Being a monk alone, helps you to contribute to the world but you can take on other study after you have understood the necessary practices and learned how to meditate properly. Lama means teacher and a Lama can be ordained as a monk or can be a lay person. The Dalai Lama is a monk and a Lama but he is also a Tulku - a reincarnated monk.|||Buddhism is a learning process unto itself - there are no requirements for experience or knowledge.
In the USA, we are bombarded by images of learned monks who have taken vows of poverty and written best selling books from their bungalows in the Tibetan hillsides... but that is not reality.
Buddhists are everyday people who practice meditation and follow the "middle path". We are training to become enlightened but we are not perfectly enlightened already.
Almost anyone can become a monk or minister with the right amount of dedication to a specific path. But it is also not necessary to be a monk in order to attain enlightenment.|||In Theravada Buddhism (found in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia), you can be a monk for as short as a day. In Thailand every male will be a monk for at least a day, and a lot of them have no idea what buddhism's about. You can robe and disrobe as you like.
However there might be a difference between being a novice and a monk. A novice still has a shaven head, wears the robe, follows the monks' rules and all but they can't perform blessings or lead ceremonies and things as they're not fully ordained. Obviously you'd need to have a few years training before people come to you for advice and you give it to them, since monks have to do this every day because people always have problems.
You don't need to be a novice even- the essence of Buddhism is more in meditation than in any ceremony or form of dress, and you can practice meditation in temples and retreats under the same rules and lifestyle of novices and monks without having to cut your hair or do anything. Meditation has nothing to do with temples; you can do it in your room and it has nothing to do with anyone else.|||Depends on which school of Buddhism. Theravadin monasteries take in children as novices as a religious grade school, but usually from Buddhist families so even they have already had a few years training. Some American Zen groups, Shasta Abbey, for example, or the Zen Center in San Francisco, or Dharma Realm Buddhist Assn. if you want the chinese tradition (see links below). Other schools are usually not monastic, and the ones that are are strict enough about such things as not handling money that it would be difficult to have another career too.
I don't know about the Tibetan groups.
Frankly, if it doesn't matter to you which school, you may not have enough dedication to the Dharma to be successful at it. Have you considered some of the non-monastic groups like Jodo Shinshu?|||I think common sense would advise that you practice a while before you enter monastic life. The training as a monastic is quite tough, and not something anyone can handle.
VERY VERY few Buddhists ever become a lama, so yes it will take numerous years (maybe lifetimes) of training.
Why do you want to become a monk if you want a career. Find the lineage that suite you, do their training and continue with your life.|||yup in some place like Sri lanka, Thailand, India they have these temporary monk novice things..where u can experience being a monk.
cut ur hair bald and be a monk for few weeks.
but most place have these camp cause the 8 precepts camp,. u sld try that 1st. usually its 3days 2 night camp. where 1 follow the 8 precepts almost 3/4 like a monk.
usually 1 have certain knowlegde of buddhism then they will decide to be a monk. like a vernerable once told me the feeling its like the stomach feeling hungry and u know its time to look for food, as in becomin a monk himself.
most temple will welcome u, temporary 1 or permanent 1.
om ara pazha nadi x100 wisdom|||From what I understand, you have to be born into the role of Lama. After the last Lama dies they go around looking at babies and pick the one who's supposed to be the reincarnation of the last Lama. That's what they did with the Dalai Lama, anway.
For monks, I think whether there's an initiation period or not depends on the monastery.|||With Falun Dafa, you can practice while maintaining a regular life in modern society.
You can start learning the Buddhist practice on your own today while in school or at work. Starting from the URL listed at the bottom, review the FAQ and Introduction. In the book section, download a copy of the 'Falun Gong'. Guided meditation demonstration video, meditation music, and books about Falun Gong are free to download from the URL listed below. If you need any help, contact a local practitioner in your area for free instructions. Good luck and hope to see you soon.
Falun Gong is a unique Buddhist School, found in 1992 by Master Li Hongzhi in China. About 100 million people practice in over 80 countries worldwide. Falun Gong is an ancient practice for the body and mind based upon the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong consists of five sets of powerful exercises.
Falun Gong, Tibetans, other Buddhists, and Christians have been persecuted in China. The most offensive human right violation is the organ harvesting from the Falun Gong practitioners in China.
http://cipfg.org/en/news/petition.html|||If you learn Buddhism and then you can be a Buddhist monk. Buddhism is such very little restrictions. You may have to contact a chief monk of a Buddhist temple. You got to accept their traditions though. The shaven-head, saffron robes, skipping dinner etc.|||Buddhism is the last resort for an attempt at living a religious life.|||You would need to be fairly knowledgable in Buddhist beliefs|||I've never heard of anyone becoming a llama.|||I prefer llamas.
In the USA, we are bombarded by images of learned monks who have taken vows of poverty and written best selling books from their bungalows in the Tibetan hillsides... but that is not reality.
Buddhists are everyday people who practice meditation and follow the "middle path". We are training to become enlightened but we are not perfectly enlightened already.
Almost anyone can become a monk or minister with the right amount of dedication to a specific path. But it is also not necessary to be a monk in order to attain enlightenment.|||In Theravada Buddhism (found in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia), you can be a monk for as short as a day. In Thailand every male will be a monk for at least a day, and a lot of them have no idea what buddhism's about. You can robe and disrobe as you like.
However there might be a difference between being a novice and a monk. A novice still has a shaven head, wears the robe, follows the monks' rules and all but they can't perform blessings or lead ceremonies and things as they're not fully ordained. Obviously you'd need to have a few years training before people come to you for advice and you give it to them, since monks have to do this every day because people always have problems.
You don't need to be a novice even- the essence of Buddhism is more in meditation than in any ceremony or form of dress, and you can practice meditation in temples and retreats under the same rules and lifestyle of novices and monks without having to cut your hair or do anything. Meditation has nothing to do with temples; you can do it in your room and it has nothing to do with anyone else.|||Depends on which school of Buddhism. Theravadin monasteries take in children as novices as a religious grade school, but usually from Buddhist families so even they have already had a few years training. Some American Zen groups, Shasta Abbey, for example, or the Zen Center in San Francisco, or Dharma Realm Buddhist Assn. if you want the chinese tradition (see links below). Other schools are usually not monastic, and the ones that are are strict enough about such things as not handling money that it would be difficult to have another career too.
I don't know about the Tibetan groups.
Frankly, if it doesn't matter to you which school, you may not have enough dedication to the Dharma to be successful at it. Have you considered some of the non-monastic groups like Jodo Shinshu?|||I think common sense would advise that you practice a while before you enter monastic life. The training as a monastic is quite tough, and not something anyone can handle.
VERY VERY few Buddhists ever become a lama, so yes it will take numerous years (maybe lifetimes) of training.
Why do you want to become a monk if you want a career. Find the lineage that suite you, do their training and continue with your life.|||yup in some place like Sri lanka, Thailand, India they have these temporary monk novice things..where u can experience being a monk.
cut ur hair bald and be a monk for few weeks.
but most place have these camp cause the 8 precepts camp,. u sld try that 1st. usually its 3days 2 night camp. where 1 follow the 8 precepts almost 3/4 like a monk.
usually 1 have certain knowlegde of buddhism then they will decide to be a monk. like a vernerable once told me the feeling its like the stomach feeling hungry and u know its time to look for food, as in becomin a monk himself.
most temple will welcome u, temporary 1 or permanent 1.
om ara pazha nadi x100 wisdom|||From what I understand, you have to be born into the role of Lama. After the last Lama dies they go around looking at babies and pick the one who's supposed to be the reincarnation of the last Lama. That's what they did with the Dalai Lama, anway.
For monks, I think whether there's an initiation period or not depends on the monastery.|||With Falun Dafa, you can practice while maintaining a regular life in modern society.
You can start learning the Buddhist practice on your own today while in school or at work. Starting from the URL listed at the bottom, review the FAQ and Introduction. In the book section, download a copy of the 'Falun Gong'. Guided meditation demonstration video, meditation music, and books about Falun Gong are free to download from the URL listed below. If you need any help, contact a local practitioner in your area for free instructions. Good luck and hope to see you soon.
Falun Gong is a unique Buddhist School, found in 1992 by Master Li Hongzhi in China. About 100 million people practice in over 80 countries worldwide. Falun Gong is an ancient practice for the body and mind based upon the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Falun Gong consists of five sets of powerful exercises.
Falun Gong, Tibetans, other Buddhists, and Christians have been persecuted in China. The most offensive human right violation is the organ harvesting from the Falun Gong practitioners in China.
http://cipfg.org/en/news/petition.html|||If you learn Buddhism and then you can be a Buddhist monk. Buddhism is such very little restrictions. You may have to contact a chief monk of a Buddhist temple. You got to accept their traditions though. The shaven-head, saffron robes, skipping dinner etc.|||Buddhism is the last resort for an attempt at living a religious life.|||You would need to be fairly knowledgable in Buddhist beliefs|||I've never heard of anyone becoming a llama.|||I prefer llamas.
How does Praying in Buddhism work?
I often hear about prayer in buddhism, but in buddhism there is to my knowledge no concept of deiety worship. So who is being prayed to, if not God or Buddha then who?|||The English terms used to describe Buddhism are seldom very accurate. If something we do looks similar to something the Christians do, it gets called by that Christian term. That is what's behind the questions about whether Buddhism is a "religion" or a "philosophy", whether we "believe in" a "god", Temples being called "churches" (which means "the body of Christ"!), and of course, "prayer". If we are in a "church", sitting quietly with eyes closed or downcast, they call it "prayer'. It could be meditation, Nembutsu, mantras or dharanis, or Sutra chanting. As for who we're talking to, it's usually ourselves or aspects of ourselves. It's like kids in school reciting the multiplication tables- trying to fix the understanding in our minds so we can apply it in real life later.|||Praying is not often done in Theravada Buddhism. At least, my teacher specifically told me that prayer is not really effective or encouraged in this tradition. Some other sects may do it, and it may occur among more superstitious elements of Theravada, but there is no precedent for it in the Pali Canon that I am aware of, my teacher advised against it, and other teachers in the Thai forest tradition have denied the efficacy of prayer.|||Some sects of Buddhism do have deity worship.
What is the difference between Hinduism and Buddhism?
I want know the difference and the similarity between Hinduism and Buddhism. Also the same thing they both do.
Please answer :)|||Buddhism, the Fulfillment of Hinduism
I am not a Buddhist, as you have heard, and yet I am. If China and Japan and Sri Lanka follow the teachings of the Buddha, India worships him as God incarnate on earth.
You have just now heard that I am going to criticize Buddhism, but by that I wish you to understand only this. Far be it from me to criticize him whom I worship as God incarnate on earth. Our view about the Buddha is that he was not understood properly by his disciples. The relation between Hinduism (by Hinduism, I mean the religion of the Vedas) and what is called Buddhism at the present day is nearly the same as between Judaism and Christianity. Jesus Christ was a Jew, and Shakya Muni [Buddha] was a Hindu. The Jews rejected Jesus Christ, nay, crucified him, whereas the Hindus accept Shakya Muni as God incarnate and worship him.
But the real difference that we Hindus want to show between modern Buddhism and what we should understand as the teachings of the Buddha lies principally in this: Shakya Muni came to preach nothing new. Like Jesus, the Buddha came to fulfill and not to destroy. In the case of Jesus, it was the old people, the Jews, who did not understand him, while in the case of the Buddha, it was his own followers who did not realize the import of his teachings. As the Jew did not understand the fulfillment of the Old Testament, so the Buddhist did not understand the fulfillment of the truths of the Hindu religion. Again, I repeat, Shakya Muni came not to destroy, but he was the fulfillment, the logical conclusion, the logical development of the religion of the Hindus.
The religion of the Hindus is divided into two parts: the ceremonial and the spiritual. The spiritual portion is specially studied by the monks. In it, there is no caste. In India a man from the highest caste and a man from the lowest can become monks, thus the two castes become equal. In religion there is no caste; caste is simply a social institution. Shakya Muni himself was a monk, and it was his glory that he had the large-heartedness to bring out the truths hidden in the Vedas and throw them broadcast all over the world. He was the first being in the world who brought missionaries into practice--nay, he was the first to conceive the idea of proselytizing.
The great glory of the Master lay in his wonderful sympathy for everybody, especially for the ignorant and the poor. Some of his disciples were Brahmins. When Buddha was teaching, Sanskrit was no more the spoken language in India. It was then only in the books of the learned. Some of Buddha's Brahmin disciples wanted to translate his teachings into Sanskrit, but he distinctly told them, "I am for the poor, for the people; let me speak in the tongue of the people." And so to this day the great bulk of his teachings are in the vernacular of that day in India.
Whatever may be the position of philosophy, whatever may be the position of metaphysics, so long as there is such a thing as death in the world, so long as there is such a thing as weakness in the human heart, so long as there is a cry going out of the human heart, there shall be faith in God.
On the philosophic side, the disciples of the Great Master dashed themselves against the eternal rocks of the Vedas and could not crush them; and on the other side, they took away from the nation that eternal God to which every one, man or woman, clings so fondly. And the result was that Buddhism had to die a natural death in India. At the present day there are very few who call themselves Buddhists in India, the land where Buddhism was born.
But at the same time, Hinduism lost something--that reforming zeal, that wonderful sympathy and charity for everybody, that wonderful leaven which Buddhism had brought to the masses and which had rendered Indian society so great that a Greek historian who wrote about India of that time was led to say that no Hindu was known to tell an untruth and no Hindu woman was known to be unchaste.
Hinduism cannot live without Buddhism, nor Buddhism without Hinduism. Then realize what the separation has shown to us, that the Buddhist cannot stand without the brain and philosophy of the Hindu, nor the Hindu without the heart of the Buddhist. This separation between the Buddhists and the Hindus is the cause of the downfall of India. That is why India is populated by three hundred millions of beggars, and that is why India has been the slave of conquerors for the last thousand years. Let us then join the wonderful intellect of the Hindus with the heart, the noble soul, the wonderful humanizing power of the Buddha.|||Buddha taught love and compassion. Buddhism is about removing suffering and the causes of suffering - both one's own and that of all sentient beings. A sentient being is a being that "feels" -humans and animals. The Buddha said "stop doing unskilful actions (actions that lead to suffering - your own or other people's), do skilful actions, tame your mind, this is the teaching of the Buddha".
I can't comment on Hinduism.|||The main difference
Hinduism worships Gods (Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma)
Buddhism does not. they follow the teaching of Siddharta Gautama, a king that forsook his life of riches on a quest to find the origin of suffering.
the faiths intertwine a bit, because hinduism beleives that siddharta gautama (the buddha) is a manifestation (avatar) of Vishnu, the god of balance/restoration. buddhism finds its origins in hinduism (hinduism is older). Therefor there are also many holy scriptures that are shared between the two religions.
similar to how christianity developped from judaism.|||Hinduism differs from Christianity and other Western religions in that it does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a single system of morality, or a central religious organization. It consists of "thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE." 1
Hinduism has grown to become the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. It claims about 837 million followers - 13% of the world's population. 2 It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka. According to the "Yearbook of American %26amp; Canadian Churches," there are about 1.1 million Hindus in the U.S. 3 The "American Religious Identification Survey" is believed to be more accurate. 4 They estimated smaller number: 766,000 Hindus in 2001. Still, this is a very significant increase from 227,000 in 1990. Statistics Canada estimates that there are about 157,015 Hindus in Canada. 5
Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest organized religion.
Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic religions. They recognize a single deity, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God. Henotheistic and polytheistic religions have traditionally been among the world's most religiously tolerant faiths. However, until recently, a Hindu nationalistic political party controlled the government of India. The linkage of religion, the national government, and nationalism led to a degeneration of the separation of church and state in India. This, in turn, has decreased the level of religious tolerance in that country. The escalation of anti-Christian violence was one manifestation of this linkage. With the recent change in government, the level of violence will diminish.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hindui鈥?/a>
"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 %26amp; spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity" A widely cited, but apparently spurious quotation attributed to Albert Einstein 1
bullet "The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances." Atisha.
bullet "If you live the sacred and despise the ordinary, you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion." Lin-Chi.
bullet "Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life." Thich Nhat Hanh.
bullet "When the mind begins to become still, we then begin to truly see it. When you first try to stabilize and pacify the mind, initially it will become very busy because it's not accustomed to being still. In fact, it doesn't even necessarily want to become still, but it is essential to get a hold of the mind to recognize its nature. This practice is extremely important. ... Eventually you will find yourself in a state where your mind is clear and open all the time. It is just like when the clouds are removed from the sky and the sun can clearly be seen, shining all the time. This is coming close to the state of liberation, liberation from all traces of suffering. ... The truth of this practice is universal. It isn't necessary to call it a religion to practice it. Whether one is a Hindu or a Moslem or a Christian or a Buddhist simply doesn't matter. Anyone can practice this because this is the nature of the mind, the nature of everyone's mind. If you can get a handle on your mind, and pacify it in this way, you will definitely experience these results, and you will see them in your daily life situation. There is no need to put this into any kind of category, any kind of "ism." Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche
http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhi鈥?/a>|||Buddhists take the Buddha as their Authority. Hindus take their scriptures. Hindus worship gods. The Buddha's meant to have taught them.
In practical terms, Buddhists have a set of lay ethics to abide by in the five precepts. Hindus tend to not have this.
As a result Buddhists tend to be fairly upright people of principle.
At its worst, Hinduism can degrade to the worship of money, in my experience.
Hinduism never spread beyond India. Buddhism %26amp; its Enlightened Message was embraced by the whole of Asia.
Hinduism is the underdeveloped parent.
Buddhism is its perfected child.|||This site has a good article: http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_b鈥?/a>
Also, neither is polytheistic. The basic tenet of Hinduism is "god is one, many are his names." The different gods are all different manifestations of the same god. There is no creator-type god in Buddhism.|||I can't say anything about Hinduism because I don't know anything about it. But, I can give you some references of good Buddhist websites which you may feel free to have a look at any of them.
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/鈥?/a>
http://www.bswa.org/
http://tenzinpalmo.com/index.php?option=鈥?/a>
http://www.jhanagrove.org.au/content/vie鈥?/a>
http://www.tara.org/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo鈥?/a>
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/ForThoseNe鈥?/a>
http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/
http://dhammafriends.net/Sub%20pages/Dha鈥?/a>
http://www.buddhanet.net./e-learning/ind鈥?/a>
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/dhammatalk鈥?/a>
So, good luck! =)
May you always be well and happy...
May all beings always have happiness....|||both worship idols both preach karma both started in india
while hindus are xpected to perform various sacrifices and rituals buddhism in pure form opposes such sacrifices
with respect to both religions|||Buddhism is an off shoot of Hinduism.
Buddhism in India was almost re-absorbed into main stream Hinduism, and Buddha became a hindu god.
Both are polytheism.|||they both end in "ism"|||Dots or feathers? Just kidding!!!|||hair
Please answer :)|||Buddhism, the Fulfillment of Hinduism
I am not a Buddhist, as you have heard, and yet I am. If China and Japan and Sri Lanka follow the teachings of the Buddha, India worships him as God incarnate on earth.
You have just now heard that I am going to criticize Buddhism, but by that I wish you to understand only this. Far be it from me to criticize him whom I worship as God incarnate on earth. Our view about the Buddha is that he was not understood properly by his disciples. The relation between Hinduism (by Hinduism, I mean the religion of the Vedas) and what is called Buddhism at the present day is nearly the same as between Judaism and Christianity. Jesus Christ was a Jew, and Shakya Muni [Buddha] was a Hindu. The Jews rejected Jesus Christ, nay, crucified him, whereas the Hindus accept Shakya Muni as God incarnate and worship him.
But the real difference that we Hindus want to show between modern Buddhism and what we should understand as the teachings of the Buddha lies principally in this: Shakya Muni came to preach nothing new. Like Jesus, the Buddha came to fulfill and not to destroy. In the case of Jesus, it was the old people, the Jews, who did not understand him, while in the case of the Buddha, it was his own followers who did not realize the import of his teachings. As the Jew did not understand the fulfillment of the Old Testament, so the Buddhist did not understand the fulfillment of the truths of the Hindu religion. Again, I repeat, Shakya Muni came not to destroy, but he was the fulfillment, the logical conclusion, the logical development of the religion of the Hindus.
The religion of the Hindus is divided into two parts: the ceremonial and the spiritual. The spiritual portion is specially studied by the monks. In it, there is no caste. In India a man from the highest caste and a man from the lowest can become monks, thus the two castes become equal. In religion there is no caste; caste is simply a social institution. Shakya Muni himself was a monk, and it was his glory that he had the large-heartedness to bring out the truths hidden in the Vedas and throw them broadcast all over the world. He was the first being in the world who brought missionaries into practice--nay, he was the first to conceive the idea of proselytizing.
The great glory of the Master lay in his wonderful sympathy for everybody, especially for the ignorant and the poor. Some of his disciples were Brahmins. When Buddha was teaching, Sanskrit was no more the spoken language in India. It was then only in the books of the learned. Some of Buddha's Brahmin disciples wanted to translate his teachings into Sanskrit, but he distinctly told them, "I am for the poor, for the people; let me speak in the tongue of the people." And so to this day the great bulk of his teachings are in the vernacular of that day in India.
Whatever may be the position of philosophy, whatever may be the position of metaphysics, so long as there is such a thing as death in the world, so long as there is such a thing as weakness in the human heart, so long as there is a cry going out of the human heart, there shall be faith in God.
On the philosophic side, the disciples of the Great Master dashed themselves against the eternal rocks of the Vedas and could not crush them; and on the other side, they took away from the nation that eternal God to which every one, man or woman, clings so fondly. And the result was that Buddhism had to die a natural death in India. At the present day there are very few who call themselves Buddhists in India, the land where Buddhism was born.
But at the same time, Hinduism lost something--that reforming zeal, that wonderful sympathy and charity for everybody, that wonderful leaven which Buddhism had brought to the masses and which had rendered Indian society so great that a Greek historian who wrote about India of that time was led to say that no Hindu was known to tell an untruth and no Hindu woman was known to be unchaste.
Hinduism cannot live without Buddhism, nor Buddhism without Hinduism. Then realize what the separation has shown to us, that the Buddhist cannot stand without the brain and philosophy of the Hindu, nor the Hindu without the heart of the Buddhist. This separation between the Buddhists and the Hindus is the cause of the downfall of India. That is why India is populated by three hundred millions of beggars, and that is why India has been the slave of conquerors for the last thousand years. Let us then join the wonderful intellect of the Hindus with the heart, the noble soul, the wonderful humanizing power of the Buddha.|||Buddha taught love and compassion. Buddhism is about removing suffering and the causes of suffering - both one's own and that of all sentient beings. A sentient being is a being that "feels" -humans and animals. The Buddha said "stop doing unskilful actions (actions that lead to suffering - your own or other people's), do skilful actions, tame your mind, this is the teaching of the Buddha".
I can't comment on Hinduism.|||The main difference
Hinduism worships Gods (Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma)
Buddhism does not. they follow the teaching of Siddharta Gautama, a king that forsook his life of riches on a quest to find the origin of suffering.
the faiths intertwine a bit, because hinduism beleives that siddharta gautama (the buddha) is a manifestation (avatar) of Vishnu, the god of balance/restoration. buddhism finds its origins in hinduism (hinduism is older). Therefor there are also many holy scriptures that are shared between the two religions.
similar to how christianity developped from judaism.|||Hinduism differs from Christianity and other Western religions in that it does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a single system of morality, or a central religious organization. It consists of "thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE." 1
Hinduism has grown to become the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. It claims about 837 million followers - 13% of the world's population. 2 It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka. According to the "Yearbook of American %26amp; Canadian Churches," there are about 1.1 million Hindus in the U.S. 3 The "American Religious Identification Survey" is believed to be more accurate. 4 They estimated smaller number: 766,000 Hindus in 2001. Still, this is a very significant increase from 227,000 in 1990. Statistics Canada estimates that there are about 157,015 Hindus in Canada. 5
Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest organized religion.
Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic religions. They recognize a single deity, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God. Henotheistic and polytheistic religions have traditionally been among the world's most religiously tolerant faiths. However, until recently, a Hindu nationalistic political party controlled the government of India. The linkage of religion, the national government, and nationalism led to a degeneration of the separation of church and state in India. This, in turn, has decreased the level of religious tolerance in that country. The escalation of anti-Christian violence was one manifestation of this linkage. With the recent change in government, the level of violence will diminish.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hindui鈥?/a>
"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 %26amp; spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity" A widely cited, but apparently spurious quotation attributed to Albert Einstein 1
bullet "The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances." Atisha.
bullet "If you live the sacred and despise the ordinary, you are still bobbing in the ocean of delusion." Lin-Chi.
bullet "Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life." Thich Nhat Hanh.
bullet "When the mind begins to become still, we then begin to truly see it. When you first try to stabilize and pacify the mind, initially it will become very busy because it's not accustomed to being still. In fact, it doesn't even necessarily want to become still, but it is essential to get a hold of the mind to recognize its nature. This practice is extremely important. ... Eventually you will find yourself in a state where your mind is clear and open all the time. It is just like when the clouds are removed from the sky and the sun can clearly be seen, shining all the time. This is coming close to the state of liberation, liberation from all traces of suffering. ... The truth of this practice is universal. It isn't necessary to call it a religion to practice it. Whether one is a Hindu or a Moslem or a Christian or a Buddhist simply doesn't matter. Anyone can practice this because this is the nature of the mind, the nature of everyone's mind. If you can get a handle on your mind, and pacify it in this way, you will definitely experience these results, and you will see them in your daily life situation. There is no need to put this into any kind of category, any kind of "ism." Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche
http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhi鈥?/a>|||Buddhists take the Buddha as their Authority. Hindus take their scriptures. Hindus worship gods. The Buddha's meant to have taught them.
In practical terms, Buddhists have a set of lay ethics to abide by in the five precepts. Hindus tend to not have this.
As a result Buddhists tend to be fairly upright people of principle.
At its worst, Hinduism can degrade to the worship of money, in my experience.
Hinduism never spread beyond India. Buddhism %26amp; its Enlightened Message was embraced by the whole of Asia.
Hinduism is the underdeveloped parent.
Buddhism is its perfected child.|||This site has a good article: http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_b鈥?/a>
Also, neither is polytheistic. The basic tenet of Hinduism is "god is one, many are his names." The different gods are all different manifestations of the same god. There is no creator-type god in Buddhism.|||I can't say anything about Hinduism because I don't know anything about it. But, I can give you some references of good Buddhist websites which you may feel free to have a look at any of them.
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/鈥?/a>
http://www.bswa.org/
http://tenzinpalmo.com/index.php?option=鈥?/a>
http://www.jhanagrove.org.au/content/vie鈥?/a>
http://www.tara.org/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo鈥?/a>
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/ForThoseNe鈥?/a>
http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/
http://dhammafriends.net/Sub%20pages/Dha鈥?/a>
http://www.buddhanet.net./e-learning/ind鈥?/a>
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/dhammatalk鈥?/a>
So, good luck! =)
May you always be well and happy...
May all beings always have happiness....|||both worship idols both preach karma both started in india
while hindus are xpected to perform various sacrifices and rituals buddhism in pure form opposes such sacrifices
with respect to both religions|||Buddhism is an off shoot of Hinduism.
Buddhism in India was almost re-absorbed into main stream Hinduism, and Buddha became a hindu god.
Both are polytheism.|||they both end in "ism"|||Dots or feathers? Just kidding!!!|||hair
What are some festivals and celebrations of Buddhism?
If someone could tell me some festivals and celebrations of Buddhism that'd be great.
Explanations, too please!
Thank you!|||http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/hist鈥?/a>|||I've been reserching buddhism and I cannot find a single holiday. I don't believe there are really any holidays in buddhism.
Explanations, too please!
Thank you!|||http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/hist鈥?/a>|||I've been reserching buddhism and I cannot find a single holiday. I don't believe there are really any holidays in buddhism.
Are there any good documentaries on Buddhism?
I've been reading, or attempting to read, books on Buddhism for a couple of years now but a lot of the stuff goes right over my head. I'm very interested in it (along with many of the other world religions) and I'm thinking maybe I'll do a lot better with something visual/spoken. Thank you very much for the help!|||Please try this:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_ty鈥?/a>
Also, please feel free to go to any of these sites:
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/鈥?/a>
http://tenzinpalmo.com/index.php?option=鈥?/a>
http://www.jhanagrove.org.au/content/vie鈥?/a>
http://www.tara.org/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo鈥?/a>
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/ForThoseNe鈥?/a>
http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/
http://dhammafriends.net/Sub%20pages/Dha鈥?/a>
http://www.buddhanet.net./e-learning/ind鈥?/a>
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/dhammatalk鈥?/a>
So, good luck! =)
May you always be well and happy....
May all beings always have happiness...|||You are in need of a qualified teacher.
I recommend mine.
http://www.lamajigme.com
also, you might try listening to downloads from
http://www.buddhanet.net.
Sarvata abby also has downloads. I cannot recall their website off hand.|||There are 13 parts, each lasting almost 30 minutes. It's kind of long, but really helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=鈥?/a>
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_ty鈥?/a>
Also, please feel free to go to any of these sites:
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/鈥?/a>
http://tenzinpalmo.com/index.php?option=鈥?/a>
http://www.jhanagrove.org.au/content/vie鈥?/a>
http://www.tara.org/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo鈥?/a>
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/ForThoseNe鈥?/a>
http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/
http://dhammafriends.net/Sub%20pages/Dha鈥?/a>
http://www.buddhanet.net./e-learning/ind鈥?/a>
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/dhammatalk鈥?/a>
So, good luck! =)
May you always be well and happy....
May all beings always have happiness...|||You are in need of a qualified teacher.
I recommend mine.
http://www.lamajigme.com
also, you might try listening to downloads from
http://www.buddhanet.net.
Sarvata abby also has downloads. I cannot recall their website off hand.|||There are 13 parts, each lasting almost 30 minutes. It's kind of long, but really helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=鈥?/a>
What is the name of the evil one in Buddhism?
There is someone who is similar to the Christian devil in Buddhism, but I don't know what he is called. What's his name, and what is his story or origins according to Buddhism?|||No one is immune becoming a devil
This life we might be a good guy, next life we can be bad apples.
This is called Law of Anatta.
The only way to get out of uncertainty is to walk the middle path.|||First it should be noted that Buddhism is as far removed from what the Buddha taught as Christianity is from what Jesus taught.
In the Buddhist faith/religion the 'evil one' is desire. But this is not what the Buddha taught. Desire is natural to all living creatures. It is pure, like passion. The 'evil one' is wanting. It is what the thinking mind does to desire that makes it impure or 'evil' as you call it. In reality there is no evil or devil. There are only devilish religions which invent such rubbish.|||The main antagonist to a Buddhist's faith is desire, often personified as the spirit Mara.|||Buddha.|||Rebecca Black.|||"Rush"|||Mara, Lord of Death?
This life we might be a good guy, next life we can be bad apples.
This is called Law of Anatta.
The only way to get out of uncertainty is to walk the middle path.|||First it should be noted that Buddhism is as far removed from what the Buddha taught as Christianity is from what Jesus taught.
In the Buddhist faith/religion the 'evil one' is desire. But this is not what the Buddha taught. Desire is natural to all living creatures. It is pure, like passion. The 'evil one' is wanting. It is what the thinking mind does to desire that makes it impure or 'evil' as you call it. In reality there is no evil or devil. There are only devilish religions which invent such rubbish.|||The main antagonist to a Buddhist's faith is desire, often personified as the spirit Mara.|||Buddha.|||Rebecca Black.|||"Rush"|||Mara, Lord of Death?
So what is the difference between Buddhism as religion and as a philosophy?
I kind of am wondering this to understand different sides of Buddhism not just the one that is related to religion.
Please tell me the benefits of the Buddhism faith along with the philosophy then list the cons of Buddhism as a faith as well as a philosophy.
Then list you personal feelings on both negative and positive.
Please if you feel a link you have read for information would make your opinion more clear then list a few links you feel are worthy and understandable in explaining what you are trying to say.
Thank you, Mel.|||Good morning, Mel.
As I see Buddhism and in my practice, when it is viewed as a religion it is primarily due to rituals that vary between traditions and schools.
When viewed as a philosophy as opposed to a religion there is not a major difference in Buddhism. It is a way of living in either regard; the teachings (suttas and sutras) remain the same so there is not a major difference from viewing it as a religion or philosophy. The Dharma remains the same regardless as to how one regards Buddhism. So, in this regard, I cannot as you ask "鈥ist the cons of Buddhism as a faith as well as a philosophy" since I have taken refuge. If there were cons in either regard I wouldn't have made the conversion and, yes, I did considerable research, contemplation, and reading before I made that decision.
Sites on the Internet are legion. I am hesitant to make recommendations in this regard since it depends upon the tradition to which one is drawn. Best to follow that path on your own.
May all be at peace.
John|||As a philosophy, it explains everything and doesn't help with any of it. As a religion, it overcomes all ignorance and suffering, but you don't know what you are doing. It's like the difference between having a road map or a car.
Try both.|||When Buddhism is practiced as a religion, meditation is the key to nirvana and Buddha is the savior who taught the world to join him in anti-materialism. When Buddhism is practiced like a philosophy, Buddha is just one of the many scribes in world history and meditation is just an activity you do on Sundays.|||The distinction between "religion" and "philosophy" is something we inherited from the Greeks and have developed further since the 17th century. It did not exist in 6th century BC India and it is a little unreasonable to expect the Buddha to have set up his system of thought and behaviour to fit neatly into categories that would be in use 26 centuries later.|||Buddhism is sometimes referred to as a non-religion because it is a practice tradition and therefore does not focus on an outside source for "salvation".|||i will try to answer ...........|||This is a great question and is a tall order for the YA format! I will attempt an answer in a general sense while I do specifically practice and study Ch'an Buddhism.
The Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhist, once said that religion is a container for the practices and symbols that remind one of the meaning of life and the experience of that life. ( I cannot find the exact quote at the moment) So Buddhism can be looked at in that way for sure. Even the Ch'an (Zen) sect of Buddhism has it's altars, artifacts, specific understandings and preferred practices. Some Zen temples have a minimal and blank altar which is understood to reflect the emptiness that is everything - an organizing principle for sure. Also spoken by the Dalai Lama: "This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." Here this Buddhist leader reveals that the organizing principle (which some call religion) is not based on belief but on the direct observation of daily life and the kindness, or lack of it, that is practiced.
At first look, another Buddhist sect appears to have a more religious approach. The Shin or Pure Land sect, a devotional system, practices a faith in what they call "Other Power" opposed to something like self power. A heaven and the Buddha described in Pure Land are all glorious and otherworldly. Eventually a Pure Land practitioner finds out that this place is none other than her very own world revealed anew. Here in this revelation the idea of self and other are a moot point. Jesus actually said much the same thing: "The kingdom of heaven is within you". This reflects the radical shift in understanding that all religion is about...when it is not preoccupied with being a literal or fundamentalist delusion. I think this shift also reveals the "unreligious" philosophical base for all religion - before it became a "religion" of unmindful practices. Buddhism generally avoids this forgetful way by declaring up front that it is much less religion than a direct understanding of experience, not a ritualized version of it. Buddhism is more like a science of consciousness or mind - even though it has been declared the national religion of several counties by their rulers. As always there are political and personal reasons to lean into the religious aspects of Buddhism as observed by others. But that is not ,finally, what Buddhism is about.
Again from the Dalai Lama: "Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind. Religion has much involvement with faith. Sometimes it seems that there is quite a distance between a way of thinking based on faith and one entirely based on experiment, remaining skeptical. Unless you find something through investigation, you do not want to accept it as fact. From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between these two sides. Therefore, with this conviction I try to have closer ties with scientists, mainly in the fields of cosmology, psychology, neurobiology and physics. In these fields there are insights to share, and to a certain extent we can work together."
An excellent contemporary look at this science of mind which is evidence based would be the work of Dr Dan Seigel.
http://drdansiegel.com/?page=press%26amp;sub=a鈥?/a>
Check out the audio titled: A Week of Silence. Based in modern scientific observations, this doctor has re-uncovered nothing less that what the Buddha taught from day one, which is: There is a purely natural way out of suffering by understanding what one already is. (Jesus - The Kingdom is within.)
All religions can be traced back to philosophical speculation. When this is either ignored or forgotten it becomes a system of closed belief, not of open minded speculation. The open ended speculation necessary to understand daily experience is the basis of equanimity and is also the root of compassion. Some call this a radical acceptance of "What Is" as a basis of higher human brain function. This means that all delusional thinking must be seen through and left behind. Meditation as the Buddha taught is the perfect vehicle for this kind of understanding. The proof is in the pudding - people become more compassionate without having to understand the particulars of any religion - either philosophical or religious. This equanimity is the jumping off point for compassion, not for proof of or for belief in anything.
The Indian sage Nagarjuna (d. apx 450 AD), who is sometimes called the second Buddha (of this world), developed a marvelous philosophical approach that opens the dialog between what can be known, what cannot be known, what is important and not importa
Please tell me the benefits of the Buddhism faith along with the philosophy then list the cons of Buddhism as a faith as well as a philosophy.
Then list you personal feelings on both negative and positive.
Please if you feel a link you have read for information would make your opinion more clear then list a few links you feel are worthy and understandable in explaining what you are trying to say.
Thank you, Mel.|||Good morning, Mel.
As I see Buddhism and in my practice, when it is viewed as a religion it is primarily due to rituals that vary between traditions and schools.
When viewed as a philosophy as opposed to a religion there is not a major difference in Buddhism. It is a way of living in either regard; the teachings (suttas and sutras) remain the same so there is not a major difference from viewing it as a religion or philosophy. The Dharma remains the same regardless as to how one regards Buddhism. So, in this regard, I cannot as you ask "鈥ist the cons of Buddhism as a faith as well as a philosophy" since I have taken refuge. If there were cons in either regard I wouldn't have made the conversion and, yes, I did considerable research, contemplation, and reading before I made that decision.
Sites on the Internet are legion. I am hesitant to make recommendations in this regard since it depends upon the tradition to which one is drawn. Best to follow that path on your own.
May all be at peace.
John|||As a philosophy, it explains everything and doesn't help with any of it. As a religion, it overcomes all ignorance and suffering, but you don't know what you are doing. It's like the difference between having a road map or a car.
Try both.|||When Buddhism is practiced as a religion, meditation is the key to nirvana and Buddha is the savior who taught the world to join him in anti-materialism. When Buddhism is practiced like a philosophy, Buddha is just one of the many scribes in world history and meditation is just an activity you do on Sundays.|||The distinction between "religion" and "philosophy" is something we inherited from the Greeks and have developed further since the 17th century. It did not exist in 6th century BC India and it is a little unreasonable to expect the Buddha to have set up his system of thought and behaviour to fit neatly into categories that would be in use 26 centuries later.|||Buddhism is sometimes referred to as a non-religion because it is a practice tradition and therefore does not focus on an outside source for "salvation".|||i will try to answer ...........|||This is a great question and is a tall order for the YA format! I will attempt an answer in a general sense while I do specifically practice and study Ch'an Buddhism.
The Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhist, once said that religion is a container for the practices and symbols that remind one of the meaning of life and the experience of that life. ( I cannot find the exact quote at the moment) So Buddhism can be looked at in that way for sure. Even the Ch'an (Zen) sect of Buddhism has it's altars, artifacts, specific understandings and preferred practices. Some Zen temples have a minimal and blank altar which is understood to reflect the emptiness that is everything - an organizing principle for sure. Also spoken by the Dalai Lama: "This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." Here this Buddhist leader reveals that the organizing principle (which some call religion) is not based on belief but on the direct observation of daily life and the kindness, or lack of it, that is practiced.
At first look, another Buddhist sect appears to have a more religious approach. The Shin or Pure Land sect, a devotional system, practices a faith in what they call "Other Power" opposed to something like self power. A heaven and the Buddha described in Pure Land are all glorious and otherworldly. Eventually a Pure Land practitioner finds out that this place is none other than her very own world revealed anew. Here in this revelation the idea of self and other are a moot point. Jesus actually said much the same thing: "The kingdom of heaven is within you". This reflects the radical shift in understanding that all religion is about...when it is not preoccupied with being a literal or fundamentalist delusion. I think this shift also reveals the "unreligious" philosophical base for all religion - before it became a "religion" of unmindful practices. Buddhism generally avoids this forgetful way by declaring up front that it is much less religion than a direct understanding of experience, not a ritualized version of it. Buddhism is more like a science of consciousness or mind - even though it has been declared the national religion of several counties by their rulers. As always there are political and personal reasons to lean into the religious aspects of Buddhism as observed by others. But that is not ,finally, what Buddhism is about.
Again from the Dalai Lama: "Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind. Religion has much involvement with faith. Sometimes it seems that there is quite a distance between a way of thinking based on faith and one entirely based on experiment, remaining skeptical. Unless you find something through investigation, you do not want to accept it as fact. From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between these two sides. Therefore, with this conviction I try to have closer ties with scientists, mainly in the fields of cosmology, psychology, neurobiology and physics. In these fields there are insights to share, and to a certain extent we can work together."
An excellent contemporary look at this science of mind which is evidence based would be the work of Dr Dan Seigel.
http://drdansiegel.com/?page=press%26amp;sub=a鈥?/a>
Check out the audio titled: A Week of Silence. Based in modern scientific observations, this doctor has re-uncovered nothing less that what the Buddha taught from day one, which is: There is a purely natural way out of suffering by understanding what one already is. (Jesus - The Kingdom is within.)
All religions can be traced back to philosophical speculation. When this is either ignored or forgotten it becomes a system of closed belief, not of open minded speculation. The open ended speculation necessary to understand daily experience is the basis of equanimity and is also the root of compassion. Some call this a radical acceptance of "What Is" as a basis of higher human brain function. This means that all delusional thinking must be seen through and left behind. Meditation as the Buddha taught is the perfect vehicle for this kind of understanding. The proof is in the pudding - people become more compassionate without having to understand the particulars of any religion - either philosophical or religious. This equanimity is the jumping off point for compassion, not for proof of or for belief in anything.
The Indian sage Nagarjuna (d. apx 450 AD), who is sometimes called the second Buddha (of this world), developed a marvelous philosophical approach that opens the dialog between what can be known, what cannot be known, what is important and not importa
How are the moral codes of Buddhism and Confucianism similar?
please i really need help and also one more thing are the origins of Buddhism and Confucianism the same?|||Buddhism originated in India with Gautama. Confucianism originated in China with Confucius.
To be honest, I don't know much about the similarities: my studies focused mostly on the differences.
Buddhism has a strong spiritual aspect, involving belief in multiple realms of existence, and reincarnation into those realms. When you become enlightened, you break free of the cycle of reincarnation, and reach Nirvana.
Confucianism is more an ideology than a religion, as it doesn't really involve spiritual beliefs. It has a strong focus on filial piety and one's obligations to society, whereas Buddhism has a strong focus on the self.
To be honest, I don't know much about the similarities: my studies focused mostly on the differences.
Buddhism has a strong spiritual aspect, involving belief in multiple realms of existence, and reincarnation into those realms. When you become enlightened, you break free of the cycle of reincarnation, and reach Nirvana.
Confucianism is more an ideology than a religion, as it doesn't really involve spiritual beliefs. It has a strong focus on filial piety and one's obligations to society, whereas Buddhism has a strong focus on the self.
In Buddhism,how can one be liberated from the samsara if there is no personal self to be liberated?
I am studying World Religions and this week it is about Buddhism.|||The Buddha taught that when we awaken, we liberate ourselves from anger, desire, and delusion.
More specifically, he taught that, with awakening, we become "unbound" from anger, desire, delusion.
The idea of a personal self is one the many delusions that we create about our life. When we are no longer bound to the idea of a personal and persistent self, which is simply a fabricated idea, we become free of the force of that fabrication. As many teachers have said, there is no self to be liberated.|||Interesting observation.
You've got good eyes.
Now, if you were to experience that, rather than having logically deduced it, you would be all the way gone.
*grin*|||Buddha never was liberated from Samsara, that was a goal of his when he first set out on his conquest to discover how to stop suffering. The goal of self-liberation is to the goal to escape suffering, not to escape the cycle of Samsara, as he later came to realize and write about. There is no Buddhist text about escaping the reincarnation. Enlightenment is something totally different.|||First I will elaborate what Buddhism means by the self or the ego. There are according to Buddha five skandhas (aggregates): 1. Form 2. Sensation 3. Perception 4. Mental Formations 5. Consciousness. the first skandha is our physical form. The second is made up of our feelings, emotional and physical, and our senses -- seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling. The third skandha, perception, takes in most of what we call thinking - conceptualization, cognition, reasoning. This also includes the recognition that occurs when an organ comes into contact with an object. Perception can be thought of as "that which identifies." The object perceived may be a physical object or a mental one, such as an idea. The fourth skandha, mental formations, includes habits, prejudices and predispositions. Our volition, or willfulness, also is part of the fourth skandha, as are attention, faith, conscientiousness, pride, desire, vindictiveness, and many other mental states both virtuous and not virtuous. The causes and effects of karma are especially important to the fourth skandha. The fifth skandha, consciousness, is awareness of or sensitivity to an object, but without conceptualization. Once there is awareness, the third skandha might recognize the object and assign a concept-value to it, and the fourth skandha might react with desire or revulsion or some other mental formation. The fifth skandha is explained in some schools as base that ties the experience of life together. The Buddha taught that our egos, personalities and the sense that the "self" is something distinctive and permanent enclosed within our bodies, are just illusory effects the first skandha is our physical form. The second is made up of our feelings, emotional and physical, and our senses -- seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling. The third skandha, perception, takes in most of what we call thinking -- conceptualization, cognition, reasoning. This also includes the recognition that occurs when an organ comes into contact with an object. Perception can be thought of as "that which identifies." The object perceived may be a physical object or a mental one, such as an idea. The fourth skandha, mental formations, includes habits, prejudices and predispositions. Our volition, or willfulness, also is part of the fourth skandha, as are attention, faith, conscientiousness, pride, desire, vindictiveness, and many other mental states both virtuous and not virtuous. The causes and effects of karma are especially important to the fourth skandha. The fifth skandha, consciousness, is awareness of or sensitivity to an object, but without conceptualization. Once there is awareness, the third skandha might recognize the object and assign a concept-value to it, and the fourth skandha might react with desire or revulsion or some other mental formation. The fifth skandha is explained in some schools as base that ties the experience of life together. The Buddha taught that our egos, personalities and the sense that the "self" is something distinctive and permanent enclosed within our bodies, are just illusory effects of the skandhas. Like a chariot is a mode of expression denoting the aggregate of the axle, whell etc so the self is an expression of the aggregate of skandhas. According to buddhism clinging to eternalism or annihilationism is the cause of bondage. If person says that the self is a permanent, concrete, substantial entity then he is clinging to eternalism. If another says that the self is absolutely non existent then he is clinging to annihilationsim. The Buddha preached the Middle Way, avoiding both the extremes. Clinging to the self gives rise to attachment, avarice, greed, and a whole lot of negative emotions and passions that keep man bound to the world of samsara the world of suffering and the continous cycle of births and deaths. The self is an illusion and with clinging to this illusion come all the passions that cause rebirths. Nirvana is seeing the truth as it is. It is wisdom born of understanding the truth, the truth that frees you from illusion. The illusion of self as a substantial entity ends by realizing the truth and what ceases is this illusion and nothing else. Wisdom is in realizing that the self as we know does not exist, the self is nothing different from the skandhas, that everything is impermanent and unsubstantial. There is an important conversation to this effect between Kutadanta and the Buddha. Kutadanta asked Buddha that Niravana has no locality and so one may assume that it does not exist. The Buddha asked him,"Where does the wind dwell?", "Nowhere", Kutadanta replied. Buddha asked again, "Then does that mean that the wind does not exist being nowhere?" Kutadanta did not reply. Buddha asked again, "Where does wisdom dwell? Is Wisdom a locality? Kutadanta replied, "Wisdom has no alloted dwelling place." Buddha said,"Meanest thou that there is no wisdom, englightenment, no righteousness, and no salvation because nirvana is not a locality? Walk in the noble path of righteousness and thou wilt understand that while there is no death in self, there is immortality in truth." In the Sermon of Rajagaha Buddha said, "Self is an illusion, an error, a dream. Open your eyes and awaken. See things as they are and ye will be comforted. He who is awake will no longer be afraid of nightmares. He who has recognized the nature of te rope that seemed to be a serpent will cease to tremble. He who has found that there is no self will let go all lusts and desires of egotism. Surrender the grasping dispostion of selfishness and you will attain the calm state of mind which conveys perfect peace, goodness and wisdom."
More specifically, he taught that, with awakening, we become "unbound" from anger, desire, delusion.
The idea of a personal self is one the many delusions that we create about our life. When we are no longer bound to the idea of a personal and persistent self, which is simply a fabricated idea, we become free of the force of that fabrication. As many teachers have said, there is no self to be liberated.|||Interesting observation.
You've got good eyes.
Now, if you were to experience that, rather than having logically deduced it, you would be all the way gone.
*grin*|||Buddha never was liberated from Samsara, that was a goal of his when he first set out on his conquest to discover how to stop suffering. The goal of self-liberation is to the goal to escape suffering, not to escape the cycle of Samsara, as he later came to realize and write about. There is no Buddhist text about escaping the reincarnation. Enlightenment is something totally different.|||First I will elaborate what Buddhism means by the self or the ego. There are according to Buddha five skandhas (aggregates): 1. Form 2. Sensation 3. Perception 4. Mental Formations 5. Consciousness. the first skandha is our physical form. The second is made up of our feelings, emotional and physical, and our senses -- seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling. The third skandha, perception, takes in most of what we call thinking - conceptualization, cognition, reasoning. This also includes the recognition that occurs when an organ comes into contact with an object. Perception can be thought of as "that which identifies." The object perceived may be a physical object or a mental one, such as an idea. The fourth skandha, mental formations, includes habits, prejudices and predispositions. Our volition, or willfulness, also is part of the fourth skandha, as are attention, faith, conscientiousness, pride, desire, vindictiveness, and many other mental states both virtuous and not virtuous. The causes and effects of karma are especially important to the fourth skandha. The fifth skandha, consciousness, is awareness of or sensitivity to an object, but without conceptualization. Once there is awareness, the third skandha might recognize the object and assign a concept-value to it, and the fourth skandha might react with desire or revulsion or some other mental formation. The fifth skandha is explained in some schools as base that ties the experience of life together. The Buddha taught that our egos, personalities and the sense that the "self" is something distinctive and permanent enclosed within our bodies, are just illusory effects the first skandha is our physical form. The second is made up of our feelings, emotional and physical, and our senses -- seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling. The third skandha, perception, takes in most of what we call thinking -- conceptualization, cognition, reasoning. This also includes the recognition that occurs when an organ comes into contact with an object. Perception can be thought of as "that which identifies." The object perceived may be a physical object or a mental one, such as an idea. The fourth skandha, mental formations, includes habits, prejudices and predispositions. Our volition, or willfulness, also is part of the fourth skandha, as are attention, faith, conscientiousness, pride, desire, vindictiveness, and many other mental states both virtuous and not virtuous. The causes and effects of karma are especially important to the fourth skandha. The fifth skandha, consciousness, is awareness of or sensitivity to an object, but without conceptualization. Once there is awareness, the third skandha might recognize the object and assign a concept-value to it, and the fourth skandha might react with desire or revulsion or some other mental formation. The fifth skandha is explained in some schools as base that ties the experience of life together. The Buddha taught that our egos, personalities and the sense that the "self" is something distinctive and permanent enclosed within our bodies, are just illusory effects of the skandhas. Like a chariot is a mode of expression denoting the aggregate of the axle, whell etc so the self is an expression of the aggregate of skandhas. According to buddhism clinging to eternalism or annihilationism is the cause of bondage. If person says that the self is a permanent, concrete, substantial entity then he is clinging to eternalism. If another says that the self is absolutely non existent then he is clinging to annihilationsim. The Buddha preached the Middle Way, avoiding both the extremes. Clinging to the self gives rise to attachment, avarice, greed, and a whole lot of negative emotions and passions that keep man bound to the world of samsara the world of suffering and the continous cycle of births and deaths. The self is an illusion and with clinging to this illusion come all the passions that cause rebirths. Nirvana is seeing the truth as it is. It is wisdom born of understanding the truth, the truth that frees you from illusion. The illusion of self as a substantial entity ends by realizing the truth and what ceases is this illusion and nothing else. Wisdom is in realizing that the self as we know does not exist, the self is nothing different from the skandhas, that everything is impermanent and unsubstantial. There is an important conversation to this effect between Kutadanta and the Buddha. Kutadanta asked Buddha that Niravana has no locality and so one may assume that it does not exist. The Buddha asked him,"Where does the wind dwell?", "Nowhere", Kutadanta replied. Buddha asked again, "Then does that mean that the wind does not exist being nowhere?" Kutadanta did not reply. Buddha asked again, "Where does wisdom dwell? Is Wisdom a locality? Kutadanta replied, "Wisdom has no alloted dwelling place." Buddha said,"Meanest thou that there is no wisdom, englightenment, no righteousness, and no salvation because nirvana is not a locality? Walk in the noble path of righteousness and thou wilt understand that while there is no death in self, there is immortality in truth." In the Sermon of Rajagaha Buddha said, "Self is an illusion, an error, a dream. Open your eyes and awaken. See things as they are and ye will be comforted. He who is awake will no longer be afraid of nightmares. He who has recognized the nature of te rope that seemed to be a serpent will cease to tremble. He who has found that there is no self will let go all lusts and desires of egotism. Surrender the grasping dispostion of selfishness and you will attain the calm state of mind which conveys perfect peace, goodness and wisdom."
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