Jesus, a Buddhist?

[Namu Butsu]

LOL I stand corrected.

[meindzai]

"The Dharma is huge"

Indeed. I feel a signature coming on.

[Rael]

"The Dharma is huge"

Indeed. I feel a signature coming on.

The Dharma is Huge...some would argue though...

i said it for i feel everything that inspires us to do good in this crappy world is due the Dharma and the will of the Buddhas.

One can argue whether Jesus Christ is historic like i argue the Lotus Sutra is not Buddha's words....and yet...they both inspire ....even in the hands of a cult ...the Lotus Sutra taught me.....was a catalyst for healing....

[nirmal]

John 16:12,"I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now."
St. John 16:13, "When he, the Spirit of Truth is come,he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak for himself: but whosoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."

Could this be the reason why Jesus did not teach Buddhism after he had learned it?
What is all truth and who is the Spirit of Truth?

Even when Buddha was preaching the Dharma Flower Sutra, he wanted to explain how even evil things the Sunyata nature can be found. 500 Arhats foreknew this and left their seats saying,"Now Buddha is going to talk about evil things." Actually Buddha wanted to talk about the Mahayana.

So, could it be that Jesus did not teach Buddhism even though he had learned it because the people were not ready for such teachings then?
Even our 500 Arhats were not ready

[meindzai]

I think the idea that Jesus somehow learned Buddhist teaching is a hopeful theory held by some people, but I see no evidence of it. The Jesus character I've read about in the bible is essentially a megalomaniac who made the wrong people angry and got himself killed, rather than finding more skillful ways to teach the right people. But the fact is we don't know what really happened because there is little historical evidence of him and the church has decided what way they want to paint him.

The non-canonical gospels (like Thomas and Judas) have some interesting stuff, but they are generally run of the mill mysticism, expressed in the vocabulary of Judaic monotheism. There is nothing really Buddhist in any of it.

Yes, the Dharma is huge. So huge that Jesus, Lao Tzu, sufis, etc. as influential as they were only got the first taste of it, but they did not realize what the Buddha realized, because they got stuck on the idea of a big cosmic self, tao, god, whatever you want to call it. They were accomplished within their own right, moreso than many of us, but they did not teach the Dharma in anyway close to what the Buddha did.

-M

[Rael]

for awhile in my youth when i was freed from atheism and introduced to Buddhism, I had a thought.


Maybe the Messiah is not really a real historic figure but a philosophy that tames a people and well off into the future provides for right living...you know right thought, action, speech , livelihood ...

now i see it as possible legend that became the Messiah.....

edit:
the Messiah as i just described

[Rael]

I think the idea that Jesus somehow learned Buddhist teaching is a hopeful theory held by some people, but I see no evidence of it. The Jesus character I've read about in the bible is essentially a megalomaniac who made the wrong people angry and got himself killed, rather than finding more skillful ways to teach the right people. But the fact is we don't know what really happened because there is little historical evidence of him and the church has decided what way they want to paint him.

The non-canonical gospels (like Thomas and Judas) have some interesting stuff, but they are generally run of the mill mysticism, expressed in the vocabulary of Judaic monotheism. There is nothing really Buddhist in any of it.

Yes, the Dharma is huge. So huge that Jesus, Lao Tzu, sufis, etc. as influential as they were only got the first taste of it, but they did not realize what the Buddha realized, because they got stuck on the idea of a big cosmic self, tao, god, whatever you want to call it. They were accomplished within their own right, moreso than many of us, but they did not teach the Dharma in anyway close to what the Buddha did.

-M

first up....i nearly spit tea all over my keyboard with this...

The Jesus character I've read about in the bible is essentially a megalomaniac who made the wrong people angry and got himself killed, rather than finding more skillful ways to teach the right people.

I would like to say that you have articulated something I have struggled with forever....whether silently or verbally or on forums most recently the past few years.......

because they got stuck on the idea of a big cosmic self, tao, god, whatever you want to call it. They were accomplished within their own right, moreso than many of us, but they did not teach the Dharma in anyway close to what the Buddha did.

This is the problem with Holy Alchemist...they believe in what you described....this is why i return here to Buddhist thought...

That said the Tulku i referred to knew this in me and said long ago i look for some underlying thing to IT ALL....

That underlying thing is like some comfort to me...it is sooooo ingrained......even with some of the moments i have had....with Rigpa and Sunyata and Time itself standing still and yet being infinite.......

i grasp at this underlying ......and yet i realize i do this.....i know it is not there......

i look under my bed and there is no boogy man......


I look again and again.....


i'm somewhat of a compulsive obsessive disorder nutcase.....it gets in the way i guess....it's mild....not really to the point of being a certified loon boon


but the disorder helps in practice and keeping things honest and real to the Dharma 's Will......


Dharma 's Will......hmmmmm new thread....

[Inge]

Have you seen this BBC documentary Jesus was a Buddhist Monk

[meindzai]

Don't get me wrong, many of Jesus's teachings are good and sometimes even well articulated. But they are really nothing special or knew in the way of religion. I think the popularity of Christianity has had more to do with what happened afterward, socially and politically, then anything that Jesus taught. But from a Buddhist POV it is still eternalism, which can lead to blissful states and heavens, but not nirvanna.

Glad your keyboard is safe for now, Rael. Afraid I can't foot the bill at the moment.

Don't overthink it though. Basically the Buddha taught abandoning all views of self no matter how grand or noble or mystical.

-M

[Karma Dondrup Tashi]

Matthew 7:21-23 (New Living Translation)

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

[Karma Dondrup Tashi]

It's surely ironic for many Christians to be fundamentalist freaks. The whole point of Christianity was supposed to be that love forgives justice.

[meindzai]

It's surely ironic for many Christians to be fundamentalist freaks. The whole point of Christianity was supposed to be that love forgives justice.

It was?

See, maybe that's the problem. I don't think there is a consensus on what Christianity is supposed to be about.

-M

[gregkavarnos]

See, maybe that's the problem. I don't think there is a consensus on what Christianity is supposed to be about.

Even a cursory glance at the writings, detailing Christs words and actions, found in the New Testament (no matter how heavily edited they may currently be) cannot fail to show what Christs basic message was.

[meindzai]

See, maybe that's the problem. I don't think there is a consensus on what Christianity is supposed to be about.

Even a cursory glance at the writings, detailing Christs words and actions, found in the New Testament (no matter how heavily edited they may currently be) cannot fail to show what Christs basic message was.

Ok, I'll bite.

-M

[Rael]

We don't know historically what happened...it seems since the internet we are able to bug Christians with a lot of stuff...lol...

ever look on these political forums with a religion section....it's a war between this base line atheists...atheists who became atheists due to the fact they can't believe in Noah, or the burning bush.... lately depicting Christ as a Zombie is popular...

then Constantine turned a rabbinical Jew with a message of love for everyone not just the chosen people, into a god...

I think Christ wanting to share this god of war and protector of the jews into the one single god for all is what caused his death....

then it all could be just legend....or manipulatory political control through religion...no one knows....

but the message did tame a mass amount of people ...and kept people practicing charity....
and somehow allowing europe to fight wars in his name....night mare....the president of the untied states of america swears to be a good guy on this book of weirdness...

Israel gets to claim land ownership due to the promised land deal...america protects Israel cause the bible says to....

i love Jews don't get me wrong...i even wish Britainnia would have given her much more land than the sliver in the desert....

ah Britannia ...the great geographer of the world.....ooops...i'm digressing....



the whole mongol thing and tibet has shades of the same stuff....

[SonamZangpo]

I intentionally read through all of this just to make sure I wouldn't just be repeating something from a previous post.

While I'm sure this discussion is being had in a light-hearted manner, keep in mind that you are discussing a being who is holy, sacred, unique, and regarded as the son of God to people, as well as discussing and picking apart their scripture. It may be easy to discuss these things with no Christians around to weigh in on the topic, but what you are discussing is highly offensive and blasphemous to them. Would we condone another religion claiming Shakyamuni as their own, and in private, adjusting our texts and beliefs to conform to their religion? Not likely. While the discussion here is contained, keep in mind that you should never draw these parallels to a Christian in discussion. It may be all too easy to pull the "Jesus was a Buddhist" card when listening to a narrow-minded Christian fanatic, but it is not your place. Doing such is committing wrong action against them, bringing suffering to them, and bringing negative karma upon yourself, which can grow very, very heavy.

Just some food for thought, not meaning to b a party pooper!

[muni]

I just came in a Christian church for a funeral. All what the priest said looked easy to bring back into the Buddhist four seals. Like all what is compounded is impermanent and God don't want people suffer emotionally, we are all "his children" so no inherent independent beings on itself maybe. God is beyond us, we cannot solve all. Of course coarse mind cannot.
All conceptual game about religions, I think we turn it in the direction of what we percieve, like mind creates its' world.

[fragrant herbs]

I intentionally read through all of this just to make sure I wouldn't just be repeating something from a previous post.

While I'm sure this discussion is being had in a light-hearted manner, keep in mind that you are discussing a being who is holy, sacred, unique, and regarded as the son of God to people, as well as discussing and picking apart their scripture. It may be easy to discuss these things with no Christians around to weigh in on the topic, but what you are discussing is highly offensive and blasphemous to them. Would we condone another religion claiming Shakyamuni as their own, and in private, adjusting our texts and beliefs to conform to their religion? Not likely. While the discussion here is contained, keep in mind that you should never draw these parallels to a Christian in discussion. It may be all too easy to pull the "Jesus was a Buddhist" card when listening to a narrow-minded Christian fanatic, but it is not your place. Doing such is committing wrong action against them, bringing suffering to them, and bringing negative karma upon yourself, which can grow very, very heavy.

Just some food for thought, not meaning to b a party pooper!

This is an excellent post. I especially agree with your bring suffering to Christians by telling them that Jesus was a Buddhist. The bringing negative karma to yourself I would have to say would depend on your intentions. If you intended to harm them with this information; then yes. But this is just my own opinion.

[Rael]

I intentionally read through all of this just to make sure I wouldn't just be repeating something from a previous post.

While I'm sure this discussion is being had in a light-hearted manner, keep in mind that you are discussing a being who is holy, sacred, unique, and regarded as the son of God to people, as well as discussing and picking apart their scripture. It may be easy to discuss these things with no Christians around to weigh in on the topic, but what you are discussing is highly offensive and blasphemous to them. Would we condone another religion claiming Shakyamuni as their own, and in private, adjusting our texts and beliefs to conform to their religion? Not likely. While the discussion here is contained, keep in mind that you should never draw these parallels to a Christian in discussion. It may be all too easy to pull the "Jesus was a Buddhist" card when listening to a narrow-minded Christian fanatic, but it is not your place. Doing such is committing wrong action against them, bringing suffering to them, and bringing negative karma upon yourself, which can grow very, very heavy.

Just some food for thought, not meaning to b a party pooper!

rosicrucians and Holy alchemists would have no problem with you and they believe in God...of a sorts

[fragrant herbs]

I am reading an interesting book on the subject, not that Jesus was a Buddhist, but Jesus was a Pagan God patterned after the Osiris-Dionysus myths: The Jesus Mysteries. Perhaps there was no real Christ, but that even the teachings have been borrowed as some authors have suggested.