Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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Ervin
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Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by Ervin »

Like I said in one of the other threads that the way I see the truth as it is, is that there is an infinitely good and infinitely gentle Source of everything that exists.

But, do you as a Buddhist believe that Buddha is infinitely good and infinitely gentle?

Thanks
DGA
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by DGA »

Infinitely good, yes. But since gentle is not always good (and by "good" I mean effective or appropriate to the circumstances)... no, not always gentle.
deepbluehum
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by deepbluehum »

Ervin wrote:Like I said in one of the other threads that the way I see the truth as it is, is that there is an infinitely good and infinitely gentle Source of everything that exists.

But, do you as a Buddhist believe that Buddha is infinitely good and infinitely gentle?

Thanks
very much yes
GarcherLancelot
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by GarcherLancelot »

Hmmm....I am not sure in fact correct me if i am wrong,but I think I read several stories about Shakaymuni Buddha referring to some people as "worthless men".. .
Yudron
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by Yudron »

Jikan wrote:Infinitely good, yes. But since gentle is not always good (and by "good" I mean effective or appropriate to the circumstances)... no, not always gentle.

The very word for this--KuntuZangpo--in Tibetan, could be translated into english as "All good," "Totally positive" "total goodness" "ever excellent" and so forth.

I think if, at least momentarily, one is resting in this, then everything can be perceived as gentle, even if outwardly events are rough, harsh and sudden.

But that's a big "if"!
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KathyLauren
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by KathyLauren »

As any parent or pet owner knows, sometimes being good means a firm and perhaps forceful "No!" So good, yes. Gentle, no. A Buddha has the compassion to wish good for all, the wisdom to know what course of action is the most compassionate, and the strength to apply that action when necessary. As for being the "source" of all, I have already addressed that in the other thread.

Om mani padme hum
Keith
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by deepbluehum »

KeithBC wrote:As any parent or pet owner knows, sometimes being good means a firm and perhaps forceful "No!" So good, yes. Gentle, no. A Buddha has the compassion to wish good for all, the wisdom to know what course of action is the most compassionate, and the strength to apply that action when necessary. As for being the "source" of all, I have already addressed that in the other thread.

Om mani padme hum
Keith
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Nosta
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by Nosta »

Not always gentle, because sometimes one needs to be a little tough. Like when you are tough with a small children doing bad stuff. But you are tough so she can learn. In fact, you are being good to her.

So, Buddha is infinitelly good but not always gentle.
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seeker242
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by seeker242 »

Ervin wrote:
But, do you as a Buddhist believe that Buddha is infinitely good and infinitely gentle?

Thanks
Yes, even when he called people "fools", even when he called one of his monks "useless", he was still infinitely good and infinitely gentle. :smile:
One should not kill any living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should one incite any other to kill. Do never injure any being, whether strong or weak, in this entire universe!
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lobster
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by lobster »

the Shakyamuni Buddha is infinitely dead :shrug:
Zealot
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by Zealot »

I like to think of it in terms of the right speech.
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
...
In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing and agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings.
Gentle is the opposite of "unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, unendearing and disagreeable" and it depends wholly on the person what words are the agreeable or gentle enough to penetrate their exterior and bring forth the light from within them.

So, in summation, yes, infinitely good and gentle.
"My life for Aiur!" - Protoss Zealot
Ervin
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Re: Do you believe that Buddha is infinitelly good and gentle?

Post by Ervin »

Following is a part of of a post posted by keithBC:

by KeithBC » Tue Oct 23, 2012 6:12 pm

As any parent or pet owner knows, sometimes being good means a firm and perhaps forceful "No!" So good, yes. Gentle, no

I would like to explain how you are also infinitely gentle, which is infinitely good:

If you were in a so called nirvana( nirvana is what I believe the peace of the Source is like or similar) you wouldn't have to let's say partake in saying no when someone asks you for something. But on a so called "planet earth" as a human we might say no because it might be a more compassionate choice than saying yes.

So by being gentle, good and reasonable in this circumstance on "planet earth" than that's infinitely good and gentle. You should look at the circumstance you are in before you decide how good you are. You are allowed to give yourself reasons for doing what you do. Reasons are sometimes called excuses.

Thanks
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