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Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
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Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by PadmaVonSamba » Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:52 pm
If you don't file buddhism under the heading of 'religion' then your perspective on this changes a little.
Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
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PadmaVonSamba - Posts: 1795
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Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by Zenshin 善心 » Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:04 pm
agreed. but then there are plenty of followers of other religions who would argue that their religions are not religions either so....
All beings since their first aspiration till the attainment of Buddhahood are sheltered under the guardianship of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who, responding to the requirements of the occasion, transform themselves and assume the actual forms of personality.
Thus for the sake of all beings Buddhas and Bodhisattvas become sometimes their parents, sometimes their wives and children, sometimes their kinsmen, sometimes their servants, sometimes their friends, sometimes their enemies, sometimes reveal themselves as devas or in some other forms.
- Ashvaghosa, The Awakening of Faith
oroka
Thus for the sake of all beings Buddhas and Bodhisattvas become sometimes their parents, sometimes their wives and children, sometimes their kinsmen, sometimes their servants, sometimes their friends, sometimes their enemies, sometimes reveal themselves as devas or in some other forms.
- Ashvaghosa, The Awakening of Faith
oroka
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Zenshin 善心 - Posts: 86
- Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:29 pm
- Location: Fukuoka
Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by ronnewmexico » Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:39 pm
And always when religion be misused or in other fashion than religious context the teachings be used, when found faulted that occurance of, or event...then stated.... well that was not christianity or islam or buddhism...and they are right.
But is also right is that after the fact...that is always stated.
Buddhism yes, overall has less of that thing.
But is also right is that after the fact...that is always stated.
Buddhism yes, overall has less of that thing.
"This order considers that progress can be achieved more rapidly during a single month of self-transformation through terrifying conditions in rough terrain and in "the abode of harmful forces" than through meditating for a period of three years in towns and monasteries"....Takpo Tashi Namgyal.
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ronnewmexico - Posts: 1601
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Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by PadmaVonSamba » Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:09 am
dumbbombu wrote:agreed. but then there are plenty of followers of other religions who would argue that their religions are not religions either so....
name one, please.
Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
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PadmaVonSamba - Posts: 1795
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am
Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by PadmaVonSamba » Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:25 am
Buddhism can only be lumped together with religions if religion is defined as a path to an end of suffering, because that is all that buddhism is.
If you start to bring in similarities, you can go anywhere with that. candles, incense, holidays, hands pressed together, prayers and wishes, whatever. But if that is the case then making a wish and blowing out the candles on a birthday cake is also some kind of religion. So, you can't go on external similarities. The similarities only exist in your own mind. You have to make a distinction between the Dharma and the 2500 years of institutionalized preservation of Dharma.
Buddha didn't start a religion. He saw that regardless of whether people follow a religion or not, they still experience the suffering of craving that occurs with the notion of a self. Religion has nothing to do with it. A doctor sees somebody suffering from illness and treats it. It doesn't matter if the sick person follows a religion or not. Religion has nothing to do with ending the suffering of the patient. Likewise, the Buddha merely presented the antidote to suffering. He didn't start a religion.
You can follow a religion and then try to practice Dharma, but you will soon find that the antidote to suffering may contradict some of the beliefs of your religion. But this doesn't make Buddhism another religion. That is like saying the doctor treats one illness with medicine, therefore the medicine must be a different kind of illness, because they both affect the body.
Furthermore, everything that beings do is a path to end of suffering. That's why rabbits run from dogs, and why people go to work. Most paths to the end of suffering do not last because they do not get to the root of the problem. The Dharma is the path to the end of suffering that actually addresses the root cause of suffering.
you can call it a religion if you want to, but that's your term for it, not Buddha's words.
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If you start to bring in similarities, you can go anywhere with that. candles, incense, holidays, hands pressed together, prayers and wishes, whatever. But if that is the case then making a wish and blowing out the candles on a birthday cake is also some kind of religion. So, you can't go on external similarities. The similarities only exist in your own mind. You have to make a distinction between the Dharma and the 2500 years of institutionalized preservation of Dharma.
Buddha didn't start a religion. He saw that regardless of whether people follow a religion or not, they still experience the suffering of craving that occurs with the notion of a self. Religion has nothing to do with it. A doctor sees somebody suffering from illness and treats it. It doesn't matter if the sick person follows a religion or not. Religion has nothing to do with ending the suffering of the patient. Likewise, the Buddha merely presented the antidote to suffering. He didn't start a religion.
You can follow a religion and then try to practice Dharma, but you will soon find that the antidote to suffering may contradict some of the beliefs of your religion. But this doesn't make Buddhism another religion. That is like saying the doctor treats one illness with medicine, therefore the medicine must be a different kind of illness, because they both affect the body.
Furthermore, everything that beings do is a path to end of suffering. That's why rabbits run from dogs, and why people go to work. Most paths to the end of suffering do not last because they do not get to the root of the problem. The Dharma is the path to the end of suffering that actually addresses the root cause of suffering.
you can call it a religion if you want to, but that's your term for it, not Buddha's words.
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Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
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PadmaVonSamba - Posts: 1795
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am
Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by Zenshin 善心 » Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:47 am
PadmaVonSamba wrote:dumbbombu wrote:agreed. but then there are plenty of followers of other religions who would argue that their religions are not religions either so....
name one, please.
hi PadmaVonSamba, it doesn't really bother me whether one calls Buddhism a religion or not. A or B, i've no problem either way. but I've spoken to plenty of christians for example who would not deem Christianity as a religion but rather as God's word or Truth. i guess my point is, to many followers of any given faith, religion, system, whatever, labelling it as a "religion" from their POV seems to place it on an even footing with the others and thus threatens it status as "the ultimate truth". which, IMO, is silly but there you have it.
All beings since their first aspiration till the attainment of Buddhahood are sheltered under the guardianship of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who, responding to the requirements of the occasion, transform themselves and assume the actual forms of personality.
Thus for the sake of all beings Buddhas and Bodhisattvas become sometimes their parents, sometimes their wives and children, sometimes their kinsmen, sometimes their servants, sometimes their friends, sometimes their enemies, sometimes reveal themselves as devas or in some other forms.
- Ashvaghosa, The Awakening of Faith
oroka
Thus for the sake of all beings Buddhas and Bodhisattvas become sometimes their parents, sometimes their wives and children, sometimes their kinsmen, sometimes their servants, sometimes their friends, sometimes their enemies, sometimes reveal themselves as devas or in some other forms.
- Ashvaghosa, The Awakening of Faith
oroka
-
Zenshin 善心 - Posts: 86
- Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:29 pm
- Location: Fukuoka
Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by PadmaVonSamba » Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:55 am
dumbbombu wrote:PadmaVonSamba wrote:dumbbombu wrote:agreed. but then there are plenty of followers of other religions who would argue that their religions are not religions either so....
name one, please.
hi PadmaVonSamba, it doesn't really bother me whether one calls Buddhism a religion or not. A or B, i've no problem either way. but I've spoken to plenty of christians for example who would not deem Christianity as a religion but rather as God's word or Truth. i guess my point is, to many followers of any given faith, religion, system, whatever, labelling it as a "religion" from their POV seems to place it on an even footing with the others and thus threatens it status as "the ultimate truth". which, IMO, is silly but there you have it.
There i have it. Thank you!
Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
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PadmaVonSamba - Posts: 1795
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am
Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by plwk » Wed Dec 14, 2011 3:59 am
agreed. but then there are plenty of followers of other religions who would argue that their religions are not religions either so....
name one, please.
I once had a Hindu friend who remarked that the Sanatana Dharma is not a religion but a way of life....
- plwk
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Re: Buddhism: The Religion of True Peace
by PadmaVonSamba » Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:45 pm
plwk wrote:I once had a Hindu friend who remarked that the Sanatana Dharma is not a religion but a way of life....
That is a very good point.
I have friends for whom I would say that politics is their religion.
What all beings share in common is that they are on a path that they hope and believe will keep them happy, or bring them happiness in the future, free from fear and delivering peace of mind.
So, I think the quest for that peace of mind is everybody's religion.
Actually, I don't have a big problem with calling Buddhism a 'religion' in the right context.
I have a little problem with it, because the vague idea of 'religion' has a lot of baggage with it and i am just not comfortable with the term. But that's just my own issue.
I was never indoctrinated with any religion as a child. For me, the concept seems totally alien.
So, I never saw buddhism as 'religion'.
It's like people who do yoga at a community center, but do not consider it to be a religion. they just go there to relax and stretch their muscles.
But my point before was that when we drop that label, "religion", then we can see it a little differently.
So, you can call it a religion and then make comparisons,
but if you don't start out at the beginning calling Dharma "religion"
I think a whole new set of qualities becomes apparent.
If you drop that context, it is possible to see the question
"how does Buddhism compare with other religions?" as making no sense.
Then one can appreciate it on somewhat different terms, and maybe get more out of it.
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Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.
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PadmaVonSamba - Posts: 1795
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am
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