I think this is the way Buddha approached things. You have a wise heart.PadmaVonSamba wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 7:17 pm Is Buddhism exclusivist ?
No Buddhist is ever going to demand that a person give up whatever else they believe in. But at some point, if they really delve deep enough into serious practice, the difference will manifest itself and that person may have to make some important personal life decisions about what they really do and don’t believe in.
is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
If you see Buddha as a person, dharma as a specific teaching and sangha as buddhist, it may be exclusive.
If you understand Buddha as clarity, Dharma as universal laws, and sangha as universal consciousness, it is inclusive.
If you follow different paths, you have to build bridges, not mixing things, but bridges. It is a challenge, but rewarding if done correctly.
You can make buddhism inclusive or exclusive. It depends on you.
If you understand Buddha as clarity, Dharma as universal laws, and sangha as universal consciousness, it is inclusive.
If you follow different paths, you have to build bridges, not mixing things, but bridges. It is a challenge, but rewarding if done correctly.
You can make buddhism inclusive or exclusive. It depends on you.
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
I see The Buddha as the Buddha. Dharma the teachings of the Buddhas rediscovered from age to age and Sangha the community of those who have taken Refuge. This not exclusive, this is just orthodox.
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
well said.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
Yes, but probably one religious train of thought will be your dominant one. Also many religious events are cultural too. For example, many people celebrate Christmas (decorations, parties, carols) without actually being Christians. You might still want to observe what you grew up with, even though you've changed religions.megaman chiquito wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 2:08 pm Is it possible to be both buddhist and other religion(islam,judaism,etc)? I once read a testimony by a jain nun who said some jains are also other religion.
do monks/buddhist teachers frown upon this? Can anyone chant sutras and mantras?
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Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
There are really two common approaches dharma.
One is simply as a set of guidelines for daily living. These are what you find in the coffee-table books featuring the Dalai Lama, or books on mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. No refuge is required to abstain from the negative behaviors that result in negative life experiences. Anybody who follows any religion can apply these Dharma teachings, just as one can apply the sayings of Confucius, the aphorisms of Ben Franklin, or the teachings on forgiveness by Jesus.
The other approach to Dharma is really aimed at liberation from samsara, not just making it more manageable. There are specific concepts that must be understood and tested to the point that one can confidently accept them as valid. Here is where conflicts may arise between Buddhist teachings and those of other belief systems.
One is simply as a set of guidelines for daily living. These are what you find in the coffee-table books featuring the Dalai Lama, or books on mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. No refuge is required to abstain from the negative behaviors that result in negative life experiences. Anybody who follows any religion can apply these Dharma teachings, just as one can apply the sayings of Confucius, the aphorisms of Ben Franklin, or the teachings on forgiveness by Jesus.
The other approach to Dharma is really aimed at liberation from samsara, not just making it more manageable. There are specific concepts that must be understood and tested to the point that one can confidently accept them as valid. Here is where conflicts may arise between Buddhist teachings and those of other belief systems.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
In the Tibetan tradition this is called "mi chos," which corresponds more or less to our idea of secular ethics.PadmaVonSamba wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 5:35 pm There are really two common approaches dharma.
One is simply as a set of guidelines for daily living. These are what you find in the coffee-table books featuring the Dalai Lama, or books on mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. No refuge is required to abstain from the negative behaviors that result in negative life experiences. Anybody who follows any religion can apply these Dharma teachings, just as one can apply the sayings of Confucius, the aphorisms of Ben Franklin, or the teachings on forgiveness by Jesus.
In our tradition, this called "lha chos," "highest teachings," which refers to the Dharma proper.The other approach to Dharma is really aimed at liberation from samsara, not just making it more manageable. There are specific concepts that must be understood and tested to the point that one can confidently accept them as valid. Here is where conflicts may arise between Buddhist teachings and those of other belief systems.
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Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
Is this the same as lha dang mi’i theg pa? (The vehicles of gods and men) I was under the impression that these two vehicles were not yet at the level of even the shravakayana... where the divine vehicle was about attaining divine qualities and states, and ultimately divine rebirths, but not a release from samsara.Malcolm wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 6:06 pmIn the Tibetan tradition this is called "mi chos," which corresponds more or less to our idea of secular ethics.PadmaVonSamba wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 5:35 pm There are really two common approaches dharma.
One is simply as a set of guidelines for daily living. These are what you find in the coffee-table books featuring the Dalai Lama, or books on mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. No refuge is required to abstain from the negative behaviors that result in negative life experiences. Anybody who follows any religion can apply these Dharma teachings, just as one can apply the sayings of Confucius, the aphorisms of Ben Franklin, or the teachings on forgiveness by Jesus.
In our tradition, this called "lha chos," "highest teachings," which refers to the Dharma proper.The other approach to Dharma is really aimed at liberation from samsara, not just making it more manageable. There are specific concepts that must be understood and tested to the point that one can confidently accept them as valid. Here is where conflicts may arise between Buddhist teachings and those of other belief systems.
I’m curious where the reference to mi chos and lha chos are coming from.
Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
These two terms are quite common in Tibetan literature.SilenceMonkey wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 7:02 pm
I’m curious where the reference to mi chos and lha chos are coming from.
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Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
I'm of the opinion that this is a really good perspective on things.PadmaVonSamba wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 5:35 pm There are really two common approaches dharma.
One is simply as a set of guidelines for daily living. These are what you find in the coffee-table books featuring the Dalai Lama, or books on mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. No refuge is required to abstain from the negative behaviors that result in negative life experiences. Anybody who follows any religion can apply these Dharma teachings, just as one can apply the sayings of Confucius, the aphorisms of Ben Franklin, or the teachings on forgiveness by Jesus.
The other approach to Dharma is really aimed at liberation from samsara, not just making it more manageable. There are specific concepts that must be understood and tested to the point that one can confidently accept them as valid. Here is where conflicts may arise between Buddhist teachings and those of other belief systems.
In my personal practice, I differentiate between worldly refuge with a little "r" and ultimate Refuge with a capital "R". A bit of relative and ultimate truths I suppose.
I see no source of tension or conflict with praying or propitiation of deities for worldly aims if one also considers themselves Buddhist, especially if said Buddhist realizes that these beings are not sources of ultimate Buddhahood/enlightenment.
As others have stated though, the further you wish to proceed in some religions, discrepancies may be found in the paths that make them incompatible and hard to ignore, but (on a personal note) I find when moving away from exoteric practice and into the more esoteric practices and beliefs of many religious systems, you actually a lot of common strands of experience and perhaps even what could be considered "same thing, different words to express it" going on. Also, the intertwining of Hindu and Buddhist practice is pretty fascinating, along with some of the other posts that have already mentioned the Japanese approach and intertwining of Buddhism.
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Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
It depends on the religion. Abrahamic monotheism would be allot more difficult to practice and still be a Buddhist then Shinto as an example
Generation's shall pass, our determination shall grow, at the foot of Mount Fuji
Like smoke that reaches far beyond the clouds.--nichimoku shonin. Third high priest of Nichiren Shoshu
Hokekko of true Buddhism https://nstny.org
Introduction to Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism
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Like smoke that reaches far beyond the clouds.--nichimoku shonin. Third high priest of Nichiren Shoshu
Hokekko of true Buddhism https://nstny.org
Introduction to Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... VKyEQ_cxK9
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Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
It's an interesting comparison. Actually while as you know, most Japanese freely "come and go" between Shinto and Buddhism, at the highest levels the sticklers still adhere to the Meiji seperation and consider them incompatible -- they keep it quiet, but in actual fact the Emperor of Japan is not allowed to have a Buddhist affiliation or take part in Buddhist events, etc. He and his family are pure Shinto.Shotenzenjin wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:18 pm It depends on the religion. Abrahamic monotheism would be allot more difficult to practice and still be a Buddhist then Shinto as an example
In one of the Ksitigarbha Sutras, Shakyamuni Buddha says he has manifested as countless beings and even things like "pools of water" as upaya to save beings. Among the items in the long list are "Gods" and even "Brahmans" if I'm not mistaken. And if I recall he mentions "Gods" not only as Devas but uses a strange (to me) term in Chinese that translates something like "the highest lord of Heaven"...has a very monotheistic ring to it. To me this has been evidence that one could rope in an Abrahamic deity as a kind of manifestation of Shakyamuni using his Upaya.
Of course in this schema the Abrahamic religion would in an important way be subordinate to Buddhism, with the God being a manifestation of the Buddha, much like the Kami were generally considered under Shinbutsu-shugo. But I can see how it points towards a system where one could keep the cultural trappings and even liturgical aspects of an Abrahamic religion while also being Buddhist.
"One should cultivate contemplation in one’s foibles. The foibles are like fish, and contemplation is like fishing hooks. If there are no fish, then the fishing hooks have no use. The bigger the fish is, the better the result we will get. As long as the fishing hooks keep at it, all foibles will eventually be contained and controlled at will." -Zhiyi
"Just be kind." -Atisha
"Just be kind." -Atisha
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Re: is buddhist an exclusivist religion?
thanks for all the replies, I will read and analyze them!