Abrahamic religions and Buddhism

General forum on the teachings of all schools of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Topics specific to one school are best posted in the appropriate sub-forum.
PeterC
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Re: Abrahamic religions and Buddhism

Post by PeterC »

Brahma wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:01 pm I certainly am thankful for your kindness and you have a lot to propound to others. But I know who I am and I know my Path and have always known it. Just don't build yourself a philosophical castle of what you mentally speculate to be the Dharmic Teachings, because you might just be going against them while trying to explain something else about yourself. That is fine. And I am not saying you are doing that. You are a fine Buddhist because you have taken refuge in the Dharma and the Buddha, and I hope you will pursue the Path for the rest of your life. But do not do it in such a lonely way. If you do not bridge the Dharma to outside of yourself, like the OP is asking about Abrahamic religions and His possible future wife, you will live a lonely life, not even finding solace in Spiritual Books, because ultimately the Dharma is a Mystic Law that can be found all throughout the Cosmos, it is all pervading, even in the streams of waters in the Oceans, in the mountains, in the clouds, in the animal kingdom, and in in the atoms. And by far in the heroes who have saved our world. The Mystic Law of the Dharma is Metta, Karuna, and Love, and once you fully understand it you won't have any more doubts about who you are. Don't let go of it, however, the quick and easy path isn't so easy, but is a tedious and long painful trek throughout Samsara. Have faith in the Buddha's Teachings, because you are Loved. :namaste:
I appreciate your intentions here are good, but what you're doing is a little dangerous.

If someone wanders onto this board - remember this is public, anyone could google "Abrahamic religions and Buddhism" and end up here - and read you saying that "the Dharma is a Mystic Law that can be found all throughout the Cosmos...in the Oceans, in the mountains, in the clouds" etc.

So they go and wander around in nature, read Thomas Aquinas, study the Kabbalah, immerse themselves in Ralph Waldo Emerson, whatever, add a light seasoning of out-of-context Buddhist quotes, ideas about love and metta, and think they've discovered the 'real' Dharma. Then they talk to actual Dharma teachers who have studied it for a long time, and they find that their exciting, liberated, spiritual ideas don't have a lot to do with what these people teach, so they decide that these people are trapped in their antiquated, dogmatic ideas, and that they themselves have discovered the 'true Dharma' in this new age concoction.

And this is bad. This is really, really bad. Because this new age BS is not the Dharma. If you encourage people to get too deep into it, then they may actually fail to meet and practice the Dharma in this life. And there is little worse you can do to someone than to deprive them of that opportunity.

If someone wants to learn what the Dharma is, where should they go? Not to nature, not to mystical non-Buddhist teachers, but to the sutras, and to authentic, respected Buddhist teachers, of whom there are many easily accessible today. To encourage them to invent some sort of a new age Pseudo-Buddhadharma on their own is to do them a huge disservice.

As to your exhortation to not make the Dharma a 'solitary pursuit'. Sure, we interact with other people, that itself is a major cause of samsara. If our Dharma practice cannot permit us to do that, then it isn't up to much. But countless statements of the sutras make it painfully clear. We cannot cause others to become liberated. Others cannot cause us to be liberated. Our karma and our liberation are produced by our own efforts. Of course the actions and speech of others can help or hinder, and that is why we are encouraged to associate with kalyanamitra and not evil people. The best spiritual friend is, of course, an experienced Dharma practitioner.
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Budai
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Re: Abrahamic religions and Buddhism

Post by Budai »

PeterC wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:03 am
Brahma wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:01 pm I certainly am thankful for your kindness and you have a lot to propound to others. But I know who I am and I know my Path and have always known it. Just don't build yourself a philosophical castle of what you mentally speculate to be the Dharmic Teachings, because you might just be going against them while trying to explain something else about yourself. That is fine. And I am not saying you are doing that. You are a fine Buddhist because you have taken refuge in the Dharma and the Buddha, and I hope you will pursue the Path for the rest of your life. But do not do it in such a lonely way. If you do not bridge the Dharma to outside of yourself, like the OP is asking about Abrahamic religions and His possible future wife, you will live a lonely life, not even finding solace in Spiritual Books, because ultimately the Dharma is a Mystic Law that can be found all throughout the Cosmos, it is all pervading, even in the streams of waters in the Oceans, in the mountains, in the clouds, in the animal kingdom, and in in the atoms. And by far in the heroes who have saved our world. The Mystic Law of the Dharma is Metta, Karuna, and Love, and once you fully understand it you won't have any more doubts about who you are. Don't let go of it, however, the quick and easy path isn't so easy, but is a tedious and long painful trek throughout Samsara. Have faith in the Buddha's Teachings, because you are Loved. :namaste:
I appreciate your intentions here are good, but what you're doing is a little dangerous.

If someone wanders onto this board - remember this is public, anyone could google "Abrahamic religions and Buddhism" and end up here - and read you saying that "the Dharma is a Mystic Law that can be found all throughout the Cosmos...in the Oceans, in the mountains, in the clouds" etc.

So they go and wander around in nature, read Thomas Aquinas, study the Kabbalah, immerse themselves in Ralph Waldo Emerson, whatever, add a light seasoning of out-of-context Buddhist quotes, ideas about love and metta, and think they've discovered the 'real' Dharma. Then they talk to actual Dharma teachers who have studied it for a long time, and they find that their exciting, liberated, spiritual ideas don't have a lot to do with what these people teach, so they decide that these people are trapped in their antiquated, dogmatic ideas, and that they themselves have discovered the 'true Dharma' in this new age concoction.

And this is bad. This is really, really bad. Because this new age BS is not the Dharma. If you encourage people to get too deep into it, then they may actually fail to meet and practice the Dharma in this life. And there is little worse you can do to someone than to deprive them of that opportunity.

If someone wants to learn what the Dharma is, where should they go? Not to nature, not to mystical non-Buddhist teachers, but to the sutras, and to authentic, respected Buddhist teachers, of whom there are many easily accessible today. To encourage them to invent some sort of a new age Pseudo-Buddhadharma on their own is to do them a huge disservice.

As to your exhortation to not make the Dharma a 'solitary pursuit'. Sure, we interact with other people, that itself is a major cause of samsara. If our Dharma practice cannot permit us to do that, then it isn't up to much. But countless statements of the sutras make it painfully clear. We cannot cause others to become liberated. Others cannot cause us to be liberated. Our karma and our liberation are produced by our own efforts. Of course the actions and speech of others can help or hinder, and that is why we are encouraged to associate with kalyanamitra and not evil people. The best spiritual friend is, of course, an experienced Dharma practitioner.
Okay, let me put into the point: the Mystic Law of the Dharma is the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra according to my personal practice, and this is supported by Sutra and Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. However, there are many ways to preach the Lotus Sutra's Mystic Law and that is merely what I was doing, giving a surface level. Please do not negate me for this. There is a reason that Buddhists often go to the forest to meditate and such, but you have a clear understanding of what the Dharma is. I will take your advice. To meditate on life, however, and it's workings can bring one to an Enlightened perspective if done with a Buddhist mind. But you are correct in what you are saying and I don't disagree. In fact I agree, authentic Buddhist Teachers are the greatest boon to our planet. So thank you for bringing that to heart. I have personally almost never delved into studying the New Age movement because I like to stick to traditional Teachings, though I have studied many, so when people call my way of explaining things, New Age, it seems to me they are focused on what New Age is, it's a label that doesn't hurt me though so it's okay. I don't feel like looking into New Age Teachings, though, and feel that the Buddha has and is able to explain everything. Not that they can't be Buddhists or aren't already. That is all. :heart:
Malcolm
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Re: Abrahamic religions and Buddhism

Post by Malcolm »

PeterC wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:03 am
So they go and wander around in nature, read Thomas Aquinas, study the Kabbalah, immerse themselves in Ralph Waldo Emerson, whatever, add a light seasoning of out-of-context Buddhist quotes, ideas about love and metta, and think they've discovered the 'real' Dharma. Then they talk to actual Dharma teachers who have studied it for a long time, and they find that their exciting, liberated, spiritual ideas don't have a lot to do with what these people teach, so they decide that these people are trapped in their antiquated, dogmatic ideas, and that they themselves have discovered the 'true Dharma' in this new age concoction.
Sounds like a Facebook “Dharma.”
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Abrahamic religions and Buddhism

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Similar to the other thread, I think the OP has more than received an adequate answer. Again like the other thread, I'm gonna go ahead an call this one good on the basis of not encouraging comparative religion discussion over the purpose of the forum.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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