Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
It seems that in the West, the Bible is much more believable to people than the Lotus Sutra. Why is this so?
In his writing, Hokkemongu (Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra), The Great Master Nichiren said, “If the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra wholeheartedly devote their life to the Lotus Sutra and practice according to its golden words, it is certainly needless to say that not only in the next life, but also in this lifetime they will overcome severe difficulty, prolong their life, receive the great, good fortune of unsurpassed enlightenment, and accomplish the great vow of the widespread, propagation of True Buddhism.”
- Caoimhghín
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Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
The Buddha taught in the East, Christianity spread in the West. Most people never change religions. Most people practice what their parents practiced.
Then, the monks uttered this gāthā:
These bodies are like foam.
Them being frail, who can rejoice in them?
The Buddha attained the vajra-body.
Still, it becomes inconstant and ruined.
The many Buddhas are vajra-entities.
All are also subject to inconstancy.
Quickly ended, like melting snow --
how could things be different?
The Buddha passed into parinirvāṇa afterward.
(T1.27b10 Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra DĀ 2)
These bodies are like foam.
Them being frail, who can rejoice in them?
The Buddha attained the vajra-body.
Still, it becomes inconstant and ruined.
The many Buddhas are vajra-entities.
All are also subject to inconstancy.
Quickly ended, like melting snow --
how could things be different?
The Buddha passed into parinirvāṇa afterward.
(T1.27b10 Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra DĀ 2)
- Könchok Thrinley
- Former staff member
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Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
Because they are christians. And Europe, USA and other places were mostly influenced by christianity.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche
For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.
- Arya Sanghata Sutra
For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.
- Arya Sanghata Sutra
Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
Creedence?
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: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
The majority of Westerners, especially in the Bible belt (USA), are bombarded with biblical teachings on radio, TV, at church, and at home. Most who believe in and study the Bible fail to practice as it teaches. They believe blindly. Likewise, many who study and even many who claim to practice the Lotus Sutra, fail to practice as it teaches. The Buddha teaches, in Chapter 10 of the Lotus Sutra (The Teacher of the Law), “The sutras I have preached number immeasurable thousands, ten thousands, millions. Among the sutras I have preached, now preach, and will preach, this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand."
The more profound a teaching, the more difficult to believe and understand. Practicing as the Lotus Sutra teaches, having as our example Nichiren, we come to understand the Lotus Sutra.
For a mere theoretical understanding, it is useful to understand the various teaching methods employed by the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra: Simile; metaphor; parable [of which there are seven]; skillful or expedient means; logic; historical precedent; narration [current events and prior birth stories]; questions and answers; and most importantly, a direct exposition of his Enlightenment. When studying the Lotus Sutra one can reflect, "here the Buddha is speaking of his experience in a previous existence and here the Buddha is answering the question of Sariputra", etc. Are there worlds where the Buddha actually experienced parthenogenesis as the physiological method of reproducing the species or is it a metaphor or is it something else? Is the Treasure Tower a metaphor only? Bodhisattvas 500 feet tall on other worlds? Flying cars? Some things are fruitless to question or contemplate and the Buddha was silent.
Mark
Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
marketing
&
karmic inclinations
&
karmic inclinations
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
I think that our "surrendering" to certain marketing is also a karmic inclination.
Gassho,
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
Yep, it's a pacakge deal along with countless other personal experiences in this life further shaping inclinations.
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
Because the Bible directly or indirectly has entered the consciousness of westerners for a thousand years, in literature, in music, in drama as well as via overt Christianity.
The Lotus Sutra by contrast is not even universally known or accepted among Buddhists, and is known only to a tiny proportion of westerners outside Buddhism.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Re: Why does the Bible get more credence than the Lotus Sutra?
As far as humanity is concerned it seems majority of humans conform to the belief systems at hand (within a perceived culture) and deviation seems to occur mostly in the form of diametric opposition.
This is akin to the buddha\devadatta dynamic in the LS, remarkably so IMHO. It is as if it is an genetically driven algorithm of sorts and our nature abides accordingly.