I respect your opinion. My problem is with the Buddhist monks who say like this. If a Buddhist monk think like that why don’t they disrobe and go refuge with another religion?
As I was reading your comment I was reminded of statements in the EBT’s . Buddha describes himself finding an ancient path traveled by previous awakened ones. He states that there are no other teachings of his time that describe this. And if you don’t follow his teaching you are doomed to endless rebirths in samsaric realms. Aside from the fact that eternal hell sounds worse than endless rebirths in samsara - it is pretty much the same story.
Thank you for the correct terminology. I think we also see this currently over the commentaries - are they a true understanding of the original teachings or a corruption? ( a rhetorical question), with secular Buddhism - is rejecting rebirth heretical? and so on. Seems like all religions go through this cycle. I recall a sutta where Buddha is asked why so few people awaken now and he says it is because of counterfeit teachings by his own monks and nuns so the process starts early on. Isn’t Sutta Central in a sense a response to this as well? An effort to get back to the basics?
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Yes, but the “Great Apostasy” narrative generally is an example of sectarian polemics, be that sect/ideology Protestantism, Buddhism, or Perennialism. For instance, “Great Apostasy” narratives is what leads to “Greek Buddha”.
Or the pop-historical New Age notion that the Gnostic Gospels constitute the earliest dispensation of Jesus Christ.
IMO there are meaningful differences between the various world religions, but the “common core” is all about kindness, compassion, morality, generosity and so forth. These are preliminaries, yes, but they are essential.
Every religions isn’t same.
I wouldn’t say they have a common core, but rather the commonly shared medium of communication or communion, is loving-kindness (metta).
with metta,
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Thanks Mat, well said.
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I came across this in DN 21
‘Are all recluses and brahmins, sir, wholly of one creed, one practice, one persuasion, one aim?’
‘No, ruler of gods, they are not.’
‘But why, sir, are they not?’
‘Are all recluses and brahmins, sir, perfectly proficient, perfectly saved, living perfectly the best life, have they attained the right ideal?’
‘No, ruler of gods, they are not all so.’
‘Why, sir, are they not all so?’
‘Those recluses and brahmins, ruler of gods, who are set free through the entire destruction of craving, only they are perfectly proficient, only they are perfectly saved, only they are living perfectly the best life and have attained the ideal. Therefore is it that not all recluses and brahmins are perfectly proficient, perfectly saved, living perfectly the best life, and have attained the ideal.’
In Buddhism, these are just means to an end. Or the initial state of mind for a beginner.
In other religions, this is the end.
Another problem of other religions is they have compassion etc only for one category like a human not for animal or your enemy.
Well, perhaps some religions are like that. Jesus, on the other hand, said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
What does this mean?
Thanks
Depends who you ask, I guess.
To pray might mean to request something from God, in this case, you would be requesting that your persecutor (someone who is out to get you) be well/happy/attain salvation etc…
For many, “praying” for someone probably entails giving rise to a mind of goodwill for that person, and not wishing them misery and misfortune.
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Is it possible praying God to punish your enemy?
Nope. You have to pray for them like you would your own relatives, dead or living, for instance. If one wants to be proscriptive. Very radical metta!
A bit like the 'simile of the saw then.
with metta
people say, there are many roads leads to Rome, but there are more roads that don’t leads there, this is just an analogy, so if we ask ourselves, are all religions different path to same destination ?. The answer can be ‘Yes’ and ‘No’,
Because there is a Universal Law of dualism of the ‘True’ and ‘False’, this will make the possibility that there are also the right and the wrong paths…
If he’s using those names and that buddhagotra why is he teaching…
I don’t even know how to finish that sentence. It just makes no sense.
Since when is Samanthabhadra anything in Theravada?
Also, afaik Samanthabhadrabuddha is the Ādibuddha in some esoteric Tibetan sects (possibly Nyingmapa? if my memory is not faulty), not a bodhisattva.
There are some direct unqualified statements in this thread which, based on personal experience and observation, do not seem to be entirely accurate to me.
As just one example, some christians, contemporary and otherwise, do pray for god to punish others. These prayers might be for death soon and eternal damnation, or for misfortune and suffering in this life to be an example to others, or simply for that nation’s army dies more and quicker, or that sports team to lose, or this or that “evil” person to be smited. Some christians believe mercy is only for worshippers in their sect, and not even for all of them. I understand this as a self creation of god as representing the hates, fears, inadequacies, prejudices, biases, of one’s self; a projection, perhaps, of defilements, made comfortable because scriprure can be found to back up a vindictive Image of one’s own desires and hates.
Not the only thing in this thread. Quakers, for example, come in all varieties of views; some are biblical christians, some are universalists (some of whom believe god damns no one), atheists, buddhists, neopagans, …
This thread makes me uncomfortable, i don’t think characterization of other religions or their always diverse believers is generalizable. And some would consider it impolite!
Are all sentient beings on different paths to the same destination? … even this, i would not say at this time.
Except as i ubderstand it at this time, that which lives, will die; that which begins, will cease; there is suffering and i believe a path out.
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A very interesting comment. I’ve found that practicing vipassana often forces reality and ugly realities into your face. My intuition is that is very incompatible for people looking to religion ( even Buddhism ) for an escape.
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It can often cause more anxiety and distress, not less.
Which is why it must be balanced with the practice of jhana.