Comparing and contrasting Catholicism and Tibetan Buddhism.

[usemelord]

I’ll make this very brief. A number of years ago “This Rock” magazine had an excellent article entitled “Jesus versus Buddha” (or something close to that). The objective side-by-side comparison and analysis was quite fascinating. Then, in conclusion, after five or six pages of great reading the article ended with the inescapable observation, “Jesus is God; Buddha is not.”

 

[Sherab0]

All very interesting… actually a lot of concepts that are very different from the one Judeo /Christian God. I’m not convinced that Karma is a force at all but just a way of controlling the people like the cast system. So, your Buddha is not worshiped ? I thought Buddha was considered a God that his followers pray to? As a Christian I do not believe in reincarnation. Our faith teaches us that we die but once. We also believe that goodness is stronger than evil.

Understandably so.

Karma is a force, but it is not controlling anyone, except in Hinduism. In Buddhism, there was a strong rejection against the caste system. Eventually, Hinduism adapted, and Buddhism faded out from India but continued in the far east.

The Buddha is not worshipped as a God, but as a Teacher. a Teacher who reached the goal to extinguish the cycle of karma and rebirth. The whole “praying” thing can be interpreted many ways. Some do not pray, some do pray. There are many different schools of thought - just as, for example, how people fight over the appearance of Jesus, how he looked, or if having christ on a crucifix is right, and so on.

Buddhists do not believe in reincarnation, Hindus do. Hindu’s believe in an eternal self. Buddhist believe that the self is just what we perceive as “ours” - that how we look, feel, etc. can be “mistaken” as an eternal self.

Actually, even has I espouse all these things, and can see how they can be correct, I keep moving back to Christanity. Awkward to say the least.

 

[Sherab0]

I’ll make this very brief. A number of years ago “This Rock” magazine had an excellent article entitled “Jesus versus Buddha” (or something close to that). The objective side-by-side comparison and analysis was quite fascinating. Then, in conclusion, after five or six pages of great reading the article ended with the inescapable observation, “Jesus is God; Buddha is not.”

Yes, but the issue of Buddhism isn’t even if God exists. That’s not one of the subject matters that Buddhism addresses, except that spiritual beings do not exist.

Buddhism is about lasting, and eternal happiness and peace, regardless of what religion one follows. Of course, you would have to respect the Buddha in some way to do this - maybe as a good human, a good teacher. Maybe the same way as one might look up to a Greek philosopher.

 

[usemelord]

I do respect Buddha as a good human and great teacher. You said that Buddha is about eternal happiness and peace. I guess, then, that since I have Jesus, I have it all.

 

[KEVIN_WILCOX]

SherabO why do you wish to become Christian? First look deeply into where you are, fathom the depths of Buddhism.
As far as I can see the reasons you have provided so far as to why you want to become Christian are that you are struggling with maths and are uncertain as to your own future. Is this just cause to stop being Buddhist, or is it looking for a way out of ‘dukkha’ (dissatisfaction)?

 

[Sherab0]

SherabO why do you wish to become Christian? First look deeply into where you are, fathom the depths of Buddhism.
As far as I can see the reasons you have provided so far as to why you want to become Christian are that you are struggling with maths and are uncertain as to your own future. Is this just cause to stop being Buddhist, or is it looking for a way out of ‘dukkha’ (dissatisfaction)?

I honestly have no idea.

Only because I feel some dissatisfaction with Buddhism. I believe to strongly inebirth/reincarnation to be christian

 

[KEVIN_WILCOX]

I honestly have no idea.

Only because I feel some dissatisfaction with Buddhism. I believe to strongly inebirth/reincarnation to be christian

Meditate on ‘right view’ of emptiness from Tibetan Buddhist dhamma.

 

[Ahimsa]

I honestly have no idea.

Only because I feel some dissatisfaction with Buddhism. I believe to strongly inebirth/reincarnation to be christian

Many Christians believe in rebirth/reincarnation.

Some of my best friends…but, I digress.

 

[usemelord]

Ahimsa, you are kidding, right? I’ve been around for sixty-five years and, not having lived on an island by myself that entire time, must say that I know of no one who calls themselves Christian asserting a belief in reincarnation. And, I do mean NO ONE. What planet do these people live on who profess to call themselves Christian?

 

[Ahimsa]

Ahimsa, you are kidding, right? I’ve been around for sixty-five years and, not having lived on an island by myself that entire time, must say that I know of no one who calls themselves Christian asserting a belief in reincarnation. And, I do mean NO ONE. What planet do these people live on who profess to call themselves Christian?

You probably need to get out more.

 

[usemelord]

Ahimsa, thank you so much for your genuine concern about my well-being. As a matter of fact, I did get out this very morning for a wonderful breakfast with my bride as we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. (Yes, we got married on April Fool’s Day. Can you think of a more appropriate day?) Anyway, I will be attending church tonight, tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Yeah, four days in succession! I must be crazy. Either that, or severely in love with my faith. I’ll be sure to ask as many of my fellow parishioners if, indeed, they have an opinion regarding reincarnation, etc. It will be an unscientific poll, but, at least, I’ll then be able to report to you that I did “get out more often.” Breaking news!!! I just had a vision that my next life will be as a fruit fly, or was it a peach? The moment was too brief to be specific.

 

[Ahimsa]

Ahimsa, thank you so much for your genuine concern about my well-being. As a matter of fact, I did get out this very morning for a wonderful breakfast with my bride as we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. (Yes, we got married on April Fool’s Day. Can you think of a more appropriate day?) Anyway, I will be attending church tonight, tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Yeah, four days in succession! I must be crazy. Either that, or severely in love with my faith. I’ll be sure to ask as many of my fellow parishioners if, indeed, they have an opinion regarding reincarnation, etc. It will be an unscientific poll, but, at least, I’ll then be able to report to you that I did “get out more often.” Breaking news!!! I just had a vision that my next life will be as a fruit fly, or was it a peach? The moment was too brief to be specific.

Congratulations on your anniversary. May there be many more!

Of course, I meant that you should get out more into different Christian churches, say, Methodist, Episcopalian, or Unity School.

Even among Catholics, though, belief in reincarnation hits 25%.

However, one should not assume that belief in reincarnation is incompatible with belief in the resurrection. Hasidic Jews believe in both, and they’re doing quite nicely.

 

[KEVIN_WILCOX]

Reincarnation, as in the transference of self/soul from one life another, is not a Tibetan Buddhist belief. Their dhamma teachings being that there is no inherently existent self.

 

[usemelord]

Ahimsa, thank you kindly for your congratulatory remarks about my anniversary. I, too, hope there will be many more. Just for your information, I was raised Protestant and attended either Baptist or Bible churches most of my life. I was away from the church for most of my married life because I married a cradle Catholic and never understood what Mass was all about. (No one ever bothered to explain to me why Catholics do what they do at Mass, and I never bothered to ask.) I didn’t come into the Catholic faith until age 60, five years ago this coming Saturday, after participating in the RCIA process and learning so, so much. Happy (Catholic) birthday to me!! So, I do have exposure to both sides of the fence.

 

[Young_Thinker]

Interestingly, Manicheanism had some Buddhistic influence, and some people think that our(the Catholic) story of Saints Barlaam and Jehosaphat is really based upon Gatauma’s early life. In addition, our most austere orders(e.g. the Trappists) remind me a little of Buddhistic monks. Although Buddhistic ascetics are usually not even theists, they do have a certain mystical appeal about them. I also am drawn to the fact that, when under great persecution in South Vietnam(alas, by a Catholic president) in the 1960’s, they often burned themselves to death in the streets as a form of protest. Anyway, while as a sincere Catholic, I obviously do not theologically agree with the current Grand Lama(or any of his predecessors), I think that he is a very admirable man. Last year, I briefly thought that he was being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and then was greatly disappointed that the receipent was going to be Barack Obama!

 

[KEVIN_WILCOX]

Interestingly, Manicheanism had some Buddhistic influence,

 

[Sherab0]

Young Thinker;6476023:

In what way?

And some people think the sayings of Jesus are words he picked up along the trade route also travelled by Buddhist monks (Buddha,500B.C.) and that Jesus is a bodhisattva.
There are stories of Buddhist ‘holy’ men (and women) rising from the dead.

Although some treat Buddha as though he is a God, praying to and imploring Lord Buddha.

About what exactly?

I would daresay that the Dalai Lama is the “Grand Lama”.

I respect him as a Lama, but to be honest, as a Nyingmapa, I couldn’t care less.

and of course, if I was going to be Christian, it’d have to be somewhat like Catholicism (I love art, statues, saints, and traditions) and still accept rebirth/reincarnation.

 

[Young_Thinker]

I just do not see how any “Christian” could accept reincarnation- it makes salvation by Christ utterly meaningless. That would be more like being a Unitarian Universalist with a “New Age” orientation.

 

[Young_Thinker]

Young Thinker;6476023:

In what way?

And some people think the sayings of Jesus are words he picked up along the trade route also travelled by Buddhist monks (Buddha,500B.C.) and that Jesus is a bodhisattva.
There are stories of Buddhist ‘holy’ men (and women) rising from the dead.

Although some treat Buddha as though he is a God, praying to and imploring Lord Buddha.

About what exactly?

Just briefly, Manichaeanism has the concept of reincarnation and a sort of enlightenment akin to that of Buddhism. As for Buddhists praying to the Buddha, we do the same thing with the Virgin- that does not make Her divine(as for Buddhists, the majority are agnostics, one a spectrum with pantheism/deism and strong atheism as the “extremes”). As for disagreeing with the 14th Dalai Lama, it mainly resolves around the issues of God and reincarnation- however, I also like Schopenhauer(an pessimistic atheist influenced to an extent by Buddhism)'s ideas.

 

[KEVIN_WILCOX]

"Karma -

What we do comes back to us. Simple as that. Whether a “being” (God) gives it back, or if it’s a spiritual extension of newton’s laws… It exists in some way."
I believe that Karma is a great evil.