Well said. I know an African-american man who was asked why, since he was an African-american, he wasn’t a Muslim. His reply was that if Mohammad had risen from the grave, he would worship him, but since his bones are still in the grave, he won’t.
You are applying Christian criteria to Buddhism. The point of the Buddha’s life is that he was not reborn after he died. To be reborn after death indicates a failure to attain nirvana. Avoidance of rebirth is to attain the goal of nirvana.[The Buddha said:] “What do you think, monks: Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating and wandering this long, long time — crying and weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — or the water in the four great oceans?”
Hello I am a Mahayana Buddhist. So I believe in rebirth. I am very happy in my choice to convert to Buddhism. It’s a beautiful religion!Hi everyone! I have recently decided to convert to Mahayana Buddhism and as such, I decided that I would create a poll to see how many people on here believe in reincarnation, rebirth, or a permanent afterlife such as Heaven or Hell. I suspect that most people, this being a Catholic forum, will believe in a permanent afterlife.
Let me ask you Holly, do you believe that the bible is the inspired word of God? If so how do you reconcile thisHi everyone! I have recently decided to convert to Mahayana Buddhism and as such, I decided that I would create a poll to see how many people on here believe in reincarnation, rebirth, or a permanent afterlife such as Heaven or Hell. I suspect that most people, this being a Catholic forum, will believe in a permanent afterlife.
It’s not really a matter of believing in x, y, or z. Whether belief in x, y, or z leads to your spiritual growth…that’s the issue. For many people, belief in reincarnation leads to their spiritual growth; for others, it doesn’t. And for those who simply know the truth, belief is un-necessary.
Jesus said “6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jn.14:6 The only spiritual growth you or anyone needs is the growth through the word of God and that would be in Jesus Christ Jn.1:14. If you think that you are going to work your way to Nirvana, Valhalla, Paradise or Heaven without an abiding faith in Jesus and His atoning sacrifice, you are deluding yourself. Come to Him and He will give you rest.It’s not really a matter of believing in x, y, or z. Whether belief in x, y, or z leads to your spiritual growth…that’s the issue. For many people, belief in reincarnation leads to their spiritual growth; for others, it doesn’t. And for those who simply know the truth, belief is un-necessary.
A week is not very long. “Much research” implies four years or more of daily investigations. If you’ve been looking at Buddhism for less than a week, you only have a very surface first-impression of it.
Chinese is not essential. One or more of Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese is extremely useful; words like dharma/dhamma/chos do not have a single English equivalent.
