The term "Catholic Buddhist" or "Jesus Buddhist."

[1voice]

I have read Thich nhat Hahn “Living Budda Living Christ” and “Going Home, Jesus and Budda as Brothers” and have gleened some spiritual insights into Truth…Truth has no religious barriers nor constraints…I know “Quaker Buddhists”

Sounds like the subject of an Oprah talk show.

 

[1voice]

Amitabha’s paradise, a Pure Land called sukhavati, is not nirvana. It is pleasant but temporary. The point of sukhavati is that it is very easy to attain nirvana from there. The birds sing the words of the scriptures. The wind rustling in the leaves of the trees makes the sound of mantras. All Branches of Buddhism accept nirvana. Amitabha is only found in the Mahayana, specifically in the Pure Land school.

Remember the the Buddha was alive on Earth for 45 years while also in nirvana. He was well aware of what was going on around him. Questions about the state of the Buddha after his final death are unanswerable; we have no referents with which to construct an answer.

Never having experienced either I cannot say. There might be something about the comparison in Thomas Merton, who appears to me to have attained enlightenment at Polonnaruwa.

rossum

Do Buddhists believe that Jesus is a historic person? … If yes … How do Jesus’ teachings fit into Buddhist thinking?

 

[rossum]

Do Buddhists believe that Jesus is a historic person? … If yes … How do Jesus’ teachings fit into Buddhist thinking?

Most Buddhists consider Jesus to be an advanced Bodhisattva. Much of His teaching is excellent Buddhism.

rossum

 

[Little_One0307]

Amitabha’s paradise, a Pure Land called sukhavati, is not nirvana. It is pleasant but temporary. The point of sukhavati is that it is very easy to attain nirvana from there. The birds sing the words of the scriptures. The wind rustling in the leaves of the trees makes the sound of mantras. All Branches of Buddhism accept nirvana. Amitabha is only found in the Mahayana, specifically in the Pure Land school.

That sounds really beautiful. I could see why it is easy to attain Nirvana there.

Never having experienced either I cannot say. There might be something about the comparison in Thomas Merton, who appears to me to have attained enlightenment at Polonnaruwa.

I am starting to read some of Thomas Merton’s early works now, hopefully I can read his later works too.

Thanks for responding to my questions.

 

[Little_One0307]

Just a note, as this thread seems to be sprawling out a bit, though it is interesting.

Yeah it did sprawl from the orginal topic, but I really don’t mind either. I wanted a thread that encouraged discussion and dialogue.

I am the principle guilty person of getting off topic, because some terms were being asked that I did not understand, and the people who have responded have been generous in their times and responses, they could have told me to research it for myself, and I would have been lost becuase there is so much out there.

Your post that I am responding to as pointed to this. That Buddhism is varied like Christainity is. So this One of Little would have been quite confused as to where to begin.

Thanks for posting your informative post as well.

God bless.

 

[Ahimsa]

Buddhism isn’t unified like Roman Catholicism…

A more accurate comparison would be Buddhism and Christianity, neither of which are “unified”.

Roman Catholicism would be comparable to, say, the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism (in which lines of authority are very clear).

 

[ibneahmad]

There is no doubt that there are many similarities in the teachings and life accounts of Jesus and Buddha.

It is weird however that the Christians make Jesus a god while the Buddhists believe that Buddha was neither a god nor he believed in any god.

How would one reconcile it?

 

[Ahimsa]

There is no doubt that there are many similarities in the teachings and life accounts of Jesus and Buddha.

It is weird however that the Christians make Jesus a god while the Buddhists believe that Buddha was neither a god nor he believed in any god.

How would one reconcile it?

Technically, Christians did not make Jesus into a god (that is, a super-human being). From a Christian’s perspective, Jesus Christ has always been God (the Ultimate Reality), eternally and always.

For Buddhists, it is true that the Buddha was not a god, because (1) the Buddha was human, and (2) gods, though powerful, are unable to become Buddhas. The only way a god can become a Buddha, is to take birth as a human.

The Buddha did not believe in gods (super-human beings), it is true, because he had direct contact with gods, and thus did not need to “believe” in them.

 

[ibneahmad]

The Buddha did not believe in gods (super-human beings), it is true, because he had direct contact with gods, and thus did not need to “believe” in them.

How do you know that Buddha had contacs with god? Did he receive any Word of Revelation from Him?

Please quote your source in this connection.

 

[Ahimsa]

How do you know that Buddha had contacs with god? Did he receive any Word of Revelation from Him?

Please quote your source in this connection.

You have to distinguish “god” from “God”. A “god” can be defined as any super-human being, often existing in spiritual (rather than physical) form; “God” can be defined as the Ultimate Reality.

The fact that had contact with “gods” (called “devas” in Sanskrit/Pali) is pretty obvious, as you can see here.

The Buddha realized Nirvana (the “Unchanging, the Unborn”), and the Buddha’s revelation was how to realize Nirvana.

 

[rossum]

How do you know that Buddha had contacs with god? Did he receive any Word of Revelation from Him?

Please quote your source in this connection.

It is rather the other way round. The gods came to the Buddha to ask his advice and to listen to his teachings:I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery. Then a certain goddess, when the night was far spent, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta’s Grove, approached the Blessed One. On approaching, having bowed down to the Blessed One, she stood to one side. As she stood to one side, she addressed him with a verse.

Many devas and human beings
give thought to protection,
desiring well-being.
Tell, then, the highest protection.

The Buddha replied:
Not consorting with fools,
consorting with the wise,
paying homage to those worthy of homage:
This is the highest protection.

Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:
This is the highest protection.

Broad knowledge, skill,
well-mastered discipline,
well-spoken words:
This is the highest protection.

Support for one’s parents,
assistance to one’s wife and children,
consistency in one’s work:
This is the highest protection.

Giving, living in rectitude,
assistance to one’s relatives,
deeds that are blameless:
This is the highest protection.

Avoiding, abstaining from evil;
refraining from intoxicants,
being heedful of the qualities of the mind:
This is the highest protection.

Respect, humility,
contentment, gratitude,
hearing the Dhamma on timely occasions:
This is the highest protection.

Patience, compliance,
seeing contemplatives,
discussing the Dhamma on timely occasions:
This is the highest protection.

Austerity, celibacy,
seeing the Noble Truths,
realizing Unbinding:
This is the highest protection.

A mind that, when touched
by the ways of the world,
is unshaken, sorrowless, dustless, at rest:
This is the highest protection.

Everywhere undefeated
when acting in this way,
people go everywhere in well-being:
This is their highest protection.

• Maha-Mangala sutta, Sutta Nipata 2.4

rossum

 

[1voice]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1voice
Do Buddhists believe that Jesus is a historic person? … If yes … How do Jesus’ teachings fit into Buddhist thinking?

Most Buddhists consider Jesus to be an advanced Bodhisattva. Much of His teaching is excellent Buddhism.

rossum

How do Buddhists respond to the assertions by Jesus that he is the (only begotten) son of God … creator of all things and that satan has been defeated by him and all power and authority has been given to him … toward the goal of restoring humanity and saving them from eternity in hell.

 

[Ahimsa]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1voice
Do Buddhists believe that Jesus is a historic person? … If yes … How do Jesus’ teachings fit into Buddhist thinking?

How do Buddhists respond to the assertions by Jesus that he is the (only begotten) son of God…

Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament, did not use the term “only begotten”.

 

[rossum]

How do Buddhists respond to the assertions by Jesus that he is the (only begotten) son of God

Buddhism is a religion for all living things, humans and gods included. Being a god is no bar to being a Buddhist.

… creator of all things and that satan has been defeated by him and all power and authority has been given to him …

Buddhism acknowledges non-Buddhist authorities. Secular kings are recognised as kings and gods are recognised as gods. None of this is relevant to the task of the individual Buddhist to attain enlightenment.

toward the goal of restoring humanity and saving them from eternity in hell.

There are no eternal hells. All the various hells are temporary, not eternal. Similarly with the heavens, they are only temporary. Buddhism does not have the Christian concept of sin so it also lacks the concept of the forgiveness of sin. In Buddhism you cannot avoid the result of your actions. There are no “Get out of Hell Free” cards, no matter how powerful the god handing them out.

rossum

 

[1voice]

There are no eternal hells. All the various hells are temporary, not eternal. Similarly with the heavens, they are only temporary. Buddhism does not have the Christian concept of sin so it also lacks the concept of the forgiveness of sin. In Buddhism you cannot avoid the result of your actions. There are no “Get out of Hell Free” cards, no matter how powerful the god handing them out.

rossum

The Bible states that sin is the default condition that separates all of mankind from God the Father. It speaks of repentance from sin and specifically requesting forgiveness from God … followed by submission to Jesus’ discipleship … as the only way to avoid eternity in hell.
The Bible further states that it was imperative that Jesus suffer and die as he did in order to defeat satan and create a way of escape from certain damnation for all of humanity.

Given that … How is it that most Buddhists consider Jesus to be an advanced Bodhisattva… when these ,Jesus foundational teachings, contradict Buddhist core beliefs.

 

[rossum]

The Bible states that sin is the default condition that separates all of mankind from God the Father. It speaks of repentance from sin and specifically requesting forgiveness from God … followed by submission to Jesus’ discipleship … as the only way to avoid eternity in hell.
The Bible further states that it was imperative that Jesus suffer and die as he did in order to defeat satan and create a way of escape from certain damnation for all of humanity.

Given that … How is it that most Buddhists consider Jesus to be an advanced Bodhisattva… when these ,Jesus foundational teachings, contradict Buddhist core beliefs.

God the Father is not seen as a Bodhisattva - he kills far too many people. He is one of those who will suffer the consequences of his actions.

Jesus is seen as separate from the Father and is judged on His own actions. Jesus didn’t kill anybody and preached much that is good Buddhism. Since He is a Bodhisattva, and not a Buddha, complete doctrinal correctness is not expected of Him.

rossum

 

[Ahimsa]

God the Father is not seen as a Bodhisattva - he kills far too many people. He is one of those who will suffer the consequences of his actions.

There’s the story of a Bodhisattva who killed a person, because the Bodhisattva clairvoyantly knew that the person himself would engage in heavily negative actions; by killing him, the Bodhisattva saved that person from suffering from those negative actions, while knowing that he (the Bodhisattva) would have to suffer himself for killing that person.

Perhaps the Father in the OT (assuming the Father is actually responsible for those deaths, and it wasn’t simply a case of someone presuming to know what the Father was doing) was a Bodhisattva like the one in the story above?

 

[Little_One0307]

God the Father is not seen as a Bodhisattva - he kills far too many people. He is one of those who will suffer the consequences of his actions.

Jesus is seen as separate from the Father and is judged on His own actions. Jesus didn’t kill anybody and preached much that is good Buddhism. Since He is a Bodhisattva, and not a Buddha, complete doctrinal correctness is not expected of Him.

rossum

Rossum,

Very basic question here. What is a Bodhisattva, is it a Teacher of some sort? What classes are Buddhists divided into?

To those of you posting,

I have been reading this thread and learning quite a bit. Thank you guys for keeping it a friendly place.

 

[ETEXAS]

Honestly, I get Buddhism and Hinduism mixed up, so I might not be all that much help.

But I get the impression that many of those eastern religions are pretty malleable and don’t generally see God as a person (much less a Trinity of persons). Even more different is that they tend not to place the same level of importance on dividing truth from error and attempt to harmonize things, even if they are mutually contradictory.

So while catholics may (rightly, IMO) see the whole idea as an oxymoron, the far eastern mind doesn’t necessarily think there is such a thing as an oxymoron.

ROLF…sorry…that was good!

 

[1voice]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1voice
The Bible states that sin is the default condition that separates all of mankind from God the Father. It speaks of repentance from sin and specifically requesting forgiveness from God … followed by submission to Jesus’ discipleship … as the only way to avoid eternity in hell.
The Bible further states that it was imperative that Jesus suffer and die as he did in order to defeat satan and create a way of escape from certain damnation for all of humanity.

Given that … How is it that most Buddhists consider Jesus to be an advanced Bodhisattva… when these ,Jesus foundational teachings, contradict Buddhist core beliefs.

Jesus is seen as separate from the Father and is judged on His own actions. Jesus didn’t kill anybody and preached much that is good Buddhism. Since He is a Bodhisattva, and not a Buddha, complete doctrinal correctness is not expected of Him.

rossum

Which of Jesus teachings would a ‘Jesus Buddhist’ accept and which do they reject … and how do they choose?