What is the Catholic Church's view on Buddhism?

[Nooj]

How the concept of heaven and hell exist …and at the same time buddhism prays that is no soul?

i found this alittle bit contradictory .

Think of a candle. You use that candle to light another and blow the original light out. That’s a simple and easy to way to visualise rebirth. It’s called rebirth and not reincarnation because reincarnation implies that you or your immortal and true self (the soul) is simply moving into another body, like changing houses.

But Buddhism says that there is no immortal soul, and that what you think of as yourself is actually a combination of things that are constantly changing. All this is a long way of saying that when you are reborn into a heavenly or hellish realm, it’s not exactly the same earthly you that’s being reborn there, but a ‘you’ who has been affected by the previous being’s karma. Just like the flame on the new candle is not exactly the same as the previous one.

Maybe a resident Buddhist can give more information!

 

[MDK]

" Proper Judgement " for you and for him but not for the Buddhist …proper judgement according to your theological point of view and his …

My label of roman catholicism has nothing to do with that …God does not need insignificant human beings to defend him …He is the Almighty and all powerful God .

Think about this if Catholicism is protected by God from teaching errors of faith and morals …why there was a Protestant reformation ? why there was a schism in the east and west …why there were anti-popes …

Of course Satan is a liar , is the father of lies BUt also MARA is the ( Satan ) of the Buddhist religion …if Satan supports Buddhism according to you …why buddhism talks about peace and respect for life of human beings and other creatures ? don you think these will be contradictory to the will of Satan …remember when Jesus said when he was accused of obtaining his powers from Belcebu …He responded : How Satan can fight against Satan …if he does so : his kingdom will fall …probably you will think this has nothing to do with Buddhism BUT at the same time buddhism has demostrated to be a positive way to avoid the evils and vices of the world …you have to learn to find God even in the small part of imperfect things …

It’s proper judgment according to God to speak the truth. It would help you to gain this perspective.

Some of the people have rejected truth from the beginning, and the Protestant revolt is no different. Sadly, you are quite ignorant of Catholicism and Protestantism. Protestantism was born not of a true reform of the Church, but of a revolt against God’s Church. It is a false perspective to call it the Protestant Reformation. It is only properly called the Protestant revolt. Those who remained faithful Catholics and those who revolted were justified in one sense of some poor behaviors of the clergy, but poor behaviors are not teachings of the Church… they are lack of adherence to Church teachings. Also, Protestantism was born of the desire for men to have power and wealth. It matters not to them that the Catholic Church is protected from teaching error in faith and morals.

There is an east-west schism because of men’s pride, politics and power. It has nothing to do with the Catholic Church being protected from teaching error in faith and morals. People can still of their own free will reject truth, can’t they? Perhaps they are ignorant, like you currently are, but there’s a cure if you are open to truth.

There was only one valid Pope at a time. There have been anti-Popes typically for the same reason as Protestantism and Orthodox came into existence, men’s pride and desire for their own power.

Why do you misquote me? I never said “Satan supports Buddhism”, did I? I said Satan fools people. I would say, though that Satan prefers that people be Buddhists rather than Catholic. Catholicism was started by God, while Buddhism was not. You sadly have no real clue about the dangers of eastern fake religions. Buddhism will not get you to Heaven, no matter what terms that they use. Some philosophies can detect natural law, but that doesn’t mean they possess the fullness of the truth like Catholicism does. It also does not mean they will assist in your salvation. Our salvation is in Christ, and only because of Christ.

Sorry, but God is not imperfect, is He? He is Truth. So, you have to learn how to find the truth about the Truth (God), instead of the falsehoods you’re currently promoting about Him. You need to learn about God, instead of promoting half truths and false faiths.

 

[MDK]

Dear Friend lauermar: I would like to clarify if I may that Hindus believe in one God, who has many forms, not multiple deities. Many forms means that all things throughout all of creation are considered by Hindus to be expressions of and part of the One God. The objective of a Hindu is to see God in all things and all creatures. Hindus believe that all of creation exists within God, and is in part and parcel God. This is why it is important to Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself and to show reverence for all things. Perhaps therein lies the meaning of the idea that whatsoever you do to the least of your brothers you have also done to Him. It is all Him and all are His.

Your friend
Sufjon

… and Hinduism is a MASSIVE heresy. It’s not Christian at all. Also, the one true God is not pantheistic. It’s also not true that all Hindu’s believe in one god. Very importantly, if we have the wrong god, this is in direct violation of the first commandment. One can claim to be monotheistic, and worship fire as god, and they’re an idolater. Hinduism does not promote faith in Christ. It is an alternative religion that competes with Christianity, and should be avoided like the plague that it is.

 

[MDK]

Which means that " catholic " has not studied his religion and had not lived it propertly …and his faith is a waste …his faith has just being a robotic way of prayers and rituals he or she didnt know and couldnt understand at all …

A buddhist principle will apply here : IGNORANCE is the result of all suffering …as soon as you get rid of ignorance you will get rid of suffering …and achieve NIRVANA …the " nirvana " of that catholic probably will be the full understanding of his faith and God …

Sorry, but **lauermar **is right. Sadly, you do not adhere to Catholicism, and that’s completely evident. Faith in Christ is not a series of robotic prayers. It’s sad you have this terribly limited and false view of faith in Christ in Catholicism.

In Christianity, suffering is redemptive and not an evil. It is called picking up our cross and carrying it to unite ourselves with Christ. Getting rid of all suffering is to get rid of Christ. Sadly, you don’t understand Catholicism at all. It’s a false effort to seek “personal enlightenment as a way to Nirvana.” God seeks to bring us into His love and life, as we are adopted sons and daughters of the most High God. It’s not our personal enlightenment that saves us, but faith in and obedience to Christ. It’s ironic that these efforts at Buddhist “personal enlightenment” will actually leave you ignorant and separated from Christ.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Buddhism has both heavens and hells which are reasonably similar to the Christian version apart from being temporary. Half of the hells are cold rather than hot, but that does not seem to me to be of any great importance; they are still very unpleasant places.

Nirvana is different and is what you seem to be talking about. You do not have to die to attain nirvana. The Buddha attained nirvana when he became enlightened at age 35. He spent the next 45 years preaching and died at age 80. It was at his final death that he “disappeared”. Nirvana is not what you probably think it is:Some people come to Zen expecting that Enlightenment will be the Ultimate Peak Experience. The Mother of All Peak Experiences. But real enlightenment is the most ordinary of the ordinary. Once I had an amazing vision. I saw myself transported through time and space. Millions, no, billions, trillions, Godzillions of years passed. Not figuratively, but literally. Whizzed by. I found myself at the very rim of time and space, a vast giant being composed of the living minds and bodies of every thing that ever was. It was an incredibly moving experience. Exhilarating. I was high for weeks. Finally I told Nishijima Sensei about it. He said it was nonsense. Just my imagination. I can’t tell you how that made me feel. Imagination? This was as real an experience as any I’ve ever had. I just about cried. Later on that day I was eating a tangerine. I noticed how incredibly lovely a thing it was. So delicate. So amazingly orange. So very tasty. So I told Nishijima about that. That experience, he said, was enlightenment.

Source: Zen is Boring

rossum

From what I understand of Buddhism, once one dies after achieving Nirvana while being alive, one’s essence simply disappears----like the snuffing of a candle.
If I’m wrong, please fell free to correct me.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

“Buddhism, in its various forms, realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world; it teaches a way by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be able either to acquire the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own efforts or through higher help, supreme illumination.”

Source: Nostra Aetate
Much of Buddhist morality is compatible with Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular: “You shall not kill”. Some Buddhist meditation techniques are religiously neutral: breathing and counting to ten.

Other Buddhist meditation techniques and much of the theoretical underpinning of Buddhism are incompatible with Christianity - the unimportance of all gods and the denial of any soul for example.

rossum

What Buddhism denies is the idea of a PERSONAL soul, not a Soul itself. When one dies, the “Soul” is sort of destroyed and then “rebuilt” as a New Soul from the “parts” of the previous Soul. Different from Hinduism, which believes in a more Personal Version of the Soul.

As far as i know, of course. If anybody wants to correct me, please feel free to.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Dear Friend lauermar: I would like to clarify if I may that Hindus believe in one God, who has many forms, not multiple deities. Many forms means that all things throughout all of creation are considered by Hindus to be expressions of and part of the One God. The objective of a Hindu is to see God in all things and all creatures. Hindus believe that all of creation exists within God, and is in part and parcel God. This is why it is important to Love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself and to show reverence for all things. Perhaps therein lies the meaning of the idea that whatsoever you do to the least of your brothers you have also done to Him. It is all Him and all are His.

Your friend
Sufjon

Which is in itself a form of Pantheism and still opposed to Church Teaching, for better or for worse.

Hinduism IS more colorful than Buddhism----I’ll give you that. Buddhism is more “chilly.” in the sense if being more ascetic and solemn in practice.

More interesting Scriptures, as well. Although I would personally take the Tibetan Book Of The Dead over the Bhagavad Gita any day.
Still the TBOTD cannot in any way compare with the Holy Bible. No Scripture can.The Holy Bible contains the Truth, the TBOTD does not.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

… and Hinduism is a MASSIVE heresy. It’s not Christian at all. Also, the one true God is not pantheistic. It’s also not true that all Hindu’s believe in one god. Very importantly, if we have the wrong god, this is in direct violation of the first commandment. One can claim to be monotheistic, and worship fire as god, and they’re an idolater. Hinduism does not promote faith in Christ. It is an alternative religion that competes with Christianity, and should be avoided like the plague that it is.

I would not call Hinduism a “Plague,” but I DO agree it IS a Heresy.
As to the rest----“What He Said.”

 

[Memento_Mori]

It’s proper judgment according to God to speak the truth. It would help you to gain this perspective.

Some of the people have rejected truth from the beginning, and the Protestant revolt is no different. Sadly, you are quite ignorant of Catholicism and Protestantism. Protestantism was born not of a true reform of the Church, but of a revolt against God’s Church. It is a false perspective to call it the Protestant Reformation. It is only properly called the Protestant revolt. Those who remained faithful Catholics and those who revolted were justified in one sense of some poor behaviors of the clergy, but poor behaviors are not teachings of the Church… they are lack of adherence to Church teachings. Also, Protestantism was born of the desire for men to have power and wealth. It matters not to them that the Catholic Church is protected from teaching error in faith and morals.

There is an east-west schism because of men’s pride, politics and power. It has nothing to do with the Catholic Church being protected from teaching error in faith and morals. People can still of their own free will reject truth, can’t they? Perhaps they are ignorant, like you currently are, but there’s a cure if you are open to truth.

There was only one valid Pope at a time. There have been anti-Popes typically for the same reason as Protestantism and Orthodox came into existence, men’s pride and desire for their own power.

Why do you misquote me? I never said “Satan supports Buddhism”, did I? I said Satan fools people. I would say, though that Satan prefers that people be Buddhists rather than Catholic. Catholicism was started by God, while Buddhism was not. You sadly have no real clue about the dangers of eastern fake religions. Buddhism will not get you to Heaven, no matter what terms that they use. Some philosophies can detect natural law, but that doesn’t mean they possess the fullness of the truth like Catholicism does. It also does not mean they will assist in your salvation. Our salvation is in Christ, and only because of Christ.

Sorry, but God is not imperfect, is He? He is Truth. So, you have to learn how to find the truth about the Truth (God), instead of the falsehoods you’re currently promoting about Him. You need to learn about God, instead of promoting half truths and false faiths.

Looks like you are the one WHO has no idea about the facts that led Luther and the ones previous to him to try to reform the Church …Luther didnt want to create or to revolt against the Church …he wanted to cleanse it from the corruption and the simony it was immersed …The Popes lived like european princes and led armies …the worst thing they developed was the selling of the indulgences …in those documents they even promise the forgiveness of the worst sins …even if a man had raped the Virgin Mary…if he possessed that document he will be forgiven …Martin Luther had had enough of that situation … in his visit to Rome he found even houses of prostitution directed only to the clergy and others to the common folk .

Listen to me , carefully, im not attacking the Catholic faith neither im trying to defend buddhism , BUT im not imposing my points of view in other individuals because i think that is the truth …ive always try to learn from different faiths and get the best of them …something a narrow-minded person as you do will be difficult to achieve …Jesus Chirst is the true Saviour i know it …what i was trying to explain you here was the chance the other creeds will offer to us in learning from them …certain scholars and even the popes had discovered that…

Finally im not trying to promote or convince anyone of anything, so save your " crusade " blindfolded attitude for other ocassion …if your faith is strong there is no need of fear of falling into other ideas .

 

[rossum]

From what I understand of Buddhism, once one dies after achieving Nirvana while being alive, one’s essence simply disappears----like the snuffing of a candle.
If I’m wrong, please fell free to correct me.

There is a list of fourteen unanswerable questions. Four of them are:

• Does the enlightened one exist after death?
• Does the enlightened one not exist after death?
• Does the enlightened one both exist and not exist after death?
• Does the enlightened one neither exist nor not exist after death?

Any answer to those questions would be misleading so the Buddha remained silent when asked.

Any answer using words would fall short of the truth because words are contingent and part of this world. Rather than confusing his listeners, the Buddha chose to remain silent.

If you want to see the answers then you have to attain enlightenment for yourself, then you will know.

rossum

 

[rossum]

How the concept of heaven and hell exist …and at the same time buddhism prays that is no soul?

i found this alittle bit contradictory .

There is no permanent soul. As with Heraclitus, you can never step in the same river twice because it isn’t the same river and it isn’t the same you. What passed from your previous life into this one is not the same as what passes from this life into your next one.

Buddhism analyses a human being into five parts: form, feelings, perceptions, impulses and consciousness. Only impulses (samskara) and memory (which is part of consciousness) pass from one life to the next, and at each passage they are different. None of the five are permanent and none of them are a soul.

A changing ‘soul’ is required for salvation/enlightenment. With an unchanging soul there is no possibility of enlightenment, since the soul cannot change from unenlightened to enlightened.

rossum

 

[GaryTaylor]

Well lets put it this way. What has Buddhism done for Society? The sick, the poor, aging, the status of women in the orient.

When we refer to Buddists, looking back thousands of years does little in regards to the present state of affairs. What must be considered is the presnt state of Buddhism and how it interacts with society.

Its one thing to preach any religion, but what becomes apparent is actions speak louder than words.

What we do have is the Catholic Religion setting up Food Banks, Homeless Shelters, Hospice of the aging and sick, school and basic needs for children etc. All the areas where Buddhist and the Hindu Faith should be doing so. Often these efforts are meet violence and chaos.

The idea of being good stewarts to each other is all well and fine. And by all means this should happen. Violence won’t allow society the needed time to sort out Good and evil and come to a mutual understanding. I have no doubt about this.

But when I look at any religion, my first thoughts always, always relate to how it works in relation to Human Rights. This is the area where we are failing miserably as a society. And its not going to get better with a 9-Billion population increasing daily.

 

[Sufjon]

… and Hinduism is a MASSIVE heresy. It’s not Christian at all. Also, the one true God is not pantheistic. It’s also not true that all Hindu’s believe in one god. Very importantly, if we have the wrong god, this is in direct violation of the first commandment. One can claim to be monotheistic, and worship fire as god, and they’re an idolater. Hinduism does not promote faith in Christ. It is an alternative religion that competes with Christianity, and should be avoided like the plague that it is.

Dear MDK: Thank you for the reply. As a Hindu who is learning about Christianity, I can tell you that our scriptures are clear that there is one God. This is the message of the Bhagavad Gita (which is the Hindu Bible) and the Upanishads. Many of us also believe in Jesus, and our saints also claim that this is compatible with our faith, which is why I am learning about Christianity. As to the merits of one religion over the other or as to whether my faith is a plague, I will have to leave you with your opinion. As for me, my faith requires that I honor your faith as a path to God, and may God bless you along the way.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[rossum]

Well lets put it this way. What has Buddhism done for Society? The sick, the poor, aging, the status of women in the orient.

“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” - Proverbs 17:28

It took Google 0.49 second to find about 400,000 results for “Buddhist charities”. Here is just one of them: Tzu Chi Foundation.

How many women apostles did Jesus have? How many women nuns did the Buddha ordain? I strongly suggest that you do some studying before you post about areas where you obviously lack knowledge.

rossum

 

[lauermar]

No crusade exists, MM. My concern is that you and others here are misleading Catholics who may fall prey to pantheism, that all religions lead to the One True God. They do not. It is pure semantics when you say that Buddhists only believe in one God with many forms. Actually, these gods have distinct names and functions, none of which involve Jesus as the Holy Trinity, the One True God.

“The objective of a Hindu is to see God in all things and all creatures.” Again, another error for Catholics to avoid. God is God, He is not in a rock or a tree, He is not His creatures, not material. Creation is evidence of God’s work but it is not God.

Much of the religion focuses on the self, i.e. The Self As God, and sexual intercourse is elevated to that of a Holy Sacrament:

Sexual rites
Sexual rites of Vamamarga may have emerged from early Hindu Tantra as a practical means of catalyzing biochemical transformations in the body to facilitate heightened states of awareness. These constitute a vital offering to Tantric deities. (NOTE THE REFERENCE TO MULTIPLE GODS HERE.)

Sexual rites may have also evolved from clan initiation ceremonies involving transactions of sexual fluids. Here the male initiate is inseminated or ensanguinated with the sexual emissions of the female consort, sometimes admixed with the semen of the guru. The Tantrika is thus transformed into a son of the clan (kulaputra) through the grace of his consort. The clan fluid (kuladravya) or clan nectar (kulamrita) is conceived as flowing naturally from her womb. Later developments in the rite emphasize the primacy of bliss and divine union, which replace the more bodily connotations of earlier forms. Although popularly equated with Tantra in its entirety in the West, such sexual rites were historically practiced by a minority of sects. For many practicing lineages, these maithuna practices progressed into psychological symbolism

Great emphasis on nature and not God Himself:

In the Tantra, the manner of approach is not that of Nay but of Yea … the world attitude is affirmative … Man must approach through and by means of nature, not by rejection of nature.[27]

This is a CATHOLIC FORUM. I am directing my words toward Catholics here who are considering Buddhism or mixing the 2 religions. Whatever similarities exist between religions are inadequate to compensate for the moral errors. This comes with a warning that you will lose whatever faith in Catholicism you have. You will become a heretic.
her·e·tic   
–noun

1. a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.
2. Roman Catholic Church . a baptized Roman Catholic who willfully and persistently rejects any article of faith.
3. anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle.

If you are a lifelong buddhist, good for you. Please respect the Catholic beliefs. Salespitching your religion to obtain converts is a waste of time and is unnecessary.

If you have quit Catholicism for Buddhism, you are an apostate by choice. Do not lead others here down your road, please.
a·pos·tate   /
–noun

1. a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.

 

[Memento_Mori]

No crusade exists, MM. My concern is that you and others here are misleading Catholics who may fall prey to pantheism, that all religions lead to the One True God. They do not. It is pure semantics when you say that Buddhists only believe in one God with many forms. Actually, these gods have distinct names and functions, none of which involve Jesus as the Holy Trinity, the One True God.

“The objective of a Hindu is to see God in all things and all creatures.” Again, another error for Catholics to avoid. God is God, He is not in a rock or a tree, He is not His creatures, not material. Creation is evidence of God’s work but it is not God.

Much of the religion focuses on the self, i.e. The Self As God, and sexual intercourse is elevated to that of a Holy Sacrament:

Sexual rites
Sexual rites of Vamamarga may have emerged from early Hindu Tantra as a practical means of catalyzing biochemical transformations in the body to facilitate heightened states of awareness. These constitute a vital offering to Tantric deities. (NOTE THE REFERENCE TO MULTIPLE GODS HERE.)

Sexual rites may have also evolved from clan initiation ceremonies involving transactions of sexual fluids. Here the male initiate is inseminated or ensanguinated with the sexual emissions of the female consort, sometimes admixed with the semen of the guru. The Tantrika is thus transformed into a son of the clan (kulaputra) through the grace of his consort. The clan fluid (kuladravya) or clan nectar (kulamrita) is conceived as flowing naturally from her womb. Later developments in the rite emphasize the primacy of bliss and divine union, which replace the more bodily connotations of earlier forms. Although popularly equated with Tantra in its entirety in the West, such sexual rites were historically practiced by a minority of sects. For many practicing lineages, these maithuna practices progressed into psychological symbolism

Great emphasis on nature and not God Himself:

In the Tantra, the manner of approach is not that of Nay but of Yea … the world attitude is affirmative … Man must approach through and by means of nature, not by rejection of nature.[27]

This is a CATHOLIC FORUM. I am directing my words toward Catholics here who are considering Buddhism or mixing the 2 religions. Whatever similarities exist between religions are inadequate to compensate for the moral errors. This comes with a warning that you will lose whatever faith in Catholicism you have. You will become a heretic.
her·e·tic   
–noun

1. a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.
2. Roman Catholic Church . a baptized Roman Catholic who willfully and persistently rejects any article of faith.
3. anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle.

If you are a lifelong buddhist, good for you. Please respect the Catholic beliefs. Salespitching your religion to obtain converts is a waste of time and is unnecessary.

If you have quit Catholicism for Buddhism, you are an apostate by choice. Do not lead others here down your road, please.
a·pos·tate   /
–noun

1. a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.

Everything you said is ok …but if you feel somehow intimidated by this thread …just simply stay away …and that goes to the other guy too …you are ignoring one principle of catholic chirstianity and that is respect your neighbor …and that includes his /her believes …

 

[Sufjon]

Dear lauermar: Firstly, let me be very clear that I am not, nor have I ever sales pitched any religion to you or anyone else. I simply corrected a misconception that was put forth about my faith. In my religion the Lord expressly prohibits looking for converts. Converting people is a Christian sort of endeavor, and perhaps you are viewing us through a lens that allows you to look at others only with shades of what you know. This is natural. Quite to the contrary, I am here learning about your religion, but I do make comparisons as to how I think our faiths match from time to time. That is not intended to make you feel threatened that I will try to snatch away souls that don’t belong either to you or to me in the first place. They all belong to God, and what path someone else takes is none of my concern.

My initial reaction to the statement that Hindus have more than one God I think would be similar to your reaction if I were to say that Christians believe in three Gods – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We both know that is silly, because they are God in three persons. We too have one God, expressed as a trinity, with numerous permutations, but as is the case with your religion, they are aspects of one God. If you refuse to believe that, it is of no consequence to either me or God. You’ll find Him eventually on the path you’re on, and this is all that matters. Also, I would like to point out if I may that the explanations on tantric practices you posted are verbatim from a novel by John Schettler, and not a quote from Hindu scripture, and of course it is another obfuscation to represent it as such. It is directly from a novel, not from scripture, and just FYI, the novel is also copyrighted by the way. That would be like me using the Da Vinci code to explain Catholicism. By the way. there are just over 100 tantra, and I am familiar with each. The stuff you posted from the novel you quoted are not in any of them.

On the other hand though, I have reconsidered whether or not I should have corrected this error that was posted about my faith the first place. I think the answer might be this: I have learned that I have to take into account that some perspectives particularly in the west are gained through a narrow lens when it comes to the topic of God. I should think of the blind man, who having touched an elephant’s trunk prances about the village claiming that he alone knows something about elephants – “they are long and cylinder shaped like a huge macaroni noodle with hairs on it. Those who fail to know this are in grave error” Meanwhile, those who can see both the elephant and the blind man prancing through the streets understand that this is only what the blind man knows, and what he knows is limited by what he hasn’t seen. Rather than scoff at him, I think it’s best to let him teach me what he knows about the trunk of the elephant. On that account, he is an expert. Let me be clear. This means that I will engage you only on matters of Christianity going forward. This is what you know, and I am here to learn about Christianity from Christians. I will try to keep obfuscations posted about my faith by others from derailing my efforts to learn about theirs.

Your friend,
Sufjon

 

[MarianD]

I see nothing about the 5 Precepts and the Eightfold Path that conflicts with Christianity. The 5 Precepts are basically half of the 10 Commandments and the Eightfold Path is basically what the religious are taught to try and do. These two things make up the core of Buddhism. The rest of it is up to you since Buddhism is largely an unorganized religion (though you do have organized sects such as the Gulags, the Zen, and the like).

The Buddha set a fine example of separating oneself from the world, and the most basic of his teaching is similar to Christ’s Teaching: out of attachment to material things comes suffering, so attach yourself to the thing that is Everlasting.

I disagree with what Buddha said about many other things and I disagree with the method of enlightenment that many Buddhists seek, but the 5 Precepts, the Eightfold Path, and the desire to release yourself from being addicted to material things is similar to the basic religious (nuns, monks, and priests) day-to-day living.

 

[rossum]

I see nothing about the 5 Precepts and the Eightfold Path that conflicts with Christianity. The 5 Precepts are basically half of the 10 Commandments and the Eightfold Path is basically what the religious are taught to try and do. These two things make up the core of Buddhism. The rest of it is up to you since Buddhism is largely an unorganized religion (though you do have organized sects such as the Gulags, the Zen, and the like).

The Buddha set a fine example of separating oneself from the world, and the most basic of his teaching is similar to Christ’s Teaching: out of attachment to material things comes suffering, so attach yourself to the thing that is Everlasting.

I disagree with what Buddha said about many other things and I disagree with the method of enlightenment that many Buddhists seek, but the 5 Precepts, the Eightfold Path, and the desire to release yourself from being addicted to material things is similar to the basic religious (nuns, monks, and priests) day-to-day living.

Thank you for that. I suspect that you were looking for dGe-Lugs-pa (Gelug-pa), one of the Tibetan sects, rather than Gulag, which means something completely different.

rossum

 

[MarianD]

Thank you for that. I suspect that you were looking for dGe-Lugs-pa (Gelug-pa), one of the Tibetan sects, rather than Gulag, which means something completely different.

rossum

Yeah I just realized that. “Gulag” was a really, REALLY bad typo