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I'll put this up while i'm in the right frame of mind to post it, your views are wlecome.
FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
The Four Noble Truths represent the core of
the teachings of the Buddha, and are as follows:
The First Noble Truth
Unsatisfactoriness and suffering exist and
are universally experienced.
The Second Noble Truth
Desire and attachment are the causes of
unsatisfactoriness and suffering.
The Third Noble Truth
There is an end to
unsatisfactoriness and suffering.
The Fourth Noble Truth
The end can be attained by
journeying on the Noble Eightfold Path.
NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
Right Understanding
Right Thinking
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
1. Right View
See things as they truly are without delusions or distortions
for all things change. Develop wisdom by knowing how things
work, knowing oneself and others.
2. Right Intention
Wholehearted resolution and dedication to overcoming the
dislocation of self-centered craving through the development
of loving kindness, empathy and compassion.
3. Right Speech
Abstinence from lies and deceptions, backbiting, idle
babble and abusive speech. Cultivate honesty and
truthfulness; practice speech that is kind and benevolent.
Let your words reflect your desire to help, not harm others.
4.Right Action
Practice self-less conduct that reflects the highest
statement of the life you want to live. Express conduct
that is peaceful, honest and pure showing compassion
for all beings.
5. Right Livelihood
Avoidance of work that causes suffering to others or that
makes a decent, virtuous life impossible. Do not engage
in any occupation that opposes or distracts one from the
path. Love and serve our world through your work.
6. Right Effort
Seek to make the balance between the exertion of following
the spiritual path and a moderate life that is not over-zealous.
Work to develop more wholesome mind states, while gently
striving to go deeper and live more fully.
7. Right Mindfulness
Through constant vigilance in thought, speech and action
seek to rid the mind of self-centered thoughts that separate
and replace them with those that bind all beings together.
Be aware of your thoughts, emotions, body and world as they
exist in the present moment. Your thoughts create your reality.
8. Right Concentration
Through the application of meditation and mental discipline seek
to extinguish the last flame of grasping consciousness and develop
an emptiness that has room to embrace and love all things.
FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
The Four Noble Truths represent the core of
the teachings of the Buddha, and are as follows:
The First Noble Truth
Unsatisfactoriness and suffering exist and
are universally experienced.
The Second Noble Truth
Desire and attachment are the causes of
unsatisfactoriness and suffering.
The Third Noble Truth
There is an end to
unsatisfactoriness and suffering.
The Fourth Noble Truth
The end can be attained by
journeying on the Noble Eightfold Path.
NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
Right Understanding
Right Thinking
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
1. Right View
See things as they truly are without delusions or distortions
for all things change. Develop wisdom by knowing how things
work, knowing oneself and others.
2. Right Intention
Wholehearted resolution and dedication to overcoming the
dislocation of self-centered craving through the development
of loving kindness, empathy and compassion.
3. Right Speech
Abstinence from lies and deceptions, backbiting, idle
babble and abusive speech. Cultivate honesty and
truthfulness; practice speech that is kind and benevolent.
Let your words reflect your desire to help, not harm others.
4.Right Action
Practice self-less conduct that reflects the highest
statement of the life you want to live. Express conduct
that is peaceful, honest and pure showing compassion
for all beings.
5. Right Livelihood
Avoidance of work that causes suffering to others or that
makes a decent, virtuous life impossible. Do not engage
in any occupation that opposes or distracts one from the
path. Love and serve our world through your work.
6. Right Effort
Seek to make the balance between the exertion of following
the spiritual path and a moderate life that is not over-zealous.
Work to develop more wholesome mind states, while gently
striving to go deeper and live more fully.
7. Right Mindfulness
Through constant vigilance in thought, speech and action
seek to rid the mind of self-centered thoughts that separate
and replace them with those that bind all beings together.
Be aware of your thoughts, emotions, body and world as they
exist in the present moment. Your thoughts create your reality.
8. Right Concentration
Through the application of meditation and mental discipline seek
to extinguish the last flame of grasping consciousness and develop
an emptiness that has room to embrace and love all things.
Page:
Forest Fan wrote:
>
> Who did Buddha try to seek personal elightenment from or for?
He made his own way to seek his own enlightenment.
>
> Does following Buddha, make you a better person and if not, what is
> the aim of Buddhism, because after all Buddha was just a mere man,
> who was not in direct contact with God?
The aim of Buddhism is to help people to live a good life.
Incidentally, all those biblical writers were mere men; funny how you're still avoiding addressing that point, isn't it my cowardly plaything?
>
> Who did Buddha try to seek personal elightenment from or for?
He made his own way to seek his own enlightenment.
>
> Does following Buddha, make you a better person and if not, what is
> the aim of Buddhism, because after all Buddha was just a mere man,
> who was not in direct contact with God?
The aim of Buddhism is to help people to live a good life.
Incidentally, all those biblical writers were mere men; funny how you're still avoiding addressing that point, isn't it my cowardly plaything?
Forest Fan wrote:
> I celebrate Passover, not Easter, because Jesus did.
Well Christ couldn't really celebrate Easter, with it being his crucifiction and ressurection and all now could he.......................
> I celebrate Passover, not Easter, because Jesus did.
Well Christ couldn't really celebrate Easter, with it being his crucifiction and ressurection and all now could he.......................
Light wrote:
> Apart from Easter, the holiest day in the christian calender...
I celebrate Passover, not Easter, because Jesus did.
> Apart from Easter, the holiest day in the christian calender...
I celebrate Passover, not Easter, because Jesus did.
Light wrote:
> Well, in the respect that Buddha was a man who tried to seek his own
> personal enlightenment, and recognised that each man and woman's
> enlightenment is different, oh and was an individual who encouraged
> everyone to think for themselves....yes, it does.
Who did Buddha try to seek personal elightenment from or for?
Does following Buddha, make you a better person and if not, what is the aim of Buddhism, because after all Buddha was just a mere man, who was not in direct contact with God?
> Well, in the respect that Buddha was a man who tried to seek his own
> personal enlightenment, and recognised that each man and woman's
> enlightenment is different, oh and was an individual who encouraged
> everyone to think for themselves....yes, it does.
Who did Buddha try to seek personal elightenment from or for?
Does following Buddha, make you a better person and if not, what is the aim of Buddhism, because after all Buddha was just a mere man, who was not in direct contact with God?
Forest Fan wrote:
> How do you know that his teachings make your life better?
Well, you can't know for sure. But it's been tried an tested and some very good role models out of it. It also makes perfect sense based on my experience of moral and relationships.
At the end of the day, no ones expected to simply believe it.
It's something to try and see what it does for you. :-)
> Buddhism has no part in what I believe, because its teachings come
> from fallible man. All the ways to live a Godly life are outlined in
> the Bible! Jesus is the only way and our only Spiritual Father.
The Bible was written by fallible men. You only have their fallible word for it that they were under the influence of the "divine spirit".
Buddha is more honest and fully admits that he's fallible.
He also makes it clear that they is no "only way", and that all he offers are some suggestions that can help make your life happier.
> "You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3
You don't have to put these Buddhist teachings before God.
Simply encorporate them into your Christian beliefs.
Jesus followed Buddha's teachings perfectly.
But then Jesus had supposedly never heard of Buddha.
I guess it's just one of life's coincidences and that there is no God! ;-)
> Don't worry, I'm not going to become Buddhist!
That's what I'm saying.
You CAN become a Buddhist, or atleast take a Buddhist slant without changing your Christianity at all.
> Question. How does Buddhism help you when you meet before our
> Creator; the Lord Jesus?
Well, Buddhism sorts of puts you in the same idea frame of mind that Jesus seemed to express. It helps you put away all prejudices and kick your ego, so that you can be humble and treat people in equal view, take them for what they are and not what you'd expect of them.
It also encourages positive thinking, realising that doing good brings good back in the long run. It encourages you to do what'll make the best consequences for the people around you, making the world a better place, which at the end of the day is pretty much what God asks of us.
Also, it focuses on the positive aspects.
It's more "doing this will work for you" rather than "don't do this!" so it guides you forward rather than holding you back, sort of. :-)
> Jesus didn't come to bring world peace and He didn't. He met a bloody
> death on the cross and Paul, John The Baptist amongst others were
> brutally murdered for their faith in Christ Jesus.
He tried to bring peace by setting a humble example and the stupid religious control freak zealots of the day killed him for it.
In letting him them kill him rather than trying to fight, he changed the way people saw God's power.
> The Meaning of Discipleship
>
> 24 "(38) A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave
> above his master.
> 25 "It is enough for the disciple that he become like his
> teacher, and the slave like his master. (39) If they have called the
> head of the house (40) Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the
> members of his household!
> 26 "Therefore do not (41) fear them, (42) for there is nothing
> concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be
> known.
> 27 "(43) What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light;
> and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (44) upon the
> housetops.
> 28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill
> the soul; but rather (45) fear Him who is able to destroy both soul
> and body in (46) hell.
> 29 "(47) Are not two sparrows sold for a [1] cent? And yet not
> one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
> 30 "But (48) the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
> 31 "So do not fear; (49) you are more valuable than many
> sparrows.
> 32 "Therefore (50) everyone who confesses Me before men, I
> will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
> 33 "But (51) whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny
> him before My Father who is in heaven.
> 34 "(52) Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth;
> I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
> 35 "For I came to (53) SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A
> DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER
> MOTHER-IN-LAW;
> 36 and (54) A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.
> 37 "(55) He who loves father or mother more than Me is not
> worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not
> worthy of Me.
> 38 "And (56) he who does not take his cross and follow after
> Me is not worthy of Me.
> 39 "(57) He who has found his life will lose it, and he who
> has lost his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:24-39
I think that was not letting others be your excuse for being dragged down.
Matthew seems to have over dramatised it a little. :-)
Ofcourse, you would only have to tear away from people in the most extreme of circumstances, which is really unlikely to happen in the real world, but I think that the point is that you have to have your heart so set on following Jeso that you'd have to be prepared to stand up against anyone to do it.
> Unlike others, I'm not going to purposely mock your
> religion/faith/philosohpy - because I believe that gets us nowhere.
> However I would like to ask, as you don't seem to mind Jesus - do you
> believe He is the Son of God?
Son of God, yeah. But probably not THE.
THE Son that appeared amongst the Jews, but I doubt God would've just did one thing, once and then forgotten about the rest of the world.
He's not a one way man, sort of... :-)
> Not sure. So what do you believe about Hell?
Hard to say.
I like the karma theory which expands on it all a bit.
Christianity seems to give one heaven and one hell.
Either eternal uttermost goodness or eternal uttermost badness.
A sort of simplified version for the simple people God/Jesus was talking too at the time.
Karma, the way I understand it, is a sort of "what goes around, comes around" theory. Basically, your actions cause consequences, which gradually come back to you. Skillful actions cause good consequences and unskillful cause bad consequences. And it all gradually comes back to you.
Likewise, your karma affects what happens to your life energy when you die.
You energy is channelled and you are reborn in one of many ways.
I can't remember them all, it was a while since I read the book, but above/below average got you reborn on the earth, and what you're reborn as depends on your karma.
If your karma is really bad then you end up in a sort of hell dimension where you suffer, but that gradually evens it out so when you die there you're reborn in a nicer place. :-)
If you're karma is really good then you go to some sort of heaven dimension with the Gods, but this heaven dimension means its almost impossible to live a life without extreme over indulgence, so you come out of that one with bad karma again. :-)
A Buddhist's aim is to go for perfect karma, so instead of being reborn, they simply become one with the world... I think. And end suffering forever.
I've forgotten half of it and simplified the rest but that's the general picture. :-)
> How do you know that his teachings make your life better?
Well, you can't know for sure. But it's been tried an tested and some very good role models out of it. It also makes perfect sense based on my experience of moral and relationships.
At the end of the day, no ones expected to simply believe it.
It's something to try and see what it does for you. :-)
> Buddhism has no part in what I believe, because its teachings come
> from fallible man. All the ways to live a Godly life are outlined in
> the Bible! Jesus is the only way and our only Spiritual Father.
The Bible was written by fallible men. You only have their fallible word for it that they were under the influence of the "divine spirit".
Buddha is more honest and fully admits that he's fallible.
He also makes it clear that they is no "only way", and that all he offers are some suggestions that can help make your life happier.
> "You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3
You don't have to put these Buddhist teachings before God.
Simply encorporate them into your Christian beliefs.
Jesus followed Buddha's teachings perfectly.
But then Jesus had supposedly never heard of Buddha.
I guess it's just one of life's coincidences and that there is no God! ;-)
> Don't worry, I'm not going to become Buddhist!
That's what I'm saying.
You CAN become a Buddhist, or atleast take a Buddhist slant without changing your Christianity at all.
> Question. How does Buddhism help you when you meet before our
> Creator; the Lord Jesus?
Well, Buddhism sorts of puts you in the same idea frame of mind that Jesus seemed to express. It helps you put away all prejudices and kick your ego, so that you can be humble and treat people in equal view, take them for what they are and not what you'd expect of them.
It also encourages positive thinking, realising that doing good brings good back in the long run. It encourages you to do what'll make the best consequences for the people around you, making the world a better place, which at the end of the day is pretty much what God asks of us.
Also, it focuses on the positive aspects.
It's more "doing this will work for you" rather than "don't do this!" so it guides you forward rather than holding you back, sort of. :-)
> Jesus didn't come to bring world peace and He didn't. He met a bloody
> death on the cross and Paul, John The Baptist amongst others were
> brutally murdered for their faith in Christ Jesus.
He tried to bring peace by setting a humble example and the stupid religious control freak zealots of the day killed him for it.
In letting him them kill him rather than trying to fight, he changed the way people saw God's power.
> The Meaning of Discipleship
>
> 24 "(38) A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave
> above his master.
> 25 "It is enough for the disciple that he become like his
> teacher, and the slave like his master. (39) If they have called the
> head of the house (40) Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the
> members of his household!
> 26 "Therefore do not (41) fear them, (42) for there is nothing
> concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be
> known.
> 27 "(43) What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light;
> and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (44) upon the
> housetops.
> 28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill
> the soul; but rather (45) fear Him who is able to destroy both soul
> and body in (46) hell.
> 29 "(47) Are not two sparrows sold for a [1] cent? And yet not
> one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
> 30 "But (48) the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
> 31 "So do not fear; (49) you are more valuable than many
> sparrows.
> 32 "Therefore (50) everyone who confesses Me before men, I
> will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
> 33 "But (51) whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny
> him before My Father who is in heaven.
> 34 "(52) Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth;
> I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
> 35 "For I came to (53) SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A
> DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER
> MOTHER-IN-LAW;
> 36 and (54) A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.
> 37 "(55) He who loves father or mother more than Me is not
> worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not
> worthy of Me.
> 38 "And (56) he who does not take his cross and follow after
> Me is not worthy of Me.
> 39 "(57) He who has found his life will lose it, and he who
> has lost his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 10:24-39
I think that was not letting others be your excuse for being dragged down.
Matthew seems to have over dramatised it a little. :-)
Ofcourse, you would only have to tear away from people in the most extreme of circumstances, which is really unlikely to happen in the real world, but I think that the point is that you have to have your heart so set on following Jeso that you'd have to be prepared to stand up against anyone to do it.
> Unlike others, I'm not going to purposely mock your
> religion/faith/philosohpy - because I believe that gets us nowhere.
> However I would like to ask, as you don't seem to mind Jesus - do you
> believe He is the Son of God?
Son of God, yeah. But probably not THE.
THE Son that appeared amongst the Jews, but I doubt God would've just did one thing, once and then forgotten about the rest of the world.
He's not a one way man, sort of... :-)
> Not sure. So what do you believe about Hell?
Hard to say.
I like the karma theory which expands on it all a bit.
Christianity seems to give one heaven and one hell.
Either eternal uttermost goodness or eternal uttermost badness.
A sort of simplified version for the simple people God/Jesus was talking too at the time.
Karma, the way I understand it, is a sort of "what goes around, comes around" theory. Basically, your actions cause consequences, which gradually come back to you. Skillful actions cause good consequences and unskillful cause bad consequences. And it all gradually comes back to you.
Likewise, your karma affects what happens to your life energy when you die.
You energy is channelled and you are reborn in one of many ways.
I can't remember them all, it was a while since I read the book, but above/below average got you reborn on the earth, and what you're reborn as depends on your karma.
If your karma is really bad then you end up in a sort of hell dimension where you suffer, but that gradually evens it out so when you die there you're reborn in a nicer place. :-)
If you're karma is really good then you go to some sort of heaven dimension with the Gods, but this heaven dimension means its almost impossible to live a life without extreme over indulgence, so you come out of that one with bad karma again. :-)
A Buddhist's aim is to go for perfect karma, so instead of being reborn, they simply become one with the world... I think. And end suffering forever.
I've forgotten half of it and simplified the rest but that's the general picture. :-)
Forest Fan wrote:
> Buddhists,
>
> I'm hearing two sides to the story here. Some of you are saying
> Buddhism is a religion, others are stating it isn't.
>
> Are there any proper Buddhists who can 'enlighten' me, please.
I would 'enlighten' you but knowing you and your one track, ignorant fundamentalist mind the only way to enlighten you is to shove a 60 watt bulb into your head.
> Buddhists,
>
> I'm hearing two sides to the story here. Some of you are saying
> Buddhism is a religion, others are stating it isn't.
>
> Are there any proper Buddhists who can 'enlighten' me, please.
I would 'enlighten' you but knowing you and your one track, ignorant fundamentalist mind the only way to enlighten you is to shove a 60 watt bulb into your head.
Forest Fan wrote:
> Question. How does Buddhism help you when you meet before our
> Creator; the Lord Jesus?
Are you really this stupid?
> Question. How does Buddhism help you when you meet before our
> Creator; the Lord Jesus?
Are you really this stupid?
Forest Fan wrote:
>
> Not really. There is no set time in the Christian calendar that is
> any more important than any other day.
Apart from Easter, the holiest day in the christian calender...
> However Christian Aid is a good charity and I have no problem with
> it.
My, they WILL be pleased to hear that a delusional, lonely little boy with delusions of being the next messiah has given approval to their charity. I imagine they'll put a print out of your post in the drawer next to Charles Manson's indication that "Christians are cool".
>
> Not really. There is no set time in the Christian calendar that is
> any more important than any other day.
Apart from Easter, the holiest day in the christian calender...
> However Christian Aid is a good charity and I have no problem with
> it.
My, they WILL be pleased to hear that a delusional, lonely little boy with delusions of being the next messiah has given approval to their charity. I imagine they'll put a print out of your post in the drawer next to Charles Manson's indication that "Christians are cool".
Forest Fan wrote:
>
> Buddhism does try to achieve something, I believe its something like
> trying to be more like Buddha...
Well, in the respect that Buddha was a man who tried to seek his own personal enlightenment, and recognised that each man and woman's enlightenment is different, oh and was an individual who encouraged everyone to think for themselves....yes, it does.
>
> Buddhism does try to achieve something, I believe its something like
> trying to be more like Buddha...
Well, in the respect that Buddha was a man who tried to seek his own personal enlightenment, and recognised that each man and woman's enlightenment is different, oh and was an individual who encouraged everyone to think for themselves....yes, it does.
Pandaemonium wrote:
> Forest Fan wrote:
> I don't have a problem with Christian Aid - but the Biblical view is
> to constantly give a tithe (tenth) away and do that secretly, not
> openly - so I won't tell you when I give money away.
>
> I'm not saying anything about tithing, I'm simply stating that its a
> large event in the Christian year that you've failed to mention.
> "Being a Christian" and helping others and all.
Not really. There is no set time in the Christian calendar that is any more important than any other day. That is why communion is set at random, regular dates and not only at 'Christmas' or 'Easter'. However Christian Aid is a good charity and I have no problem with it.
> Forest Fan wrote:
> I don't have a problem with Christian Aid - but the Biblical view is
> to constantly give a tithe (tenth) away and do that secretly, not
> openly - so I won't tell you when I give money away.
>
> I'm not saying anything about tithing, I'm simply stating that its a
> large event in the Christian year that you've failed to mention.
> "Being a Christian" and helping others and all.
Not really. There is no set time in the Christian calendar that is any more important than any other day. That is why communion is set at random, regular dates and not only at 'Christmas' or 'Easter'. However Christian Aid is a good charity and I have no problem with it.
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