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Why are some Buddhist monks - holy?

buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
edited July 2005 in Buddhism Basics
One thing I don't understand. There is Buddha - Siddhattha Gootama. He never claimed to be holy. He only claimed to be a man that reached enlightenment.

So now, why is there a person like the Dali Lama (and other persons who teach Buddhism) that are refered to "his holy this" or "his holy that"?

Why are they holy? I didn't even think that Buddha was holy - just enlightened.

Michael

Comments

  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited July 2005
    We are back to definitions. But "holy" is not a word that is used as much in Buddhism as in Christianity. We do refer to the Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path as a descriptive which designates their importance.

    It is also true that there are rules for the treatment of statues and Dharma texts.
  • comicallyinsanecomicallyinsane Veteran
    edited July 2005
    I guess we have to ask the question. "What is holy?" Then we have to ask another question. "Does knowing what is holy change the truth?"
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited July 2005
    One of the unexpected consequences of letting go of dualism is that all that appears, whilst remaining empty, also appears as 'sacred'. At least, that's how it appears to me.
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited July 2005
    I guess I'm still confused.

    Does anyone know why the 14th Dali Lama, in his own words says, "I'm am a simple Buddhist monk - no more, no less." - but he is referred to as "His Holiness"?

    How do we actually know that these people are reincarnations of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva? Is there some actual process outside of Buddha's initial teachings that validate this whole process of a person on earth being the reincarnation of a bodhisattva?

    It seems like there is the initial history of Buddha and his teachings - and now a whole religious side of things that really don't correspond with Buddha's original teachings.

    I guess why I'm asking is that I've been reading some books on Buddhism and it seems they are mostly bent towards the idea of an "atheist" Buddhist. I don't even know at this point if this is a conflict of terms - atheist and Buddhist. But, this one author still manages to respect the teachings and use the teachings of Buddha with there being any connection at all (even using Buddha's own words) of anyone being holy or some sort of a diety.

    Am I just really ignorant? :) Which, I don't mind - that's why I ask questions.

    Michael
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