Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Can Buddhism can one understand "God" better?
Hi, I'm new to the forum. I'm not a really a religious person but after reading some information of Buddhism and Christianity, it dawned on me that if Buddhism can help you become a better human, then applying these concept would help you understand Christianity "God" a bit better right? (Assuming you believe there's an ultimate higher being).
Consider that over the centuries, Christianity has changed tremendously centering around the teachings of Christ and connecting with "God" to somewhat conservative simplistic views of what/who "God" is. For many Christians or people who claim to know "God", many are merely attributing what/who God is based on their own biased limited belief and experience -- anthropomorphism. For instance, if you believe in santa clause, you might believe God is just one big Santa; if you believe in greek Gods, God to you could be a long-bearded man watching us from the heavens; if you study physics, God to you could be an infinite higher-being somewhat part of the universe, etc. Because of these differences, it is no wonder we have different definitions and connotations of "God" - all from our own biased viewpoint.
Now from my understanding, Buddhism is not a God-based religion; although it does not deny the existence of God, there could be a God but it would be beyond human comprehension. Thus, it's not a primary concern to study God in Buddhism but rather to study ways to lessen human suffering, being a perfect human beings filled with perfect mental attributues, compassion, love, truth, and wisdom. To be Buddhist is not merely to become divine, holy, or even a super-natural being, but rather just a human being, the way you were design to be within. Hypothetically, if everyone in the world follow this and become "enlighten" - what's next? Would the subject of "God" be brought up? Assuming it did, would human beings finally understand the concept much of "God" much better? Since our formation of "God" is merely based on our own mind, having becoming an enlighten being filled with infinite understanding - what would this mean for enlighten humans on earth in a spiritual communion with God, the intellectual designer, creator, etc?
Consider that over the centuries, Christianity has changed tremendously centering around the teachings of Christ and connecting with "God" to somewhat conservative simplistic views of what/who "God" is. For many Christians or people who claim to know "God", many are merely attributing what/who God is based on their own biased limited belief and experience -- anthropomorphism. For instance, if you believe in santa clause, you might believe God is just one big Santa; if you believe in greek Gods, God to you could be a long-bearded man watching us from the heavens; if you study physics, God to you could be an infinite higher-being somewhat part of the universe, etc. Because of these differences, it is no wonder we have different definitions and connotations of "God" - all from our own biased viewpoint.
Now from my understanding, Buddhism is not a God-based religion; although it does not deny the existence of God, there could be a God but it would be beyond human comprehension. Thus, it's not a primary concern to study God in Buddhism but rather to study ways to lessen human suffering, being a perfect human beings filled with perfect mental attributues, compassion, love, truth, and wisdom. To be Buddhist is not merely to become divine, holy, or even a super-natural being, but rather just a human being, the way you were design to be within. Hypothetically, if everyone in the world follow this and become "enlighten" - what's next? Would the subject of "God" be brought up? Assuming it did, would human beings finally understand the concept much of "God" much better? Since our formation of "God" is merely based on our own mind, having becoming an enlighten being filled with infinite understanding - what would this mean for enlighten humans on earth in a spiritual communion with God, the intellectual designer, creator, etc?
0
Comments
Yes you are perfectly right about Buddhism being not a monolithic faith but a religion which is capable of wide variation and was adaptable to all circumstances.
Yes Buddha is a human being like you and me, but there is a big difference between the awakened and clouded. In my opinion, if everyone is enlightened then there is no notion of God. Many of Buddhism scriptures describe about various levels of Heaven and Hell with different Gods or Dieties incharging of them. But Nirvana is already outside the boundaries of all Heavens, Earths, Hell and Universe. The state of enlightenment is really about oneness/wholeness where there are no boundaries of space, time, distance, size and you and me.
Interestingly the debate about God is really argumentative and frankly speaking it really leads to nowhere. I am always puzzle about the fact that, if there is really a creator God, then who is the creator of God and the the creator of God's creator and .....
In Buddhism context, our minds create all things and our thoughts move/change the characteristic of things. You may say that God is within us.
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Courtyard/1652/Creation.html