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Comments by John Paul II
Shortly before John Paul II passed away, I saw a news report that said something in one of JP's last books really upset the Buddhist community. I do not intend on reading the book. I don't even know the title.
If anyone did read the book, what did he say that upset Buddhists?
If anyone did read the book, what did he say that upset Buddhists?
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Comments
All Buddhists and non-believers are going to hell.
Sheep and Goats!
There are other Catholic opinions and quotes from this article at: http://monasticdialog.com/a.php?id=577&t=p
To be honest, I haven't read it either, but I posted this on the 2nd of April....
"I too, like Brian would classify the Pope as one of today's most prominent spiritual leaders. Unlike the Dalai lama however, he did make some rather hasty remarks in a book* he published, which were seen by many - Christians and Buddhists alike - as belittling and trivialising Buddhism as an 'escapist pastime". He did retract the statement, insisting he had been misunderstood and misinterpreted, but unfortuantely, given the Power of the Written Word, the damage had been done. It caused a furore; Sri Lankan leaders boycotted his visit to their country, and Thich Nhat Hanh was driven to 'respond' in his book, "Living Buddha, Living Christ." The Dalai lama himself has written a book - based on several lectures he gave to a multi-denominational audience - called "The Good Heart". A book exploring the parallels between Buddhism & Christianity. "
*"Crossing the Threshold of Hope"
"If you hate the Roman Catholic Church, or even Christianity, you are as bound by it as if you love it."
Rev Jack Austin, Buddhist priest and member of the Cathedral Choristers Association.
And this is a short discussion between the Buddha and his long-life companion and cousin, Ananda:
Ananda spoke to Buddha, saying;
"Master, I now see that Spiritual Friendship is a good part of Spiritual Life."
"Say not so, Ananda", said the Buddha. "Spiritual Friendship is the WHOLE of Spiritual LIfe."
If we can't get past it, we get stuck in it, like an unpleasant tarry deposit on the bottom of our shoe.... transform it into an all-embracing love and liberate yourself from the shackles of your own making.....
There is profound good in everything. Even if on the outside it seems bad.
This happened to a friend of mine....
She was involved in a car accident, where she was a pedestrian knocked over by a car. Many people came to her aid, but one man in particular knelt by her side, held her hand and stayed with her, talking to her, comforting her and generally supporting her in the most wonderful way. Later, while she was being questioned by the police in hospital, she discovered he was a convicted criminal out on parole. He had assaulted a couple in their home, and stolen valuables and property.
"All I know", she told me later, "is that he made a tremendous difference to me, being there and just staying with me until the medics arrived. I don't even know his name" (she later found this out and thanked him in person) "but he was wonderful."