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Having conflictions of Ideology...

CraigCraig
edited October 2006 in Faith & Religion
I love Buddhism...but I also love Krishna Consciousness. I'm not sure what to do stick with Buddhism or should I investigate a little more into both sides?

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited September 2006
    It does no harm to investigate all avenues open to you....Just remember to evaluate what you find, with a "Kalama" Mind.....
  • not1not2not1not2 Veteran
    edited September 2006
    Craig wrote:
    I love Buddhism...but I also love Krishna Consciousness. I'm not sure what to do stick with Buddhism or should I investigate a little more into both sides?

    No harm in investigating both. If you have an affinity for Krishna Consciousness, then ignoring it isn't necessarily going to make it go away. Just out of curiosity, do you mean it as a Bhakti Path or more along the lines of Advaita? Also, have you ever looked into Pureland Buddhism with its Amitabha Buddha or certain Tibetan practices that take up devotion to Guru Rinpoche?

    _/\_
    metta
  • questZENerquestZENer Veteran
    edited September 2006
    In answering a similar query ZMG put it thus: what is it that you want--to fall deeper into a pleasant bliss that's more dream than reality (Krishna consciousness) or do you want to wake up to reality and leave dreams behind (Buddhism)? The choice is yours to make!
  • CraigCraig
    edited September 2006
    not1not2 wrote:
    No harm in investigating both. If you have an affinity for Krishna Consciousness, then ignoring it isn't necessarily going to make it go away. Just out of curiosity, do you mean it as a Bhakti Path or more along the lines of Advaita? Also, have you ever looked into Pureland Buddhism with its Amitabha Buddha or certain Tibetan practices that take up devotion to Guru Rinpoche?

    _/\_
    metta

    I have no idea what Bhakti is or Advaita, and no I have never investigated Pure Land but when I started on the Buddha path I first learned from Tibetan Buddhism.
  • CraigCraig
    edited September 2006
    AH I KEEP COMING BACK TO BUDDHIST PRACTICE...I guess we know which one wins, eh? lol

    It just fits with me, my personality and my thinking...it's in me blood I guess.
  • questZENerquestZENer Veteran
    edited September 2006
    Well, for myself, I'm always skeptical about black and white thinking. While I'm quite drawn to Buddhist practice, and it's key metaphor or "waking up", I think there is something about "going fully into Wonderland". Though I have no idea about it personally, I can't help but think somehow they can't but end up in the same place. If it's all ONE in the end after all, there can be nothing but the ONE at the outset.

    Perhaps I'm just terribly naive...
  • CraigCraig
    edited September 2006
    I thought along those same lines. In the concept of emptiness if I am one with everything and everything is the same then what's the difference between Buddhism and other religions? but for me personally I just find it to be a better practice on me mentally.
  • SimonthepilgrimSimonthepilgrim Veteran
    edited September 2006
    questZENer wrote:
    Well, for myself, I'm always skeptical about black and white thinking. While I'm quite drawn to Buddhist practice, and it's key metaphor or "waking up", I think there is something about "going fully into Wonderland". Though I have no idea about it personally, I can't help but think somehow they can't but end up in the same place. If it's all ONE in the end after all, there can be nothing but the ONE at the outset.

    Perhaps I'm just terribly naive...


    That is precisely what some of us find in all the old stories and in the Tao Te Ching. Whether it is 'true' or not, virtually all current thinking tends towards a concept of underlying unity, be it some 'divine' whatever or a Unified Field Theory or sunyatta.
  • not1not2not1not2 Veteran
    edited September 2006
    Craig wrote:
    I have no idea what Bhakti is or Advaita, and no I have never investigated Pure Land but when I started on the Buddha path I first learned from Tibetan Buddhism.

    'Bhakti' yoga is Union through devotion & surrender. 'Advaita' is non-dual philosophy ('dvaita' means dual). Of course, I have heard that the Bhagavad Gita also has a good deal of Karma yoga in it as well. Karma yoga is Union through actions/service. Both Bhakti & Karma yoga are not philosophy/contemplation heavy, whereas Advaita is (imo). If you study it under a teacher, you may also practice Guru Yoga, which is the practice of Union through taking the teacher as the Divine itself. Sorry for all the jargon.

    Anyway, I was mainly curious as to what interested you in the Bhagavad Gita. It is a wonderful text, and it manages to incorporate the major ideas from the Vedas & the Upanishads into one text. It is a worthwhile read, imo, no matter what tradition you are.

    _/\_
    metta
  • not1not2not1not2 Veteran
    edited October 2006
    You may also want to check out this thread over at E-Sangha on the subject:

    http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=36247

    some good discussion, from what I've read.

    _/\_
    metta
  • PadawanPadawan Veteran
    edited October 2006
    I would personally see no problem in reading scriptures from the Krishna Consciousness, as well as those of Hinduism. These religions are as intertwined with Buddhism in their historical origins, as are Judaism, Christianity and Islam in theirs. Many Christian academics are urged to read, for example, the Zohar and the Q'uran, as doing so helps their understanding of Christian texts to develop. To my mind, reading works like the Bhagavad Ghitta would do the same for Buddhists.

    Just my two cents... :)
  • CraigCraig
    edited October 2006
    the first thing that made me consider Krishna was of course the music fo George Harrison, I'm a HUGE Harrison and Beatles fan, they're my fav musicians. So one day at a used bookstore I saw an old copy of the Gita from '86 (the year I was born) on a shelf and decided to lay down the $3 for it. I've been reading it little by little ever since.
    But I think Buddhism is for me as a practice...
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited October 2006
    It doesn't hurt to be open-minded....au contraire, an open mind will open doors....
  • CraigCraig
    edited October 2006
    no it doesn't hurt, I'm actually still learning about Krishna but I don't think its my path.
  • EjotyEjoty
    edited October 2006
    I agree with Federica...Keep an open mind and learn from all the sources that you come across and work from that.
    But then I have been studying Paganism and Buddhism with recent forays into Hinduism.
  • AdianaAdiana
    edited October 2006
    Ejoty wrote:
    I agree with Federica...Keep an open mind and learn from all the sources that you come across and work from that.
    But then I have been studying Paganism and Buddhism with recent forays into Hinduism.

    Thanks for the link to the Forest Pagan Community. Since I am Wiccan, I figured I would check it out for myself. Yes, I agree that it is always a good idea to research things to find the right spiritual path for oneself.

    Adiana:usflag:
  • CelebrinCelebrin
    edited October 2006
    my path is my own.. and everything else a tool

    theres no religions, no cults no names.. any source that offers wisdom is a source i will look at

    an idea doesn't breath but a human does.. doesn't that show us the true value of 1 man
  • CraigCraig
    edited October 2006
    that's nice.
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