I am not sure if creating a thread based on another thread coincides with the rules. I had to hurry and post before the thought escapes me.
Thanks.
_______
in response to:
http://newbuddhist.com/forum/showthread.php?t=946
"But, ACTUALLY, buddhism is NOT A RELIGION, not a philosophy, but a kind of education or teaching that needed by everyone. Buddhism is defined as an education to obtain the ultimate wisdom which can discover the truth of universe and humanity, simplify saying is buddhism let us know ourselves and the environment, let our mind return to buddha (enlightenment), dharma (truth) and sangha (cleanliness). This is a basic of buddhism...."
??? How is Buddhism needed by everyone
??? Isn't it materialistic to say that is an education that is used to obtain ultimate wisdom
??? I thought Buddhism was just one path among many
If you say that Buddhism is an education or a teaching tool well typically there can be many (ways) branches to teach something, yet the goal is still the same. One cannot say that the only way to teach a child to swim is to toss him into the water.
Just saying there are more than one paths to enlightenment, truth, and cleanliness as a Christian I don't think that Buddhism is the ultimate way, that is more like king of the mountain rheurtoric?
Comments
You also have to remember that English was not his native tongue, and he came from Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur is predominantly a Moslem country, with an eclectic and tolerated mix of other religions thrown in.
Therefore, this person (who only posted 4 times in 2005) had a great deal of local, cultural and social conditioning and influence.
For my part to answer your questions:
It would be more accurate to say that Buddhist teachings can benefit everyone.
No, of course not. Why 'materialistic'? The whole point of Buddhism is to recognise suffering and develop the Wiosdom to bring it to an end. That would entail releasing craving and attachment to the impermanent.
Everything compounded and material is impermanent. so ultimately, Buddhism and attaining Wisdom is the least materialistic path of doing so.... It is. But it's the only path without the distraction of a Deity.
It's the only path that requires the traveller to seek within, rather than to depend on an outside power....
True.
But you have to find an effective way, and not one that will burden the child with lead weights.
Buddhism teaches us how to stop struggling, and how to lighten the load.
Not sure exactly what your point is here.....
Why do you not think Buddhism is the ultimate way?
What do you know of Buddhism to contradict that statement?
because, as an ex-Christian, for me it's a darn sight better than that which I used to take.
But that's just my opinion.
Welcome to the forum.
I think you ask very good questions here and I think I'm like you in that I don't like to hear that one religion, philosophy, or path is the 'only' true one.
Aside from how arrogant and holier-than-though it sounds, it's also just silly.
Regarding the finding of Ultimate Truth, there are as many paths that lead to that Truth and as many branches along those paths as there are people in existence and we're all at different places on our own individual paths. On top of that, our own individual path changes throughout our lives. We come across Truths at many different times in our lives no matter what path we're on and where we are on it.
So I think it might be closer to the truth to say, "Whatever path brought me to Truth was the only one for me".
(Hmmm....I wonder how many more times I can put the word "Truth" into this post...?)
I agree with Brigid everyone leads their own path towards enlightenment. For me, the teachings of Buddha have simplified my life and brought a greater sense of awarness and spirituality; Christianity did quite the opposite for me, I only saw hypocrisy, power struggles, and rulers instead of teachers. I do, however, believe that what we have of what Jesus taught has many true principles just like what Buddha taught. It is the men that have followed him, that have brought on corruption.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html
I am a Buddhist simply because after investigating these other religious systems currently on this planet I deliberately came to the conclusion that only the Buddhist path leads to complete cessation, complete cooling, complete destruction of the taints. I really don't see how one can call oneself a Buddhist and believe otherwise.
Trying to make someone become a buddhist at the wrong time might be like stealing their ticket to chicago and making them walk by foot all the while to their final destination. When all the while a plane was waiting for them (Buddha airlines ) in Chicago.
Buddhism is pretty clear and gives much needed instructions on how to control your own mind something i think which is pretty lacking else where in more god-centric religions.
Your pretty much saying the same thing there dude
It's like a person saying 'I was born as a Christian so I believe in Jesus as the son of God' compared to someone saying 'I became a Christian because I believe in Jesus as the son of God.'
The first one is being gullible and untrue to themselves where as the second is being who they want to be.