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What do you think?

Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
edited January 2010 in Faith & Religion
Somebody once said;
"Some Buddhists might mistakenly say that it's a selfish religion because Buddhist are selfless so they get a better afterlife. But lets face it, nobody knows what happens after death for sure, but one things certain, and that's that what really matters is ones conduct in life, in the end it's about doing your part to make life better for everyone."
Anonymous

What are your comments on this?
Joe:)

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 December 2009
    I'm pretty much ok with that.....:)
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited December 2009
    I mostly agree with it too :)
  • StephenStephen
    edited January 2010
    Strangely enough, you can view Buddhism as both selfish and selfless at the same time (but it would not be correct to call it entirely one or the other whilst one is still treading the path, not having realized the ultimate goal). Awakening to the truth of reality makes it nigh impossible to have a self-centered attitude, and the welfare of others and of life in general becomes a major part of your existence.

    Seeking further awakening, to the goal of Nibbana, can be said to be the last great selfish desire; to end all desires. Upon attaining the deathless, desire ceases.

    So the desire to end all desires is really good kamma, as opposed to bad. ;)
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I'll reveal who made this quote; *big dramatic pause* me when I was younger. *Everybody gasps and the Eastenders ending music comes on.* I do mostly agree with it now although I have a stronger belief in nirvana and re/incarnation. If I'm nice to people you feel good in yourself, it makes you happier, can lead to better things, a better life, can make other people like you more or be happy in themselves, you get a better rebirth or if your a really great chap; nirvana. There all the reason how people could benefit, (and hopefully I could benefit) from being nice to people. The chances are that you'll get atleast one because the reasons are many and it does feel good to be nice to people:)
    Love & Peace
    Joe
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited January 2010
    The idea of an after-life does not come up much in practice. For instance I,ve never heard it mentioned on a retreat, or in a Dharma talk, except in a more traditional "folk" Buddhist setting. The emphasis has always been on transcending birth and death now. "Now" has no birth and death.
  • StephenStephen
    edited January 2010
    Richard Herman wrote: »
    The idea of an after-life does not come up much in practice. For instance I,ve never heard it mentioned on a retreat, or in a Dharma talk, except in a more traditional "folk" Buddhist setting. The emphasis has always been on transcending birth and death now. "Now" has no birth and death.
    The concept of rebirth can have different importance to different people. It can be a driving force if you believe you have been suffering for countless eons and will only be free from countless future suffering by becoming unbound to it. It can also be a comfort if you believe you have an infinite number of chances to finally get it right and attain Nibbana. Myself, not knowing what the truth is, I choose to simply practice due diligence and get done in this life everything I can. Perhaps later I'll progress further and attain Nibbana, but I'm content now to strive toward the welfare of others as best I can, and to always keep an open mind.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I love the schema shown in traditional representations of the Bhavachakra. How many times have we cycled being Gods and Hungry Ghosts and Gods again? .....in just one day
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited January 2010
    I don't think we were gods or there are different realms in that way and I'm still not sure about re/incarnation and nibbana/nirvarna but... If your good the chances are if there's an afterlife you get a good one.
    Love & Peace
    Joe
  • StephenStephen
    edited January 2010
    LoveNPeace wrote: »
    I don't think we were gods or there are different realms in that way and I'm still not sure about re/incarnation and nibbana/nirvarna but... If your good the chances are if there's an afterlife you get a good one.
    Love & Peace
    Joe
    You mean you don't believe in Nibbana as it applies to an afterlife, I assume? Because Nibbana as a state that can be achieved in this life is not in question. There are a stream of arahants flowing from the past ever since the days of the Buddha.
  • 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 January 2010
    Joe, I think it might be more...I dunno....'helpful'...?
    to you, to think about those realms as components of your own mind-states..... And you see, Samsara and Nibbana, too are 'Mind-states'. They're not places to go to, or end up in. We're in Samsara, right now, because our clouded, deluded minds have the veil of Attachment obscuring our vision.... and here we all are, plodding on....we dwell in Samsara, because that's where our mind is, and our thought processes and Desires keep us in this mind-frame.
    To have access to the 'opposite' Mind-state - Nibbana - we have to do as the Buddha taught - realise - fully realise that what keeps us here is the choices we make, in our deluded mind-frame.
    The key, is tro drop what keeps us in a Samsaric Mind-state, and permit the veil Attachment to be completely cast aside.....
    Completely live and adopt the full eightfold Path.

    Live, breathe and exist through it. then, when you drop that too - and simply dwell in a state of seeing things as they are, because they are as they are, and that's fine - Nibbana will be your mind-state.

    Oh, by the way.....let me know if you achieve this.
    then, give me a clue as to how you did it.......:lol:
  • Love-N-PeaceLove-N-Peace Veteran
    edited January 2010
    Fascinating (religion/philosophy) this is isn't it? I'll try, it'll be like a chalange but the unclouding of my misunderstanding has opened up a whole new prospect of Life! Thanks fede :)
    Love & Peace
    Joe
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