Please note that I'm not going to tolerate any racist outbursts. If you leave a comment in which your contribution insults anyone's ethnicity, your remarks are immediately headed to the iggie bin, and I will report them to TH-cam. If you can't be civil or focus on the genuine issues, you're obviously not qualified to discuss Buddhism or--for that matter--much else.
It's been less than 2 years for me, so I'd say I am new to it all too. I understand that you must love all beings equally. It's not about loving your loved ones less, but to love others just as much. Nothing in my life has been more devastating than when I lost some of my loved ones, so I totally understand this. People will die, and we'll suffer greatly because of it, unless we accept to let go of that form of attachment. It's learning to love in a new, non-egoistical way.
First of all, thank you for posting this. I grew up Christian but really did not lead a religious life until recently. My wife is 1st generation Vietnamese American and we have many beloved Buddhist family members. But, first I want to say I have a lot of love and respect for your message and especially it's intent of compassion. While pure and beautiful in desire it seems it is impossible for us humans to live up to. Although, it is extremely similar to what Jesus and the bible teaches. But the 4 truths are good, and well, undeniably true. We cannot live without suffering on this earth and the suffering is caused by earthly desires. There is no denying that. We cannot cling to our health and wealth or earthly relationships forever, it only leads to death and suffering. Sure, it makes sense we can eliminate our suffering by eliminating our fallen desire. We should not get attached to what is material or our experiences, it only leads to suffering. But, the 8 fold path is impossible for us. It is not bad, it is a good thing to strive for: the right concentration, view, intents, speech, action, livelihood, effort, and mindfulness. In the end it is all about love and compassion for all life. It is extremely beautiful, and easy to see why they say Jesus was a Buddhist Monk. Or, what if instead, Buddha was a "Christian" some 1500 years before Christ? Either way, the problem is that it is impossible for us humans to fully live by the 8 fold path. To do it they suggest that you: do not harm any living being, always tell the truth, no illicit sexual activities, do not steal, do not take alcohol or any other intoxicants for all Buddhist. Then for the monks, do not decorate yourself, do not attend amusements, eat moderately only before noon, do not sleep on high or wide beds, and do not touch money. The first part pretty much covers all the last 7 commandments in the Bible, but is so so so much more repressive and strict than what Christ teaches. The Buddha, Siddhartha who lived almost 1500 years before Christ, left his newborn son and wife to seek enlightenment. Buddhism denies God, yet believe Buddha was tempted by evil spirits or demons along his path to enlightenment. We have found out that her Mom actually practices a dark voodoo version of Buddhism that scared Buddhist monks when we shared recordings of their conversations. I have personally seen these dark and evil spirits for myself and have battled them in my mother-n-laws house. Buddhism seems to deny God, but throughout the east there is a connection to the spiritual world unlike the west. This seems contradictory. But, to stop suffering the teachings are all about one's self, and does not really seem to help society as a whole. It is impossible for humans to keep to this, and be free as we were meant to be. We are meant to Love, but we cannot truly live in love if all we focus on is our own enlightenment and abstain from everything. Just look at the starvation and suffering throughout Asia, it seems to me this leads to complacency. With love, this seems very very inward focussed, and almost self centered, or even selfish. We humans are not meant to cut ourselves off from Love, to find Love. There is nothing more beautiful than a parent's love for their child, this doesn't make sense to me. We all have to worship something. I also believe that the Christian church has been poisoned by the idea of an eternal conscious torment in hell too. And, most "Christians" don't seem to act very Jesus like today, I will be the first to admit it. But, up until the 5th century the majority of the church believed that God really will reconcile all things to Himself. If you look at the original greek texts, I still have not found anywhere that says anything about an eternal hell. Rather, Jesus died on the cross to conquer death and the devil, and hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. And, God is Fire, the fire that burns out anything that is not of Love's kind. Will it hurt? Sure, especially for our ego. But, if God is Love, and according to 1 John 4, anyone who knows love knows God and God is in them, can we really say that God is not in every one of our brothers and sisters on earth? There are truths here, but there are not answers it seems, or full truths. But God is Love, and God will not rest until he reconciles all his children, pagan, mormon, hindu, buddhist, muslim and jew to Himself in Love. God will follow us into the depths of our hell and isolation, to romance us back to Himself. There is nothing more freeing, nothing more beautiful, nothing more hopeful, and nothing more true than this. It just seems that in Buddhism people spend their lifetime searching for something that is right in front of them the whole time. Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit is with us and inside of us all the time. All we have to do is ask, Jesus, are you inside me? He will say "I AM" and if you cannot hear him ask him why you can't. There is no need to search any longer. Live my brothers, live my sisters in true freedom and enlightenment.
Dear Brother Zachary. Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. It shows insight, commitment to Jesus, and the love that only he can give. If you look back at the description for this video, you may notice that I refer to the website, Dharma2Grace.net, of which this video is only one part. It is a Christian outreach website to Buddhists, in which we try to represent Buddhism as accurately as we can and then provide the contrast with the message of redemption is Christ. Neither the website nor the video have the intent of recruiting people for Buddhism, just to display Buddhism in a way that Buddhist will recognize the beliefs and message of their religion. Some of the other videos for that website are housed here on TH-cam as well. This one has taken on a life of its own, which is good in the sense that we apparently have got Buddhism right, but not so good because people in general seem to not go from here to the website or watch its companion videos, as I had hoped. So, speaking personally, I thank the Lord that you have found salvation in Christ and are eagerly sharing his gospel. I am glad that you have written your response, and I will do whatever I can to somehow keep it towards the top of the comments. Furthermore, I'm wondering if it would be okay if I posted it on the website in the "Christ and Buddha section." In Christ, Win. (Feel free to google my name and find out more about who I am, and what I do. And, I'd be happy to converse with you further. My e-mail address is wncorduan@gmail.com.)
Of course my brother, please use that post in any way you want! Thank you for your love and service to our brothers and sisters all over the globe! I will send you an email and will look more at your Dharma2Grace.net website. Many blessings to you and all who see this!
YOU ARE VERY WELCOME! for I appreciate being reminded of what so often I forget in daily life. How often am I again in much trouble and great difficulties when I set aside any of the teachings! Buddha bless sir.(it has been MY honour to have come across your video.)
@Jsen111 I am a Buddhist nun who teaches the Dharma. Some of my students are Catholic (3 Capuchin Franciscan monks), two are Muslim, 2 are Jewish, 2 are Baptist. The rest come from various backgrounds, mostly Christian/Atheist/Agnostic. A quote from H.H. Dalai Lama is "Don't study Buddhism to become Buddhist. Study it to become a better whatever you are."
Thanks for sharing this great Video! I was a very harsh speaker and people used to hate me because of my speech. I loved the concept so much that, I started practicing it regularly and i used the "BuDhamma" mobile app to help me on this. Now, I speak gentle and my people are very happy with me. Lot of things I get easily done now!
Than you for this video. I was watching some of the teaching of the Dalai Lama, but was not familiar with many of the concepts and terms. This video has helped me to better understand some the basics of Buddhism, and improved my comprehension of Dalai Lama's teachings,
I agree with yamit kashyap, even I knew this theory since my childhood but only after practicing vipassanna I experienced solace and tranquillity in true sense.
I went to college for 10 years to become a pharmacist while thinking that having a 6 figure salary would make me happy......I was wrong. The instructions in this video are a much better path towards enlightenment and being content.
RylandSmith read "what the Buddha taught" and the "Lotus Sutra" to learn about Buddhism and the middle way. don't join a group or follow a leader. you have the Buddha nature inside.
* Bhuddism and science go hand in hand * 4 noble truths : 1-3 :To Live is to Suffer, desire, eliminate desire : mother nature provides us selfish genes since we were in the form of Bacteria to triumph or to vanish. 4. solution to free from suffering : on the same time, our mom also provide us w logics, reasonings and heart.
Good video, very informative. I still believe my personal path intertwines more with Hinduism, but I know more about Buddhism after watching this, and I will certainly respect any Buddhist I meet. Thank you for making this.
I don't feel the need to hate though. I don't think I have ever hated anyone, my entire life, it's just too difficult to hate, it causes pain and stress. I like making other people happy, I do a lot of charity work and give away money to those less fortunate. I do not care if anyone returns this to me or not, I would rather people just act the same way and bring happiness to others. I see no reason for humanity to 'hate', but every reason for them to love. I do not want to lose any emotions.
It's so sad that you so claim Christian, have to make rude and juvenile comments! You need to back and read more text! This man took the time to make a video for others to explore. Thank you sir, very helpful video!
Even though i don't like titles, since they carry the baggage laid by other people that brings forth assumptions and misconceptions, i have to submit and call myself an atheist. Even with said title, i would like to explore Buddhism to attain that "selflessness" that i admire so much. It is a trait that i find lacking in many beliefs, religions, and practices.
shockwave818 Wanting things both ways is always a big temptation. I guess it's part of human nature to want to create one's make-your-own religion. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Of course, as a Christian it makes no difference to me whether you eat meat or not, but traditionally most schools of Buddhism include vegetarianism as part of keeping Ahimsa (non-harming).
Eating meat is not prohibited in Buddhism, but killing animals is. If the meat you eat is specifically killed for your food, then you will share the sin of the killer to some extent. This is complex, as one could argue that, meat sold in market are killed for the buyer. No one living a layman's life, will be able to 100% adhere to all recommendations given in Buddhism. It is a progression of state of cultivation of oneself. As evolution of your mind becomes higher, there are more and more things you will understand and be able to adhere to. So, start somewhere. Don't hesitate to follow the path shown by the Lord Buddha even if you want to continue to eat meat. By following some aspects of it , you will realizability the importance of the others and will be more motivated in time to come. Good luck.
@Jsen111 Actually yes, from my experience Buddhism is very tolerant of other faiths... Many people in the western countries see Buddhism as more of a philosophy or way of life. Every Buddhist temple I have been to welcomes all faiths. They do not try to convert or preach just try to explain. So yes you absolutely can incorporate the two.
Ironweasle6, you're absolutely right. There's a distinct difference between 1) desire in the sense of clinging to a thing or a wish and 2) intention or aspiration. That distinction is not just semantic because the concepts are distinct. It puts an end to the sophomorish criticism that Buddhism violates its own principles because people have to desire nirvana. Well, that's not true. The 8-fold path tells us that we have to intend or aspire to release, but if you "desire" it, you'll get stuck.
I would like to be a Buddhist, I have studied it hard, however the four noble truths confuse me. I quite like becoming attached to my friends, family, pets etc. I know it will cause suffering, it has done many times, I have had friends in the army, family who passed away who I was close to, but I do not regret becoming attached to them, despite the suffering. It was worth it, to be able to feel so happy when they were around during my life.
I find it funny how so many people criticize differ religions ... For the critisizers let's see your religion so I can point out well let's not call them flaws let's say thing inwhich I disagree with In your religion .. Buddha did say don't take his word for everything do what feels right . So altho I wouldn't say I don't care about relationships I do but I'm not gonna stress myself for them if they aren't good because everything I. This life will pass sooner than later
"Seek to be partakers, brethren, not of the world's goods but of my doctrines. For craving brings about attachment, and attachment enslaves the mind." - Buddha
Thank you for the video. For all faiths, take what is helpful and leave what is not, but if you examine the precepts presented here you see that there is no "push" for you to believe in any particular God. Buddhism is generally understood today as a religion and the Buddha is considered to be a God, but this is not so. Buddhism is a teaching that explains the nature of life and how to end its suffering at its root cause. The Buddha was the man, like you and me, who discovered this revelation.
Thank you, Takeshi! I agree. The reason is that he actually made atonement for our sins on the cross and was resurrected, rather than merely teaching some kind of speculation on how we should live. Win
I am from Laos, and all my life thought I was a bhuddist, but I am far from it. thanks for vdo. it eliminated some of the ignorant in me about bhuddism.
I was hoping for a little more of a factual reply than invective and self-praise. It will be good to see Hinduism demonstrate its capacity to create a better world in solving India's problems. Then we can look forward to it improving the globe. In the meantime, I'm happy to relay on my Creator and Savior.
Excellent point. Thanks for commenting. According to Shinran (13th cent.), Amitabha ("Fo"--Buddha; "Amituo"-- fr. Amithaba or Amida) frees people from all obligations and lets them enter his pure land simply by having faith in him. Of course, that's a Mahayana belief, and I chose to limit this little video to Theravada. Also, a problem is that, whereas we know of the historical actions of Christ, there's really no basis for believing in Amitabha other than speculation about an "other-power."
I believe that when The Buda sat down and received His enlightenment , it was from The Lord God Himself . As much as I have ever read about THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS it sounds like the teachings of Jesus . { BEAUTIFUL }
I been reading a bit on Buddhism lately and it does not sound as strict as this, example: it says avoid taking what is not yours, avoid lying. It was very focused on using your intelligence and inner moral to decide what is the right thing to do. The words of Buddha he said is only a guide, following something blindly is ignorance is looked down upon. He even said that he did not want to be worshipped or have statues made of him, his teachings is what’s important not him.
Please read the Therigatha and perhaps my commentary, particularly on the story of Kisa Gotami on my blog: wincorduan.bravejournal.com/entry/134190. Thanks.
DaisyGirl, "Special Days" are Buddhist holidays, days that are special because of certain events, e.g., the dedication of a temple, or days on which someone has taken a vow for personal reasons.
Thanks, VBT. More specifically, many Hindus have adopted the Buddha as the 9th major avatar of Vishnu (others put Balarama in that place). Usually the justification is that the Buddha demonstrates the truth of the Hindu dharma by showing what happens when you violate it. Buddhism, as I'm sure you know, is considered a heretical school of Hinduism as it denies the authority of the Vedas as well as the caste system. Buddha started out as a Hindu, but wound up denying foundational Hindu beliefs.
This was very easy to understand and a great way to introduce someone who isn't familiar to Buddhism. Please consider making more videos and bless you. :)
Everyone, since I'm a Christian who put up a video on Buddhism, it should be clear that free discussion of all points of view is welcome here. It was the Buddhist emperor of India, Ashoka, who coined the motto: Satyameva jayate, "Truth alone Triumphs!" Jesus said, "The truth shall set you free." Even the Qur'an states that "Truth stands out clear from error." (2:256) Let's interpret each others' comments as factual and not personal. This discussion is too good to become lost in heat.
Heaven, not to mention God's work, God is Here, God is right here with us! We choose to stay with God & fight for a better earth! WE will decide mankind's future, one day humans will travel to the stars - we Hindus pledge to stay right here, we pledge to make it happen! Make God proud of us! Any fool can sit & praise God, but Hindus aim to make God proud of us! We follow in the footsteps of Gandhiji, Mother Teresa, MLK, Oskar Schindler, Einstein-great souls who have given their lives for mankind
I wanted to ask a question. Does number one include bugs and pests? If so, where does the line start? Maybe at unavoidable or unaware, like very small insects that you might kill just by living?
+Christopher Wood Christopher, I have yet to run into any Buddhists who make a really big deal out of harming the occasional insect (or, for that matter, bacteria, etc.). I suppose one can always rationalize that it was in the insect's karma. Obviously, any intentional hurt is a violation. I'm not a Buddhist, and I don't like it either when people deliberately kill an insect when it poses no harm, particularly out of doors. By way of contrast, the religion of Jainism considers all harming of any life forms an action that accrues karma. In that case one can only hope that a sufficient amount of good deeds will outweigh karma with which one has, albeit inadvertently, defiled oneself.
Win Corduan I was wondering because I heard a woman say she doesn't kill insects because she is a Buddhist and Vegan, and my head spun with questions.. hehe Roaches? Lice? Fleas? You get the picture. Thanks for the videos. It's what I was looking for; A basics in Buddhist Teaching. I was mostly interested in an academic sense.
To break the 1st percept, you need to fulfill 5 things. 1. Know that it is a living being 2. Desire to kill it 3. Do an action that leads to the death of the desired 4. It dies due to the particular action 5. Know that it died. If you fulfill all these 5, only then it becomes that you have broken the 1st percept. If any insect or bacteria dies due to your actions which are not aimed at killing them , then it will not affect you.
Tithira Jayaweera If your house is infested with bugs, and you have to hire a service to kill them, you'd meet these five points. What are you supposed to do? You can't live in a house infested with bugs.
+Christopher Wood Yes, unfortunately you do fulfill the 5 then. As a consequence you will have some repercussions, but..the sin due to killing an animal also depend on the merit of the animal you kill. If you kill a human, the repercussion are more than what you get if you kill an elephant, which is in turn more than when you kill an ant and so on. Also among humans , for example, if you kill a saintly person and if you kill a murderer, there is a difference. If you think for yourself, you will realize, the effort you put in, the battle within you, and how much you are going to go on thinking of it and repenting also will be somewhat similar. Complex subject, but I hope I gave you some idea.
Michael, first of all be aware that this precept is particularly applicable to Therevada. Byway of contrast, in some Mahayana schools, they do eat in the evening, but believe that they need to learn to detach themselves from the idea of food for enjoyment. Food is then considered merely medicine against hunger. In the stricter context, e.g., Thai Buddhism, where the ten precepts are kept rigorously by monks, lay people observe the 8 precepts purely on a voluntary basis to increase their merit. Special days could be any day of the year,; perhaps you if you may have made a vow to fast on your mother's birthday or whatever. The more common days might be Buddha's birthday, day of enlightenment, or day of paranirvana (which are identical in some areas). I met some people observing the 8 precepts on day when a new addition to a Thai temple was going being dedicated, and these folks were keeping keeping them on that auspicious occasion. In short, it's not something that regulated, but something that would fit into a person's overall commitment to Buddhism and the accumulation of merit.
For people who criticize in the future, understand that you cannot approach Buddhism with a Christian mind set. They are two very different realms.. Two different goals. You as anyone else need to approach with an open mind. Something this generation seems to be lacking in greatly..
Wildman, thanks for your brief comment. I realize that one unsupported assertion deserves no more than another unsupported assertion; that's why I fleshed out Takeshi's statement. It would be more interesting if you elaborated on your point some more.
Thanks, Alan. If I were overly sensitive to "digs" I would hardly have posted a video on such a topic. I'm enjoying the conversation. My concern is for accuracy in understanding each other's point of view, whether it's traditional or innovative. Only then can we raise the question of truth without talking past each other.
As a Hindu, I have to chime in - listen all this things don't matter - what matters is a clean heart, what you have done with your life. All this - praying x times a day, cutting ur hear, growing a beard, hiding ur hair, avoiding luxury, begging for food - all these are but RITUALS - rituals will not help you come close to God Try making a difference - try aksing urself - is the world better off with me in it? That's what matters
My Abbot taught me that there is a difference between desire and aspirations. Desire can lead to suffering and therefore should be avoided but one should aspire to become a better person or to learn new things or to attain enlightenment or wisdom. So Ramarakash is correct about desire helping us to advance as a species but I would classify those desires as asperations. I know it's semantics but I find it easier to explain to people that not all desire is bad that way. At least it made sense to m
It is my own composition, which I have simply called "Background to Basics of Buddhism," and I have copyrighted it. I'll be happy let you use it under normal legal procedure; e.g., you request permission, I grant it under certain conditions. :)
@Win Corduan ok I just wanted to listen to the music I don’t have any intention of using it for my own stuff. But thanks any way. But Have you uploaded it to TH-cam or sound could or some other web site I can listen to it on?
That's a good question, and I don't have an answer to it. The history of Buddhism is filled with innovators who had a hard time getting accepted at first. E.g. Bodhidharma--Chan (Zen); Honen and Shinran-Pure Land as a separate school; Nichiren Daishonin--Nichiren Shoshu, etc. My commentary can only be descriptive, not normative. For Christianity, as a Christian, I can say "This is what it should be." For Buddhism I can only say, "This is or is not what fits Buddhism as it has been taught."
Actually, you don't disagree with me at all, merely with the Buddhism portrayed in the video, which I made for teaching purposes. My personal belief goes even further than yours in a sense. There is no way in which we could ever make ourselves acceptable to God, not even if we focus on our characters. If we are to be redeemed, it can only be by God's own initiative and grace, which he gave to us in Jesus Christ. Please see my companion video "Basic Teachings of Christianity." Thanks.
That is, in fact, the truth. Buddhist monks and nuns are usually supposed to treat their immediate family as though they were total strangers. If you can find my "taiwanreport" on the web and scroll down to the entry of November 30, you'll see an example of this matter.
Depends on what is being defined as reincarnation. I'm a buddhist and this karma imprint which you speak of is a fundemental part of buddhism, it relates in my opinion to the experiences you leave behind after you die. Karma is the interpretation of your actions upon the whole. If you harm a creature then karma dictates that the action will affect the system in some way, i.e that creature may not survive and multiply. As nirvana is to become one with the whole, your actions seise to induce karma
+TheJadeFist The point is simply to aim for simplicity. A high and wide bed would be a normal bed as most of us are used to--easy to get into or out of, a mattress with just the right firmness, lots of room to toss and turn, etc. :). This is unnecessary comfort that you can get attached to. On the other extreme would be sleeping on the floor or on the ground; that's unnecessary hardship, which might interfere with your meditation and other obligations. So, Buddhism pursues the "middle way." Monks who follow the ten precepts can sleep on cots or mats, so that sleep doesn't interfere in either direction: it's supposed to be neither a hardship you dread nor a luxury you might crave. :)
Win Corduan I see, thank you for replying. I can't say I really crave my bed or anything, a hard mat futon permanently in couch mode. I think thats sounds more like a vice that would be independent of the person, maybe as a monk that removes luxuries from their life a bed might become a luxury?
1. If Buddhists themselves cannot agree on which scriptural writings or traditions for practice are actually true statements from Buddha, how can Buddhism as a system claim any truth? Even within Buddhism, there are contradictory claims related to the validity of a variety of late appearing religious texts, all of which claim to accurately represent the words of Buddha. None of these texts stands unchallenged as having come from the time in which Buddha lived. Many have very questionable origins. How are we to know which are authoritative? Many scholars believe it is impossible to say with confidence, “This is what Gautama Buddha said.” How can anyone make a claim for the truth without first establishing the foundation for Buddhistic truth? 2. If life is just suffering, as Buddhism claims, why is it some of us don’t see it this way? Why do some of us see life as wonderful rather than filled with suffering? Buddha’s observations about the world seem to come from his direct experience; the entire religious system is built on the notion life is filled with suffering with no positive value on the individual. But what if the individual doesn’t see the world in this way? What if the individual, even though he or she experiences hardship, understands the value of this experience and does not see it as suffering? 3. If our present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, what is the real present remedy for suffering in this life? Can all suffering be alleviated in this life through our efforts with the Eight Fold Path? Why engage in any effort related to the Eight Fold Path, if the only true benefits are to be realized in the next life? 4. Who is the Karma Judge? If, as Buddhism teaches, there is no personal God interacting with His creation, who determines whether or not a person has done something to merit either “good” or “bad” Karma? If this decision is made at the end of one’s life, who is actually making the decision? How can an impersonal force “decide” anything? Who is the final judge of Karma, and mustn’t this judge by necessity be a personal being (capable of making a decision)? 5. If achieving “nirvana” means that we will be liberated from the illusion of consciousness, how then will we know (be conscious of) our achieving this “nirvana”? How can we be “conscious” of this, if “consciousness” will no longer exist? Our existence outside the material, physical world, presumes a conscious existence in which we can “realize” or enlightened condition. How can we be conscious of this if consciousness will no longer exist? 6. If there is no transcendent “self” or “soul”, how do we transcend this life in order for reincarnation to be possible? If reincarnation is true, it makes sense something of our true identity would move from one life to the next. What is this “something” if not a soul? Who (or what) moves on from this life to the next? 7. What real evidence do we have that reincarnation is true? Why is there not consistent evidence for the notion of reincarnation? On what evidence is this idea based, aside from the writings of Buddha? While we have good philosophical reasons to believe in the existence of the soul, what philosophical reasoning brings us to the conclusion that reincarnation is true? 8. If all of us are re-incarnations of prior human beings, how do we account for the growing population? Where do “new” humans come from? Reincarnation implies all of us were here before, in a prior life. But if humans can only be reincarnated from prior humans, how is it the global population is growing? If humans can be reincarnated from other animals, does this mean the total animal population on earth has always been constant? 9. If “buddhas” and “boddisatvas” exist to help others in achieving “nirvana” what is the true value of “self-effort”? If, as a Buddhist, I rely on the help of a “buddha” or “boddisatva” how can my assisted work be accredited to me as Karma (or even as true obedience to the Eight Fold Path)? Doesn’t assistance negate the self-effort required to establish Karma in the first place? 10. If “buddha-hood” is actually achievable in this life, how are we to know we are talking to a true “buddha” or “boddisatva”? If there are those in our midst who have actually achieved this level of enlightenment, how are we to identify them? Why should we trust their own proclamations of “buddha-hood”? How will we recognize them or even distinguish them from non-Buddhist people who display all the attributes consistent with “buddha-hood”? 11. If a person’s present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, why should we try to do anything to change their present condition? Aren’t they simply getting what they deserve? Why help those who are simply paying the price for an evil prior life? Passivity and apathy seem to be a common problem within Buddhism, largely in response to a concept known as “samsara”. Take a look at this article from an online Burmese magazine: “This passivity is largely due to the promotion of samsara. Taken from the Pali word sam (succession) sara (going, wandering), it refers to the cycle of human existence, or the cycle of life and death. Samsara poses that people are mere guests in this life, and life is just a transit point. Samsara is the flux of mind and body, of mental and physical phenomena. Humans are travelers in the realm of samsara, where nothing holds permanent. Moments of sadness and misfortune, as well as glory and happiness, are accepted as part of the natural ups and downs of life. Burma’s political and religious elite has affirmed samsara as the only indisputable Buddhist doctrine, and the public has meekly signed on. Because so many Burmese Buddhists tend to see themselves against the backdrop of samsara, it has wide reach over existing social structures, even though Burma is not religiously homogenous. Every experience, even a bad one, is seen as part of life and the impermanent nature of the world. Rather than being angered or aggrieved by unfortunate experiences, Burmese Buddhism preaches that it is best to let them go.”(by Min Zin, Engaging Buddhism for Social Change, March, 2003 Irrawaddy.org) 12. If our present existence is the result of something we could not control (from a prior life), what hope can we have related to our present situation in this life? How do we hold on to hope for this life if our situation was predetermined for us and our present behaviors have more impact on the next life than on the present one? Doesn’t this view of our present life lead to an inevitable hopelessness? As it turns out, heavily Buddhist countries like Japan, Korea, and Sri Lanka have some of the highest suicide rates (from young to old). The top twenty most suicidal countries are almost all countries with strong Buddhist or Communist (atheist) histories. Biblical Issues Now let’s examine some questions related to topics directly addressed in the Bible. Buddhism makes a number of claims about the way in which the world operates. Let’s compare these ideas directly to the claims of Christianity: 1. You don’t believe in the existence of a personal God. As a Christian I do believe that God exists, and I believe Him to be a personal creator: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Romans 1:19-20 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God” 2. You don’t seem to have an answer for the origin of the universe or for us as human beings. As a Christian, I believe the universe (and all of us) were created by God and that we are therefore real: Acts 17:24-31 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), “I am the LORD, and there is none else.” 3. You seem to deny the reality of our material existence and you also deny the existence of the soul and spirit. As a Christian, I believe humans are real in body, soul and spirit: Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him 4. You seem to devalue our present life as fleeting and illusionary. As a Christian, I believe this physical life may be temporary, but it is valuable and worth living: Isaiah 40:6 A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. Isaiah 40:21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER” And this is the word which was preached to you. 5. You believe the goal of good living is all about the personal reward of enlightenment. As a Christian, I believe the goal of good living is to honor God and demonstrate His worth so others would desire to know Him: Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 …just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. Colossians 1:9-10 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God 6. You believe suffering is the result of desire (and attachment) and may even be the result of “bad Karma”. As a Christian, I believe suffering is the result of sin, our intentional rebellion against God. I believe sin is not an abstract notion or a relative concept. It is clearly defined: 2 Chronicles 6:36 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to a land far off or near Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned Psalm 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him. Proverbs 21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin. 7. You believe suffering is something we should want to eliminate. As a Christian, I also want to eliminate sin, but I also see the positive value in suffering; it can teach, it can discipline, it can provide a contrast to joy. As a Christian, I know we can even find joy in the midst of suffering: Romans 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. 2 Corinthians 8:2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 1 Peter 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 1 Thessalonians 3:7-9 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account 8. You believe we cease to exist after death. As a Christian, I believe we do not cease to exist after our physical death, but will instead live on to be judged for our actions: Revelation 20:12-13 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. John 5:28-29 “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment 9. You believe humans can achieve perfection and reach “nirvana”. As a Christian, I believe we can never achieve perfection in this life, freedom from suffering, or any permanent more noble existence by self-effort: John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Romans 3:10-12 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” Galatians 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit 10. You believe we can escape the suffering of this world and the limits of our material existence by observing and practicing a set of practices. As a Christian, I know tat the way of “escape” is only through faith in Jesus Christ as we are spiritually reborn with God’s life through the Holy Spirit: John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Ephesians 2:1-9 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith 2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. So, Could This Be True? Every worldview has to be both internally and externally consistent. The challenge for Buddhism is to account for a system of judgment and reward (Karma) without a personal judge who has the ability to decide whether an individual has achieved something noble or committed something despicable. The very judge required by a Karma system is, in fact, lacking from Buddhism altogether. In addition, there are many open philosophical questions related to the first question of all worldviews (“How did we get here?”), and the system seems to lead (in many formations) to a sense of despair and hopelessness. In addition to philosophical difficulties, Christians must recognize that Buddhism is incompatible with the Christian worldview (for all the reasons we’ve already discussed). As our culture embraces pluralism and tries to find similarities between every view of the world, we must be clear about the concepts and claims defining us and ask the tough questions differentiating Christianity from Buddhism. - See more at www.BibleQuery.org. John 14:6
***** You ask a lot of good questions. My two cents is that Buddhism is not meant to be understood or applied as a religion. Buddhism is a concept. A pointer towards how to obtain lasting inner peace. There is pain in life. Pain is often as much of a driving force as pleasure when it comes to being a motivating force for change. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Most forms of suffering come from attachment. To get rid of suffering, then we must get rid of attachment. Personally, I find the whole concept/argument of karma, reincarnation, and how we got here, a distraction, as there is little sense in even discussing them since we will never know the truth/existence of these things. My actions towards living a life of contentment and compassion, are not to achieve enlightenment. They are an end to themselves. If enlightenment happens, then so be it, but to me, anyone who is chasing enlightenment is missing the point altogether.
CAnswersTV Buddhism is a religion of self. Not to be confused with the methods of Christianity or Islam. When you become a Buddhist you do not worship a man or demigod as your Savior. You learn to become your own doctor, your own Savior. Every sector of religion can have extreme ends. Christianity and Snake dancers, Islam and Jihad, and Buddhist who treat Buddha as a deity. Also don't confuse folklore with the actual content of teachings. Many places added their own twist to stories to make it easier to understand or to grab the attention of youth in order to hear the story.
Addu Malah Yes , no dogma, No bears tearing kids to pieces because they were being kids making fun of a bald guy. Buddhism is an ancient form of psychology for modern day problems.
Devyn, Part one: That's a nice and easy construal on your part, but it simply does not comply with what the Buddha taught, as recorded in the Tripitaka. Meditation is a part of the 8-fold path, but only a part. You can read the Buddha's suttas on the Sacred Texts website. Part two: Whether he was right, is a different question, and there I would agree with you that, for a teaching that's supposed to go beyond words, they sure spilled a lot of words and concepts on it.
In my understanding, the rule of Ahimsa (not inflicting harm on any living being) does not apply to fighting as a sport. Of course, in fighting as in walking or anything you do, if you're a serious aspirant, you'll learn to do so with full concentration on your actions, but your emotions detached.
Kashmiri, you're right insofar as Buddhism certainly carries with it a way of life and a philosophy of mind, which have been dispersed and appropriated by others. Still, that does not change the fact that it is also a religion. Abraham Lincoln asked the question, "If you call a cat's tail a leg, how many legs does a cat have?" The answer: "Still only four." Changing the meaning of words by personal choice doesn't change reality. Whether you like to apply the term or not, Buddhism is a religion.
Exchange of ideas are always good - none of us want the world that most muslims seem to be living in right now. My comments do apply to everyone - it is about Karma & Rebirth - which Buddhists also beleive in
The comment "how could a religion that denies the existence of a creator(Buddhism)..." is again, another misrepresentation. Whether Gods or Goddess's or other supernatural spirits exist is neither here nor there. If they exist, then they are subject to impermanence and suffering like any other being. With no proof of any such beings, there is no need to dwell on such notions. Again, seeing reality as it is, not as we would wish it to be. The commentator is either ignorant of Buddhism, or deliberately trying to promote his own religious beliefs through misrepresentations.
This is for Angus Mac by the way Buddhism is not a religion... it's a science of living, living here and now... based on 'Anichcha (impermanence) .. Dukka (suffering/ unsatisfactory condition).. Anatta (Not self).. what this man was basically saying is the basic Dhamma for a beginner,, no harm done for anyone, he has not offended anyone, if you are a Buddhist then you do not need to get angry... Buddha stated you must listen carefully, reason and analyze before accepting it, you can always reject it if you are not happy/ not satisfied with what you hear, however if you do not understand it ask from someone who can explain it better and if you are still not happy reject it. but no need to get angry. Anger is one of the three poisons which brings suffering to your life, the other two are desire and dilution ( these three conditions are known as Ignorance). The eight fold path is the way to purify your Ignorance and this can be done only through meditation. He was the 1st to mention that we are all made of Atoms ( now the physicists are using the string theory / quantum physics / particle physics etc) but they have no idea how to apply this theories, coz they have no idea about the consciousness and how it came about. This is the science that Buddha showed us, and only the meditative states you can see and experience Dhamma, theoretical Dhamma can not get you to attain Nibbhana, so what ever you learn theoretically has no purpose if you can not practice and discipline yourself according to Dhamma. This is why there are only a handful of pure Dhamma practitioners in the world today, because Buddhist way of living is to do with the nature, follow the Natural laws. Love, compassion, forgiveness, removing defilement's from your corrupted mind and purifying through meditation practice, it is the effort you need to follow this eight fold path, 'I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is victory over self' 'ARISTOTLE'
Remember that this is a part of the 8 precepts that need to be observed only by monks and those laypeople who may observe a particular day as special. For them it would interfere with the right concentration or mindfulness of the 8-fold path. In general there is nothing that stands in the way for Buddhist lay people to watch the theater, movies, or TH-cam. :)
How are you supposed to survive and truly follow the teachings for things like survival? Like we NEED food and water to survive, but the teachings are not to desire things. So no matter what you do or who you are, you will ALWAYS desire/need things, right?
Jennifer, in theory at least, Buddhism insists on a difference between wanting or wiling something and craving or desiring something. One could not be a Buddhist if one did not will to attain enlightenment. "Craving" or "desire," on the other hand, mean to attach yourself to something that isn't real. In my observation, this theoretical distinction does not necessarily work out in practice.
Buddhism teaches us to be MINDFUL of greed not to abolish it (in fact he said we needed desire and greed as if we did not how could we WANT to act morally? How would we want to pursue Buddhism) completely it has been said that the Buddha said this would be impossible and this applies to other emotions and states as well, such as sadness and so on. When Buddha's parents died he was sad and I can't remember if it was said he cried however he wasn't emotionless and you really can't be. Buddhism is about finding the balance and middle ground that will bring happiness to you :) I know what this video says but his roughly following what the teachings are, read proper literature and the different forms of Buddhism I don't agree 100% with this video but it's an OK general intro I guess >.
In the context of Theravada Buddhist teachings, if you're a lay person, breaking the precepts will contribute to your bad karma and count against the merit you're supposed to be accumulating for a better next incarnation. You can sink low enough to become a demon in hell. If you're a monk, it'll slow down your progress toward Nirvana. In contrast to the trivialized picture we often paint of Buddhism, like any serious religion, it addresses certain realities pretty directly.
Win Corduan Christian heaven is very similar to lower heavens of Byddhist cosmology wherr angels delight in sensual pleasures and think that they are living in eternal heaven.
Tyler, as I have said multiple times, it all depends on whether you want to devise your own religion or talk about the one that has existed for 2500 years. In Theravada Buddhism monks are barely allowed to look at women, and sex is restricted to marriage only. One can reject Buddhism (which I do) or accept is with its moral code (which I don't), but revising it on the basis of what you feel is not really an option if you want to stay true to the religion.
Continuing. Read the beginning below first. :) This is an issue pretty much in all religions. Sometimes new movements get accepted, e.g. Gaudia Hinduism; sometimes they break away and become a religion in their own right, e.g. Baha'i from Islam; sometimes there seems to be perpetual tension, e.g. Mormonism and Christianity. Agreed-upon scriptures may help, but in Buddhism, where the canon is fluid (e.g. Tripitaka and Lotus Sutra), it's pretty difficult.
+Martha zoluaga Actually, one could argue over whether M. is an intoxicant since its action is quite different from alcohol. But that's not the point. The idea behind the precept is to avoid anything that clouds your thinking or messes with your mind, viz. any chemically induced state (medication excepted, of course). So, yeah, M. would be as much forbidden in Buddhism as alcohol. The fact that any number of recreational pseudo-Buddhists give themselves exemptions doesn't change a thing.
Not all Buddhists adhere to all recommendations, not even the 5 basic percepts by most, which is wrong and they in turn will have the repercussions of it, as is evident by the increasing number of accidents caused due to intoxicated drivers, numerous illnesses due to alcohol and smoking etc. None of these are rules, rules are there for only the monks and not for laymen. By adhering to the percepts the laymen will minimizer repercussions from these obviously bad deeds and by having the control of mind to be away from temptations, they will be able to cultivate their minds and achieve more.
Wildman, again, thanks for your comment. I must confess, though, that it leaves me scratching my head in what sense you could mean that statement or how it could possibly be true. After all, as you perhaps know, the Lotus Sutra (ch.3--The Parable of the Burning House) advocates the doctrine of upayana (skilfull means), according to which it is legitimate to tell an untruth in order to bring people to the alleged truth. In fact, one could ask if the present teaching isn't also more upayana. Win
They are Mahayana monks; the video is from a Theravada perspective. Mahayana orders don't necessarily go by the ten precepts. As another example, I visited one temple/monastery in Taiwan, where they had an evening meal. In Theravada countries (Sri Lanka, Thailand), the bikhus may not eat after noon. So, the documentary was right, and my video is right. :)
Indeed, civility is lacking everywhere, and you also have a civil tone which I am sure will gain you more respect than it does to other Christians. By the way, what does DIY stand for?
"Historical evidence for the existence of god" is an interesting concept. The evidence for God himself is based on the fact that if there were no God, there could be no universe. The historical evidence for Christianity focuses on the life and resurrection of Jesus. And, btw, calling the Bible a book of fairy tales doesn't make it so. Thanks for the comments.
Please note that I'm not going to tolerate any racist outbursts. If you leave a comment in which your contribution insults anyone's ethnicity, your remarks are immediately headed to the iggie bin, and I will report them to TH-cam. If you can't be civil or focus on the genuine issues, you're obviously not qualified to discuss Buddhism or--for that matter--much else.
He's fictional.
Win Corduan thank you for sharing this .
It's been less than 2 years for me, so I'd say I am new to it all too. I understand that you must love all beings equally. It's not about loving your loved ones less, but to love others just as much. Nothing in my life has been more devastating than when I lost some of my loved ones, so I totally understand this. People will die, and we'll suffer greatly because of it, unless we accept to let go of that form of attachment. It's learning to love in a new, non-egoistical way.
First of all, thank you for posting this. I grew up Christian but really did not lead a religious life until recently. My wife is 1st generation Vietnamese American and we have many beloved Buddhist family members. But, first I want to say I have a lot of love and respect for your message and especially it's intent of compassion.
While pure and beautiful in desire it seems it is impossible for us humans to live up to. Although, it is extremely similar to what Jesus and the bible teaches. But the 4 truths are good, and well, undeniably true. We cannot live without suffering on this earth and the suffering is caused by earthly desires. There is no denying that. We cannot cling to our health and wealth or earthly relationships forever, it only leads to death and suffering. Sure, it makes sense we can eliminate our suffering by eliminating our fallen desire. We should not get attached to what is material or our experiences, it only leads to suffering. But, the 8 fold path is impossible for us. It is not bad, it is a good thing to strive for: the right concentration, view, intents, speech, action, livelihood, effort, and mindfulness. In the end it is all about love and compassion for all life. It is extremely beautiful, and easy to see why they say Jesus was a Buddhist Monk. Or, what if instead, Buddha was a "Christian" some 1500 years before Christ?
Either way, the problem is that it is impossible for us humans to fully live by the 8 fold path. To do it they suggest that you: do not harm any living being, always tell the truth, no illicit sexual activities, do not steal, do not take alcohol or any other intoxicants for all Buddhist. Then for the monks, do not decorate yourself, do not attend amusements, eat moderately only before noon, do not sleep on high or wide beds, and do not touch money. The first part pretty much covers all the last 7 commandments in the Bible, but is so so so much more repressive and strict than what Christ teaches. The Buddha, Siddhartha who lived almost 1500 years before Christ, left his newborn son and wife to seek enlightenment.
Buddhism denies God, yet believe Buddha was tempted by evil spirits or demons along his path to enlightenment. We have found out that her Mom actually practices a dark voodoo version of Buddhism that scared Buddhist monks when we shared recordings of their conversations. I have personally seen these dark and evil spirits for myself and have battled them in my mother-n-laws house. Buddhism seems to deny God, but throughout the east there is a connection to the spiritual world unlike the west. This seems contradictory.
But, to stop suffering the teachings are all about one's self, and does not really seem to help society as a whole. It is impossible for humans to keep to this, and be free as we were meant to be. We are meant to Love, but we cannot truly live in love if all we focus on is our own enlightenment and abstain from everything. Just look at the starvation and suffering throughout Asia, it seems to me this leads to complacency. With love, this seems very very inward focussed, and almost self centered, or even selfish. We humans are not meant to cut ourselves off from Love, to find Love. There is nothing more beautiful than a parent's love for their child, this doesn't make sense to me.
We all have to worship something. I also believe that the Christian church has been poisoned by the idea of an eternal conscious torment in hell too. And, most "Christians" don't seem to act very Jesus like today, I will be the first to admit it. But, up until the 5th century the majority of the church believed that God really will reconcile all things to Himself. If you look at the original greek texts, I still have not found anywhere that says anything about an eternal hell. Rather, Jesus died on the cross to conquer death and the devil, and hell will be thrown into the lake of fire. And, God is Fire, the fire that burns out anything that is not of Love's kind. Will it hurt? Sure, especially for our ego. But, if God is Love, and according to 1 John 4, anyone who knows love knows God and God is in them, can we really say that God is not in every one of our brothers and sisters on earth? There are truths here, but there are not answers it seems, or full truths. But God is Love, and God will not rest until he reconciles all his children, pagan, mormon, hindu, buddhist, muslim and jew to Himself in Love. God will follow us into the depths of our hell and isolation, to romance us back to Himself. There is nothing more freeing, nothing more beautiful, nothing more hopeful, and nothing more true than this.
It just seems that in Buddhism people spend their lifetime searching for something that is right in front of them the whole time. Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit is with us and inside of us all the time. All we have to do is ask, Jesus, are you inside me? He will say "I AM" and if you cannot hear him ask him why you can't. There is no need to search any longer. Live my brothers, live my sisters in true freedom and enlightenment.
Dear Brother Zachary. Thank you so much for your wonderful comment. It shows insight, commitment to Jesus, and the love that only he can give. If you look back at the description for this video, you may notice that I refer to the website, Dharma2Grace.net, of which this video is only one part. It is a Christian outreach website to Buddhists, in which we try to represent Buddhism as accurately as we can and then provide the contrast with the message of redemption is Christ. Neither the website nor the video have the intent of recruiting people for Buddhism, just to display Buddhism in a way that Buddhist will recognize the beliefs and message of their religion. Some of the other videos for that website are housed here on TH-cam as well. This one has taken on a life of its own, which is good in the sense that we apparently have got Buddhism right, but not so good because people in general seem to not go from here to the website or watch its companion videos, as I had hoped. So, speaking personally, I thank the Lord that you have found salvation in Christ and are eagerly sharing his gospel. I am glad that you have written your response, and I will do whatever I can to somehow keep it towards the top of the comments. Furthermore, I'm wondering if it would be okay if I posted it on the website in the "Christ and Buddha section." In Christ, Win.
(Feel free to google my name and find out more about who I am, and what I do. And, I'd be happy to converse with you further. My e-mail address is wncorduan@gmail.com.)
Of course my brother, please use that post in any way you want! Thank you for your love and service to our brothers and sisters all over the globe! I will send you an email and will look more at your Dharma2Grace.net website. Many blessings to you and all who see this!
Thank you, I was unsure where I fell religiously, but I found that I believe in/support the main points of Buddhism.
YOU ARE VERY WELCOME! for I appreciate being reminded of what so often I forget in daily life. How often am I again in much trouble and great difficulties when I set aside any of the teachings!
Buddha bless sir.(it has been MY honour to have come across your video.)
@Jsen111 I am a Buddhist nun who teaches the Dharma. Some of my students are Catholic (3 Capuchin Franciscan monks), two are Muslim, 2 are Jewish, 2 are Baptist. The rest come from various backgrounds, mostly Christian/Atheist/Agnostic. A quote from H.H. Dalai Lama is "Don't study Buddhism to become Buddhist. Study it to become a better whatever you are."
Thanks for sharing this great Video!
I was a very harsh speaker and people used to hate me because of my speech.
I loved the concept so much that, I started practicing it regularly and i used the "BuDhamma" mobile app to help me on this.
Now, I speak gentle and my people are very happy with me.
Lot of things I get easily done now!
sunil sai わー、
Concise and easy to understand. Exactly what I was looking for.
Than you for this video. I was watching some of the teaching of the Dalai Lama, but was not familiar with many of the concepts and terms. This video has helped me to better understand some the basics of Buddhism, and improved my comprehension of Dalai Lama's teachings,
I agree with yamit kashyap, even I knew this theory since my childhood but only after practicing vipassanna I experienced solace and tranquillity in true sense.
I went to college for 10 years to become a pharmacist while thinking that having a 6 figure salary would make me happy......I was wrong. The instructions in this video are a much better path towards enlightenment and being content.
What a beautiful set of beliefs :) thank you for introducing me to Buddhism.
RylandSmith read "what the Buddha taught" and the "Lotus Sutra" to learn about Buddhism and the middle way. don't join a group or follow a leader. you have the Buddha nature inside.
thank you for suggesting these, I will look into them. :)
Which "Lotus Sutra" book are you referring? I found many. Thank you for your suggestions.
Island Ryland
* Bhuddism and science go hand in hand *
4 noble truths :
1-3 :To Live is to Suffer, desire, eliminate desire : mother nature provides us selfish genes since we were in the form of Bacteria to triumph or to vanish.
4. solution to free from suffering :
on the same time, our mom also provide us w logics, reasonings and heart.
Good video, very informative. I still believe my personal path intertwines more with Hinduism, but I know more about Buddhism after watching this, and I will certainly respect any Buddhist I meet. Thank you for making this.
Nothing to apologize for. Have a great day. I wish every person talking about these things were as thoughtful and sensitive as you obviously are.
I don't feel the need to hate though. I don't think I have ever hated anyone, my entire life, it's just too difficult to hate, it causes pain and stress. I like making other people happy, I do a lot of charity work and give away money to those less fortunate. I do not care if anyone returns this to me or not, I would rather people just act the same way and bring happiness to others. I see no reason for humanity to 'hate', but every reason for them to love. I do not want to lose any emotions.
It's so sad that you so claim Christian, have to make rude and juvenile comments! You need to back and read more text! This man took the time to make a video for others to explore. Thank you sir, very helpful video!
Even though i don't like titles, since they carry the baggage laid by other people that brings forth assumptions and misconceptions, i have to submit and call myself an atheist. Even with said title, i would like to explore Buddhism to attain that "selflessness" that i admire so much. It is a trait that i find lacking in many beliefs, religions, and practices.
This was very good, thank you very much for the wonderful information and peace be with you.
where it says do not harm any living being does that include eating meat? Because I eat meat but would also like to be a buddhist
shockwave818 Wanting things both ways is always a big temptation. I guess it's part of human nature to want to create one's make-your-own religion. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Of course, as a Christian it makes no difference to me whether you eat meat or not, but traditionally most schools of Buddhism include vegetarianism as part of keeping Ahimsa (non-harming).
ok thank you, I also found this video very helpful, thanks for making it
Eating meat is not prohibited in Buddhism, but killing animals is. If the meat you eat is specifically killed for your food, then you will share the sin of the killer to some extent. This is complex, as one could argue that, meat sold in market are killed for the buyer.
No one living a layman's life, will be able to 100% adhere to all recommendations given in Buddhism. It is a progression of state of cultivation of oneself. As evolution of your mind becomes higher, there are more and more things you will understand and be able to adhere to. So, start somewhere. Don't hesitate to follow the path shown by the Lord Buddha even if you want to continue to eat meat. By following some aspects of it , you will realizability the importance of the others and will be more motivated in time to come. Good luck.
It could not have been better than this.
Greetings from India.
Namaste.
@Jsen111 Actually yes, from my experience Buddhism is very tolerant of other faiths... Many people in the western countries see Buddhism as more of a philosophy or way of life. Every Buddhist temple I have been to welcomes all faiths. They do not try to convert or preach just try to explain. So yes you absolutely can incorporate the two.
Ironweasle6, you're absolutely right. There's a distinct difference between 1) desire in the sense of clinging to a thing or a wish and 2) intention or aspiration. That distinction is not just semantic because the concepts are distinct. It puts an end to the sophomorish criticism that Buddhism violates its own principles because people have to desire nirvana. Well, that's not true. The 8-fold path tells us that we have to intend or aspire to release, but if you "desire" it, you'll get stuck.
I would like to be a Buddhist, I have studied it hard, however the four noble truths confuse me. I quite like becoming attached to my friends, family, pets etc. I know it will cause suffering, it has done many times, I have had friends in the army, family who passed away who I was close to, but I do not regret becoming attached to them, despite the suffering. It was worth it, to be able to feel so happy when they were around during my life.
I find it funny how so many people criticize differ religions ... For the critisizers let's see your religion so I can point out well let's not call them flaws let's say thing inwhich I disagree with In your religion .. Buddha did say don't take his word for everything do what feels right . So altho I wouldn't say I don't care about relationships I do but I'm not gonna stress myself for them if they aren't good because everything I. This life will pass sooner than later
I want to be a monk when I grow up :))))
Are you a monk yet?
Dear Win Corduan :), Thank you for taking the time and effort to both upload and share this video with the youtube community :)Thank You
+Raymond Lai Why, thank you Raymond! Please visit the site for which I made it: www.dharma2grace.org
"Seek to be partakers, brethren, not of the world's goods but of my doctrines. For craving brings about attachment, and attachment enslaves the mind." - Buddha
Thank you for the video. For all faiths, take what is helpful and leave what is not, but if you examine the precepts presented here you see that there is no "push" for you to believe in any particular God. Buddhism is generally understood today as a religion and the Buddha is considered to be a God, but this is not so. Buddhism is a teaching that explains the nature of life and how to end its suffering at its root cause. The Buddha was the man, like you and me, who discovered this revelation.
Thank you, Takeshi! I agree. The reason is that he actually made atonement for our sins on the cross and was resurrected, rather than merely teaching some kind of speculation on how we should live. Win
Nice! vipassan meditation found by Buddha, it help to purify our mind.
Be happy!
Excellent,you touch our heart with your divinity,blessedness and compassionate teachings loveis your base ,i felt it in your talk vir
Excellent way to make us learn..thanks for your love for us
Thank you very much for your easy stepts in Buddisting teaching. It is easy for people to understand
I am from Laos, and all my life thought I was a bhuddist, but I am far from it. thanks for vdo. it eliminated some of the ignorant in me about bhuddism.
Thanks to all of the recent commentators and their nice compliments. Please also watch my video on Basic Christian Teachings. Thanks! Win
Very easy to understand and full of wisdom
I was hoping for a little more of a factual reply than invective and self-praise. It will be good to see Hinduism demonstrate its capacity to create a better world in solving India's problems. Then we can look forward to it improving the globe. In the meantime, I'm happy to relay on my Creator and Savior.
Excellent point. Thanks for commenting. According to Shinran (13th cent.), Amitabha ("Fo"--Buddha; "Amituo"-- fr. Amithaba or Amida) frees people from all obligations and lets them enter his pure land simply by having faith in him. Of course, that's a Mahayana belief, and I chose to limit this little video to Theravada. Also, a problem is that, whereas we know of the historical actions of Christ, there's really no basis for believing in Amitabha other than speculation about an "other-power."
Beautifully done!
I will be so grateful to you venerable sir.
I believe that when The Buda sat down and received His enlightenment , it was from The Lord God Himself . As much as I have ever read about THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS it sounds like the teachings of Jesus . { BEAUTIFUL }
I been reading a bit on Buddhism lately and it does not sound as strict as this, example: it says avoid taking what is not yours, avoid lying. It was very focused on using your intelligence and inner moral to decide what is the right thing to do. The words of Buddha he said is only a guide, following something blindly is ignorance is looked down upon.
He even said that he did not want to be worshipped or have statues made of him, his teachings is what’s important not him.
Please read the Therigatha and perhaps my commentary, particularly on the story of Kisa Gotami on my blog: wincorduan.bravejournal.com/entry/134190. Thanks.
DaisyGirl, "Special Days" are Buddhist holidays, days that are special because of certain events, e.g., the dedication of a temple, or days on which someone has taken a vow for personal reasons.
Thanks, VBT. More specifically, many Hindus have adopted the Buddha as the 9th major avatar of Vishnu (others put Balarama in that place). Usually the justification is that the Buddha demonstrates the truth of the Hindu dharma by showing what happens when you violate it. Buddhism, as I'm sure you know, is considered a heretical school of Hinduism as it denies the authority of the Vedas as well as the caste system. Buddha started out as a Hindu, but wound up denying foundational Hindu beliefs.
This was very easy to understand and a great way to introduce someone who isn't familiar to Buddhism. Please consider making more videos and bless you. :)
Thank you for the video! Now i just have to teach this to the kids at my temple.
Everyone, since I'm a Christian who put up a video on Buddhism, it should be clear that free discussion of all points of view is welcome here. It was the Buddhist emperor of India, Ashoka, who coined the motto: Satyameva jayate, "Truth alone Triumphs!" Jesus said, "The truth shall set you free." Even the Qur'an states that "Truth stands out clear from error." (2:256) Let's interpret each others' comments as factual and not personal. This discussion is too good to become lost in heat.
Thanks, Win for giving some information about Bhudism. Since it's a different religion of mine, I am very curious about it.
+Myrian Merheb Thanks, Myrian! Building bridges. :)
Namaste, Anshukawatra!
Heaven, not to mention God's work, God is Here, God is right here with us!
We choose to stay with God & fight for a better earth! WE will decide mankind's future, one day humans will travel to the stars - we Hindus pledge to stay right here, we pledge to make it happen! Make God proud of us!
Any fool can sit & praise God, but Hindus aim to make God proud of us! We follow in the footsteps of Gandhiji, Mother Teresa, MLK, Oskar Schindler, Einstein-great souls who have given their lives for mankind
I wanted to ask a question. Does number one include bugs and pests? If so, where does the line start? Maybe at unavoidable or unaware, like very small insects that you might kill just by living?
+Christopher Wood Christopher, I have yet to run into any Buddhists who make a really big deal out of harming the occasional insect (or, for that matter, bacteria, etc.). I suppose one can always rationalize that it was in the insect's karma. Obviously, any intentional hurt is a violation. I'm not a Buddhist, and I don't like it either when people deliberately kill an insect when it poses no harm, particularly out of doors. By way of contrast, the religion of Jainism considers all harming of any life forms an action that accrues karma. In that case one can only hope that a sufficient amount of good deeds will outweigh karma with which one has, albeit inadvertently, defiled oneself.
Win Corduan I was wondering because I heard a woman say she doesn't kill insects because she is a Buddhist and Vegan, and my head spun with questions.. hehe Roaches? Lice? Fleas? You get the picture. Thanks for the videos. It's what I was looking for; A basics in Buddhist Teaching. I was mostly interested in an academic sense.
To break the 1st percept, you need to fulfill 5 things.
1. Know that it is a living being
2. Desire to kill it
3. Do an action that leads to the death of the desired
4. It dies due to the particular action
5. Know that it died.
If you fulfill all these 5, only then it becomes that you have broken the 1st percept. If any insect or bacteria dies due to your actions which are not aimed at killing them , then it will not affect you.
Tithira Jayaweera If your house is infested with bugs, and you have to hire a service to kill them, you'd meet these five points. What are you supposed to do? You can't live in a house infested with bugs.
+Christopher Wood Yes, unfortunately you do fulfill the 5 then. As a consequence you will have some repercussions, but..the sin due to killing an animal also depend on the merit of the animal you kill. If you kill a human, the repercussion are more than what you get if you kill an elephant, which is in turn more than when you kill an ant and so on. Also among humans , for example, if you kill a saintly person and if you kill a murderer, there is a difference. If you think for yourself, you will realize, the effort you put in, the battle within you, and how much you are going to go on thinking of it and repenting also will be somewhat similar. Complex subject, but I hope I gave you some idea.
A wonderfully simple explanation. Perfect for the beginner.
Blessings to you, Thank you for this gift.
I do have a question about the Eight Precepts. For laypeople, which special days would we eat only before noon?
Michael, first of all be aware that this precept is particularly applicable to Therevada. Byway of contrast, in some Mahayana schools, they do eat in the evening, but believe that they need to learn to detach themselves from the idea of food for enjoyment. Food is then considered merely medicine against hunger. In the stricter context, e.g., Thai Buddhism, where the ten precepts are kept rigorously by monks, lay people observe the 8 precepts purely on a voluntary basis to increase their merit. Special days could be any day of the year,; perhaps you if you may have made a vow to fast on your mother's birthday or whatever. The more common days might be Buddha's birthday, day of enlightenment, or day of paranirvana (which are identical in some areas). I met some people observing the 8 precepts on day when a new addition to a Thai temple was going being dedicated, and these folks were keeping keeping them on that auspicious occasion. In short, it's not something that regulated, but something that would fit into a person's overall commitment to Buddhism and the accumulation of merit.
Win Corduan I appreciate the response and thank you for the wisdom sir.
Thank you for clearly outlining the basic principles. I understand a lot more now that i previously had.
For people who criticize in the future, understand that you cannot approach Buddhism with a Christian mind set. They are two very different realms.. Two different goals. You as anyone else need to approach with an open mind. Something this generation seems to be lacking in greatly..
Wildman, thanks for your brief comment. I realize that one unsupported assertion deserves no more than another unsupported assertion; that's why I fleshed out Takeshi's statement. It would be more interesting if you elaborated on your point some more.
Thanks, Alan. If I were overly sensitive to "digs" I would hardly have posted a video on such a topic. I'm enjoying the conversation. My concern is for accuracy in understanding each other's point of view, whether it's traditional or innovative. Only then can we raise the question of truth without talking past each other.
As a Hindu, I have to chime in - listen all this things don't matter - what matters is a clean heart, what you have done with your life. All this - praying x times a day, cutting ur hear, growing a beard, hiding ur hair, avoiding luxury, begging for food - all these are but RITUALS - rituals will not help you come close to God
Try making a difference - try aksing urself - is the world better off with me in it?
That's what matters
Thank you for the quick reply :) I was just curious because I have to wear an elbow brace when I play sports or do heavy exercising.
My Abbot taught me that there is a difference between desire and aspirations. Desire can lead to suffering and therefore should be avoided but one should aspire to become a better person or to learn new things or to attain enlightenment or wisdom. So Ramarakash is correct about desire helping us to advance as a species but I would classify those desires as asperations. I know it's semantics but I find it easier to explain to people that not all desire is bad that way. At least it made sense to m
What is the music in the back ground called?
It is my own composition, which I have simply called "Background to Basics of Buddhism," and I have copyrighted it. I'll be happy let you use it under normal legal procedure; e.g., you request permission, I grant it under certain conditions. :)
@Win Corduan ok I just wanted to listen to the music I don’t have any intention of using it for my own stuff. But thanks any way. But Have you uploaded it to TH-cam or sound could or some other web site I can listen to it on?
Thanks for the idea. I will do so and let you know right here, when I'm done with it.
@Win Corduan your welcome. Also thank you for making this video.
That's a good question, and I don't have an answer to it. The history of Buddhism is filled with innovators who had a hard time getting accepted at first. E.g. Bodhidharma--Chan (Zen); Honen and Shinran-Pure Land as a separate school; Nichiren Daishonin--Nichiren Shoshu, etc. My commentary can only be descriptive, not normative. For Christianity, as a Christian, I can say "This is what it should be." For Buddhism I can only say, "This is or is not what fits Buddhism as it has been taught."
Actually, you don't disagree with me at all, merely with the Buddhism portrayed in the video, which I made for teaching purposes. My personal belief goes even further than yours in a sense. There is no way in which we could ever make ourselves acceptable to God, not even if we focus on our characters. If we are to be redeemed, it can only be by God's own initiative and grace, which he gave to us in Jesus Christ. Please see my companion video "Basic Teachings of Christianity." Thanks.
That is, in fact, the truth. Buddhist monks and nuns are usually supposed to treat their immediate family as though they were total strangers. If you can find my "taiwanreport" on the web and scroll down to the entry of November 30, you'll see an example of this matter.
Depends on what is being defined as reincarnation. I'm a buddhist and this karma imprint which you speak of is a fundemental part of buddhism, it relates in my opinion to the experiences you leave behind after you die. Karma is the interpretation of your actions upon the whole. If you harm a creature then karma dictates that the action will affect the system in some way, i.e that creature may not survive and multiply. As nirvana is to become one with the whole, your actions seise to induce karma
Thank you for this video, It has been very helpful for my studying of Buddhism :)
I can follow most of it, but whats wrong with high and wide beds exactly?
+TheJadeFist The point is simply to aim for simplicity. A high and wide bed would be a normal bed as most of us are used to--easy to get into or out of, a mattress with just the right firmness, lots of room to toss and turn, etc. :). This is unnecessary comfort that you can get attached to. On the other extreme would be sleeping on the floor or on the ground; that's unnecessary hardship, which might interfere with your meditation and other obligations. So, Buddhism pursues the "middle way." Monks who follow the ten precepts can sleep on cots or mats, so that sleep doesn't interfere in either direction: it's supposed to be neither a hardship you dread nor a luxury you might crave. :)
Win Corduan
I see, thank you for replying. I can't say I really crave my bed or anything, a hard mat futon permanently in couch mode. I think thats sounds more like a vice that would be independent of the person, maybe as a monk that removes luxuries from their life a bed might become a luxury?
1. If Buddhists themselves cannot agree on which scriptural writings or traditions for practice are actually true statements from Buddha, how can Buddhism as a system claim any truth? Even within Buddhism, there are contradictory claims related to the validity of a variety of late appearing religious texts, all of which claim to accurately represent the words of Buddha. None of these texts stands unchallenged as having come from the time in which Buddha lived. Many have very questionable origins. How are we to know which are authoritative? Many scholars believe it is impossible to say with confidence, “This is what Gautama Buddha said.” How can anyone make a claim for the truth without first establishing the foundation for Buddhistic truth? 2. If life is just suffering, as Buddhism claims, why is it some of us don’t see it this way? Why do some of us see life as wonderful rather than filled with suffering? Buddha’s observations about the world seem to come from his direct experience; the entire religious system is built on the notion life is filled with suffering with no positive value on the individual. But what if the individual doesn’t see the world in this way? What if the individual, even though he or she experiences hardship, understands the value of this experience and does not see it as suffering? 3. If our present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, what is the real present remedy for suffering in this life? Can all suffering be alleviated in this life through our efforts with the Eight Fold Path? Why engage in any effort related to the Eight Fold Path, if the only true benefits are to be realized in the next life? 4. Who is the Karma Judge? If, as Buddhism teaches, there is no personal God interacting with His creation, who determines whether or not a person has done something to merit either “good” or “bad” Karma? If this decision is made at the end of one’s life, who is actually making the decision? How can an impersonal force “decide” anything? Who is the final judge of Karma, and mustn’t this judge by necessity be a personal being (capable of making a decision)? 5. If achieving “nirvana” means that we will be liberated from the illusion of consciousness, how then will we know (be conscious of) our achieving this “nirvana”? How can we be “conscious” of this, if “consciousness” will no longer exist? Our existence outside the material, physical world, presumes a conscious existence in which we can “realize” or enlightened condition. How can we be conscious of this if consciousness will no longer exist? 6. If there is no transcendent “self” or “soul”, how do we transcend this life in order for reincarnation to be possible? If reincarnation is true, it makes sense something of our true identity would move from one life to the next. What is this “something” if not a soul? Who (or what) moves on from this life to the next? 7. What real evidence do we have that reincarnation is true? Why is there not consistent evidence for the notion of reincarnation? On what evidence is this idea based, aside from the writings of Buddha? While we have good philosophical reasons to believe in the existence of the soul, what philosophical reasoning brings us to the conclusion that reincarnation is true? 8. If all of us are re-incarnations of prior human beings, how do we account for the growing population? Where do “new” humans come from? Reincarnation implies all of us were here before, in a prior life. But if humans can only be reincarnated from prior humans, how is it the global population is growing? If humans can be reincarnated from other animals, does this mean the total animal population on earth has always been constant? 9. If “buddhas” and “boddisatvas” exist to help others in achieving “nirvana” what is the true value of “self-effort”? If, as a Buddhist, I rely on the help of a “buddha” or “boddisatva” how can my assisted work be accredited to me as Karma (or even as true obedience to the Eight Fold Path)? Doesn’t assistance negate the self-effort required to establish Karma in the first place? 10. If “buddha-hood” is actually achievable in this life, how are we to know we are talking to a true “buddha” or “boddisatva”? If there are those in our midst who have actually achieved this level of enlightenment, how are we to identify them? Why should we trust their own proclamations of “buddha-hood”? How will we recognize them or even distinguish them from non-Buddhist people who display all the attributes consistent with “buddha-hood”? 11. If a person’s present suffering is the result of bad karma from a prior life, why should we try to do anything to change their present condition? Aren’t they simply getting what they deserve? Why help those who are simply paying the price for an evil prior life? Passivity and apathy seem to be a common problem within Buddhism, largely in response to a concept known as “samsara”. Take a look at this article from an online Burmese magazine: “This passivity is largely due to the promotion of samsara. Taken from the Pali word sam (succession) sara (going, wandering), it refers to the cycle of human existence, or the cycle of life and death. Samsara poses that people are mere guests in this life, and life is just a transit point. Samsara is the flux of mind and body, of mental and physical phenomena. Humans are travelers in the realm of samsara, where nothing holds permanent. Moments of sadness and misfortune, as well as glory and happiness, are accepted as part of the natural ups and downs of life. Burma’s political and religious elite has affirmed samsara as the only indisputable Buddhist doctrine, and the public has meekly signed on. Because so many Burmese Buddhists tend to see themselves against the backdrop of samsara, it has wide reach over existing social structures, even though Burma is not religiously homogenous. Every experience, even a bad one, is seen as part of life and the impermanent nature of the world. Rather than being angered or aggrieved by unfortunate experiences, Burmese Buddhism preaches that it is best to let them go.”(by Min Zin, Engaging Buddhism for Social Change, March, 2003 Irrawaddy.org) 12. If our present existence is the result of something we could not control (from a prior life), what hope can we have related to our present situation in this life? How do we hold on to hope for this life if our situation was predetermined for us and our present behaviors have more impact on the next life than on the present one? Doesn’t this view of our present life lead to an inevitable hopelessness? As it turns out, heavily Buddhist countries like Japan, Korea, and Sri Lanka have some of the highest suicide rates (from young to old). The top twenty most suicidal countries are almost all countries with strong Buddhist or Communist (atheist) histories. Biblical Issues Now let’s examine some questions related to topics directly addressed in the Bible. Buddhism makes a number of claims about the way in which the world operates. Let’s compare these ideas directly to the claims of Christianity: 1. You don’t believe in the existence of a personal God. As a Christian I do believe that God exists, and I believe Him to be a personal creator: Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Romans 1:19-20 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God” 2. You don’t seem to have an answer for the origin of the universe or for us as human beings. As a Christian, I believe the universe (and all of us) were created by God and that we are therefore real: Acts 17:24-31 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), “I am the LORD, and there is none else.” 3. You seem to deny the reality of our material existence and you also deny the existence of the soul and spirit. As a Christian, I believe humans are real in body, soul and spirit: Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him 4. You seem to devalue our present life as fleeting and illusionary. As a Christian, I believe this physical life may be temporary, but it is valuable and worth living: Isaiah 40:6 A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. Isaiah 40:21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER” And this is the word which was preached to you. 5. You believe the goal of good living is all about the personal reward of enlightenment. As a Christian, I believe the goal of good living is to honor God and demonstrate His worth so others would desire to know Him: Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 …just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. Colossians 1:9-10 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God 6. You believe suffering is the result of desire (and attachment) and may even be the result of “bad Karma”. As a Christian, I believe suffering is the result of sin, our intentional rebellion against God. I believe sin is not an abstract notion or a relative concept. It is clearly defined: 2 Chronicles 6:36 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to a land far off or near Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned Psalm 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him. Proverbs 21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin. 7. You believe suffering is something we should want to eliminate. As a Christian, I also want to eliminate sin, but I also see the positive value in suffering; it can teach, it can discipline, it can provide a contrast to joy. As a Christian, I know we can even find joy in the midst of suffering: Romans 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. 2 Corinthians 8:2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. 1 Peter 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 1 Thessalonians 3:7-9 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account 8. You believe we cease to exist after death. As a Christian, I believe we do not cease to exist after our physical death, but will instead live on to be judged for our actions: Revelation 20:12-13 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. John 5:28-29 “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment 9. You believe humans can achieve perfection and reach “nirvana”. As a Christian, I believe we can never achieve perfection in this life, freedom from suffering, or any permanent more noble existence by self-effort: John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Romans 3:10-12 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” Galatians 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit 10. You believe we can escape the suffering of this world and the limits of our material existence by observing and practicing a set of practices. As a Christian, I know tat the way of “escape” is only through faith in Jesus Christ as we are spiritually reborn with God’s life through the Holy Spirit: John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Ephesians 2:1-9 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith 2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. So, Could This Be True? Every worldview has to be both internally and externally consistent. The challenge for Buddhism is to account for a system of judgment and reward (Karma) without a personal judge who has the ability to decide whether an individual has achieved something noble or committed something despicable. The very judge required by a Karma system is, in fact, lacking from Buddhism altogether. In addition, there are many open philosophical questions related to the first question of all worldviews (“How did we get here?”), and the system seems to lead (in many formations) to a sense of despair and hopelessness. In addition to philosophical difficulties, Christians must recognize that Buddhism is incompatible with the Christian worldview (for all the reasons we’ve already discussed). As our culture embraces pluralism and tries to find similarities between every view of the world, we must be clear about the concepts and claims defining us and ask the tough questions differentiating Christianity from Buddhism. - See more at www.BibleQuery.org. John 14:6
***** You ask a lot of good questions. My two cents is that Buddhism is not meant to be understood or applied as a religion. Buddhism is a concept. A pointer towards how to obtain lasting inner peace. There is pain in life. Pain is often as much of a driving force as pleasure when it comes to being a motivating force for change. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Most forms of suffering come from attachment. To get rid of suffering, then we must get rid of attachment.
Personally, I find the whole concept/argument of karma, reincarnation, and how we got here, a distraction, as there is little sense in even discussing them since we will never know the truth/existence of these things.
My actions towards living a life of contentment and compassion, are not to achieve enlightenment. They are an end to themselves. If enlightenment happens, then so be it, but to me, anyone who is chasing enlightenment is missing the point altogether.
CAnswersTV Buddhism is a religion of self. Not to be confused with the methods of Christianity or Islam. When you become a Buddhist you do not worship a man or demigod as your Savior. You learn to become your own doctor, your own Savior. Every sector of religion can have extreme ends. Christianity and Snake dancers, Islam and Jihad, and Buddhist who treat Buddha as a deity. Also don't confuse folklore with the actual content of teachings. Many places added their own twist to stories to make it easier to understand or to grab the attention of youth in order to hear the story.
Addu Malah Yes , no dogma, No bears tearing kids to pieces because they were being kids making fun of a bald guy. Buddhism is an ancient form of psychology for modern day problems.
Thank you for that quote. Do you have a reference for it? E.g. which sutra?
Devyn, Part one: That's a nice and easy construal on your part, but it simply does not comply with what the Buddha taught, as recorded in the Tripitaka. Meditation is a part of the 8-fold path, but only a part. You can read the Buddha's suttas on the Sacred Texts website. Part two: Whether he was right, is a different question, and there I would agree with you that, for a teaching that's supposed to go beyond words, they sure spilled a lot of words and concepts on it.
In my understanding, the rule of Ahimsa (not inflicting harm on any living being) does not apply to fighting as a sport. Of course, in fighting as in walking or anything you do, if you're a serious aspirant, you'll learn to do so with full concentration on your actions, but your emotions detached.
How Wonderful! Thank you for posting-
Kashmiri, you're right insofar as Buddhism certainly carries with it a way of life and a philosophy of mind, which have been dispersed and appropriated by others. Still, that does not change the fact that it is also a religion. Abraham Lincoln asked the question, "If you call a cat's tail a leg, how many legs does a cat have?" The answer: "Still only four." Changing the meaning of words by personal choice doesn't change reality. Whether you like to apply the term or not, Buddhism is a religion.
Exchange of ideas are always good - none of us want the world that most muslims seem to be living in right now. My comments do apply to everyone - it is about Karma & Rebirth - which Buddhists also beleive in
I guess my question is, do I really have to stop loving and being attached to my friends and family? This is what makes me happy in my life.
Thank you for watching it!
Thank u dear to share this GEMS and teachings of lord buddha with the peoples . :)
The comment "how could a religion that denies the existence of a creator(Buddhism)..." is again, another misrepresentation.
Whether Gods or Goddess's or other supernatural spirits exist is neither here nor there. If they exist, then they are subject to impermanence and suffering like any other being. With no proof of any such beings, there is no need to dwell on such notions. Again, seeing reality as it is, not as we would wish it to be.
The commentator is either ignorant of Buddhism, or deliberately trying to promote his own religious beliefs through misrepresentations.
This is for Angus Mac
by the way Buddhism is not a religion... it's a science of living,
living here and now... based on 'Anichcha (impermanence) .. Dukka (suffering/ unsatisfactory condition).. Anatta (Not self).. what this man was
basically saying is the basic Dhamma for a beginner,, no harm done for
anyone, he has not offended anyone, if you are a Buddhist then you do
not need to get angry... Buddha stated you must listen carefully, reason
and analyze before accepting it, you can always reject it if you are
not happy/ not satisfied with what you hear, however if you do not
understand it ask from someone who can explain it better and if you are
still not happy reject it. but no need to get angry. Anger is one of the
three poisons which brings suffering to your life, the other two are
desire and dilution ( these three conditions are known as Ignorance).
The eight fold path is the way to purify your Ignorance and this can be
done only through meditation. He was the 1st to mention that we are all
made of Atoms ( now the physicists are using the string theory / quantum
physics / particle physics etc) but they have no idea how to apply this
theories, coz they have no idea about the consciousness and how it came
about. This is the science that Buddha showed us, and only the
meditative states you can see and experience Dhamma, theoretical Dhamma
can not get you to attain Nibbhana, so what ever you learn theoretically
has no purpose if you can not practice and discipline yourself
according to Dhamma. This is why there are only a handful of pure Dhamma
practitioners in the world today, because Buddhist way of living is to
do with the nature, follow the Natural laws. Love, compassion,
forgiveness, removing defilement's from your corrupted mind and
purifying through meditation practice, it is the effort you need to
follow this eight fold path,
'I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his
enemies; for the hardest victory is victory over self' 'ARISTOTLE'
This is a great introduction! Very clear and simple. Thank you so much
Remember that this is a part of the 8 precepts that need to be observed only by monks and those laypeople who may observe a particular day as special. For them it would interfere with the right concentration or mindfulness of the 8-fold path. In general there is nothing that stands in the way for Buddhist lay people to watch the theater, movies, or TH-cam. :)
The cartoon mentions a website "please enjoy the rest of the website". Is there a link somewhere that I did not see?
I really enjoyed it! Thank you!
How are you supposed to survive and truly follow the teachings for things like survival? Like we NEED food and water to survive, but the teachings are not to desire things. So no matter what you do or who you are, you will ALWAYS desire/need things, right?
Jennifer, in theory at least, Buddhism insists on a difference between wanting or wiling something and craving or desiring something. One could not be a Buddhist if one did not will to attain enlightenment. "Craving" or "desire," on the other hand, mean to attach yourself to something that isn't real. In my observation, this theoretical distinction does not necessarily work out in practice.
srilankans are buddhists but they discrimonate and massacare minority tamils
Buddhism teaches us to be MINDFUL of greed not to abolish it (in fact he said we needed desire and greed as if we did not how could we WANT to act morally? How would we want to pursue Buddhism) completely it has been said that the Buddha said this would be impossible and this applies to other emotions and states as well, such as sadness and so on. When Buddha's parents died he was sad and I can't remember if it was said he cried however he wasn't emotionless and you really can't be. Buddhism is about finding the balance and middle ground that will bring happiness to you :)
I know what this video says but his roughly following what the teachings are, read proper literature and the different forms of Buddhism I don't agree 100% with this video but it's an OK general intro I guess >.
Thank you for this video. It truely helped me understand! :)
In the context of Theravada Buddhist teachings, if you're a lay person, breaking the precepts will contribute to your bad karma and count against the merit you're supposed to be accumulating for a better next incarnation. You can sink low enough to become a demon in hell. If you're a monk, it'll slow down your progress toward Nirvana. In contrast to the trivialized picture we often paint of Buddhism, like any serious religion, it addresses certain realities pretty directly.
Win Corduan
Christian heaven is very similar to lower heavens of Byddhist cosmology wherr angels delight in sensual pleasures and think that they are living in eternal heaven.
Tyler, as I have said multiple times, it all depends on whether you want to devise your own religion or talk about the one that has existed for 2500 years. In Theravada Buddhism monks are barely allowed to look at women, and sex is restricted to marriage only. One can reject Buddhism (which I do) or accept is with its moral code (which I don't), but revising it on the basis of what you feel is not really an option if you want to stay true to the religion.
"Marital fidelity" means basically not cheating. The 3rd precept doesnt mean consensual sex between two willing and single humans.
Continuing. Read the beginning below first. :) This is an issue pretty much in all religions. Sometimes new movements get accepted, e.g. Gaudia Hinduism; sometimes they break away and become a religion in their own right, e.g. Baha'i from Islam; sometimes there seems to be perpetual tension, e.g. Mormonism and Christianity. Agreed-upon scriptures may help, but in Buddhism, where the canon is fluid (e.g. Tripitaka and Lotus Sutra), it's pretty difficult.
I have a question, is Marijuana an intoxicant?
Probably yeah, but idk I know a lot of Buddhists who smoke. Including I.
+Martha zoluaga Actually, one could argue over whether M. is an intoxicant since its action is quite different from alcohol. But that's not the point. The idea behind the precept is to avoid anything that clouds your thinking or messes with your mind, viz. any chemically induced state (medication excepted, of course). So, yeah, M. would be as much forbidden in Buddhism as alcohol. The fact that any number of recreational pseudo-Buddhists give themselves exemptions doesn't change a thing.
Not all Buddhists adhere to all recommendations, not even the 5 basic percepts by most, which is wrong and they in turn will have the repercussions of it, as is evident by the increasing number of accidents caused due to intoxicated drivers, numerous illnesses due to alcohol and smoking etc. None of these are rules, rules are there for only the monks and not for laymen. By adhering to the percepts the laymen will minimizer repercussions from these obviously bad deeds and by having the control of mind to be away from temptations, they will be able to cultivate their minds and achieve more.
and the meaning of Pali word and desire is explained very well
Wildman, again, thanks for your comment. I must confess, though, that it leaves me scratching my head in what sense you could mean that statement or how it could possibly be true. After all, as you perhaps know, the Lotus Sutra (ch.3--The Parable of the Burning House) advocates the doctrine of upayana (skilfull means), according to which it is legitimate to tell an untruth in order to bring people to the alleged truth. In fact, one could ask if the present teaching isn't also more upayana. Win
They are Mahayana monks; the video is from a Theravada perspective. Mahayana orders don't necessarily go by the ten precepts. As another example, I visited one temple/monastery in Taiwan, where they had an evening meal. In Theravada countries (Sri Lanka, Thailand), the bikhus may not eat after noon. So, the documentary was right, and my video is right. :)
Indeed, civility is lacking everywhere, and you also have a civil tone which I am sure will gain you more respect than it does to other Christians. By the way, what does DIY stand for?
Love the retro style.
"Historical evidence for the existence of god" is an interesting concept. The evidence for God himself is based on the fact that if there were no God, there could be no universe. The historical evidence for Christianity focuses on the life and resurrection of Jesus. And, btw, calling the Bible a book of fairy tales doesn't make it so. Thanks for the comments.
So beautiful lesson teach by Lord buddha