Is Buddhism a religion? (paradise, hell, Buddha, America)

[Travelling fella]

MODERATOR'S NOTES: This thread was 'born' in another thread but the interest in the direction was so high, I decided to create a new thread. Please keep this in mind as you read through the existing posts.

Any questions, DM me. Thanks!

Originally Posted by poconoproud

The Israelites were led into slavery, then brought out. The same could be said for African American slaves, for they are no longer slaves.

Actually, we are all slaves, think about it

We are slaves of materialism
We are slaves of our senses
We are slaves of selfishness
We are slaves of our egoes
We are slaves of our desires

If we weren't there would be no wars, countries, divisions and this world would be a paradise!

A true religion is freedom, the objective should be liberation, from this slavery.

If your religion is getting there then it is working for you, but if it is not, then you have to reflect, it is me or it is the religion?

sometimes we feel more confortable in other religious paths because we identify more with them, but all lead to the same place, we need to work hard though, on eradicating bad habits, and bad thoughts, on developing a strong mind and strong spirit, it won't come for free.

And yes, in a way God is very selective, he won't reveal himself to everybody, he will do it just when he's 100% sure that, that person truly loves him, and he will test that person hard.

God revealed himself to Christ, Krishna, Buddha and others because they showed a love for God that it's out of this world, they are our role models to become more divine, more like God

Because God is nothing else that truth and rightenousness, supreme and incondicional love.

God bless us all!

[RoaminRed]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

God revealed himself to Christ, Krishna, Buddha and others because they showed a love for God that it's out of this world, they are our role models to become more divine, more like God

I think you need to do a little more looking into Buddhism, for one...

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by RoaminRed

I think you need to do a little more looking into Buddhism, for one...

Many people says that Buddhism is a Godless religion

The primary goal of the Buddhists is nirvâna, defined as the end of change, literally meaning "blowing out," as one blows out a candle. Theravâda tradition describes the indescribable as "peace and tranquility." The Mahâyâna and Vajrayâna traditions view it as "neither existence nor nonexistence," "emptiness and the unchanging essence of the Buddha" and "ultimate Reality." It is synonymous with release from the bonds of desire, ego, suffering and rebirth. Buddha never defined nirvâ†a, except to say, "There is an unborn, an unoriginated, an unmade, an uncompounded," and it lies beyond the experiences of the senses. Nirvâna is not a state of annihilation, but of peace and reality. As with Jainism, Buddhism has no creator God and thus no union with Him.

And while it's true to certain extent, the concept is the same with other religions, to free yourself from suffering, pain and disease, for some people this liberation comes from union with God union with spirit, for Buddhists this is Nirvana, the desireless state and ultimate reality.

Hinduists say that God is the ultimate reality, and that you can't get back to God until you get rid of all your desires, so the concept might vary.

but the Goal is the same, to reach that final destination where there is no suffering, no death, no desire.

That was the way of God to revealing to Buddha, of if you prefer that is what Buddha discovered when he finally saw behind illusion and found the Ultimate reality.

असत मा सद् गम्य / तमस् मा ज्योतिर / गम्य मृत्यु मा अमित्र गम्य

Asato mā sad gamaya / Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya / Mṛtyor mā amṛtam gamaya

Lead me from non-truth to truth / Lead me from darkness to light / Lead me from mortality to immortality

[RoaminRed]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

Many people says that Buddhism is a Godless religion

<snipped for brevity>

That was the way of God to revealing to Buddha, of if you prefer that is what Buddha discovered when he finally saw behind illusion and found the Ultimate reality.

I'm quite familiar with Buddhism, thank you. And, you cannot put the christian version of god onto every religion because it just doesn't work that way.

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by RoaminRed

I'm quite familiar with Buddhism, thank you. And, you cannot put the christian version of god onto every religion because it just doesn't work that way.

Dear RoaminRed, why not? God is the same for us all brother, we just have different ways to connect, and if you read my post carefully I was comparing Hinduism with Buddhism not with Christianism, but let's do that comparison now, I think it's interesting.

The Christian God, is composed of 3 Gods according to the Holy trinity which are

God Father, The son of God or Christ consciousness and the Holy spirit or Cosmic vibration.

The Hindu God is composed of 3 Gods as well which are the Sat the Tat and the OM

Sat is usually considered the father

Sat (Sanskrit) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sat is a Sanskrit adjective meaning "real, being, existing" as well as "true, honest, right"

Tat the son

Tat refers to 'that', or 'all that is'.

Om Tat Sat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And Om the Holy spirit or Cosmic vibration

Om refers to the Supreme Infinite Spirit or Person.

Now comparing all three religions, while Buddhism lacks the concept of trinity or God or Spirit, the destination continues being the same, a "place" or state of consciousness to put it more properly, with no death, suffering, desires, etc

We are all trying to get there in different ways, we understand what truth is differently, but finally it's the same and unique truth or reality.

Let's use a christian prayer to illustrate how christian faith aspires the same.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.

Friend, try to read with using an egoless perspective and you'll see what I mean.

Finally, I thought it'd be interesting for you to know that for some hinduists Buddha is considered the ninth incarnation of Vishnu, the preserver of spirit, one just after Krishna who came to eradicate the problems of suffering, disease and death

Hindu Gods : Budhha - Vishnu avatar (incarnation)

[RoaminRed]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

Dear RoaminRed, why not? God is the same for us all brother

You may think so, but that doesn't mean your interpretation of reality is anyone or everyone else's interpretation of it. I do not believe in any deity whatsoever, no matter what name anybody wants to put on it. Therefore, your wish to convey a specific deity across all people is inaccurate at best, and perhaps patronizing at worst.

Not everything can be explained through one mindset. It just doesn't work that way.

PS: For the record, I'm nobody's brother. If I were your sibling, I'd be a sister.

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by RoaminRed

You may think so, but that doesn't mean your interpretation of reality is anyone or everyone else's interpretation of it. I do not believe in any deity whatsoever, no matter what name anybody wants to put on it. Therefore, your wish to convey a specific deity across all people is inaccurate at best, and perhaps patronizing at worst.

Not everything can be explained through one mindset. It just doesn't work that way.

PS: For the record, I'm nobody's brother. If I were your sibling, I'd be a sister.

So sorry, I didn't know you were a she, my most sincere apologizes, friend (respecting the fact that maybe you don't want to be called sister)

I respect your idea of not having a deity, but tell me something, don't you have a destination? a goal with Buddhism? otherwise what would be the point of following Buddha's teachings?

Deity or not, do you want to achieve that Nirvana state don't you? and imho regardless of our beliefs, all of us someday we'll meet at Nirvana

नमस्ते - Namaste

[RoaminRed]

Originally Posted by Travelling fella

So sorry, I didn't know you were a she, my most sincere apologizes, friend (respecting the fact that maybe you don't want to be called sister)

I respect your idea of not having a deity, but tell me something, don't you have a destination? a goal with Buddhism? otherwise what would be the point of following Buddha's teachings?

Deity or not, do you want to achieve that Nirvana state don't you? and imho regardless of our beliefs, all of us someday we'll meet at Nirvana

नमस्ते - Namaste

I am not a Buddhist, either. I'm just a plain vanilla atheist.

However, Buddhism (as well as many other religions) has some pieces of valid advice for anyone. The main one that I subscribe to would be one that crosses many religions, and that is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It's phrased differently depending on where you find it, but the overall idea is the same.

As far as Nirvana goes, I don't believe in any afterlife or any version of heaven or hell, either. This life is it, no more comes after (or before!) it. Therefore, it's either heaven or hell right here, in this lifetime, depending on what I make of it.

[Travelling fella]

Originally Posted by RoaminRed

I am not a Buddhist, either. I'm just a plain vanilla atheist.

However, Buddhism (as well as many other religions) has some pieces of valid advice for anyone. The main one that I subscribe to would be one that crosses many religions, and that is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It's phrased differently depending on where you find it, but the overall idea is the same.

As far as Nirvana goes, I don't believe in any afterlife or any version of heaven or hell, either. This life is it, no more comes after (or before!) it. Therefore, it's either heaven or hell right here, in this lifetime, depending on what I make of it.

Ok, that I respect, and I wish you the happiest life it was nice exchanging an idea with you!

[chielgirl]

Red, I'm with you!

In meditation, one can reach a state of nibbana/nirvana. It is simply the cessation of suffering, absolute acceptance and being in the moment. Extremely hard to achieve.

Another difference between christianity and buddhism? Anyone can be a buddha, it's not an exclusive club.

It's also a philosophy, not a religion.