Was jesus another buddha?

[Sidneytinhtut]

Originally Posted by june 7th

Now this is interesting...June doesn't see too many similarities between Jesus or the Buddha at all. (An occasional parallel, perhaps, but that's about all.) For one thing, the Buddha never claimed divinity, whereas Jesus claimed to be sent by God the Father, who (reference Genesis 1) was the creator of all mankind and the world at large. Buddhists do not adhere to any such notion or belief. Buddhism is fundamentally non-theist.

In looking at the underlying theology of Christianity, and the precepts/philosophy of Buddhism, the 'similarities' become that much more obscure, if not altogether non-existent. The two have incredibly different 'world views' if not messages. Buddhism is not the most positive of mindsets, as compared to Christianity. Buddhism underscores the 'pain and sorrow/suffering' of the worldly condition and emphasizes the means by which to escape that. Christianity, on the other hand, would appear to emphasize the more positive attributes; one emphasizes the ways and means by which one can escape the world, the other, those ways and means by which one can better engage in this world.

As a result of Buddha's life and teaching, nirvana is the ultimate goal to be attained by Buddhists. Jesus, on the other hand, advocated for eternal life. There is no concept of "eternal life" in Buddhist mindset, thought, or philosophy; there is reincarnation, instead. Unless one wishes to make the (very broad) leap that Jesus somehow advocated (if not existsed) as a means by which to break the chain of samsara, June's just not getting the similarities between the two figures.

Buddha attained at "oneness" in his achieving nirvana, just as Jesus reunited with the Father in his resurrection. While this could perhaps be perceived as a similarity, there nonetheless exists such a vast difference between the two concepts, beginning with the very definition of 'mankind' in terms of orientation and mindset. The ultimate goal as advocated by Buddha entails an "inward" directiveness, as opposed to the 'outward' message advocated by Jesus.

If nothing else, the negation of the Divine would stand out in June's mind as the greatest dissimilarity. While both Buddha and Jesus advocated for, and taught similiar messages of love/loving-kindness and the means by which mankind could be 'redeemed' that concept of "redemption/salvation" is SO dissimiliar in both orientation and underlying philosophy.

So at the end of the day, June sees far more of that which Jesus and Buddha did NOT have in common than she does the similarities...

This post is filled with misspellings and poorly written, as June is late for work.


Take gentle Friday care.

June, perhaps this will explain some of your doubts!

The similarities between Christainity and Buddhism lie on the fact that Jesus himself is a bodhisatta, a future buddha and a god. Many scholars admitted that there are too many similarities between the teachings of Jesus and the Buddha to ignore or regard them as coincidence.

Almost all religions believe God is the creator of everything and also the one who controls everything, good or bad, rewarding the good and punishing the bad. We impersonate God as a being who is eternal.

A buddha is an enlightened human being who attains the knowledge that the God we believe in, which has all the above qualities is not a being, but a system of laws of the nature that is collectively called 'Dhamma' in Pali, a phonetic language of ancient India. He discovered this 'Truth' by hi...mself without the help of others.

There are two types of buddha, a teaching buddha who is called 'sammasam-buddha' in Pali, and a non-teaching buddha known as 'pachecca-buddha.' A teaching buddha appears among humans when the knowledge and teaching on the 'Dhamma' was lost, which occurs from time to time in this endless world-cycles.

The current buddha is known as 'Gotama Buddha' and His teachings are collectively called 'Dhamma' which means nature. The next buddha in this world-cycle will be 'Metteya' in Pali; 'Maitreya' in Sanskrit; and 'Messiah' in English.

Therefore, whatever you call, a name is just a name and the essence is the same.
Christians worship Holy Trinity; the Father, Son and Holyghost. Buddhists worship the Tripplegem, the Buddha, the Dhamma (god) and Samgha the Order that preserves the teachings of the Buddha.

A bodhisatta is a future buddha who resides in Tusita Heaven in a heirarchy. The highest one is the next buddha who will appear on Earth when the current teaching of the Buddha disappear. A bodhisatta will become a buddha when he knows the truth about the God as described above.

Jesus is a bodhisatta and when Jesus comes back he will be enlightened and become the God himself. He will unite with the Dhamma and will save all beings who have faith in him.

Attainment of Nibbana/Nivarna at the death of a living Buddha is the eternal unity of the Buddha with the Dhamma. Thus, a buddha may be regarded as the God that June believes in, as the Creator that exists eternally.

Hope, it will convince June!

best wishes,

Sidney

[Sidneytinhtut]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

'Cept the Buddha taught there are no gods and followed the Hindu belief that the universe just was-not created. No God or if there are gods they are not relevant

As explained earlier everybody, including bodhisattas may believe in the existence of a creator God until he himself discovered the real culprits of creation; viz. Avijja (lack of ultimate wisdom) and Tahna (craving/thirst) which you may say 'nature' of every living being. Only then, bodhisattas come to know the 'Truth' which in a nutshell is known as Dhamma. It is the nature of every living being that creates and maintains the existence. This wisdom was lost when the dispensation period of a buddha ends and another bodhisatta will rediscover himself without outside aids and will start teaching it again.

Natural laws create the universe and every living beings in it. So, if you define God as the creator, the Dhamma will be the creator God. Most of us think it is a living God who creates everything; until you come to learn the teachings of the Buddha that the God you are thinking is the Dhamma which is eternal and a creator of everything.

There is no point in saying that there is no God which can provoke friction, irritation and repurcussion from those who have been engrained with this idea for life.

Sidney

[Sidneytinhtut]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Now, Sidney ... permit me to correct a couple of things you stated. My Dhamma Name happens to be METTA ... and that does NOT mean "Messiah"!



You got me wrong Clark; your Dhamma name Metta is no way connected to Messiah as you've mentioned later on; it's 'loving-kindnes' not a saviour.


[As a Buddhist who practices according to the Theravadin tradition, I go by the Pali canon and terminology, as articulated in The Dhammapada in particular and the entire Tripitaka in general. I suspect you do too because I see you are using Pali and NOT the Sanskrit of Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhism.]

Yes, I am a Theravada Buddhist.

[As a Buddhist I to not worship the Tiratana (or Triple Jewels) but merely take refuge in them spiritually. "Metta" literally means "Lovingkindness."]

It's just a figure of speech! Buddhists take refuge in the Tiratana; whilst others worship their Gods, the essence is more or less the same although you may argue that you don't worship the Buddha in expectation of a salvation. But if you happened to be at the time of a living buddha you will be literally salvaged by listening to a discourse and have faith; you do not need to strive very hard as we all are doing now! You'll be literally salvaged if you meet a living buddha.

[An important part of the Buddhist canon is the Brahma Vihara (sometimes referred to as the four Boundless States or Virtues of the Godly Abode). They are:

- Metta (Lovingkindness)
- Karuna (Compassion)
- Mudita (Altruistic or Sympathetic Joy)
- Upekkha (Equanimity)

Although there is no exact translation for the word Dhamma, it implies "The Truth" or "The Law" or "The Nature of the Universe and All Things." For the sake of simplicity, we often call the Dhamma the teachings of the Supremely Enlightened One.

I totally agree with you! That's why we take REFUGE in the Tiratana, including the Dhamma although we know that it is also responsible for the justice/punishment that it ensures for our unwholesome deeds.

metta,

Sidney

[MysticPhD]

Originally Posted by htut45

I'm sorry; what you've been doing is practising transcedental meditation or Samatha meditation which will never experience the reality of 'Anatta' . You may need to practice Vipassana under competant teachers to realise Anatta, which you are trying to disprove by your following words.

I'm sorry. I followed many "paths" seeking Nirvana under the mistaken notion that these so-called teachers could aid me. None of the hocus pocus and mumbo jumbo has ANYTHING to do with the reality of God consciousness . . . but I had to find that out for myself . . . entirely by accident. ALL of my expectations were shattered during that first encounter in deep meditation under conscious control. The experience was unmistakable and counter to all the nonsense the various "schools" of Buddhism propagated. I repeat:

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

My expectations were completely disproved. The Oneness was not a homogenized lack of individuation and loss of self . . . it was a multitude in oneness and I retained my sense of self throughout. The joy was indescribable . . . and the presence of love and acceptance unmistakable. Once contact with such love is achieved it is impossible to countenance ANY negativity whatsoever. I suspect it was this LOVE that Siddartha encountered . . . (which could not help but make his own achievement of maitri pale by comparison) . . . and led him to believe there MUST be someone more perfect than he who would eventually achieve it.

The only person to achieve that perfection even suffering through scourging and crucifixion in love for us all (Maitri) . . . was Jesus Christ. IF that is NOT the Maitreya . . . no one else is or ever will be. The Christianity that evolved from His accomplishment for us all is a fabrication of ancient ignorance and the vanity of men. I repeat:

The entire concept of "salvation" is a human distortion of what could never easily be explained to primitive minds. Remove all the rigamarole and hocus pocus. The reality is that NO human consciousness had EVER achieved the perfection of love necessary to make direct contact and merge (resonate perfectly) with God consciousness. That left humanity in the lurch . . . disconnected from God. Jesus DID achieve that perfection in a HUMAN consciousness and made contact for ALL human consciousness possible. So in a purely structural context . . . there is no other WAY any other human consciousness can achieve ANY degree of resonance with God consciousness other than through the connection made by Jesus. That would hardly be bragging or boasting . . . just revealing fact.

As to your repeated cut and paste post explaining your version of Buddhism . . . it has no traction with me. I have experienced the reality and it is not as you believe, period.

[Sidneytinhtut]

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

I'm sorry. I followed many "paths" seeking Nirvana under the mistaken notion that these so-called teachers could aid me. None of the hocus pocus and mumbo jumbo has ANYTHING to do with the reality of God consciousness . . . but I had to find that out for myself . . . entirely by accident. ALL of my expectations were shattered during that first encounter in deep meditation under conscious control. The experience was unmistakable and counter to all the nonsense the various "schools" of Buddhism propagated. I repeat:

It'll be nice to know about your experience on so called-Nivarna in details. I have studied enough and have practised enough to see if you have really experienced Nibbana, not Nivarna if I may empahsize. You may contact me privately if you do not want to expose yourself to the public.


The only person to achieve that perfection even suffering through scourging and crucifixion in love for us all (Maitri) . . . was Jesus Christ. IF that is NOT the Maitreya . . . no one else is or ever will be. The Christianity that evolved from His accomplishment for us all is a fabrication of ancient ignorance and the vanity of men. I repeat: As to your repeated cut and paste post explaining your version of Buddhism . . . it has no traction with me. I have experienced the reality and it is not as you believe, period.

Thanks for your comment; I do not intend to attract you in anyway. However, I do agree with you on Jesus as the Metteya, or Maitreya if you prefer.

good luck!

Sidney

[nahrub]

To MysticPhD:
I think next time, please tell us your background spiritual journey before start discussing
I read this 13 pages only to find your background near to the end. It's very confusing because I'm looking why you can talk like that.
I'm shocked when you have the basic knowledge of the Church teaching messed up (while discussing with DreamingSpire).
This guy must be not from Main stream (Catholic, Protestant, etc though even some of them differ here and there) I thought.

Only until you said from your experience (deep meditation, etc), then I can understand.
Actually there's nothing to argue about EXPERIENCE. It's your own journey. It beautiful for you and you shared it to us. Then you told us to EXPERIENCE it. Thank you. Sorry I can't feel how beautiful was your EXPERIENCE

Perhaps these phrases can help you in the future discussion so less arguing and encouraging more constructive discussion
1. Sorry if I'm wrong.
2. Hey, I'm just Sharing. Chill, Dude.

by the way, What is the color of Jesus's eye ?


thank

[Vizio]

No. Jesus existed pre-incarnate long before Buddha was ever thought of. Buddha is just a man.