MidlandTrailquestsGraham – Member

This whole reincarnation thing though, it’s still something that people only believe because they’ve been told to believe it by the man in charge.

Yeah but no but… It’s a feedback loop basically. reaping what you sew’s a simple idea but we know it doesn’t work, in this life. But the reincarnation idea helps put your life into a wider context and supports the message effectively. It’s meant literally but it works as a metaphor too.

The big difference (IMO, I am no scholar nor am I a buddhist!) is that with christianity, you do things because the mythology says so. With buddhism, you do things because they’re good things, for good reasons, and the mythology takes care of the rewards.

And what that means is that you can remove the woo, and still have something that makes sense- it just adds an extra level of encouragement. Whereas with more traditional faiths… “Why is murder wrong?” “Because GAAAAAHD said so”, take away god and what’s left?

you do things because the mythology says so. With buddhism, you do things because they’re good things

Hmm that’s not quite fair. Jesus said to be nice to each other, and if you’re an arsehole you’ll go to hell. Bhudda said to be nice to each other, and if you’re an arsehole you’ll come back as a worm.

Not that different is it? I think Jesus and Bhudda would have got along just fine.

Anyway – in Bhuddism, who decides what’s ‘good’ and what’s not. The Cosmos? Who’s the arbitrater?

Bhudda said to be nice to each other, and if you’re an arsehole you’ll come back as a worm.

To be fair, I think you’re paraphrasing there, fella!

As far as I know, Buddhism centres on four Noble Truths:

1. Life is suffering
2. Suffering is caused by craving and aversion.
3. Suffering can be overcome and happiness can be attained if we stop craving and learn to live each day at a time.
4. Following the 8-fold path is the way to end suffering, focusing the mind on being fully aware of our thoughts and actions, and developing wisdom and compassion for others.

…no mention of arseholes there!

ts ts ts …! The world does not revolve or evolve around western views …

Buddhism – No reincarnation but yes to rebirth due to karma.

Hinduism – Yes to reincarnation or eternal soul.

Abrahamic faith – Yes to eternal soul with your creator God.

Atheism – Yes to carbon maggots when you die.

Shamanism etc – Yes to nature but not sure about the rest …

Confucius – Know your place in society & bureaucracy rules!

Dear Leader – I step on you and you need to thank me for that.

🙄

molgrips – Member

Hmm that’s not quite fair. Jesus said to be nice to each other, and if you’re an arsehole you’ll go to hell. Bhudda said to be nice to each other, and if you’re an arsehole you’ll come back as a worm.

Not so much. Jesus says you’ll go to hell forever. The Buddha says you’ll reincarnate lower down the wheel (going from human to worm is unlikely, that’s reserved for Luis Suarez and inconsiderate overtakers), for another go. So perhaps you reincarnate as a human in a less good situation

If you do well as a worm, then you can move back up- so there is the opportunity for improvement. And it’s wrong to think of that as punitive- a meanspirited human’s not likely to be happy or at peace, lessons learned in another “lower” life may allow them to find satisfaction. It seems like punishment for an arsehole to come back as a beggar, but not if in the longer run you end up not being an arsehole, not so much. Or, if you find a level of life which suits you, that’s a better outcome too for you.

As for what is good or bad- tbh if you start from the reduction of suffering, by means of compassion and understanding, I don’t think you can go too far wrong with your credo.

Ok, but it’s broadly similar in concept – you’re judged on your actions in life.

if you start from the reduction of suffering

Hmm, but that’s fraught with problems, as discussed in Utilitarianst philosophy. And it’s conflicting too. You’re not meant to hurt living things, are you? But if you killed every malarial mosquito on earth a lot of people might be saved at the expensse of the mozzies. But would that actually help? If everyone in some marginal part of the world survived childhood suddenly would there not be a massive strain on resources leading to mass starvation?

It’s complicated.. which is why I asked about arbitration. Is it jus the cosmos that decides? If so, what’s the difference between the rules of the Cosmos and God?

molgrips – Member

Ok, but it’s broadly similar in concept – you’re judged on your actions in life.

But not condemned, is the critical difference.

Re arbitration- it gets well into the mysticism there, which is where I just lose interest tbh. I understand that intention and will is what’s most important- a mosquito causes suffering but it has no understanding of that, a man who thoughtlessly or cruelly kills a mosquito might be judged poorly while a man who studies malaria vectors and makes an informed decision to kill mosquitos without cruelty may be judged well. Perhaps next year the understanding of the disease or the ecosystem changes and what was wise today is wrong. Smart not to deal in absolutes really.

Buddhists are essentially peaceful, IMO.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/25/burma-muslims-two-child-limit
A Buddhist state practicing peace, yesterday.

@konabunny,

and to follow

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/25/woolwich-attack-islam

or

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351251/Number-British-Muslims-double-5-5m-20-years.html

There appears to be a larger issue here.

That EDL supporter in the Guardian link is a handsome fecker, and he’s clearly very proud to be English.

`

I bet he feels vastly superior to others who unfortunately haven’t had the good luck to have been born English.

Editorial bias init. The Guardian’s clearly had to tightly crop that picture so you don’t see that most EDL supporters actually look like Brad Pitt.

and from the daily mail…

Nothing like a bit of stereotyping is there!

^^ That pic is scary. Imagine being those women and being so brainwashed by their religion that they feel they have to cover themselves up in black from head to toe just to please their male opressors….

^^ That pic is scary. Imagine being those women and being so brainwashed by their religion that they feel they have to cover themselves up in black from head to toe just to please their male opressors….

^^ Scary. Imagine only being able to imagine one reason you’d wear a cloak.

There appears to be a larger issue here.

Is the issue that Buddhism is just the same as all other religions an shouldn’t get a free pass?

konabunny – Member

There appears to be a larger issue here.

Is the issue that Buddhism is just the same as all other religions an shouldn’t get a free pass?

Obviously you have lumped everything that is not of your belief to be the same with the Abrahamic faith so let me keep this simple for you before you try to associate things that you do not understand …

Ask yourself these questions:

Did they terrorise the world?
Did they terrorise the developed country?
Did they terrorise EU?
Did they terrorise their neighbouring country(s)?
Did they terrorise the 3rd world?
Did they terrorise you?

If non of the above apply to you then let them deal with their own internal matters.

They do not want your free pass but why do you insist on “imposing” your free pass on them? Why do you judge them?

What have they done to you or your country?

To keep it at a more basic level … they are NOT of larger issue because they are merely defending what is left their ways.

No … someone slap you on your right cheek you don’t turn your face to let him/her slap your left cheek. That would be making mistake twice.

Buddhism and Islam have been at war in this region for Eons.

Nothing new here

Buddhism and Islam have been at war in this region for Eons.

Nothing new here

.aaand we’re back to..

but really , they are as intolerant as all other groups really.

konabunny – Member

.aaand we’re back to..

That is why I say you have limited understanding …

Tolerance does not mean bowing down and let things be or taking advantage of the native.

Your interpretation of the world can normally be termed as imposing. i.e. anything that does not fit your ideal is wrong and must be adjusted. Now imagine the other round … can’t you comprehend?

They know how to deal with their own problems so let them be unless the west try to intervene to cause a mess like their ancestors did to the world?