Edited remark Is he a God or a statue? Discuss.

And the winner of the Most Likely Thread to get locked is.....

Edited inflamatory remark

I think that several are missing the point that joc is attempting to make some sort of a statement...

I'm not missing the point.... look at my reply.... its as constructif as his

He is? What could it be?

Now we're bordering on the ridiculously facetious, joc. All this thread is, is just an attempt on your part to be "smart" about the Jesus thread.

FYI....."Buddha" was a real person, just like Jesus. His name was Guattama Siddhartha and he was born around the middle of the 6th Century BC. No, he is not a god but he is venerated as a wise holy man. He, in fact, is one of several "Buddhas", or elightened people. Another funny "coincidence" is that Jesus' own teachings bear an uncanny resemblance to what Siddhartha taught. I wonder why...hmmmmmm??.

Right now he's almost trolling.

The best part of all the other beliefs you sighted is not a single one of them tries to SELL their beliefs to others, indeed they do not FORCE it on others.

....and the Taliban (and other sects of Islam), are an extension of Judeo-Christianity, with the cultural and tribal beliefs of the Arabs thrown in for good measure. Of course it has evolved over time, but in essence it is nothing more than that.

Just as Christianity is an extension of Judaism.

i'll have to admit though that when I read that this thread name I almost had a cow laughing so hard.....sounded like something my nephew would ask.....lol

We could use these threads to educate each other on these beliefs as well.

One of the Buddha's disciples asked him oneday "What is the meaning of existence??".....the Buddha picked up a lotus flower and held it in his hand, smiling. He sat there like that for awhile admiring the flower and when his followers asked why he hadn't answered the question, he replied "but I just did".

Do you know what the answer is??

Jesus tried to teach the same, but as with Guattama, it was lost on his followers for the most of it.

That is a small part of it, but not the most important part. The appreciation of beauty is the recognition of the importance of love in the makeup of existence.

Here's the story I was talking about , with the girl bringing Buddha food. Seems this is where he reaches the state of enlightement called Nirvana.

Once Buddha was in a dejected mood as he did not succeed in his Yogic practices. He knew not where to go and what to do. A village girl noticed his sorrowful face. She approached him and said to him in a polite manner: "Revered sir, may I bring some food for you ? It seems you are very hungry". Gautama looked at her and said, "What is your name, my dear sister ?". The maiden answered, "Venerable sir, my name is Sujata". Gautama said, "Sujata, I am very hungry. Can you really appease my hunger ?"

The innocent Sujata did not understand Gautama. Gautama was spiritually hungry. He was thirsting to attain supreme peace and Self-realization. He wanted spiritual food. Sujata placed some food before Gautama and entreated him to take it. Gautama smiled and said, "Beloved Sujata, I am highly pleased with your kind and benevolent nature. Can this food appease my hunger ?". Sujata replied, "Yes sir, it will appease your hunger. Kindly take it now". Gautama began to eat the food underneath the shadow of a large tree, thenceforth to be called as the great 'Bo-tree' or the tree of wisdom.

Gautama sat in a meditative mood underneath the tree from early morning to sunset, with a fiery determination and an iron resolve: "Let me die. Let my body perish. Let my flesh dry up. I will not get up from this seat till I get full illumination". He plunged himself into deep meditation.

At night he entered into deep Samadhi (superconscious state) underneath that sacred Bo-tree (Pipal tree or ficus religiosa). He was tempted by Maya in a variety of ways, but he stood adamant. He did not yield to Maya's allurements and temptations. He came out victorious with full illumination. He attained Nirvana (liberation). His face shone with divine splendour and effulgence. He got up from his seat and danced in divine ecstasy for seven consecutive days and nights around the sacred Bo-tree.

Then he came to the normal plane of consciousness. His heart was filled with profound mercy and compassion. He wanted to share what he had with humanity. He traveled all over India and preached his doctrine and gospel. He became a saviour, deliverer, redeemer http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/saints/buddha.htm

The Maya that tempted him seems to be a female personification of all earthy desires or aspirations from what I can gather. I really dig this Buddha dude he offers sound advice!!

Joc,

Starting threads which incorporate deliberately denigrating titles and opening comments is inappropriate and inexcusable. You might feel justified, but you've gone beyond the limits of decency and civility by trying to make your point. While I might understand your frustration, I have little tolerance for spiteful, inflammatory behavior. There are more constructive, non-derogatory ways to express your opinion, it appears you'll need several days to ponder how to formulate them.

Additionally, Stellar, this is a warning to you to refrain from making offensive, spiteful remarks which only inflame an already volatile subject. You'd have been better served reporting the post rather than posting a sarcastic comment.

Magikman

A very interesting story, Chauncy.

A few years back, the present Pope released a Papl Bull on other religions, especially Buddhism, in which he said that the attainment of Nirvana as a core of Buddhism was wishy washy and such. It just goes to show you how much the Pope misunderstood the whole concept. Like a lot of things which Christians seem to misunderstand.

They are......I find myself drawn to the ideas and teachings of the Buddha, although I have no want of becoming a Buddhist as such. The teachings have a very strong resonance with me. His own ideas of the nature of reality accord quite strongly with my own. However there are differences.

But his ideas of how everyone should strive to be would do this planet in good stead.

From the short time that I spent studying Buddhism (I personally find it to be the closest to scientific as a religion can get), my favorite part is on the deities.

For instance, Buddha. Whichever one you choose to follow and model yourself after, it is made quite clear from the beginning that you are not actually modelling yourself after the actual man, but rather after the image he portrayed. In other words, as a Christian, I would model myself after the image of Jesus that is so popular today, not after the arab that walked in muddy streets, took a dump by the side of the road, and bathed once a week like the rest of the people. I found it remarkably refreshing that Buddhism was quite upfront about seperating the divine myth from the real person, and choosing to follow the myth with the full knowledge that it was not the factual person, but rather the ideal they were following (did that make any sense?).

I think that judgement after death in Buddhism is based on your actions in life. You merely get reincarnated until you achieve Nirvana. I believe that the challenges you face in your current life are a direct result of your actions in the last one.
I think though, that you can achieve ultimate failure in the quest for Nirvana and be sent to the Hells after so many failures. But I'm fairly sure that in Buddhism, Hell is not permanent and you can work your way out..
I'm by no means an expert in Buddhist belief however..

When most people think of the Buddha, they are thinking of the most famous Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama. But there have been many Buddhas throughout the ages recognized and unknown. Buddhists do not worship Buddha as a patriarchal, all-knowing entity like Christians. Rather, a Buddha can be many things to many people. A Buddha is pure Enlightenment. To realize the Buddha-nature of your own consciousness, is to realize Enlightenment.

The story of Siddhartha Guatama: Born in the sixth century B.C.E. in what is today Nepal, the Buddha was a wealthy prince of the Shakya clan. He married and had a son and lived a pampered life. His father carefully sheltered him from all misery.

Source

Falco said

I really like this Buddha as I said before.

The only reason really why I'm posting here again is to show off this new pic I found its pretty neat, and actually says alot, at least to me it did, and that may not mean much. What do you guys feel it is saying?

Isn't that the Jesus Dude action figure from Dogma? If it is, I think it's saying "Buy this toy!", or "Marketing Photo."

What he's saying is this....



Jesus:"Buddha is one cool dude, but I wish he wouldn't hold his breath for so long!!!!"

merely an evil statue of a man that lived 1000 years ago that was no God or Angel

He was real. I know it because Im a buddhist.