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Originally Posted by Phaelyn
It would be great if somebody translated Buddhism into common use English.
Like:
Buddhism "Mindstream" = English "Self, Non dogmatic definition of Soul"
Buddhism "Not-Self" = English "Liberated Consciousness"
Buddhism "Self" = English "Not Liberated Consciousness, Ego"
English Consciousness = self, awareness, soul, that which is aware.
Buddhism Consciousness = false identity, product of brain, ego, mental processes.
Buddhism to English may lead to a lot of non-sense seems to me. Like a conclusion Buddhism is saying there is no self or me. If Buddhism actually taught that, nobody would be a Buddhist.
Also on using quotes from various Buddhist teachers as some kind of absolute authority. They are just individuals with their own opinions. One master posted in this thread a lot told a recent visitor to his community, where they served her pork for lunch, that it's ok to eat meat if you don't kill the animal yourself. And his quotes keep getting posted as a Buddhist authority.
Better than using somebody else's words is to just post what you believe to be true and why imho. Not I believe so and so is true cause XYZ says so. But so and so is true because I have experienced this or that. I think people like Tolle have basically translated Buddha's teachings into English and found their own version of what he was pointing to. I wonder how much of Buddha's teachings got changed or added to over time. It's kinda hard to reconcile Buddha, who was liberated from mental content, who refused to even answer basic questions about what he was, with a religion where people can post 10,000 words about what the 5 aggregates are or mean.
What is Buddhism? Someone who sees a value in what Buddha did and was and wants to pursue that. Well also many millions of people talking about Buddha and putting their thoughts and opinions to paper.
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' What is Buddhism?'
' Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of reality. Buddhist practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood. An enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely clearly, just as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that vision. This is the goal of the Buddhist spiritual life, representing the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.'
Well also many millions of people talking about Buddha and putting their thoughts and opinions to paper.[/QUOTE
Not just putting their thoughts and opinions on paper, but following the Teachings of the Buddha.
You can talk but if you don't do the Practices your wasting your time.