questions about Buddhism

[blues235]

hello friends : I have some questions about Buddhism and I hope to find answers here ... 1- is there a God in Buddhism ? or God = Buddha ? or God = nature ? 2- is there a certain way to pray and meditate ? 3- how to separate the good action from the bad one ? 4- what is there after death ? hope to hear from you

[sky]

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/...a/godidea.html


Here is a very good article answering your first question.


There are different ways of Meditating but the common denominator is Mindfulness. Praying is very different to what Western Religions practice, what do you actually mean by praying?


Separating a good action from a bad action ....
What do you mean?


Buddhists believe in a cycle of death and rebirth, Samsara. Through karma and enlightenment they hope to escape Samsara and achieve Nirvana, and end all suffering. It's a little complicated so the link below will explain it fully.



http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/afterlife

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by blues235

hello friends : I have some questions about Buddhism and I hope to find answers here ... 1- is there a God in Buddhism ? or God = Buddha ? or God = nature ? 2- is there a certain way to pray and meditate ? 3- how to separate the good action from the bad one ? 4- what is there after death ? hope to hear from you

There is no God in Buddhism as in a Supreme being that is the creator of all.

More you can think of what you think of as God like is a Buddha or what your true nature is.

Except for Pureland there are no prayers in Buddhism. It is more of a mantra that helps one realize the qualities of a specific Buddha within oneself.

There are many methods of meditation depending on the tradition. All are more of a progression type practices.

There are practices and teachings which help one with their obstructions or good actions/bad actions.

After one dies is an interesting topic. At the highest level nothing happens, you are a Buddha that is beyond time and space, one with all that is. For those not realized it is taught in the Book of the Dead that after 3 days you are reincarnated, returned to this life to continue the journey of realizing your true nature.

[blues235]

Originally Posted by sky123

There are different ways of Meditating but the common denominator is Mindfulness. Praying is very different to what Western Religions practice, what do you actually mean by praying?


Separating a good action from a bad action ....
What do you mean?

Thanks sky123 for your replay , I started a simple mindfulness exercise , sitting while my back is straight ,shoulders are relaxed , I close my eyes and focus on my breathe , I feel better than before ..


I mean by (( Separating a good action from a bad action )) , what is the Ethical Reference in Buddhism ?
thanks again ..

[blues235]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

There is no God in Buddhism as in a Supreme being that is the creator of all.

More you can think of what you think of as God like is a Buddha or what your true nature is.

Except for Pureland there are no prayers in Buddhism. It is more of a mantra that helps one realize the qualities of a specific Buddha within oneself.

There are many methods of meditation depending on the tradition. All are more of a progression type practices.

There are practices and teachings which help one with their obstructions or good actions/bad actions.

After one dies is an interesting topic. At the highest level nothing happens, you are a Buddha that is beyond time and space, one with all that is. For those not realized it is taught in the Book of the Dead that after 3 days you are reincarnated, returned to this life to continue the journey of realizing your true nature.

Thanks Jonesboy for your replay ..

what I understood from your replay is that : the God of religion doesn`t exist in Buddhism , which means that the world is uncreated and eternal , am I right ?

talking about mantra , meditation .. can I practice them alone without a master ?

Thanks again ...

[sky]

Originally Posted by blues235

Thanks sky123 for your replay , I started a simple mindfulness exercise , sitting while my back is straight ,shoulders are relaxed , I close my eyes and focus on my breathe , I feel better than before ..


I mean by (( Separating a good action from a bad action )) , what is the Ethical Reference in Buddhism ?
thanks again ..

It's good you are getting benefits from Mindfulness, you can actually practice Mindfulness Meditation in many different ways, not just sitting down. I personally love walking Meditation, done mindfully of course. Do what you find is beneficial, and maybe explore other ways when you feel the need.

Good/Bad actions are based on ' Intent ' in Buddhism, slightly different from Western beliefs. Here's a good explanation



" Any thoughts, speech or actions that are rooted in greed, hatred and delusion and thus lead us away from Nirvana are bad and any thoughts, speech or actions that are rooted in giving, love and wisdom and thus help clear the way to Nirvana are good. To know what is right and wrong in god-centered religions, all that is needed is to do as you are told. But in a human-centered religion like Buddhism, to know what is right or wrong, you have to develop a deep self-awareness and self-understanding. And ethics based on understanding are always stronger than those that are a response to a command. So to know what is right and wrong, the Buddhist looks at three things - the intention, the effect the act will have upon oneself and the effect it will have upon others. If the intention is good (rooted in giving, love and wisdom), if it helps myself (helps me to be more giving, more loving and wiser) and help others (helps them to be more giving, more loving and wiser), then my deeds and actions are wholesome, good and moral. Of course, there are many variations of this. Sometimes I act with the best of intentions but it may not benefit either myself or others. Sometimes my intentions are far from good, but my action helps others nonetheless. Sometimes I act out of good intentions and my acts help me but perhaps cause some distress to others. In such cases, my actions are mixed - a mixture of good and not-so-good. When intentions are bad and the action helps neither myself nor others, such an action is bad. And when my intention is good and my action benefits both myself and others, then the deed is wholly good. "

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by blues235

Thanks Jonesboy for your replay ..

what I understood from your replay is that : the God of religion doesn`t exist in Buddhism , which means that the world is uncreated and eternal , am I right ?

talking about mantra , meditation .. can I practice them alone without a master ?

Thanks again ...

The world depending on the tradition is all of the mind. More like a transmission from a Buddha. All things are energy.

You can try it alone but for best results it is best to get empowerment's and go to a temple.