i found buddhism!!!!!

[Bindu*]

Lama Surya das quote:

http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/secu...-atheists.aspx

Q: Is there a God in Buddhism? I read in a book by the pope that Buddhism is atheistic and life-denying.

A: I read the same thing in the pope's book "Crossing the Threshold of Hope," in a chapter called "Buddha?" But the pontiff should know better, or at least be better informed by his scholar-advisers.
Buddhism is neither atheistic nor life-denying. We can witness this in the great surge of socially activist Buddhists in the Western countries today, which includes the widespread movement of so-called "engaged Buddhism" founded in part by the Vietnamese Zen master, poet, and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. There is great affirmation and hope in Buddhist teaching, or Buddha-dharma, and great respect and reverence for life in all its forms, human and otherwise.

In fact, Buddhism is generally considered to be not atheistic but agnostic, in that, the Buddha himself did not deny the existence of God. The Indian teacher and social reformer teacher called Sakyamuni Buddha is reported to have either kept silent when asked whether God existed, or in other cases to have said that his Noble Eightfold path led to enlightenment and deathless peace, and did not require faith or belief in a divine being or supreme creator. "Buddhism Without Beliefs," by the former monk and Buddhist scholar Stephen Batchelor, offers a fine argument for the agnostic thinking of basic Buddhism

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/secu...UldRf0CRmvz.99

[jonesboy]

Food for thought.

For instance, Mahamati, Indra is [sometimes known as] Sakra, [sometimes? as] Purandara; hand is hasta, kara, pani; the body is tanu, deha, sarira; the earth is prithivi, bhumi, vasumdhara; the sky is kha, akasa, gagana; all these objects each in its way are designated with many names, synonymously used and discriminated; but on account of these different names different objects are not to be imagined, nor are they without their self-nature. The same, Mahamati, can be said of myself, for I come within the range of hearing of ignorant people, in this world of patience, under many names, amounting to a hundred thousand times three asamkhyeyas, and they address me by these names not knowing that they are all other names of the Tathagata. Of these, Mahamati, some recognise me as the Tathagata, some as the Self-existent One, some as Leader, as Vinayaka (Remover), as Parinayaka (Guide), as Buddha, as Rishi (Ascetic), as Bull-king, as Brahma, as Vishnu, as Isvara, as Original Source (pradhana), as Kapila, as Bhutanta (End of Reality), as Arishta, as Nemina, as Soma (moon), as the Sun, as Rama, as Vyasa, as Suka, as Indra, as Balin, as Varuna, as is known to some; while others recognise me as One who is never born and never passes away, as Emptiness, as Suchness, as Truth, as Reality, as Limit of Reality, (193) as the Dharmadhatu, as Nirvana, as the Eternal, as Sameness, as Non-duality, as the Undying, as the Formless, as Causation, as the Doctrine of Buddha-cause, as Emancipation, as the Truth of the Path, as the All-Knower, as the Victor, as the Will-made Mind. Mahamati, thus in full possession of one hundred thousand times three asamkhyeyas of appellations, neither more nor less, in this world and in other worlds, I am known to the peoples, like the moon in water which is neither in it nor out of it. But this is not understood by the ignorant who have fallen into the dualistic conception of continuity.1 Though they honour, praise, esteem, and revere me, they do not understand well the meaning of words and definitions; they do not distinguish ideas, they do not have their own truth, and, clinging to the words of the canonical books, they imagine that not being subject to birth and destruction means a non-entity, and fail to see that it is one of the many names of the Tathagata as in the case of Indra, Sakra, Purandara. They have no confidence in the texts where the self-standing truth is revealed, since in their study of all things they follow mere words as expressed in the texts trying thereby to gain into the meaning.

http://lirs.ru/do/lanka_eng/lanka-nondiacritical.htm

[sky]

"The mantra Om Mani Pädme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching. When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Pä, the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom."So in this way recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in the six practices from generosity to wisdom. The path of these six perfections is the path walked by all the Buddhas of the three times. What could then be more meaningful than to say the mantra and accomplish the six perfections?"

[sky]

Originally Posted by Gem

It's basically due to the fact that God is not necessary in Buddhist teaching. People who believe in God, Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Jews and so on, can still practice Buddhism - meaning learn the meditation and the philosophy.

Gotama referred to his teachings as a 'path', which is universal, so it doesn't matter what religion a person is, what culture they are from or if they believe in God or not. It's just that no God or any form of worship is taught in Buddhism.

Thus says the voice of wisdom

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

"The mantra Om Mani Pädme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching. When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Pä, the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom."So in this way recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in the six practices from generosity to wisdom. The path of these six perfections is the path walked by all the Buddhas of the three times. What could then be more meaningful than to say the mantra and accomplish the six perfections?"

Why did you leave this part out?

Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or silently to oneself, invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones, like the one pictured above, and placed where people can see them.

Is this a form of worship?

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

Why did you leave this part out?

Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or silently to oneself, invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones, like the one pictured above, and placed where people can see them.

Is this a form of worship?

I left it out because it doesn't interest me, I don't believe in worship. Buddha did not advocate worship of himself or anything or anyone else.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

I left it out because it doesn't interest me, I don't believe in worship. Buddha did not advocate worship of himself or anything or anyone else.

It may not interest you but it is a vital part of the mantra and it's meaning.

We are sharing what Buddhism is not just the parts we believe in ad ignore the rest.

I am not even saying it is worship.

More pointing out the power of a bodhisattva and how a Buddha who is known by all the names such as Brahma or reality is what is thought of from a Christian view as a God.

For example what are Buddha realms?

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

It may not interest you but it is a vital part of the mantra and it's meaning.

We are sharing what Buddhism is not just the parts we believe in ad ignore the rest.

I am not even saying it is worship.

More pointing out the power of a bodhisattva and how a Buddha who is known by all the names such as Brahma or reality is what is thought of from a Christian view as a God.

For example what are Buddha realms?

The mantra actually means different things to different schools of Buddhism, I posted what it means to me, ok.
Bodhisattvas...... you and others might think they have powers but I don't...
'What are Buddhist realms' not interested...

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

The mantra actually means different things to different schools of Buddhism, I posted what it means to me, ok.
Bodhisattvas...... you and others might think they have powers but I don't...
'What are Buddhist realms' not interested...

Oh,

Well you should probably let people know you are not providing full answers or providing what has been taught for 1000's of years but your own version of Buddhism.

It's like me telling people if you say um bum dum sum over and over as a mantra it will bring you wealth.

Now if you look it up it is a mantra that connects you to the devil with the promise of wealth.

You not believing in the devil decide to leave that part out.

To someone who does believe in the devil that little detail that you left out and don't believe in could matter a whole lot to someone else.

It is also why it is important that you provide a link with your quotes so that people can also get the non Sky version of Buddhism.

Also, I was not aware it had different meanings to different schools. Can you provide a link that shows that?

[sky]

https://www.yowangdu.com/tibetan-bud...padme-hum.html


Hope this helps, but there are many more interpretations as I said.