Gautama Siddhartha

[TheLegacyFHP]

7. Gautama Siddhartha
94:7.1 (1035.1) Contemporary with Lao-tse and Confucius in China, another great teacher of truth arose in India. Gautama Siddhartha was born in the sixth century before Christ in the north Indian province of Nepal. His followers later made it appear that he was the son of a fabulously wealthy ruler, but, in truth, he was the heir apparent to the throne of a petty chieftain who ruled by sufferance over a small and secluded mountain valley in the southern Himalayas.
*Deleted* And name your source, pls.

[sky]

Originally Posted by TheLegacyFHP

7. Gautama Siddhartha
94:7.1 (1035.1) Contemporary with Lao-tse and Confucius in China, another great teacher of truth arose in India. Gautama Siddhartha was born in the sixth century before Christ in the north Indian province of Nepal. His followers later made it appear that he was the son of a fabulously wealthy ruler, but, in truth, he was the heir apparent to the throne of a petty chieftain who ruled by sufferance over a small and secluded mountain valley in the southern Himalayas.
*Delelted* And name your source, pls.

And ?.......

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky123

And ?.......

The Buddha is one of my favorite spiritual guides. He provided what I call "methodology without theology" and I have used his practices throughout my life.

His understanding of the mind serves as a basis for modern therapies such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as well as MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction). His wisdom is very relevant even today as it passes the test of time.

I am currently attending a local zoom group on "Buddhism for Sufis" led by a Sufi with a practice based on the teachings of the Buddha.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

The Buddha is one of my favorite spiritual guides. He provided what I call "methodology without theology" and I have used his practices throughout my life.

His understanding of the mind serves as a basis for modern therapies such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as well as MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction). His wisdom is very relevant even today as it passes the test of time.

I am currently attending a local zoom group on "Buddhism for Sufis" led by a Sufi with a practice based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Have fun

It sounds really interesting can you point me in the direction of their practice, something to read please....

[sentient]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

I am currently attending a local zoom group on "Buddhism for Sufis" led by a Sufi with a practice based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Well, half your luck Sill Waters!
I'd be very interested in your impressions of the course.
The highlights?
Please do tell.

*

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sentient

Well, half your luck Sill Waters!
I'd be very interested in your impressions of the course.
The highlights?
Please do tell.

*

The "Buddhism for Sufis" group was interesting but, after my comments, my sense is that it will go deeper and get a lot more interesting.

The Wednesday session went into the Four Noble Truths but, instead of going into the Eight-Fold Path, it went into the "Ten Realms" which we agreed are actually states of consciousness. I mentioned that the Buddha adamantly refused to discuss metaphysics and maintained the Noble Silence when metaphysical questions arose. Hence, next week, the host plans to go into the Eightfold Path and focus more on practices which the Buddha taught instead of metaphysical theorizing. The host/presenter and I are now in WhatsApp communication.

Interestingly enough, Buddhism came up at a Spiritist meeting I attended last night (Friday, April 9th)) where the subject matter was related to the process of physical death. I introduced the Tibetan Buddhist teachings on the Bardos (death transitions) and mentioned my one-on-one dialogue with Sogyal Rimpoche (a Tibetan Buddhist monk who witnessed his master raise a monk from the dead to guide him properly through the Bardos). That triggered a lot of discussion as it is very rare to find cases in modern times where some one actually came back from the dead and said something about it. (Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" cites another case for those who are interested.)

This week's topic in the "Buddhism for Sufis" group is expected to be "Karma" ( ) and "soul-less" (annata). The latter was the subject of the Buddha's second discourse. I wrote an essay on the latter subject when I took an online course (www.coursera.org) on "Buddhism and Modern Psychology" offered by Princeton university.

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

The Buddha is one of my favorite spiritual guides. He provided what I call "methodology without theology" and I have used his practices throughout my life.

His understanding of the mind serves as a basis for modern therapies such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as well as MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction). His wisdom is very relevant even today as it passes the test of time.

I am currently attending a local zoom group on "Buddhism for Sufis" led by a Sufi with a practice based on the teachings of the Buddha.

it's evolved over time into a wonderous thing that's for sure. many different schools, something for everyone and all types. i would say a very large group of insightful people provided what we now know as buddhism, many different people over many centuries. buddha did no writing and of course did not invent a religion. he did however start a group of male and female monastics which he gave very strict rules of conduct to. all the writing down of ideas, not from buddha. it's very similar to christianity and jesus. many very insightful people who came after jesus created christianity.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

it's evolved over time into a wonderous thing that's for sure. many different schools, something for everyone and all types. i would say a very large group of insightful people provided what we now know as buddhism, many different people over many centuries. buddha did no writing and of course did not invent a religion. he did however start a group of male and female monastics which he gave very strict rules of conduct to. all the writing down of ideas, not from buddha. it's very similar to christianity and jesus. many very insightful people who came after jesus created christianity.

You are absolutely correct that neither Buddha nor Jesus wrote anything down. As you also noted, Buddha "did however start a group of male and female monastics". I am not sure exactly what the Buddha's directives were regarding the "very strict rules of conduct to all the writing down of ideas". Could you elaborate on that as it makes sense but I am not conversant in those directives.

The actual writings for both Buddhism and Christianity came later by others and it is not always clear how insightful/accurate those writings were. In any case, it does appear that the teachings of the Buddha were preserved relatively intact.

[pixiedust]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

You are absolutely correct that neither Buddha nor Jesus wrote anything down. As you also noted, Buddha "did however start a group of male and female monastics". I am not sure exactly what the Buddha's directives were regarding the "very strict rules of conduct to all the writing down of ideas". Could you elaborate on that as it makes sense but I am not conversant in those directives.

The actual writings for both Buddhism and Christianity came later by others and it is not always clear how insightful/accurate those writings were. In any case, it does appear that the teachings of the Buddha were preserved relatively intact.

Yes I agree that Buddha's teachings were preserved and intact.

I believe AbodhiSky is talking about the 8 precepts that Theravadan monastics maintain.

"To summarise, following anthropologist Barend Jan Terwiel's translation from Pāli language used in Thai ceremonies:

I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from taking life
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from taking what is not given
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from unchastity
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from false speech
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from intoxicants which cause a careless frame of mind
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from taking food at the wrong time
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from dancing, music, visiting shows, flowers, make-up, the wearing of ornaments and decorations
I undertake [to observe] the rule of abstinence from a tall, high sleeping place."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_precepts

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

You are absolutely correct that neither Buddha nor Jesus wrote anything down.

Jesus wrote on the ground twice according to others writings.

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.