What is the best religion?

[Stigweard]

[C T]

Sincere thanks, Stig - nice share. Wise words indeed - wiser is him/her who embodies such simple qualities in life. One decides to become a slave or a free person by virtue of one's virtues(habitual attributes).

[Marblehead]

[Baguakid]

I would rather have liked to ask, Why is there so much negativism in Buddhism (which is what makes it a religion). Why is there teaching about so many levels of hell. Why is there teaching about coming back as a lessor life form? Just as in any religion, if you don't believe in that way you'll go to hell or come back as a bird or worm... etc etc etc... Why fill one's thoughts with these negative ideas?

[aridus]

I would rather have liked to ask, Why is there so much negativism in Buddhism (which is what makes it a religion). Why is there teaching about so many levels of hell. Why is there teaching about coming back as a lessor life form? Just as in any religion, if you don't believe in that way you'll go to hell or come back as a bird or worm... etc etc etc... Why fill one's thoughts with these negative ideas?

 

I don't know if they are necessarily negative. The human perception of negative is just that, a perception. Sure, there can be opposing forces, that which is light or dark or positive or negative. But like yin and yang, these cannot be restricted, such as in the misguided concept some people have that yin represents 'evil' and yang represents 'good'. These are not classified in such a way, we cannot put them in boxes like that for it is a relationship of both, they flow around each other in constant change - you cannot eliminate one without causing the other to flip, and therefore defeating your intention.

 

I think some people just seek a reason to do what they do, in some cases it may be negative but it is not as simple as tacking the word on and being done with it.

[Baguakid]

No, I've seen these things take on a life of their own to the point that that's most of what's being talked about or taught. I see it as a design to "scare" people in the direction they (religious scholars) want them to go. Just as in Christianity, if one doesn't believe in Jesus then they'll spend an eternity in hell.

[aridus]

No, I've seen these things take on a life of their own to the point that that's most of what's being talked about or taught. I see it as a design to "scare" people in the direction they (religious scholars) want them to go. Just as in Christianity, if one doesn't believe in Jesus then they'll spend an eternity in hell.

I understand what you are saying. I'm basically saying that this is exactly what happens when things are taken out of balance. If it is most of what is being taught, then it will of course produce poor results, because it is poor teaching. One should not be frightened into believing anything, that is corruption.

[Aetherous]

I respect these words so much, and wish that everyone can learn the essence of this easily. I hope that we can all help each other in this, together.

[paulno]

[gendao]

[Lucky7Strikes]

Closest to "God"...or dependent origination?

 

Because those "endgames" are quite diametrically different, aren't they???

You can call the infinite matrix of consciousness dependencies as God. We make God. Realizing that in the most direct way is to come closest to him...

[gendao]

You can call the infinite matrix of consciousness dependencies as God. We make God. Realizing that in the most direct way is to come closest to him...

Well according to the doctrine of nonduality (which Buddhism includes), there also is actually no "you" or "him." There is no one.

 

Moreso, believing that there is a "you" that is separate from "him" is the main cause of suffering. Thus religions that reinforce this dualistic separation are ultimately further reinforcing this delusional suffering.

 

As is Dolly Lama by implicitly reinforcing both notions with his statement there.

 

Although, they might help one initially...such rafts would only get one so far and then outlive their usefulness (from the Buddhist perspective).

Edited February 27, 2011 by vortex

[Stigweard]

Question: does arguing over semantics make you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical?

 

O.o

[Aetherous]

Question: does arguing over semantics make you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical?

 

+1.

 

It's hard to learn.

[exorcist_1699]

Taoism is the best religion , because :

 

1) Taoism is a system having flexibility and manifold appearances , it can be viewed as both a system of philosophy (of war/ politics /life ) and religion. People who love its philosophy , can find a lot of good ideas and sayings in LaoTze and Chuang Tze. On the other hand, people who search for spiritual comfort , immortality and gods, can similarly find those religious elements in it .

 

2) To attain some kind of god-like ability , to get control of their fate in their own hands, likely are many people's wish . Taoism provides the thing that these people want to have , and those concrete steps to achieve it .

God is you and you are god. God-like ability is already innate in the most important element of Taoism , ie, qi . In fact, Tao is just another name of "pre-hevenly qi; it is only after its descend and " degeneration" that it splits into mind and body .

 

3) In other religions, there is somehow some rupture in between this world and other spiritual worlds, this life and afterlife /other lives that people are passively put under to face . But in Taoism , itself being a coherent trinity of jeng-qi-shen, this life can achieve eternal life , this world can link to other worlds , there is no real separation .

Edited February 27, 2011 by exorcist_1699

[Marblehead]

Question: does arguing over semantics make you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical?

 

O.o

 

No. However, discussion promotes understanding and understanding removes the need to argue over semantics.

 

So in the beginning we are going to argue over semantics until we understand the roots of the others' thoughts and words.

[manitou]

The reason I love the Tao mindset is because it embraces all other mindsets (religions). The others are exclusionary. If one espouses any religion over another, just by its nature there are limitations. The One has no limitation.

 

The tao, and specifically this website, seems to be the place where form is transcended, a place we meet after we've knocked around in the various other structures.

 

Yes, it is all about becoming a better person. Apparently this is what the One is shooting for. We are its expression at this level, on the human consciousness level; however, we are also One with the rocks and trees and earth and everything else.

 

I think the big bang, or whatever the current terminology is for it, was It's original Idea being born. The Idea is coming to fruition through us at this level of awareness. The whole shitaroo continues its evolution; as a kundalini active person, I constantly get a sense of myself evolving in some weird ways into 'something else'. Sometimes I think the end result is that I'll had a big huge head, a skinny little body, and giant black eyes.

[gendao]

Question: does arguing over semantics make you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical?

One religion posits a dualistic universe created by a monotheistic, anthromorphized creator God. And because his creations are separate from him - they require the acceptance of a demigod intermediary to get closer to him.

 

Another religion posits a nondualistic, dependently-originated universe with no one in it at all. So without any subjects, all subjective morality loses its relevance as well.

 

So, if these are merely "semantic" differences - then what common model are they both defining, just using different terminology? Is there or is there not a "God" separate from his creation?

 

Which view is right, true & accurate? Remember, the road to Hell is paved with good ("compassionate, sensible, detached, loving, humanitarian, responsible, ethical"), yet ignorant & incorrect, intentions...

[Kali Yuga]

If you need a religion then obviously you are a sheep because you need to be told what to believe in by other people in order to believe it.

 

The highest spiritual adepts are in fact not religious people. Rather they are highly spiritual. If you cannot tell the difference then I will not bother to explain because you cannot separate a consensus reality from individual reality.

 

The highest attained people are not in fact those who follow religion because from the point of view of religion every single one of them is a complete heretic.

 

If Jesus came back right now they'd probably nail him back where he belongs for being an Antichrist. If Jesus came back do you think he would be a christian? Jesus didn't give a shit and pissed of all the "highly religious" people of his time. Now, just who are the equivalent of the pharisees in our time? with all their grand displays, admonishments on how they think you should live your life and professing to be men who have the right to tell you just what God thinks? The Church.

 

When you are starting off with the path, you find a religion. When your religion does not satisfy what you are looking for, you find your master. When you surpass your own master, the crucial point is that you forget what he taught you and find it all out for yourself. You must take your own path into your hands if you want to know the truth. Let me ask you did someone TELL the Buddha to sit under his tree? Was it part of some SECRET TANTRIC PRACTICE where he was required to take vows in some monastery and stay there 40 years in order to learn it?!?

 

The truth is that it is the heretics who are the basis for religion. They are the highest because they dared to go farther where no one else could take them. They are the supreme rule breakers. Then everyone else just tries to follow them and but they never get anywhere near him. Then they make some twisted dogma that everyone else just follows, and then a millenium or two later people everywhere are giving each other massive guilt trips over enjoying sex. and raping little kids because somehow, priesthood and pussy don't mix.

 

let me leave with this.

 

Only true eagles fly, and everyone else is just a chicken.

[Stigweard]

I'd like to reiterate the message of the opening post.

 

What religion, or philosophy, or path you follow in comparison to others doesn't matter. Whatever "works" for you is the "best" way for you. In terms of "best", the Dalai Lama with his comments was saying that if your path instills in you greater virtue, if it makes you a more spiritual wholesome person, then that religion or path is what is best for you.

 

Let us not get distracted by what you might or might not think of the Dalai Lama, or of Buddhism, or of religion in general, and miss the importance of the wisdom within his words in this instance.

 

[Pietro]

[Jetsun]

Within Buddhism they say the fastest way to enlightenment is through becoming a bodhisattva, and any religion can put you on that path so whatever does that for you is the best, all the distinctions of non duality and god are of less importance than becoming a bodhisattva because that path will lead to the truth about all that anyway.

[manitou]

When it comes to truth or compassion, I don't think it's an either/or proposition.

 

What we perceive as truth can always be expressed. But to be in accord with the Tao it must be expressed with a loving heart. Sometimes this is the very essence of love - to lovingly tell someone something that they don't want to hear, but which you know they must hear.

 

There are posters on this board who have so much incredible knowledge - but it is apparent that love has not infused their words yet, merely arrogance. It appears that these folks are at the end of the left brain line - but going in to our inner self to release the love that abides under all the contortion is another thing altogether.

[Pero]

The Dalai Lama is very skillful indeed.

[Aaron]

Hello folks,

 

Here's the problem with religion, that people have problems with religion. If you pay attention to the Tao Teh Ching it talks about this, but also advises you on how to handle religion. Mind your own business, worry about what you're doing and not what others are doing.

 

If you think religion is bad, that's your opinion, but if you want to really change the world, then change it by being a better person. If you want to teach others how to live a better life, then start by living a better life. The Sage teaches by his actions, not words.

 

Aaron

Edited March 1, 2011 by Twinner