Um, I dont believe Buddha is idolized anymore than a christian "idolizes" a saint or apostle.
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Unless you ascend to Nirvana it goes with you to your next life.
Only through Nirvana can you fully escape desire, Nirvana being your only desire before you reach it. Unless you achieve Nirvana in life, where you are free of all worldly desires.
Sorry, I wasn't trying to criticise or offend.
Today at 07:27 PM feral said this in Post #23
i love the idea of reincarnation..just love it, i guess because i would like to redo some things or try again and don't like the idea of eternal afterlife.
Yesterday at 02:35 PM Ezra said this in Post #20
The real issue, Mr. Buddhist, is that God has revealed the existence of a literal Lake of Fire. Reincarnation simply goes around this, and as long as you remain outside Chirst, you have no hope of avoiding it.
Also, was Buddha a man? Yes
Is he idolized and venerated as a "god"? Yes
Does that violate the First and Greatest Commandment? Yes
Does that make Buddhists idolators? Yes
So where do you go from there? The only remedy God has provided is Christ, His cross, His blood, His righteousness, His resurrection, and His salvation: "NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER: FOR THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED" (Acts 4:12). As Buddha would say, "Choose wisely".
Gautama Buddha was a mere man who wanted to do and teach the right way without bringing God into the picture.
So you are saying that all living beings have desire and/or consciousness and personality?
Yesterday at 08:11 PM Mr Buddhist said this in Post #25
I suppose I am, I believe that. (This is gonna sound dumb.) My two rabbits have quite distinct personalities. Their desires are simpler though, to dig a whole or to mate. We may call these instincts I suppose.
Your question about Nirvana, I think Ezra explained Nirvana better than I can.
Today at 06:44 AM coastie said this in Post #26
LOL. I totally agree, my dog has quite a personality too. But there are organisms that you could be reincarnated as that do not show any signs of personality (i.e. earth worms, blackberry bushes)
If instinct and desire are synonomous, that means that the instinct to stay alive, to find food, to gain wisdom all must be escaped from.
Ezra did an excellent job with their post, but didn't explain the paradox. Instead, Ezra confirms my questions.
If my question confuses you, I can try and word it a different way.
here it is again...
You desire to reach Nirvana, otherwise, you'd never try. If to escape all desire is to reach Nirvana; basically, you have to not desire anything, (including Nirvana) to reach Nirvana. How is this possible?
This is one of the parts of the philosophy that I just can't get passed.
The following question is a little less intellectual, but say that you are reincaranted as a redwood tree. You'll live to be something like 1 or 2 thousand years old. Since you really can't seek to reach Nirvana when you're a tree, that would really set you back, or would it?
That question makes me think of the Zen buddhism type things. You know, the questions that either dont make any sense or are circular and stuff.
You desire to reach Nirvana, otherwise, you'd never try. If to escape all desire is to reach Nirvana; basically, you have to not desire anything, (including Nirvana) to reach Nirvana. How is this possible?
how can achieving emptiness, by cutting off all ties to family (for example), help in any ways?
You desire to reach Nirvana, otherwise, you'd never try. If to escape all desire is to reach Nirvana; basically, you have to not desire anything, (including Nirvana) to reach Nirvana. How is this possible?
The following question is a little less intellectual, but say that you are reincaranted as a redwood tree. You'll live to be something like 1 or 2 thousand years old. Since you really can't seek to reach Nirvana when you're a tree, that would really set you back, or would it?
If instinct and desire are synonomous, that means that the instinct to stay alive, to find food, to gain wisdom all must be escaped from.
27th March 2003 at 01:07 AM Mr Buddhist said this in Post #12
As I said, Buddha believed ALL suffering (including sin IMO) came from desire.
Yesterday at 04:18 PM feral said this in Post #31
ezra...no, i do not believe in the bible and i am not a christian. agnostic is the best descriptive term...*the questioner*...not quite atheist because i'm not that firm in my beliefs.
29th March 2003 at 03:44 PM coastie said this in Post #26
You desire to reach Nirvana, otherwise, you'd never try. If to escape all desire is to reach Nirvana; basically, you have to not desire anything, (including Nirvana) to reach Nirvana. How is this possible?
By, The Blessed One:
how can achieving emptiness, by cutting off all ties to family (for example), help in any way?
************LewisWildermuth said:Just out of curiosity Susan...
What are you talking about?????
Are you saying Buddhism has a frightening past?
Are you calling Buddhism a cult?
I have read up a little on Buddhism, I have to read more but I'm bogged down with otherthings at the moment. I have found it a rather interesting study and it does have some good points. I don't agree with reincarnation, but over all it is pretty harmless as far as religions go.