posted October 10, 2011 01:04 PM            

You are absolutely correct that buddhism is unique religion. It differs from Islam , Christian and Hinduism
which is a positive path towards God. In that path the self exists. The hindus believe God is everywhere
and that only the seld exists everywhere. Jesus too would allude to Father God.

In buddhism, self is an illusion. It is ego that arises and gives notion of self. So you keep rejecting self and this is another
way of achieving God.

Believe it or not, the two paths positive and negative lead you to the same destination i.e God.
So do not be bothered about if you are on a wrong path . Do not follow both Buddha and Jesus at the same time, else it will lead to
confusion. They are both different individuals.

If is very important for a spiritual aspirant to determine before hand what path is best for him/her.

Generally people who have no ego or are feminine are best suited to follow buddhism or jainism or taoism. While people who are egoistic / masculine are
better suited to follow path of Sufism or Hinduism.

More later as on a lunch break now.

posted October 12, 2011 03:22 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by PhoenixRising:
This is what I understand.
Annata means no self.

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Yes. This word appears to be derived from Sanskrit and/or Pali. Both ancient Hindu languages.

You are absolutely correct that buddhism is unique religion. It differs from Islam , Christian and Hinduism
which is a positive path towards God. In that path the self exists. The hindus believe God is everywhere
and that only the seld exists everywhere. Jesus too would allude to Father God.[/QUOTE]

All the religions above talk of self as Soul - His reflection in us. Not as Ego.

In buddhism, self is an illusion. It is ego that arises and gives notion of self. So you keep rejecting self and this is another
way of achieving God.[/QUOTE]

Self here is the self that we think we are due to Ego. It is not the same as Soul. The moment our Ego collapses this Self dissolves and what remains is His reflection in us. Even in Hinduism there is a stream called Advaita which says Neti Neti meaning not this, not this. Then finally what remains? After rejecting one by one all possibilities of our description of Him what remains is no-thing. That is
again our Soul which is no-thing but His relection in us.

Believe it or not, the two paths positive and negative lead you to the same destination i.e God.
So do not be bothered about if you are on a wrong path . Do not follow both Buddha and Jesus at the same time, else it will lead to
confusion. They are both different individuals.[/QUOTE]

Yes both the paths lead to the same goal. And both these paths are there in Hinduism too. They are the Dvait and Advait philosophy. i.e. Dualism and Non-dualism. Depends on how you look at it. If in the unmanifested form or manifested one. Buddha and Jesus also say the same thing but differently. It means the same but put differently. Like Moon and its reflection in water. If you look at them you can see two but it is actually one. Just a matter of what you to choose to say. If you say two they are so. If you say one they are one.

If is very important for a spiritual aspirant to determine before hand what path is best for him/her.

Generally people who have no ego or are feminine are best suited to follow buddhism or jainism or taoism. While people who are egoistic / masculine are
better suited to follow path of Sufism or Hinduism.

More later as on a lunch break now.

[/QUOTE]

Both paths have the same milestone which is breaking of ego. Once that is done there is no verbose. Its done. All these verbal stunts are required as a feable attempt to try to express something which cannot be expressed in words in the first place. Till the ego doesn't break. Once it does then the enlightened can describe it anyway. If he says there are two, like Jesus says - His father and his son (like moon and its reflection) or like Buddha who says- We are one (as the moon and its reflection is one only), it is one and the same.

posted October 17, 2011 02:13 PM            

LL,
You sound knowledgable. Nice meeting you.
Few clarifications, I used hinduism and people who follow yoga interchageably. Hence the confusion. I hope you will focus on buddhism as this is relevant to BF.
Yoga is different than buddhism. The path of yoga is positive. It too is very scientific like buddhism and requires discipline. yoga says as you progress you will encounter purusha (the self). buddha never gives you an idea. Even in matter there is no form, he says. A fact evidenced by science now who says that matter are made of atoms and a atom is very spacious . Even a electron is not a particle but a cloud. Where does one draw the boundary?

BF,
I believe Buddha's negative path is the most profound teaching in the past few millenniums. He may not be the first one to say that in several millenniums, but he was certainly the one in a very lvery ong time who could teach the masses. Every one who is enligtened cannot be a Master or Guru.

The three marks of existence are: annata (no self) , anicca( non permenance) and dukka (suffering).

No self I already spoke about.It is very difficult to explain but easy to taste God.

Anicca is non permenance. Buddhists believe every thing is changing . The only thing constant is change.

Dukka (suffering). Buddha say's man has freedom to desire. Every one wants to drive a masarati. Buddha says he found out that when the desire is satisfied, people desire for something more. If they do not get it they suffer. This universe is so vast so full of freedom that it allows you to ful fill your desires. Sometimes the fulfillment of desires leaves a gap in you that cannot be explained but acknowledged by you. This is not bad per buddha. Buddha says every one of us human beings have lived millions of lives and they are still chasing their dreams. He is asking us to stop desiring and experience bliss.

Even today Americans asks 'Does losing the American dream bother you?'
A materialistic will say yes.Most spiritualists will reply 'no'.
Buddha's message is relevant in every age.

Someone asked him if the self is not, then who is experiencing bliss? Buddha would never reply to this question as its very hard to speak out in words. Once he responded after many bouts of silence that if nothing exists and beauty were to remain then that is your nature. You are that.

God is a constant flux -- static and dynamic. We are all part of that eternal ocean. popping out in to existence and experiencing our desires. When the desire is no longer, you return to the source. You are God.

Questions may arise, but bear in mind. What can be said was said, but what cannot be said should never be said. Lets meditate and taste God. Knowledge is good if with the understanding you come to experience God. But it has the potential to become a barrier in knowing God.

Just as there are misunderstandings in understanding Christianity, same goes for buddhism too. Over the years people took his teachings as rejecting materialisms, becoming monk, etc.