Universalism

[Universalist18]

I am a writer, trying to write a book on universalism. Universalism is a type of religion that combines the universal ideals of all religions.

Instead of finding encyclopedia explanations or perhaps bias books, I have decided to ask the people who practice said religions I am learning and in the process learn more.

So, I am starting off my book with a chapter to each major religion, buddhism for example is a chapter. My first question for the reader would be: "What is your version of creation?" "what are major rules, as buddhist, that must be followed to reach a sense of nirvana or the equivalent to heaven in the christian religion?" "And what is the plan after death?"

Any answers to any of these questions will be appreciated. I know I may stand out, but I want to learn more in order to give an understanding to others.

[David N. Snyder]

Since you're asking about the "creation" it sounds like you need the very basics of what Buddhism is about. You may need to start with some basic encyclopedia introductions to the subject, for example, Wikipedia or another source. Here is a good introductory book:

http://www.goodquestiongoodanswer.net/

[Hanzze]

Dear Universalist18,

maybe those short answers are helpfull:

"What is your version of creation?"

There the Blessed One said: "Monks, from an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, although beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on.

The Leash

"what are major rules, as buddhist, that must be followed to reach a sense of nirvana

Self-awakening

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he said to the monks: "Monks, if wanderers who are members of other sects should ask you, 'What, friend, are the prerequisites for the development of the wings to self-awakening?' how would you answer them?"

"For us, lord, the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, their guide, & their arbitrator. It would be good if the Blessed One himself would explicate the meaning of this statement. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it."

"In that case, monks, listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said, "If wanderers who are members of other sects should ask you, 'What, friend, are the prerequisites for the development of the wings to self-awakening [wings to reach nibbana]?' you should answer, 'There is the case where a monk has admirable friends, admirable companions, admirable comrades. This is the first prerequisite for the development of the wings to self-awakening.

"'Furthermore, the monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha [monk rules], consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults. This is the second prerequisite for the development of the wings to self-awakening.

"'Furthermore, he gets to hear at will, easily & without difficulty, talk that is truly sobering & conducive to the opening of awareness, i.e., talk on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, and on the knowledge & vision of release. This is the third prerequisite for the development of the wings to self-awakening.

"'Furthermore, he keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities and for taking on skillful mental qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities. This is the fourth prerequisite for the development of the wings to self-awakening.

"'Furthermore, he is discerning, endowed with the discernment of arising & passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress. This is the fifth prerequisite for the development of the wings to self-awakening.'

"Monks, when a monk has admirable friends, admirable companions, admirable comrades, it is to be expected that he will be virtuous, will dwell restrained in accordance with the Patimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity, and will train himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults.

"When a monk has admirable friends, admirable companions, admirable comrades, it is to be expected that he will get to hear at will, easily & without difficulty, talk that is truly sobering and conducive to the opening of awareness, i.e., talk on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, and on the knowledge & vision of release.

"When a monk has admirable friends, admirable companions, admirable comrades, it is to be expected that he will keep his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities, and for taking on skillful mental qualities — steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities.

"When a monk has admirable friends, admirable companions, admirable comrades, it is to be expected that he will be discerning, endowed with discernment of arising & passing away — noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress.

"And furthermore, monks, when the monk is established in these five qualities, there are four additional qualities he should develop: He should develop [contemplation of] the unattractive so as to abandon lust. He should develop good will so as to abandon ill will. He should develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing so as to cut off distractive thinking. He should develop the perception of inconstancy so as to uproot the conceit, 'I am.' For a monk perceiving inconstancy, the perception of not-self is made firm. One perceiving not-self attains the uprooting of the conceit, 'I am' — Unbinding in the here & now."

or the equivalent to heaven in the christian religion?

There are no equivalent to nibbana, but you might find something equal to christian heaven here: The Thirty-one Planes of Existence

maybe: The heaven of Great Brahmas (Maha brahma): One of this realm's most famous inhabitants is the Great Brahma, a deity whose delusion leads him to regard himself as the all-powerful, all-seeing creator of the universe (DN 11).

"And what is the plan after death?"

No plans when things are finaly done. No birth no death.

Breaking the Cycle

Over and over, the seeds all get planted;
Over and over, the rain-god sprinkles rain.
Over and over, the farmer farms the field;
Over and over, the food grows in the realm.
Over and over, beggars do their begging;
Over and over, the givers give out gifts.
Over and over, the giver who has given;
Over and over, goes to a better place.
Over and over, he tires and he struggles;
Over and over, the fool goes to the womb.
Over and over, he's born and he dies;
Over and over, they bear him to his grave.
But one who's wisdom is wide as the earth
Is not born over and over,
For he's gained the path
Of not becoming over again.

Understanding one self is the way to understanding others.

[James the Giant]

Are you going to employ a sub-editor?

[LonesomeYogurt]

My first question for the reader would be: "What is your version of creation?"

Buddhism has no concept of a creator God. There is no beginning to the universe and no end, although there are cycles.

"what are major rules, as buddhist, that must be followed to reach a sense of nirvana

The Noble Eightfold Path, consisting of Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration is the path that must be followed to reach Nibbana.

or the equivalent to heaven in the christian religion?"

Intense tranquility meditation would lead to rebirth in heaven, but that is not the goal of Buddhists.

"And what is the plan after death?"

After death, beings are born in line with their kamma, or actions. If a being dies with no craving, aversion, or ignorance, he or she does not exist after death.

[m0rl0ck]

Its not about walking around with your head in the clouds thinking about heaven or creation, tho if you look at buddhist bulletin boards you will see plenty of that. Its about the immediate dilemma of suffering.

See the four noble truths and the 14 unanswerable questions.

The Buddha remained silent when asked these fourteen questions. He described them as a net and refused to be drawn into such a net of theories, speculations, and dogmas. He said that it was because he was free of bondage to all theories and dogmas that he had attained liberation. Such speculations, he said, are attended by fever, unease, bewilderment, and suffering, and it is by freeing oneself of them that one achieves liberation.

[DAWN]

All religions talks about the same fundamental truth, but every folk interpret it differently.

Thats a will say is not neccesarily buddhist doctrine, but if we talk about the truth and how the things are, we will talk this way.

The most perfect geeometric figure is sphere, cercle, cycle.
Energy, in relax state, take spheric form.
All energy (water, lving beings etc etc) have a cyclic mouvement.
SO, univers, neccesarily have a cyclic origination. There is no God Creator of everything, there is cycle.

But.
Whant is Sphere, what is Cycle, what "moral" qualities this form are?
Sphere is Harmony (Unity, oneness). Why? Because inside of sphere there is ultime equilibrium.
Sphere is Wisdom (Equanimity). Why? Because the center of sphere is on equal distance of all his periphery cercle.
Sphere is Infinity (No begining no end). Why? Because you cant reach the and of Sphere. The Earth is round, not flat, have ton linear fontion (from A to B), but cyclic fontion (from 0 to 9, after 9 comes 0).

What qualityes have God Creator?
- Wisdom
- He is The ONE (Unity)
- He is The Infinity

What qualityes "have" (no-have, you will understand laater) Nibbana?
- Equanimity (wisdom, liberty from good or bad)
- No beginning no end (no conditions, freedom)
- Interdependation of phenomena (unity, oneness) (Samsara is manifestation of Nibbana, this what i interdemandation is included in qualityes of Nibbana)

But what can manifestate all this qualityes?
Infinity = what have no begining have no end, what was no created will not be distructed = emptyness. 0 cant be multiplyed
Unity (Oneness) = there is no 2 infinity possible. 0 cant be devided
Equanimity (Wisdom) = without 0 there is no numbers, whoole mathematics are constructed on 0. 0 is clear, and this proprety is the quality of wisdom, like a canvas, by his proprety, can show as all colors.

But you will ask. OK, the begining of all is 0, but how Nothing Become all ?
Response is that Absolute nothingness, Emptyness, by his proprety and clarity, have a light of wisdom, this light have no color but it have all colors at the same moment. When this light comes trought his own clearity, like a light trough a prizma, a rainbow arise, this rainbow of Absolute Light of Wisdom, is the Samsara.
Wisdom contemplain transfution of his own light that comes trought his own proprety and clearity.


- Red - Love - Unity - Sati
- Green - Wisdom - Equanimity - Panna
- Blue - Knowledge - Infinity - Samadhi

So there is Nothing, and that why there is all.
Nothing was never created, and thats why all will ever be.
There is no nihilism or eternalism, there is both.

It's a logical way.
Now we have to find it in our mind, and be it, be free of illusion of rainbow, just contemplain it how it is.

If it's heretical, please delete it, and also please dont ban me, it's just some logic explication that by studiyng consequances comes to causes.

The truth is Ultime Simplicity.

With Metta

[Caraka]

I'm sorry, but can I ask you how many books you have written before and how many where actual published, I'd also love to know any previous sale numbers if you have been published?