MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IN BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES?

[cooran]

Hello all,

I was startled to come across this article .... not sure what to think.

MUHAMMAD (PBUH) IN BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES
http://www.shelfari.com/groups/24709/di ... MMAD-(PBUH)-IN-BUDDHIST-SCRIPTURES

Thoughts?

with metta
Chris

[Agent]

Although the author obviously put quite a bit of effort into picking and choosing quotes and comparisons, I don't think the s/he makes much of an argument. Major religions and religious figures tend to have a few things in common. Some people like to read a lot into that. I think it just says something about the general qualities we find important in religious leaders.

Plus you'd have to completely ignore the whole advocacy of a creator god thing (which as far as I can tell is pretty important to Islam).

[tiltbillings]

Thoughts?

It is silliness.

Here is a Baha'i (an Islamic offshoot) variation:

http://bahai-library.com/?file=momen_en ... a_buddhism

It is silliness.

[Modus.Ponens]

Yes, I'm with tilt: this is silliness.

It was probably writen by a Bahai folower. They are well intentioned good people (there's at least one in DW). Unfortunately, Mohammad (P*ss be upon him) was the oposite of a Buddha, a being consumate in virtue.

[cooran]

Hello Modus.Ponems,

Modus.Ponens said: Mohammad (P*ss be upon him)

Where do you find the Buddha teaching this way of disrespectful verbal/written action? I have always been attracted to the way the Blessed One taught respect for other religions, even to the point of encouraging new disciples to continue to support their previous teachers in other faiths.

with karuna
Chris

[Kim O'Hara]

Although the author obviously put quite a bit of effort into picking and choosing quotes and comparisons, I don't think the s/he makes much of an argument. Major religions and religious figures tend to have a few things in common. Some people like to read a lot into that. I think it just says something about the general qualities we find important in religious leaders.

Plus you'd have to completely ignore the whole advocacy of a creator god thing (which as far as I can tell is pretty important to Islam).

Agreed.
If you wanted to take the search for agreement between Islam and Buddhism further, there have to be exactly the same broad agreements (be nice to each other, tell the truth, respect your elders) and the same, completely fundamental, underlying difference (creator god/no creator god) that we have seen in many many attempts to draw parallels and find agreements between Buddhism and Christianity.

Kim

[tiltbillings]

Hello Modus.Ponems,

Modus.Ponens said: Mohammad (P*ss be upon him)

Where do you find the Buddha teaching this way of disrespectful verbal/written action? I have always been attracted to the way the Blessed One taught respect for other religions, even to the point of encouraging new disciples to continue to support their previous teachers in other faiths.

with karuna
Chris

Out side of al-Andalus Islam has not always had a happy relationship with other religions. Its descruction of things Buddhist is well know, but none of that means we should act as badly.

[Modus.Ponens]

Hello Modus.Ponems,

Modus.Ponens said: Mohammad (P*ss be upon him)

Where do you find the Buddha teaching this way of disrespectful verbal/written action? I have always been attracted to the way the Blessed One taught respect for other religions, even to the point of encouraging new disciples to continue to support their previous teachers in other faiths.

with karuna
Chris

Mohamed doesn't deserve any respect from me. He was a warlord and a genocidal. Does that make what I said right speech? No. But I don't think the Buddha would have advised new disciples to support Mohamed.

[Kim O'Hara]

Does that make what I said right speech? No.

You said it yourself.
How about taking the next step and apologising?

Kim

[Kenshou]

Pbuh?

[tiltbillings]

Pbuh?

Praise be unto him and there are a couple of others that are used.

[tiltbillings]

How about taking the next step and apologising?

To whom?

[cooran]

Kenshou wrote: Pbuh?

It means Peace Be Upon Him and is used after mentioning the name of the Prophet Muhammad. It is also abbreviated as "SAWS," which stand for the Arabic words of similar meaning ("sallallahu alayhi wa salaam").

with metta
Chris

[cooran]

Hello all,

His Holiness speaks on finding common ground between Islam and Buddhism
"It is my hope that on the basis of this common ground, followers of each tradition may come to appreciate the spiritual truths their different paths entail and from this develop a basis for respect for each others’ practice and beliefs. This may not have occurred very often before, because there has been so little opportunity for real understanding between these two great traditions".
http://www.tibet.net/en/index.php?id=15 ... news&tab=1

And you may benefit by reading:
A People facing Buddhist Violence over Centuries
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has a population of 48 million, 15 percent of whom are Muslims. Most of the rest are Buddhists. The Muslims live in the Arakan region of the country.
Arakan is the country's richest region in terms of oil and natural gas deposits, and its people first came to Islam by means of Arab merchants. This turning towards Islam culminated with the establishment of an Islamic state in 1430. This state survived for 350 years, until the Buddhists put an end to it by conquering Arakan.
Immediately after the Muslims lost political power in 1783, the Burmese Buddhists embarked on a policy of oppressing and even physically eliminating them. The country was then colonized by the British towards the end of the nineteenth century.
The anti-Muslim campaign waged by the Buddhists gained momentum in the twentieth century, and there was a terrible massacre in Arakan in 1942 which resulted in the deaths of 100,000 Muslims, and left hundreds of thousands either crippled or forced to flee their land.
MORE AT:
http://www.rohingya.org/index.php?optio ... &Itemid=43

And, of course, we know of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and their treatment over the centuries by buddhists which led to the terrible rebellion/civil war over the last decades. Buddhist Fundamentalism is growing stronger in Sri Lanka.

But ~ does this make all Buddhists members of a hateful religion ... does this reflect on the Founder of that religion ~ or is it the individuals who commit the actions who are filled with delusion and hate?

with karuna
Chris

[tiltbillings]

Hello all . . .

It would be nice if all members of all religions could get along. It simply harder for some by the very structure of their teachings to do so.

As for the the history you referenced, it is never quite so simple as spelled out in a few paragraphs.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Chris,

Where do you find the Buddha teaching this way of disrespectful verbal/written action? I have always been attracted to the way the Blessed One taught respect for other religions, even to the point of encouraging new disciples to continue to support their previous teachers in other faiths.

Yes, I understand what you mean. Just earlier today my son said to me, "I believe in Buddha. I don't believe in God". Many religionists would jump for joy to hear such words from their children. The first thing though that came to mind though, was that I didn't want him to take it that extra step and start disparaging God and others' belief in him. I tried to explain to him that Jesus and the Buddha both taught people to be kind, caring, compassionate and that if people follow these teachings they will have a happy heart.

From King Asoka's Rock Edicts... http://www.katinkahesselink.net/tibet/asoka1.html

The Beloved of the Gods, the king Piyadassi, honours all sects and both ascetics and laymen, with gifts and various forms of recognition. But the Beloved of the Gods do not consider gifts or honour to be as important as the advancement of the essential doctrine of all sects. This progress of the essential doctrine takes many forms, but its basis is the control of one's speech, so as not to extoll one's own sect or disparage another's on unsuitable occasions, or at least to do so only mildly on certain occasions. On each occasion one should honour another man's sect, for by doing so one increases the influence of one's own sect and benefits that of the other man; whileby doing otherwise one diminishes the influence of one's own sect and harms the other man's. Again, whosoever honours his own sect or disparages that of another man, wholly out of devotion to his own, with a view to showing it in a favourable light, harms his own sect even more seriously. Therefore, concord is to be commanded, so that men may hear one anothers principles and obey them. This is the desire of the Beloved of the Gods, that all sects should be well-informed, and should teach that which is good, and that everywhere their adherents should be told, 'The Beloved of the Gods does not consider gifts or honour to be as important as the progress of the essential doctrine of all sects.' Many are concerned with this matter - the officers of Dhamma, the women's officers, the managers of the state farms, and other classes of officers. The result of this is the increased influence of one's own sect and glory to Dhamma.

Metta,
Retro.

[cooran]

It would be nice if all members of all religions could get along. It simply harder for some by the very structure of their teachings to do so.

As for the the history you referenced, it is never quite so simple as spelled out in a few paragraphs.

Actually Tilt and all, it only takes, for practising buddhists, normal effort to adhere to the precepts, initial freedom from prejudice or the willingness to see others without the veil of hatred, and true lovingkindness and compassion for all beings - not just "those like us".

I work with many Muslim and Hindu doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Fine, intelligent, caring, ethical, hard-working, loving people. A very close friend is a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, is an effective social worker with patients of all nationalities and ages in our hospital.

Retro said: I tried to explain to him that Jesus and the Buddha both taught people to be kind, caring, compassionate and that if people follow these teachings they will have a happy heart.

This is lovely to read Paul ~ as is the script of King Asoka's Rock Edicts ... and he learned the hard way.

with metta
Chris

[tiltbillings]

It would be nice if all members of all religions could get along. It simply harder for some by the very structure of their teachings to do so.

As for the the history you referenced, it is never quite so simple as spelled out in a few paragraphs.

Actually Tilt and all, it only takes, for practising buddhists, normal effort to adhere to the precepts, initial freedom from prejudice or the willingness to see others without the veil of hatred, and true lovingkindness and compassion for all beings - not just "those like us".

I work with many Muslim and Hindu doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Fine, intelligent, caring, ethical, hard-working, loving people. A very close friend is a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, is an effective social worker with patients of all nationalities and ages in our hospital.

Which is fine, and we can point to periods of remakable, second to none, Islamic tolerance in certain parts of the world. All in all, however, I do find Islam an unappealling religion for any number of reasons. No need, however, to prejudge its members.

[Marge]

Buddhism has many things in common with most religions. Except, unlike some religions with a god, the buddha himself should not and did not want to be idolized, revered. It is a practice, not a dogma. He is a representation only to remind us of a path we can try out for ourselves. Why is it important whether Muhammad is similar? Are we really waiting for the next buddha to appear? Do we want to make everyone a practicing buddhist - Yes, kind of, because we want peace, and a good life for all as soon as possible. But, I do not remember proselytizing being one of the teachings, and this is right. It may be slower to evolve, but if there is a desire to control, it probably wouldn't work anyway. What are our motives for combining religions?

[Modus.Ponens]

It would be nice if all members of all religions could get along. It simply harder for some by the very structure of their teachings to do so.

As for the the history you referenced, it is never quite so simple as spelled out in a few paragraphs.

Actually Tilt and all, it only takes, for practising buddhists, normal effort to adhere to the precepts, initial freedom from prejudice or the willingness to see others without the veil of hatred, and true lovingkindness and compassion for all beings - not just "those like us".

I work with many Muslim and Hindu doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Fine, intelligent, caring, ethical, hard-working, loving people. A very close friend is a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, is an effective social worker with patients of all nationalities and ages in our hospital.

Which is fine, and we can point to periods of remakable, second to none, Islamic tolerance in certain parts of the world. All in all, however, I do find Islam an unappealling religion for any number od reasons. No need, however, to prejudge its members.

A good hearted and peaceful muslim is a very positive thing. They take their teachings on generosity very seriously, for example.

A bad muslim is a terrible thing. And the problem is that they reflect the original founder of the religion: Mohamed. 60% of the Quran is about war. Moderate people in the west assume Islam is a peaceful religion.