At a Spiritual Crossroads

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
DiamondNgXZ
Posts: 390
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:40 am

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by DiamondNgXZ »

Rutimo wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 11:24 am Is nibbana same thing as union with God is a question that probably both Christian and Buddhist scholars will have fierce opinions on, but if you practice meditation and have good intents towards other beings, I think you can advance on the path without knowing the answer.
Can read up on 31 realms of existence in Buddhist cosmology. There's a story of Maha Brahma being the first being to be reborn back into the new universe as the previous cycle ended in DN1. Maha Brahma is 1st Jhana realm. Therefore it's a safe speculation that the Christian mystics who attained to 1st Jhana didn't know what it is and then said it's meeting God, union with God, etc. Taking what is not permanent as permanent.

Nibbana is far beyond this.
Mr. Seek
Posts: 582
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:45 am

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Mr. Seek »

You know, the spiritual idols that you look up to--supposedly, they too were at a spiritual crossroads as well. The difference between you and them is that they decided to believe in themselves and seek within, rather than believe in another and seek without. You too have that option. Why pick, why choose, why limit yourself to one doctrine or another? Why not both? Why not neither? Why not something else? Why don't you become the Buddha, or Christ? Wouldn't that be more cool? Being a Buddha, and not just a Buddhist? Being Christ, and not just a Christian? Why not try to exceed them; to go further? Hey, stranger. Do whatever you feel is right for you and your circumstances. I'm sure that whatever choice you make will grant you plenty of opportunities for learning, practice, and further development.

Cheers.
DiamondNgXZ
Posts: 390
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:40 am

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by DiamondNgXZ »

Mr. Seek wrote: Thu Jun 09, 2022 1:37 pm You know, the spiritual idols that you look up to--supposedly, they too were at a spiritual crossroads as well. The difference between you and them is that they decided to believe in themselves and seek within, rather than believe in another and seek without. You too have that option. Why pick, why choose, why limit yourself to one doctrine or another? Why not both? Why not neither? Why not something else? Why don't you become the Buddha, or Christ? Wouldn't that be more cool? Being a Buddha, and not just a Buddhist? Being Christ, and not just a Christian? Hey, stranger. Do whatever you feel is right for you and your circumstances. I'm sure that whatever choice you make will grant you plenty of opportunities for learning, practice, and further development.

Cheers.
Can be taken in the wrong way.

Say if one wants to become Buddha, it's best to follow Mahayana's bodhisattva path, still have to learn the teachings. There's no option to become a Christ as the Christian theology is making Christ unique, and equal to God and no option to become another God. There's plenty of people becoming yet another prophet for the Monotheistic religion, Bahai being one of the latest example. I don't think the world needs another prophet.

And if one doesn't learn the religions first and simply become a self made guru, then one can be like the many fake gurus or unqualified ones or just plain deluded.
wenjaforever
Posts: 390
Joined: Tue May 24, 2022 4:44 am

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by wenjaforever »

Where is this question headed again?

I think this is a form of delusion. You think you are lonely and miserable because you're brainwashed by the media.
money is worthless toilet paper • the tongue has no bone (a person might say one thing but it cannot be further from the truth) • you cannot teach a goat math as in you cannot teach the dhamma to a dumb person
User avatar
cappuccino
Posts: 12836
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:45 am
Contact:

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by cappuccino »

syncretism

1.
the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.

:jedi:
SteRo
Posts: 5950
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:27 am
Location: Εὐρώπη Eurṓpē

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by SteRo »

Tennyson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 4:27 am As the title of this post suggests, I've reached a spiritual crossroads and am unsure how to proceed, if at all, down one path or the other.

For most of my teenage and college years, I was an atheist. Dad was a preacher, got divorced multiple times, and I left the church after realizing I was bisexual. Once I went to college, I began taking courses in philosophy and religious traditions. Notably I found that Greek philosophy opened up a new way of seeing and interpreting the world, soon to be followed by Daoism, Buddhism, and Christian mysticism. My greatest spiritual influences have been Socrates/Plato, the Buddha, and Jesus. Yet I feel that I cannot combine what I have learned from these paths and live a proper spiritual life. If I could snap my fingers and be simultaneously a Platonist, a Buddhist, and a Christian, then I would by all means; however, it seems to me that such an outcome is not possible. There are concepts and intimations of truth which I've gleaned from all three paths--I think that out of all the world's religions Buddhism and Christianity have got the nature of the world and the path towards virtue all right--yet I cannot bring myself to unite them without feeling a sense of hypocrisy or outright ineptitude or failure.

I'm at a very important and perilous point in my life, personally and spiritually, and I didn't know where else to put this. If there is any advice at all that you could give me, it would be very much appreciated. With metta for all beings. :anjali:
Take a break and put aside religions and spirituality and investigate into appearing sense of self.
Cleared. αδόξαστος.
User avatar
cappuccino
Posts: 12836
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:45 am
Contact:

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by cappuccino »

I’m a Christian and a Buddhist, mostly the latter


I was Taoist… Zen, Advaita


I suppose everything is true, yet not true enough
Ontheway
Posts: 3062
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2021 3:35 pm

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Ontheway »

cappuccino wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 3:46 pm I’m a Christian and a Buddhist, mostly the latter


I was Taoist… Zen, Advaita


I suppose everything is true, yet not true enough
Hence, your understanding on Buddha's teachings are murky and confused.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
User avatar
cappuccino
Posts: 12836
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:45 am
Contact:

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by cappuccino »

Ontheway wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 2:52 am Hence, your understanding on Buddha's teachings are murky and confused.
Buddha tried other teachings first
User avatar
Johann
Posts: 619
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 2:03 pm
Contact:

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Johann »

Tennyson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 4:27 am As the title of this post suggests, I've reached a spiritual crossroads and am unsure how to proceed, if at all, down one path or the other.

For most of my teenage and college years, I was an atheist. Dad was a preacher, got divorced multiple times, and I left the church after realizing I was bisexual. Once I went to college, I began taking courses in philosophy and religious traditions. Notably I found that Greek philosophy opened up a new way of seeing and interpreting the world, soon to be followed by Daoism, Buddhism, and Christian mysticism. My greatest spiritual influences have been Socrates/Plato, the Buddha, and Jesus. Yet I feel that I cannot combine what I have learned from these paths and live a proper spiritual life. If I could snap my fingers and be simultaneously a Platonist, a Buddhist, and a Christian, then I would by all means; however, it seems to me that such an outcome is not possible. There are concepts and intimations of truth which I've gleaned from all three paths--I think that out of all the world's religions Buddhism and Christianity have got the nature of the world and the path towards virtue all right--yet I cannot bring myself to unite them without feeling a sense of hypocrisy or outright ineptitude or failure.

I'm at a very important and perilous point in my life, personally and spiritually, and I didn't know where else to put this. If there is any advice at all that you could give me, it would be very much appreciated. With metta for all beings. :anjali:
Spiritual ways start there lust and sensual desire are seen as of no benefical. Working right there, by starting to get not improper engaged into sensual consume solves not only burdends in the next world, but right here, good householder. One isn't, one does, or stops.
Cause_and_Effect
Posts: 1012
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:39 am

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

Tennyson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 4:27 am If I could snap my fingers and be simultaneously a Platonist, a Buddhist, and a Christian, then I would by all means; however, it seems to me that such an outcome is not possible.
Buddha Dhamma supercedes Christianity. Jesus teaches virtue and wisdom, just to a less detailed and without the instructions of a Buddha and he does not teach the path to final liberation but rather to rebirth in a higher heaven perhaps such as the Brahma world. So that conflict is resolved as far as I am concerned, having been raised as a Christian. I see however the appeal for some with the path of love so he has his place.

As for Platonism, I again see no contradiction. I am both a Platonist and I adhere to Buddha Dhamma.
The Buddha was himself an archetype, the way of the holy man and wandering mendicant. How could he be anything other than that? He taught the way to the Deathless.

As non-monastics we can strive to live archetypically ideal lay lives in many areas and hold the Dhamma as a central standard without dedicating ourselves to the holy life in the same way as a Bhikkhu. So I think you can certainly come to a resolution as I have.

pythagplato_3_orig.jpg
1 buddha v.jpg
71530415e4bb8e358ac88cdd6d619b28--jesus-cristo-ascended-masters.jpg
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


(S. IV. 98) - The Dimension beyond the All
User avatar
Sam Vara
Site Admin
Posts: 13460
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 5:42 pm
Location: Portsmouth, U.K.

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Sam Vara »

Cause_and_Effect wrote: Fri Aug 26, 2022 8:26 pm
Tennyson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 4:27 am If I could snap my fingers and be simultaneously a Platonist, a Buddhist, and a Christian, then I would by all means; however, it seems to me that such an outcome is not possible.
Buddha Dhamma supercedes Christianity.
Even though it precedes it?
supersede
/ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/

verb
take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use); supplant.
User avatar
Johann
Posts: 619
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 2:03 pm
Contact:

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Johann »

Tennyson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 4:27 am As the title of this post suggests, I've reached a spiritual crossroads and am unsure how to proceed, if at all, down one path or the other.

For most of my teenage and college years, I was an atheist. Dad was a preacher, got divorced multiple times, and I left the church after realizing I was bisexual. Once I went to college, I began taking courses in philosophy and religious traditions. Notably I found that Greek philosophy opened up a new way of seeing and interpreting the world, soon to be followed by Daoism, Buddhism, and Christian mysticism. My greatest spiritual influences have been Socrates/Plato, the Buddha, and Jesus. Yet I feel that I cannot combine what I have learned from these paths and live a proper spiritual life. If I could snap my fingers and be simultaneously a Platonist, a Buddhist, and a Christian, then I would by all means; however, it seems to me that such an outcome is not possible. There are concepts and intimations of truth which I've gleaned from all three paths--I think that out of all the world's religions Buddhism and Christianity have got the nature of the world and the path towards virtue all right--yet I cannot bring myself to unite them without feeling a sense of hypocrisy or outright ineptitude or failure.

I'm at a very important and perilous point in my life, personally and spiritually, and I didn't know where else to put this. If there is any advice at all that you could give me, it would be very much appreciated. With metta for all beings. :anjali:
A personal ways are one, the way toward liberation, another. As long as not seeing that even spiritual thought ways are simple defiled ego-trips, as long as lacking basic gratitude, as long as not surrender and go after peace, ways wouldn't lead to even refined identification, not to speak of unbond. Yet it's important to love oneself proper, valued ones many previous pains an sacrifices brought one till here, and build up on gifts with foremost gratitude and devotion. So access for demanding and stubborn minds, no access for one caught in stinginess and strong conceit, full of ingratitude and thinking in manners of "i have rights".
Cause_and_Effect
Posts: 1012
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:39 am

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

Sam Vara wrote: Fri Aug 26, 2022 11:07 pm
Cause_and_Effect wrote: Fri Aug 26, 2022 8:26 pm
Tennyson wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 4:27 am If I could snap my fingers and be simultaneously a Platonist, a Buddhist, and a Christian, then I would by all means; however, it seems to me that such an outcome is not possible.
Buddha Dhamma supercedes Christianity.
Even though it precedes it?
supersede
/ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/

verb
take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use); supplant.
Historically yes but I suppose from a Western point of view where Christianity is predominant, the Dhamma supercedes it as an ethical and liberation teaching.
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


(S. IV. 98) - The Dimension beyond the All
User avatar
mjaviem
Posts: 2283
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:06 pm

Re: At a Spiritual Crossroads

Post by mjaviem »

Johann wrote: Sat Aug 27, 2022 3:15 am ... surrender and go after peace...
:candle:
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa
Post Reply