Pope to Buddhists: Let’s work together to cultivate compassion and hospitality

[Bodhidhamma]

What’s not to like?

Ok. (Sorry Sam). I yield to the question asked - and may I ask you a non-rhetorical question in return - What is not to like about Mara cultivating compassion and hospitality with Buddhists?

Are you calling the Pope "Mara" because "Pope" in Italian is "papa", and "pāpa" in Pali means "evil"?

[NotMe]

What’s not to like?

Ok. (Sorry Sam). I yield to the question asked - and may I ask you a non-rhetorical question in return - What is not to like about Mara cultivating compassion and hospitality with Buddhists?

Are you calling the Pope "Mara" because "Pope" in Italian is "papa", and "pāpa" in Pali means "evil"?

I bow to your wisdom.

I know you know the answer to that one.

I've been to the Vatican, (tiny vehicle <grin>) but I do not speak their verbiage, er language.

Awesome people, those ital-lee-Anns. They get nose-to-nose, hands held in that Italian stallion flaying motion,

"Yer mama ---"
"NO! Yer mama ---"
"Yer papa ----"
"NO! Yer papa ----"

then

Gotta go Joe. patting and hugging
Yeah! See ya ta-mall-lee. Chow mein!

So to answer the question, no.

edit to add: Upon reflection, (gentle giant song awesome)
Bhante, you knew *better* than I the answer to that question before you asked that question, true?
Are Monks notoriously sneaky or are you just, uh, you?

last edit I promise, My word to All Mun out there, Everywhere, all MunKind: I am laughing too hard to type I do and I don't want to add this edit but:

not <tiny>, << tiniest vehicle>>

[Lucas Oliveira]

I think Devas and Angels are almost the same thing..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deva_(Buddhism)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel

and what you said about gratitude, I think there's something like that in the suttas..

aṅguttara nikāya - the book of the threes
37. Kings (1)

“Bhikkhus, (1) on the eighth of the fortnight, the ministers and assembly members of the four great kings wander over this world, thinking: ‘We hope there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father, behave properly toward ascetics and brahmins, honor the elders of the family, observe the uposatha, keep the extra observance days, and do meritorious deeds.’ (2) On the fourteenth of the fortnight, the sons of the four great kings wander over this world, thinking: ‘We hope there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father … … and do meritorious deeds.’ (3) On the fifteenth, the uposatha day, the four great kings themselves wander over this world, thinking: ‘We hope there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father … and do meritorious deeds.’...

...“But if there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father … and do meritorious deeds, the four great kings report this to the Tāvatiṃsa devas when they meet and are sitting together in the Sudhamma council hall: ‘Revered sirs, there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father, behave properly toward ascetics and brahmins, honor the elders of the family, observe the uposatha, keep the extra observance days, and do meritorious deeds.’ Then, because of this, the Tāvatiṃsa devas become elated, saying: ‘Indeed, the celestial company will flourish and the company of asuras will decline!’”...
https://suttacentral.net/an3.37/en/bodhi

and a fine contemplative tradition too.

the catholic church has a contemplative tradition, not very well known, but it does.

Christian meditation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_meditation

The World Community for Christian Meditation: WCCM
https://wccm.org/

Interactive Dialogue on Theravada Meditation and Carmelite Mystic Prayer in Avila
https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/i ... -in-avila/

[NotMe]

I think Devas and Angels are almost the same thing..

Almost? I would agree if you said they are the same without qualification!

and what you said about gratitude, I think there's something like that in the suttas..

aṅguttara nikāya - the book of the threes
37. Kings (1)

“Bhikkhus, (1) on the eighth of the fortnight, the ministers and assembly members of the four great kings wander over this world, thinking: ‘We hope there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father, behave properly toward ascetics and brahmins, honor the elders of the family, observe the uposatha, keep the extra observance days, and do meritorious deeds.’ (2) On the fourteenth of the fortnight, the sons of the four great kings wander over this world, thinking: ‘We hope there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father … … and do meritorious deeds.’ (3) On the fifteenth, the uposatha day, the four great kings themselves wander over this world, thinking: ‘We hope there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father … and do meritorious deeds.’...

...“But if there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father … and do meritorious deeds, the four great kings report this to the Tāvatiṃsa devas when they meet and are sitting together in the Sudhamma council hall: ‘Revered sirs, there are many people who behave properly toward their mother and father, behave properly toward ascetics and brahmins, honor the elders of the family, observe the uposatha, keep the extra observance days, and do meritorious deeds.’ Then, because of this, the Tāvatiṃsa devas become elated, saying: ‘Indeed, the celestial company will flourish and the company of asuras will decline!’”...
https://suttacentral.net/an3.37/en/bodhi

the catholic church has a contemplative tradition, not very well known, but it does.

True!

May we find agreement? If one surveys the whole of each group, practitioners and the Leaders included, there is a lack of contemplative *practice*, that is well known.

Christian meditation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_meditation

The World Community for Christian Meditation: WCCM
https://wccm.org/

Interactive Dialogue on Theravada Meditation and Carmelite Mystic Prayer in Avila
https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/i ... -in-avila/

Yes. That is all good for the world. I think we should also share and celebrate our differences. It is more important that the whole world understand the truth that divides, seperates, and what makes each its own unique value - not what is the same. Our unity is only of real value in my view when the differences, are highlighted, contrasted and promoted.

The rainbow of this world shines many colors - who wants a plain solid color one?

As a Buddhist, for me personally, to simply aim at heaven is not profitable. I warn everyone away by wishing them a lasting, true happiness that comes at the cost of no other beings suffering. How much suffering did Jesus endure to bring Christians happiness? (rhetorical - please)

Metta

[SteRo]

Pope to Buddhists: Let’s work together to cultivate compassion and hospitality

May they do as they like but that won't solve any of the world's problems. Also considering the thousands of cases of child molestation in the catholic church and how they deal with these crimes I wonder why one should pay attention to what this person says in terms of ethics and morality.

[befriend]

Buddhism starts with generosity to think of others and release self obsession and cause happiness. Some Buddhists use the sutta on seeing impermanence as a higher source of merit than generosity which is lopsided. Generosity is very essential to the Buddhist path I asked a group of Buddhists if they would help me do some charitable work and no one offered to help. I helped a Christian friend with his lust by telling him to reflect on the disgusting parts of the body. This helped him. In summation Buddhists can learn from Christians to serve others in need and Christians can learn to control their lust with asubha contemplation. Without generosity and virtue seeing impermanence will be somewhat shallow.

[Bodhidhamma]

I asked a group of Buddhists if they would help me do some charitable work and no one offered to help.

Just curious: were these ethnically Asian or European (or other) Buddhists? Working, middle, or upper class, socioeconomically?

[befriend]

American not sure what class strata

[NotMe]

I asked a group of Buddhists if they would help me do some charitable work and no one offered to help.

Just curious: were these ethnically Asian or European (or other) Buddhists? Working, middle, or upper class, socioeconomically?

American not sure what class strata

Ethnically Asian Buddhists - are they still raising their young as they once did? Lifting them up to put alms in the alms bowls when the Monks go on alms round? They prime their sprouts young to love generosity - first step of the path as Befriend points out.

What a boon that must be.

Well, Americans may need to learn charity from Christians, but not all Buddhists do world wide.

Maybe some of that proselytizing will rub off on the Western Buddhists so we can *really* make Buddhism the predominate religion for all Uncle Sams out there!

<grin?>

Metta



edit to add: Oh! Duh! I *maybe* get why the Venerable asked which class! Throughly Modern Millies of the upper class are most likely to admire Western values while the working/middle are more likely to honor the local traditions/practices. If my idle chatter is correct, The Buddha was first to try to erase the caste status, now we I am measuring the value of Buddhists by being "Classist"'? Good Lord how many Western women view Buddhists as "Sexist" now this! We are doomed. dark Dhamma days ahead...

Maybe this liaison with Christians can improve our status/class as Americans. True Americans aren't *any* of the "---ist".

[Alino]

Before visiting Pope Venerable Ajahn Jayasāro said an interesting thing... Something like:

Many people try to mix up religions by saying "it's all the same" and when you ask them why, they say that this people will stop killing each other, but i don't see why we need to believe it the same thing in order to not killing each other... We can perfectly believe in different things and be friends to each other.

[Bodhidhamma]

Ok. (Sorry Sam). I yield to the question asked - and may I ask you a non-rhetorical question in return - What is not to like about Mara cultivating compassion and hospitality with Buddhists?

Are you calling the Pope "Mara" because "Pope" in Italian is "papa", and "pāpa" in Pali means "evil"?

I bow to your wisdom.

I know you know the answer to that one.

I've been to the Vatican, (tiny vehicle <grin>) but I do not speak their verbiage, er language.

Awesome people, those ital-lee-Anns. They get nose-to-nose, hands held in that Italian stallion flaying motion,

"Yer mama ---"
"NO! Yer mama ---"
"Yer papa ----"
"NO! Yer papa ----"

then

Gotta go Joe. patting and hugging
Yeah! See ya ta-mall-lee. Chow mein!

So to answer the question, no.

edit to add: Upon reflection, (gentle giant song awesome)
Bhante, you knew *better* than I the answer to that question before you asked that question, true?
Are Monks notoriously sneaky or are you just, uh, you?

I should add that I am not a pabbajita.