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I don’t believe in the sense that I think Pravin has suggested for this topic. I must confess however, that I started off believing but, now I know.
In the Vedic system, there are four methods to attain liberation. They are; Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. You will get an idea of what each method means here.
I was led into Jnana Yoga by a series of what I then thought as coincidences, and have stayed in that system by chosing a qualified teacher in our Guru Shishya Parampara.
This system emphasises on Knowing. Therefore, I know. QED.
Pravin has suggested this week’s topic. You can see what the other writers of the LBC have to say in their respective blogs. Maria, Pravin, Ashok and Shackman.
on the surface the buddha surely meant it to apply to all aspects of our lives.
if everyone adhered to this simple teaching of his the west might not have the current leader that we have.
or maybe the majority of people have reasoning that makes no sense!
but then the argument is that everyone has their own idea of common sense. 🙂
is he teaching here the very thing that separates religion from spirituality?
it seems so.
tammy j recently posted..moving on old bean
Just a minor point, Tammy, but one I can’t let stand: “… the West might not have the current leader that we have”. I beg your pardon? I consider myself living in the West but if you are referring to Trump I have to protest. He may be YOUR leader (into an as yet unknown future) but he most certainly doesn’t lord it over Europe and other parts of the world which are considered “the West”. Still, it’s quite touching the faith one American shows in the superiority and grandstanding of the United States of America as representative of the WEST.
U
Ursula recently posted..By Association
my apologies Ursula. you’re right of course.
a silly mistake on my part.
tammy j recently posted..moving on old bean
There is enough material out in the web or through personal teachers to keep us on the straight and narrow. One should have the inclination to follow / learn and if one does, leaving the esoteric after life aside, we can live contented and happy lives here and now.
You will forgive me, Ramana, and considering our long standing relationship take it in the spirit it’s meant: What I find so, I don’t know, boring at times that the Buddha often states the blindingly obvious. That quote doesn’t bring anything to the table that any reasonably switched on person doesn’t know both intuitively and intellectually.
U
Ursula recently posted..By Association
Wonderful! If you are switched on, as the Buddha would say, Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
I was aware of the Buddha quote, and I think he’s a cool head. I wonder what he would think of the Zen saying, “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” The saying is obviously aimed at people who worship the Buddha instead of thinking for themselves, seeing what works for them.
Cheerful Monk recently posted..Prepositions and Pronouns
Jean, I remember coming across Sheldon Kopp’s book of that title. I was so intrigued by its unadulterated and rather violent wording, regardless of the content of the actual book, I bought the paperback. I’d occasionally just look at the front cover – wondering why on earth anyone would wish to kill the Buddha; as irritating as he can be at times. Before you say anything – in my defense, I was very young. In fact I was so young when I bought it I can’t even remember whether I read it. But as book titles go it sure was a stunner. A bit like Pirsig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”. I mistook it for a mechanic’s manual for hippies but bought it anyway. Who doesn’t want a book about Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance on their bookshelves? The mystique of it, the romance … About a year or so ago, I came across it on my shelves and mentioned it to the Angel who, unlike his mother, actually read it, with interest! Since then he has told me so much about its content and background I am happy that, purchased on a whim and for little purpose other than its beauty of a title, that particular copy found its “destiny” decades later :).
U
Ursula recently posted..By Association
He would say, Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
Now for the ‘real world’ … Buddhists – Myanmar – Ethnic Cleansing ? … I’m no expert on Buddhism, but my ‘common sense’ tells me that it should not be happening.
Ethnic cleansing to some degree or the other in other Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka and Thailand has also been taking place and yes, it should not but, post 9/11 Wahabism has been creating problems for ethnic minorities through rabid sermons and such cleansing is blamed on reaction.
The classical Academic school tried to teach that “All statements are false”, which was self contradictory. A variant would be the Belief that we shouldn’t have any Beliefs. But the quote seems to indicate that we should believe what we believe, and don’t believe what we don’t believe, which I find to be philosophically useless.
My ‘belief’ is that Buddha is becoming more popular in the West because he offers spirituality with exactly zero moral commitment.
Looney recently posted..A Catalog of Secession Movements.
Buddhism as practiced now may not insist on moral commitment but, in its original form it is very much part of the original eight fold path.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_ethics
I am mainly familiar with the Chinese practice. The moral components are due to Confucionism, the philosophical to Daoism, and the superstition to Buddhism. Then there are the Western forms which are more driven by the Western imagination.
Looney recently posted..A Catalog of Secession Movements.
I totally agree with the Buddha quote. Too many people will accept what they hear or read without any kind of assessment as to whether it makes sense or not. Politicians know this very well, which is why they lie so glibly, knowing that most people will swallow something that’s stated with supreme confidence.
nick recently posted..A bit on the side
We are in the midst of some serious electioneering in India and I can see what you point out happening here with fake news and blatant lies being flung around by all parties involved. Sad, but enlightened voters have seen through the games before and I don’t see why they would not again.
Looks extremely complex to me – but we are all entitled to follow “whatever” – well at least I believe a % o f the world can follow “whatever”
Simply stated, follow your instinct.