Ha! The only time we're completely incorporated into reality is when we meditate. Often times we meditate without knowing it, even if just for short periods of time. where else can the similarities go? religion isn't about mathematics.
".....mathematically that doesn't sound right I'm not so sure the similarities do end there... but I know very little about Buddhism and not much about Christianity either..." Hi Chronic. I'm not sure what you mean by 'mathematically right'? We believe that through following one or more aspects of the eight-fold path we can gain peace and contentment here, now, without any need for a god, prayer, or faith. No soul, no divine plan. We aren't even a religion; we revere Buddha for his guidance, we don't worship him. I'm not sure there are many more fundamental ways that we could differ? There are all the moral precepts, that are the same, but Buddhism's moralilty is just a tool to help reach enlightenment, not an actual end in itself - althugh everyone has a right to stop at that level if they so wish. Each path is what the individual makes of it. But apart from morality I can't think of anything to be honest? MelT
I know what you mean, but we're never separate from reality. We don't become incorporated into it when we meditate. We always are it, so nothing to become. MelT
I don't know... Buddhism for instance is about oneness of the universe... mathematics also has an infinity concept which is similar... but I'm not going to make any leaps here... I just feel that religion, science, math...all that is...and all that will ever be... is? haha, all i know is...I am going to attempt to escape reality here in a minute... gonna take some bong rips and catch that new harry potsmoker movie
*raises hand... You just met one Christianity deals with duality which is related to the surface (and what we can comprehend about our spirit, the surface of our spirit) and Buddhism deals with nonduality which is related to the underneath. They go hand in hand and they are two sides the same coin. On the surface we experience many contradictions, our soul is nothing but possibility and doesn't contradict itself until it forms time and space. Both philosophies are complete, 100 % correct in their scope. One one hand, everything is nothing. On the other hand, nothing is everthing. It's all in how you look at the enigma. Both teachings reach out for peace of mind from prayer and understanding morality- they just go about the reasons why differently. The truth is in neither religion, it is in both together. It is understanding that on the surface there is duality and underneath it doesn't exist. In better words, duality is an illusion- and nonduality is the source of the illusion. On one hand, all we have is our illusion and what we think of it. But Buddhism teaches that understanding it's an illusion will bring about a lot of peace of mind. Knowing that your ego doesn't really exist and moving towards viewing yourself as reality itself doesn't mean you can't walk with Christ and treat others as your brother. I am both Christian and Buddhist, the beliefs do not need to cancel each other out. They just need to be used together for maximum benefit and truth.
well, there are many contradictions in the two... If you can grapple with both and not be pulling your hair out...you deserve props... but, yes, I see this as a possibility... there are infinite number of possible religions though... you can't possibly know them all... also...what you believe...cannot possibly be halfway bc there is no halfway point...we are dealing with beliefs...
It is, what I refer to as "a tug of war game" or "a tug of war game between being an individual and being all of reality" I love to be confused yet for some strange reason it makes sense. It blows me away. I know there is truth in all of our understanding, not just some. You are correct, I am not halfway- I go back and forth because that's the only way to get the most truth (to me) when the truth is split up amongst all of us.
Haha dude just lay off the gang a bit...i get what you're saying and all but non sequitur to what mr. goodstuff was saying. He didn't claim to know all religions, he just practices christian&buddhist ideologies together. What he may believe may not be the true middle ground of Christianity and Buddhism (as of yet there is none) he was just connecting his feelings about Buddhism and Christianity together.
Wow, now that was a great interpretation Dynasty! All I can say is... What he said! I guess assumptions that are correct are actually good? It shows the other person was actually trying to understand you. It can backfire though if your assumptions aren't correct LOL I should make a thread about that... Assumptions suck unless they are right Is that assumption or interpretation? What do you guys think?
I don't know, I think even if assumptions are ultimately correct they're still not okay. Assumptions are based on presuppositions often when all the facts are not yet there. It's like, is war good because ultimately a side wins? It's a tough question to answer. It all lies in how you interpret it though
So is it only assumption because all the facts aren't laid out yet? And turns into interpretation when all the facts are there? If someone interprets something wrong when all the facts are there- is that assumption or just a bad interpretation? What do you think? Perhaps when trying not to assume, you need to ask them more questions and get all the facts before you even try to interpret them. The reason I ask is because I know I try to understand people and it sometimes comes out as assuming about them. Is the only reason because I haven't asked them enough about it? That all the facts just aren't there yet? I think I'm starting to understand it...
No, I wasn't trying to say that. Assumptions I think are never good, it is how a person interprets things though that determines their rationale behind what they assume. I think it's just bad interpretation. Well I've always thought that how you interpret someone leads to the assumptions you make of them. I don't think you make assumptions, but sometimes people just make a conclusion before the experiment's over, you know? Many people start reading into something and get the idea in their head about how things will then proceed from that point. Once they have this idea in their head, they see things not as they are but as they think them to be. The best way to avoid presupposing what will happen is to read or listen to something as though you know nothing about the subject first, so you understand the ideas the person is putting forth. Then analyze what is said/heard collectively.
buddhism is'nt a religion in the sence that christianity is, it is a philosophy as well as almost all other eastern "religions" although there are forms of them that are more similar to the three monotheistic religions that spang up in the middles east blah blah blah..............