Religions and Philosophies - Part 3 - Buddhism
by P.K.Odendaal - 3 May 2011.
In this part we will be looking at Buddhism, which is regarded by some as a religion, contrary to its own claims, and it has a following of about 400 million people - more than the number of Protestants belonging to congregations. It is the second oldest philosophy in the world, only exceeded in age by the Judaic/Mosaic one).
The movement was started bySiddharta Gautama who was born in ca. 560 B.C..
It was never intended by him that it would be a Religion, as it denies that there is a God. it is merely a philosophy of life which is based on ignoring reality and practising the living of life in the surreal. It cleverly steers away from the practical explanations of life by argueing that questions like 'where do I come from' are unaswerable (and should therefore be unasked).
It is based of four truths :
1. Life is suffering and it may be punctuated by brief moments of happiness - yes we can agree with that to a certain extent - if we also have to agree that there is no God, which was his first premise. We know there is a God and that there is limited suffering for other reasons than he put forward.
2. All things are transient and our ceaseless attempt to grasp at transient things traps us in an endless cycle of suffering. This is a subtle lie or distorted truth, because there is also certainty and hope in God and Christ, but none in Buddhism. Once we loose sight of everlasting life and Heaven, we get into the rut of everyday life and we become afflicted by the fashions of the World. An atheist or cold Christian may well agree with Buddhism here - and many cold Christians seek relief here.
3. We can release ourselves from this treadmill of suffering, if we cease trying to grasp what is not there. We should not seek a rebirth because it will just prolong our suffering. This is patently wrong having followed from the wrong premises.
4. There is an eightfold path - a plan for living that will help us achieve Nirvana - a state of bliss or non-existence. These eight conditions are : the right view, the right intention, the right speech, the right action, the right livelyhood, the right effort, the right mindfulness and the right concentration.
!!!!! We are all bowled out !!!!! We cannot attain these right paths even nearly, as we do not even know what is right, and if we knew it would be impossible to follow them - neither does Buddha know and neither can he follow them.
It is said that Siddharta reached the condition of Nirvana - which is another patent lie, because nobody knows what Nirvana is - it is supposed to be a state where we do not exist anymore, because if we existed, we would have suffered. We know that such a state cannot exist while we are concious.
In fact, it reminds me of Hell. Hell is Hades or the World of the Dead. So, although one is tempted to think that there is no life, suffering or consciousness in that dismal Place of Death, scripture says that even they live in everlasting turmoil and suffering : Mark 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
If that was all, there would have been still hope for his followers, but they seal their fate by regarding it as a religion and living a sort of spiritual life. Spiritual means that they live in another realm, those of the spirits, and they are thus subject to abuse and deception by the spirits. We as Christians do not even venture into that realm alone, as we go there by invitation of Christ only, and then only under the protection of His Blood.
See my article on Religion versus Spirituality
BEWARE - IF YOU GET CAUGHT IN THIS - THERE IS NO WAY OUT - IT IS NOT A RELIGION, NEITHER PRETENDS TO BE.
by P.K.Odendaal - 3 May 2011.
In this part we will be looking at Buddhism, which is regarded by some as a religion, contrary to its own claims, and it has a following of about 400 million people - more than the number of Protestants belonging to congregations. It is the second oldest philosophy in the world, only exceeded in age by the Judaic/Mosaic one).
The movement was started bySiddharta Gautama who was born in ca. 560 B.C..
It was never intended by him that it would be a Religion, as it denies that there is a God. it is merely a philosophy of life which is based on ignoring reality and practising the living of life in the surreal. It cleverly steers away from the practical explanations of life by argueing that questions like 'where do I come from' are unaswerable (and should therefore be unasked).
It is based of four truths :
1. Life is suffering and it may be punctuated by brief moments of happiness - yes we can agree with that to a certain extent - if we also have to agree that there is no God, which was his first premise. We know there is a God and that there is limited suffering for other reasons than he put forward.
2. All things are transient and our ceaseless attempt to grasp at transient things traps us in an endless cycle of suffering. This is a subtle lie or distorted truth, because there is also certainty and hope in God and Christ, but none in Buddhism. Once we loose sight of everlasting life and Heaven, we get into the rut of everyday life and we become afflicted by the fashions of the World. An atheist or cold Christian may well agree with Buddhism here - and many cold Christians seek relief here.
3. We can release ourselves from this treadmill of suffering, if we cease trying to grasp what is not there. We should not seek a rebirth because it will just prolong our suffering. This is patently wrong having followed from the wrong premises.
4. There is an eightfold path - a plan for living that will help us achieve Nirvana - a state of bliss or non-existence. These eight conditions are : the right view, the right intention, the right speech, the right action, the right livelyhood, the right effort, the right mindfulness and the right concentration.
!!!!! We are all bowled out !!!!! We cannot attain these right paths even nearly, as we do not even know what is right, and if we knew it would be impossible to follow them - neither does Buddha know and neither can he follow them.
It is said that Siddharta reached the condition of Nirvana - which is another patent lie, because nobody knows what Nirvana is - it is supposed to be a state where we do not exist anymore, because if we existed, we would have suffered. We know that such a state cannot exist while we are concious.
In fact, it reminds me of Hell. Hell is Hades or the World of the Dead. So, although one is tempted to think that there is no life, suffering or consciousness in that dismal Place of Death, scripture says that even they live in everlasting turmoil and suffering : Mark 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
If that was all, there would have been still hope for his followers, but they seal their fate by regarding it as a religion and living a sort of spiritual life. Spiritual means that they live in another realm, those of the spirits, and they are thus subject to abuse and deception by the spirits. We as Christians do not even venture into that realm alone, as we go there by invitation of Christ only, and then only under the protection of His Blood.
See my article on Religion versus Spirituality
BEWARE - IF YOU GET CAUGHT IN THIS - THERE IS NO WAY OUT - IT IS NOT A RELIGION, NEITHER PRETENDS TO BE.
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