No worries. I'm perhaps not the best person to ask such a technical question. Don't treat my thoughts as the final word on it. Paul
Hi Paul Thanks for info. Although I am not still convinced that we can have a reincarnation concept without a creator God. It may be my limitation. laidback
Part 2 As for the idea of a creator God due to reincarnation, a friend actually pointed out to me that due to the law of Karma which determines who is reborn according to the ripening of their good or bad karma at the time, then God is a redundant idea. Time is regarded as beginningless, as are sentient beings. I'll have a look for an account of The Buddha's Enlightenment online. Paul
Hi Laidback, I wouldn't day that he believed in one God. Gods are part of the Buddhist worldview. They too are subject to reincarnation, and anyone with enough good Karma can become a God. The point is that although they enjoy bliss for a very long time, they are still in the end subject to suffering.
Hi, Thanks for reply. Yes, may be Budhha did not talk of non-eixstence of God to avoid opposition from the situation at those times. Or may be He believed in only one God & not many Gods worishipped at that time and for realization of that God, He felt it more important first to tell people only about righteous way of leading life. Living this way may lead to a Higher reality to all on their own. But do you have any account of what actually he found when he got Nirvana. Did He elaborate any time what He saw that made Him say that He is in awakened state. Secondly, how do you explain the Reincarnation phenomenon without a creator God. laidback
The other thought I had was that politically, declaring that no- there is no creator god, and it becoming an article of Buddhism would put Buddhism in a dificult position. The Bamyan Buddhas in Afghanistan were blown up fairly recently by the Taliban as infidel icons for example. Buddhism has to exist in a world of theistic religions. Having said that, I'm not trying to second guess The Buddha. These are only my thoughts. What is in the teachings is a complete focus upon the present problem - how to get out of Samsara. The classical image is that if a man has been poisoned, you don't ask questions like, where did the poison come from, who made it etc. You find an antidote. That's why there is no emphasis upon a creator myth. Certainly there is no recourse to a God in following the path to Enlightenment. I'm not sure if my thoughts will satisfy your question. I don't mind you asking more if you want. Thanks for posting again. Paul (I had the too long message problem too).
Hi Laidback, Thanks for your message. I think you're right that Buddha did not answer when asked whether there was a creator God or not. The thing is, why would he pursue what is a non-theistic path if he really did believe in a creator god?
Hi, Paulclem I have to split my post into two parts as the words length was not fitting in one post. Further, Buddhist believe in Reincarnation but I find it hard to accept that you can believe in Reincarnation without a Creator God. Budhha looked different from Christ, Muhammed, Krishna and others in the sense that he was human who through sheer hard work and thinking got enlightened whereas others always talked about creator God from begining. They were son of God, messenger of God or directly incarnation of God. You may PM me or send an open post. laidback
Hi Paulclem I saw your comments on my post in Reincarnation thread. I admit I do not know much about Buddhisim but I feel curious about these points. When Budhha got enlightment and He said He is now awakened, what actually did He found out, what He actually saw or realized I believe it was much more stronger than the discovery of principle of Displacment that dawned onto Archemedes one day as he was stepping into a full bath and he has ran out naked into street shouting 'Eureka' I have heard that Buddha did not admit or denied existence of Creator God. After getting enlightened, he was not sure that what he had learnt, He should teach to world for the world may not be ready for it. Then out of sheer compassion, he started preaching about the middle path. Personally, I always wonder whether He held something back i.e. Creator God concept. For it is sufficient to follow the righteous path he was teaching for that ultimately would lead to a creator God.
