When the fertilised egg splits, which half gets the soul??

[Paulclem]

What is the "motivation" that makes meditation "Buddhist" rather than something else? In other words, how does one know the meditation is Buddhist or not?

Thanks for explaining your religious views, Paulclem. In looking at some Wikipedia articles it seems that the eternalism vs nihilism debate is very old with eternalism seeming to be synonymous with substantialism. I don't know enough about this to be able to take a position one way or the other.

There are Buddhist prayers which dedicate the virtue of practising a spiritual path for the benefit of all sentient beings. The Buddhist motivation is the wish for liberation for yourself and for others. The meditations can be undertaken - any of them - without this motivation. They cease then to be Buddhist.

In looking at some Wikipedia articles it seems that the eternalism vs nihilism debate is very old with eternalism seeming to be synonymous with substantialism. I don't know enough about this to be able to take a position one way or the other.

Yes - it's funny how much the debate rages on the forum here between the peole who believe in a theistic religion, and the scientifically/ rationally minded. I often find myself in between these clashes.

Asking the question is a good start.

[Darcy88]

As for one of the 8th paths, they are almost the same in every religion but does any religious adherent abide by them all?? At least I haven\t seen any remarkable effort made by the Buddhists except a cocktail of intoxicants to raise spiritual ecstasy, yoga and practising breath for self-induced death!

This is so silly. Buddhist enlightenment does not equate to any kind of death. Zen practitioners upon attaining enlightenment often experience an overwhelming sense of joy. They see the world anew, do everything as though its being done for the first time. I was never enlightened, but I took my meditation practice pretty far and can attest to the opposite of your characterization being true. Meditation makes you come alive.

[mazHur]

[QUOTE=Paulclem;1101378]

By different sects I meant the different forms of Buddhism, same as we have different kinds of Islamic and Christian beliefs under the same domain.

The correllation between Buddhism and Islamic and Christian sects is not the same. Different Buddhist traditions share the same founder and foundation beliefs, but may have a different method according to the teacher. The other difference is that they complement each other and are not at odds. The texts they use are compatible. They do not argue over religious practice or beliefs.

As for one of the 8th paths, they are almost the same in every religion but does any religious adherent abide by them all?? At least I haven\t seen any remarkable effort made by the Buddhists except a cocktail of intoxicants to raise spiritual ecstasy, yoga and practising breath for self-induced death!

but does any religious adherent abide by them all??

Yes - but why are you asking? There are 700 million Buddhists in the world. Are you pronouncing on them all?

At least I haven\t seen any remarkable effort made by the Buddhists except a cocktail of intoxicants to raise spiritual ecstasy, yoga and practising breath for self-induced death!

I have no idea what you are referring to here. Using intoxicants is not allowed. perhaps you're confusing Buddhism with Hinduism's Soma.

practising breath for self-induced death!

Not sure what this refers to. There are death meditations, but the purpose is not to induce death but to gain an awareness of death and impermanence. Are you trying to attack the practice?

As for Asoka, the story is true....he failed as a regal monarch after he converted to Buddhism.

Not according to this link. Is this anti Buddhist propaganda you are referring to?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka


If we are accountable for our actions in this world, why do we suppose we have a blanket in the other world??? People get punished for their 'deeds'
even in this life.....and the final nail is struck in their coffins after they departed for the stars! Therre is surely someone, someone Above All who is running the show?? Unless we did not believe in him He is always there to take account.

It's hardly a blanket - the possibility that you could be reborn into a lower realm such as hell or as an animal. The problem with one life theism is that it is very unfair and short sighted. So much depends upon where you are born, what the conditions of your life are, who your peers and family are, whether you are born into a warzone, whether there is famine, whether there is a natural disaster etc etc. I see people in the theistic religions seeming to justify these terrible events in a variety of ways in order to un-blame God. I saw one documentary where a young Muslim man who - in all seriousness - blamed the large tsunami that devastated Indonesia - as well as parts of Sri Lanka and Thailand etc say that it was a punishment from God for women wearing western style clothes. Hundreds of thousands of deaths to teach this lesson to this small minded man?

You also hear a kind of terrible pride that can be uttered where deaths are expained as a lesson to the rest of us - no matter how many were killed. The terrible thing is that from a theistic point of view, these people are doubly innocent as they haven't had a previous life to merit such a terrible end. Sayings such as "God moves in mysterious ways" and no-one can understand God do not move me at all.

To my mind, a belief in reincarnation and Karma does explain how it is possible that hundreds of thousands of people can suffer and die in natural disasters. It's not pleasant or comfortable, but the explanation is that over our countless lives we have all accrued an enormous amount of positive and negative Karma. We have no way of knowing when this may manifest. It could happen to any of us at any time. There are no elect or special sects or protected people. Just beings who are usually at the mercy of their own negative actions and resultant Karma.

Many of the things you've said in this conversation are a repeat of criticisms you've voiced elsewhere. What's the purpose of that?

In response to your charge that Buddhism is a religion of no action, if we asked people here which religions caused the most trouble, death and strife in the world would it be a theistic religion or Buddhism? I'd just have to watch the news on any couple of days to see who.

Since now as I have come to understand that you do not believe in God, the whole point of discussing Buddhism from theist point of view would be useless.

I have not googles Buddhism or yet read Wiki and most of my observations are mainly from my travels to the Far East as far as Japan, my school hhistory book taught to me by an English teacher, one or two books I skimmed over about Tibetan Tantra etc ....and a book on Comparative religions and some poetry.

I don't know who waged the most blood shed but I know as little as that the Huns had no religion; the Japanese who fought the WW2 were Shinto Buddhists; the Mongols who swiped and devastated the whole of Asia were a cult; the Nordics were least religious but fought on!!

Almost all religions have different kinds of worshiping practices. Eventhough they are not complementing each other yet they all are grouped under one religion, whatever it may be. Thus Buddhism is no exception. Theist or Atheist makes little difference when it comes to warring and bloodshed....but as a whole Buddhism seems comparatively less intervening and causative of such atrocity.

I am not much versed about karma....and I feel it hard to digest the fact that I were some animal in my previous life and am now what I am!!
I think One eternal life is better than successive living and dying over a time.

as the poet says...

O my beloved!
Dying again and again
in your yearning
is hard on me!
Why not die Once
to put an end
to my agony!!

Or

Don't you say I will perish
when I die
I will but only like a river
flow down the seas!

[mazHur]

This is so silly. Buddhist enlightenment does not equate to any kind of death. Zen practitioners upon attaining enlightenment often experience an overwhelming sense of joy. They see the world anew, do everything as though its being done for the first time. I was never enlightened, but I took my meditation practice pretty far and can attest to the opposite of your characterization being true. Meditation makes you come alive.

I did not equate the 8 paths with Death. All i said that such ideas are envisaged in almost every religion.
Have a look at the 10 commandments for a start.

Meditation is not restricted to or is the forte of Buddhism alone. Many other religions practice meditation. Anyone can meditate....anytime anywhere in the world for any 'purpose', just not enlightenment.

[cafolini]

Have you all been drinking?

Not me. But I can understand why you ask.

[mazHur]

no, just meditating, cafo!!

[Paulclem]

[QUOTE=mazHur;1101387]

I don't know who waged the most blood shed but I know as little as that the Huns had no religion; the Japanese who fought the WW2 were Shinto Buddhists; the Mongols who swiped and devastated the whole of Asia were a cult; the Nordics were least religious but fought on!!

Almost all religions have different kinds of worshiping practices. Eventhough they are not complementing each other yet they all are grouped under one religion, whatever it may be. Thus Buddhism is no exception. Theist or Atheist makes little difference when it comes to warring and bloodshed....but as a whole Buddhism seems comparatively less intervening and causative of such atrocity.

I am not much versed about karma....and I feel it hard to digest the fact that I were some animal in my previous life and am now what I am!!
I think One eternal life is better than successive living and dying over a time.

Shinto and Buddhism are distinct religions, but are practised in a parallel fashion in Japan. Life events Shinto. Funerary - Buddhist. It seems that they are not practised together.

Thus Buddhism is no exception. Theist or Atheist makes little difference when it comes to warring and bloodshed

Have you seen the news recently?