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Post by clusium on Aug 12, 2022 15:07:58 GMT
I asked Feologild Oakes to make this topic, since he did one on the Lord Jesus, but, he said to do it myself, so that is what I am doing. So, what is everybody's views on Gautama Buddha?
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The Lost One
Junior Member
@lostkiera
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Post by The Lost One on Aug 12, 2022 15:28:34 GMT
Like Jesus, it's often difficult to be sure what Buddha actually said or what he thought himself to be. Like Jesus he seems to have been a wise thinker, whether divinely inspired or not.
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Post by Sarge on Aug 12, 2022 18:12:08 GMT
I know that if I ever meet him on the road, I'm supposed to kill him, so he must not be well liked.
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Post by Aj_June on Aug 15, 2022 9:24:53 GMT
Some will differentiate between Buddha and Siddhartha Gautama. That said Buddha is probably the founder of Buddhist religion, which I believe is the first missionary religion from India (as opposed to Jainism and Hinduism which didn't seek converts till may be 150 years back). Buddha probably had a philosophy that there was no creator god however he seemed not to be against non-creator gods. Mainly it seems Buddha contrasted with other two schools on the following basis:
Jainism - Plurality of souls. Jainism preached eternal and separate existence of each and every soul. People who get moksha can still get back to samsara after sometime.
Vedanta/Hinduism - There is no difference in god and soul. There is only one soul. There will always be one soul. There is no second. Apparent differences between individuals is only due to maya and once maya ceases there is no difference.
Buddhism - Atman (soul) does not exist, and An-atman (or Anatta, non-self) is self evident. However, who exactly gets nirvana is not clear if there is no soul and what keeps taking births (mind?).
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Post by clusium on Aug 15, 2022 14:30:10 GMT
Some will differentiate between Buddha and Siddhartha Gautama. That said Buddha is probably the founder of Buddhist religion, which I believe is the first missionary religion from India (as opposed to Jainism and Hinduism which didn't seek converts till may be 150 years back). Buddha probably had a philosophy that there was no creator god however he seemed not to be against non-creator gods. Mainly it seems Buddha contrasted with other two schools on the following basis: Jainism - Plurality of souls. Jainism preached eternal and separate existence of each and every soul. People who get moksha can still get back to samsara after sometime. Vedanta/Hinduism - There is no difference in god and soul. There is only one soul. There will always be one soul. There is no second. Apparent differences between individuals is only due to maya and once maya ceases there is no difference. Buddhism - Atman (soul) does not exist, and An-atman (or Anatta, non-self) is self evident. However, who exactly gets nirvana is not clear if there is no soul and what keeps taking births (mind?). So which among the categories that I had listed, would you place him, Aj_June? Would you say that he was guru, enlightened, etc?
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Post by Aj_June on Aug 15, 2022 14:35:27 GMT
Some will differentiate between Buddha and Siddhartha Gautama. That said Buddha is probably the founder of Buddhist religion, which I believe is the first missionary religion from India (as opposed to Jainism and Hinduism which didn't seek converts till may be 150 years back). Buddha probably had a philosophy that there was no creator god however he seemed not to be against non-creator gods. Mainly it seems Buddha contrasted with other two schools on the following basis: Jainism - Plurality of souls. Jainism preached eternal and separate existence of each and every soul. People who get moksha can still get back to samsara after sometime. Vedanta/Hinduism - There is no difference in god and soul. There is only one soul. There will always be one soul. There is no second. Apparent differences between individuals is only due to maya and once maya ceases there is no difference. Buddhism - Atman (soul) does not exist, and An-atman (or Anatta, non-self) is self evident. However, who exactly gets nirvana is not clear if there is no soul and what keeps taking births (mind?). So which among the categories that I had listed, would you place him, Aj_June ? Would you say that he was guru, enlightened, etc? I will put him into a category of Guru/Philosopher.
As for enlightened, his followers say he got his enlightenment in the city of Bodh Gaya which is also my birth town and where I spent my childhood (and first 20 years of my life). But because I am not philosophical myself and nor spiritual, I cannot judge who is enlightened and who is not.
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Post by clusium on Aug 15, 2022 15:17:42 GMT
So which among the categories that I had listed, would you place him, Aj_June ? Would you say that he was guru, enlightened, etc? I will put him into a category of Guru/Philosopher.
As for enlightened, his followers say he got his enlightenment in the city of Bodh Gaya which is also my birth town and where I spent my childhood (and first 20 years of my life). But because I am not philosophical myself and nor spiritual, I cannot judge who is enlightened and who is not.
Yeah, I think I remember you mentioning before, that you were from the town that is noted for being the birthplace of the buddha. Yeah, I guess guru is the correct category for someone such as him.
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Post by rachelcarson1953 on Aug 15, 2022 16:46:48 GMT
So which among the categories that I had listed, would you place him, Aj_June ? Would you say that he was guru, enlightened, etc? I will put him into a category of Guru/Philosopher.
As for enlightened, his followers say he got his enlightenment in the city of Bodh Gaya which is also my birth town and where I spent my childhood (and first 20 years of my life). But because I am not philosophical myself and nor spiritual, I cannot judge who is enlightened and who is not.
I can think of no better source of information on this topic than you, AJ. You were raised in it, so are familiar with all the history, yet see it in a neutral light because you are not spiritual. I hope you are doing well!
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The Lost One
Junior Member
@lostkiera
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Post by The Lost One on Aug 18, 2022 11:10:42 GMT
Not an option here but worth noting that some Hindus see Buddha as an avatar of Vishnu. Amusingly, Vishnu supposedly took this form to delude the Daityas (lesser gods seeking to supplant the higher gods) into becoming Buddhists. It's a weird way of incorporating Buddhism while rejecting it at the same time - Buddha was a fraud but for good reasons.
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