Did Jesus practice Bodhicitta

originally posted by: chr0naut
I thought Nirvana ('blowing out' or 'quenching') is the goal of Buddhism - nonexistence or nihilism, not heaven.

The goal of all Christians is to become like Jesus Christ. He was an example of how we are to be motivated and live our lives. Heaven, the Kingdom of God, is a consequence of that.

Nirvana is the snuffing out of the personal self, the individual must die!
Jesus (the man/individual) was snuffed out when he was put on the cross.

NOW (the present happening) is all there really is.
And man lives in past and future STORIES that appear now - nothing can appear outside of NOW.


If you are fearful of life you will be full of anxiety about tomorrow and yesterday...spending life not seeing or hearing the kingdom of God (which is Now) but juggling past and future in mind...full of fear...time is fear.
What is there to fear if there is only now..................now is love.

Isn't Now the truth, the way and the life?

originally posted by: chr0naut
I thought Nirvana ('blowing out' or 'quenching') is the goal of Buddhism - nonexistence or nihilism, not heaven.

The goal of all Christians is to become like Jesus Christ. He was an example of how we are to be motivated and live our lives. Heaven, the Kingdom of God, is a consequence of that.

Nirvana is the highest state of individual's achievement. It is a state where individual finally escape from infinite cycles of rebirth ( sa sara ). It is where an individual become anatta ( non-self ) and sunyata (emptiness) state.

This is the path Theravada Buddhism.

The path of Mahayana Buddhism, however, isn't all about individual archievement or ( selfishness ). It is a path of sacrificing oneself for the benefit of every sentient life. It's more or less what Jesus did, minus the blood sacrificing. It also a path toward anatta ( non-self ) and sunyata ( emptiness ), which is Nirvana.

a reply to: EasternShadow

It is ultimately about realising/recognising there is no thing separate.
If there is no thing separate...then there isn't anyone......there is just this that IS.

No person can become enlightened!!!

a reply to: Specimen

He went thru the amagydala fear overload where he conquered his perception of body fear. It is the fast route to a more energetic body state where chi/light/spiritual water can be sensed as the vibration going thru the body. Stage 1 bliss mode. Not the same as spiritual fire/kundalini flow in a human body.

Buddha had his own version off this event if you have minds to see and wants to know what happens in the body on a quantum level.

But Frank Herbert the mystic description of the the amagydala fear overload is spot on:

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

a reply to: glend

John 13.34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

How can you follow this command if you don't admire or like the person? Is it something you have achieved?

Where is the other one ? Jesus was teaching two Commandments and not only one :

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

So i am asking you How can you exclude the first and greatest command according to Jesus ?

Peace

a reply to: Seed76

I originally didn't see the command 'love one another' as being exclusive. But now realise that Christians see Jesus as GOD. Thus my original concept that Jesus was practising Bodhicitta is wrong because Bodhicitta is selfless love. And as you and others have pointed out, Jesus demands love as a GOD. So he was practising something else entirely. I now realise that Christianity is more about idolisation than being a path. For only fools would try to walk in the footsteps of a God. Its not for me. So I will leave you all in peace from now on.

a reply to: Itisnowagain

"Nirvana is the snuffing out of the personal self, the individual must die!"

No, it's required for survival in this world so is not an enemy. Its more about empowering the observing “I” over the unbridled “me”.

a reply to: glend

Well, not all 'Christians' believe exactly the same way -

- Jesus referred to himself as "the Son of Man" and did not seek Love for himself "as a God", but urged his followers (those who desired to be 'children of God') to love 'God The Father' (Source of Creation)...

...and to love their 'fellow humans' ("Love thy neighbor as thyself") -

- as well, Jesus taught that it is only by loving others (humankind) that people are giving 'him' love...

...to the degree that he considers those who are 'uncaring' of others to be actively 'not' loving 'him'.


I guess my point is - just because many who call themselves 'Christians' behave in very unloving ways -

- please don't take it out on 'Jesus', it's not his fault they got the message wrong..

a reply to: lostgirl

- as well, Jesus taught that it is only by loving others (humankind) that people are giving 'him' love...

"ONLY by loving others" are you loving God? Where's the bible verse for that? In the meanwhile, I'm pretty sure Jesus said...

to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and mind in...

Deuteronomy 6:5
Matthew 22:37
Mark 12:30-31
Luke 10:27

In fact, it was listed as the first and greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:36-38

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

originally posted by: glend
a reply to: Seed76

I originally didn't see the command 'love one another' as being exclusive. But now realise that Christians see Jesus as GOD.

You just realize? Have you not observing any threads where skeptics, like me, arguing Christians with regard to Jesus being the God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit all over the board? Lol. Check threads concerning trinity.

originally posted by: glend
Thus my original concept that Jesus was practising Bodhicitta is wrong because Bodhicitta is selfless love.

There are more than 4 immeasurable to practise Bodhicitta. What you did here is praticising Bodhicitta too. Remember, Mahayana's Bodhicitta isn't about you. It's about everyone else. So take it easy.

originally posted by: glend
And as you and others have pointed out, Jesus demands love as a GOD. So he was practising something else entirely.

God demand love that is true. Buddha demand love, by insisting on his righteous way. Half of Celestial gods and goddess demand love. The other half, however, demand sacrifice and mastery over others through suffering. Which one do you choose? Love or Hate?

originally posted by: glend
I now realise that Christianity is more about idolisation than being a path. For only fools would try to walk in the footsteps of a God. Its not for me. So I will leave you all in peace from now on.

Had Christianity being the perfect religion, it would have converted the globe without difficulty. But it is not. Instead, it's 2000 years of existing is marked with blood bath, hypocrisies, scandals, conspiracies, etc. Not to mention pedophelia is rampant among Christian's bishops, cardinals and pastors.

And Jesus was a lousy teacher who loves to speak in parables. At least, Jesus did admit, he was here not to teach, but to save.

There is one who will teach us all truth. The comforter. Whatever that means... The kingdom of God is within. You don't need ancient man to teach you lousy parables wherever and whoever they are. Lol.

Anyway, practising Bodhicitta Is what matter most in Mahayana Buddhism. So, don't give up.

a reply to: EasternShadow

Had Christianity being the perfect religion, it would have converted the globe without difficulty.

Not when you're dealing with imperfect people who are all allowed free will to believe whatever they want.

While Jesus did come to "save", he also said...

Matthew 10:33-37

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (the word of God).

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

a reply to: EasternShadow

There is one who will teach us all truth. The comforter. Whatever that means... The kingdom of God is within. You don't need ancient man to teach you lousy parables wherever and whoever they are. Lol.

Just out of curiosity, why would you believe what's written in the Bible if you don't believe most of it? Don't you kind of have to know who the "Comforter" is in order for him to teach you truth? What makes you think he will teach it to everyone? Shouldn't you be giving "the kingdom of God within" another name so it suits your beliefs?

a reply to: Deetermined

I was not speaking of God, but specifically of Jesus (who never 'commanded' love for 'himself') ...

Mathew 25:40
"Whatever you have done for the least of these [other people], you have done for me"
Mathew 25:45
"Whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me"


The bible contains truths, but also a lot of conflicting information due to 'input' from various 'sources' -

- the Jesus of my 'experience' is absolutely loving, so I filter what I read thru the heart and consider irrelevant any verses that sound petty or vindictive.

a reply to: lostgirl

I respect your love for Jesus and will continue to love as you taught me. But in the end we can only know Jesus through the scriptures. And the different scriptures seem to reflect whats in our heart. I love your Jesus. But have trouble accepting Deetermined's Jesus. So will continue to think about it some more. Thanks lostgirl.

a reply to: lostgirl

I was not speaking of God, but specifically of Jesus (who never 'commanded' love for 'himself') ...

That just goes to show how little you understand about Christianity and the Bible.

You might want to read the verses I posted for EasternShadow, but I'm sure you won't understand those either.

a reply to: Deetermined

See my edits on the previous post..

originally posted by: glend
a reply to: lostgirl

I respect your love for Jesus and will continue to love as you taught me. But in the end we can only know Jesus through the scriptures. And the different scriptures seem to reflect whats in our heart. I love your Jesus. But have trouble accepting Deetermined's Jesus. So will continue to think about it some more. Thanks lostgirl.

You are very wise and loving others will continue to make you wiser.

It's true that you can only know Jesus and God the Father through the scriptures and that's why we're encouraged to study and know them.

As imperfect people, we have always tried to make God into who we want Him to be instead of accepting Him for who He is. As harsh as some of the scriptures sound, God told us His thoughts were higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways, and sometimes, we're just not going to understand the plan. Just know that God has the ability to turn what appears to be horrible one moment into something glorious the next. God has the ability to use all that is good and bad and turn it into something better, even if we can't see it right away.

originally posted by: Deetermined
a reply to: EasternShadow

Had Christianity being the perfect religion, it would have converted the globe without difficulty.

Not when you're dealing with imperfect people who are all allowed free will to believe whatever they want.

The same imperfect people who decided gospels canons, the nature of God through Nicea's Decree, led billion children into astray for believing in Santa Claus on the birthday on pagan's Sun God Mithra, which is not taught by Yeshua bar Yosef aka Jesus son of Joseph, Your God-Son. So much for keeping tradition in Catholic Church. Christian can't even perform Eucharist rite properly. Not to mention, Exodus 20:3-5

3You shall have no other gods before Me. 4You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens above, the earth below, or the waters under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,

And yet Christian pray to Mary, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen"

Where did Jesus teach this? What Mother of God? What tradition is this, since I don't recall any apostles will recite this in any prayers. Did Paul teach you Christians to hail Mary in prayers?

You Christians are lazy to follow Moses Law, I get it. I don't like strict laws and diet in Judaism and Islam either. But do you really have to make up your own tradition and laws and keeping it for 2000 years?

originally posted by: Deetermined
While Jesus did come to "save", he also said...

Matthew 10:33-37

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword (the word of God).

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Yes there is nothing flaw with that verses. The problem is it doesn't work for me. Why?

Matthew 26:34, Luke 22:34
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."

And not to forget this:

Luke 23:34
34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

Jesus is not a vengeance character, He allowed himself to be humiliated and tortured even he has the power of the Father to pass Judgement.

Our Father in heaven, however, is different. Just look at what happen to Noah's tribes and the rest of the world. Global mass genocide. Still thinking Jesus is the Father?

For what it's worth -

Jesus may not have called his 'Way', "Bodhicitta", but he certainly 'practiced' all attributes listed below..

originally posted by: glend

The practice :

Pray and meditate in achieving the four immeasurable's :

1. Immeasurable Loving-Kindness,
2. Immeasurable Compassion,
3. Immeasurable Joy in the Good Fortune of Others,
4. Immeasurable Equanimity.

Put your prayers into action:

When people need help. Put yourself in their shoes. Ask yourself what I would want if I were in their position.

Love everyone as Jesus loved everyone.

People who use the New Testament as a set of 'Laws' to browbeat others over, are no better than the original Pharisees who held to the 'letter of the Law', but neglected love, "mercy and faithfulness".

Mathew 23:23

a reply to: lostgirl

The bible contains truths, but also a lot of conflicting information due to 'input' from various 'sources' -

This is why we pray for discernment and ask God to help us understand what we're reading so we're not so conflicted. Most of the "conflicting information" really comes from a misunderstanding or not allowing ourselves to believe what we're reading.