# If you actually met Buddha



## MaryL (Jul 10, 2021)

Would you kill him?


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## skye (Jul 10, 2021)

What an odd question, MaryL.

What a very strange question.....the answer for me is of course not, like Jesus he is  another Blessed soul.


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## BULLDOG (Jul 10, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


What did Budda ever do to you?


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## MaryL (Jul 10, 2021)

It's actually a very basic Buddhist  question.


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## Dadoalex (Jul 10, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


You cannot kill the Buddha.
There are many Buddhas
They have achieved nibbana.
Some who have achieved this perfect state 
Choose to return to this plane to help others progress,
If you happen to meet a Buddha 
The Buddha will be one of these.
But beware.
No Buddha ever claims to be a Buddha.
To make such a claim would trivialize perfection.
If you meet a Buddha and know it, you are being misled.
The Buddhas who have returned to human form do die
But when the do they can, if they choose, return in 40 days.


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## Rye Catcher (Jul 10, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


Statement:  "If you actually met Buddha"

Response:  I would listen and learn.


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## MaryL (Jul 10, 2021)

There is no honest answer to this.


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## Gracie (Jul 11, 2021)

Dadoalex said:


> MaryL said:
> 
> 
> > Would you kill him?
> ...


Sure do miss that Informative Button!!!


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## TroglocratsRdumb (Jul 11, 2021)

I would ask Buddha if he was happy


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## toobfreak (Jul 11, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?



STUPID QUESTION as you don't MEET the Buddha without BECOMING or BEING the Buddha.


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## Dadoalex (Jul 11, 2021)

Gracie said:


> Dadoalex said:
> 
> 
> > MaryL said:
> ...


I guess.


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## Unkotare (Aug 10, 2021)

Wow, did everyone really miss the point of this? The one time this OCD old bat starts a non-racist, non-xenophobic thread and no one gets the point? That's a real shame.


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## BULLDOG (Aug 10, 2021)




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## Blues Man (Aug 10, 2021)

'If You Meet the Buddha, Kill Him' -- What Does That Mean?
					

The Zen koan "If you meet the Buddha, kill him" has been interpreted to mean many wildly different things.




					www.learnreligions.com
				




_Kill the Buddha if the Buddha exists somewhere else. _If you _meet_ the Buddha, kill the Buddha. In other words, if you encounter a "Buddha" separate from yourself, you are deluded.

To "meet" the Buddha is to be stuck in dualism.


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## Stann (Aug 16, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


That would be an insane act.


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## there4eyeM (Aug 16, 2021)

There is an old Zen story about a master who made the comment, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him!" As with all such lessons, any out-of-context response only displays total lack of understanding of, well, much of anything.


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## Stann (Aug 16, 2021)

there4eyeM said:


> There is an old Zen story about a master who made the comment, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him!" As with all such lessons, any out-of-context response only displays total lack of understanding of, well, much of anything.


I am not a Buddhist. I remember the man. I thought it was some Christian zealot who wanted to kill Siddhartha.


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## there4eyeM (Aug 16, 2021)

Stann said:


> I am not a Buddhist. I remember the man. I thought it was some Christian zealot who wanted to kill Siddhartha.


Not at all.


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## Stann (Aug 16, 2021)

there4eyeM said:


> Not at all.


Well if you're a Buddhist, you're a sad one. Using deceit to try to make a point in a religion just proves to me how wrong it is. I always thought the object of Buddhism was the improvement of self. I I have to wonder what the Buddha. ( Sidarkha ) would think of his 9th. Century knock-off Chinese.  I, mysellf was mostly concerned with the judgmental religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Now I realize it's a systemic problem in all religions. I guess they all employ attack and discredit methods in an effort of self-preservation. The truth can stand on its own.


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## there4eyeM (Aug 17, 2021)

Stann said:


> Well if you're a Buddhist, you're a sad one. Using deceit to try to make a point in a religion just proves to me how wrong it is. I always thought the object of Buddhism was the improvement of self. I I have to wonder what the Buddha. ( Sidarkha ) would think of his 9th. Century knock-off Chinese.  I, mysellf was mostly concerned with the judgmental religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Now I realize it's a systemic problem in all religions. I guess they all employ attack and discredit methods in an effort of self-preservation. The truth can stand on its own.


Firstly, "Zen" is arguably not a religion. Secondly, it would not matter if I were a Buddhist as the comment is merely about a story concerning a teacher and his pupils. And, what "deceit" do you mean? Finally, what "man" are you referring to whom you "remember"?


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## Stann (Aug 17, 2021)

there4eyeM said:


> Firstly, "Zen" is arguably not a religion. Secondly, it would not matter if I were a Buddhist as the comment is merely about a story concerning a teacher and his pupils. And, what "deceit" do you mean? Finally, what "man" are you referring to whom you "remember"?


Yes I always thought of Christ and Buddha as philosophies, it's unfortunate the one has a religion named after him and the other which truly was a philosophy, is referred to as a religion. Whoever posted that original post on Buddhism, did it with deceit ( meant as a trap ). The original author of that quote meant it as a lesson for his adherents. It's not appropriate to use on non-buddhist to trick them to try to make them feel foolish. The person doing this is the one who should feel foolish. maybe there's nothing about honor and truthfulness in Buddhism I don't know, I don't really care. But we wouldn't be having this discussion if it weren't for that original use of trickery. I like laughing with others, laughing at them at their expense is an entirely different story. There is no good ending to that story.


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## Dogmaphobe (Aug 18, 2021)

Heavens no!


Not until I got him to make the sound of one hand clapping, anyway.


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## Rogue AI (Sep 9, 2021)

I'd advise him to change his diet or he'll be dead soon enough with or without my help, and give him a mask for safe measure.


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## Unkotare (Sep 9, 2021)

Rogue AI said:


> I'd advise him to change his diet or he'll be dead soon enough with or without my help, ....


????????????????????????


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## Rogue AI (Sep 9, 2021)

Unkotare said:


> ????????????????????????


Have you never seen the fat Buddha depiction? 





						Fat & Happy Buddha Statues
					

The lovable fat, happy, laughing Buddha represents the ideals of good health, wealth, happiness, prosperity and longevity. The Fat and Happy Buddha is known as Budai (Chinese) and Hotai (Japanese). <div><br></div><div>He is lovingly referred to as the Happy Buddha, Laughing Buddha or the Buddha...



					www.lotussculpture.com


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## Unkotare (Sep 9, 2021)

Rogue AI said:


> Have you never seen the fat Buddha depiction?
> .....


That is a representation of prosperity in the future. Shakyamuni was extremely thin after fasting for 49 days beneath a bo-dhi tree.


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## Rogue AI (Sep 9, 2021)

Unkotare said:


> That is a representation of prosperity in the future. Shakyamuni was extremely thin after fasting for 49 days beneath a bo-dhi tree.


That's the Buddha I see when I hear the name. I don’t post for everyone and every perception, it doesn't bother me if people don't get what I mean.


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## Colin norris (Sep 9, 2021)

skye said:


> What an odd question, MaryL.
> 
> What a very strange question.....the answer for me is of course not, like Jesus he is  another Blessed soul.



Blessed soul my foot.  Neither ever existed other than in your mind.


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## zaangalewa (Sep 16, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?



Sure. Hopefully she's not the boss of the NY police departement.


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## cnm (Sep 16, 2021)

toobfreak said:


> STUPID QUESTION as you don't MEET the Buddha without BECOMING or BEING the Buddha.


I didn't know everyone he taught became Buddha, then everyone they taught and so on. Must be a few around. You'd think by now we'd all be Buddha.


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## cnm (Sep 16, 2021)

Dogmaphobe said:


> Not until I got him to make the sound of one hand clapping, anyway.


Oh. It's much like the sound of the other hand clapping.


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## Batcat (Sep 16, 2021)

I would kill Buddha ONLY if he attacked me with the intention of putting me in the hospital for a long time or six feet under and had the ability to do so. Somehow I doubt Buddha would attack me to begin with. 

Of course my objective would be to stop his attack not to put him in the grave. Unfortunately guns somethimes can and do kill attackers. That is why using a firearm is called lethal force.

However looking at Buddha’s pictures I doubt  my .38 snub nosed revolver would do much more than give him a bad stomach ache.


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## Blues Man (Sep 16, 2021)

Batcat said:


> I would kill Buddha ONLY if he attacked me with the intention of putting me in the hospital for a long time or six feet under and had the ability to do so.
> 
> Of course my objective would be to stop his attack not to put him in the grave. Unfortunately guns somethimes can and do kill attackers. That is why using a firearm is called lethal force.
> 
> However looking at Buddha’s pictures I doubt  my .38 snub nosed revolver would do much more than give him a bad stomach ache.


Once again the fat Buddha is not a representation of Siddhartha it's a representation of prosperity.

The Buddha was actually a rather small and very thin man  more like Ghandi.


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## zaangalewa (Sep 16, 2021)

Stann said:


> I am not a Buddhist. I remember the man. I thought it was some Christian zealot who wanted to kill Siddhartha.



When did you ever see a Christian zealot kill someone - with or without time travelling machine?


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## zaangalewa (Sep 16, 2021)

Unkotare said:


> That is a representation of prosperity in the future. Shakyamuni was extremely thin after fasting for 49 days beneath a bo-dhi tree.


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## Batcat (Sep 16, 2021)

Blues Man said:


> Once again the fat Buddha is not a representation of Siddhartha it's a representation of prosperity.
> 
> The Buddha was actually a rather small and very thin man  more like Ghandi.


I have to admit I have not studied Buddha or the religion.

The Dalai Lama once said that westerners lack the background to truly understand Buddhism. I thought about it and decided it does make more sense to go with the local religion.


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## Blues Man (Sep 16, 2021)

Batcat said:


> I have to admit I have not studied Buddha or the religion.
> 
> The Dalai Lama once said that westerners lack the background to truly understand Buddhism. I thought about it and decided it does make more sense to go with the local religion.


Anyone can understand Buddhism it's not really that difficult


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## Batcat (Sep 16, 2021)

Blues Man said:


> Anyone can understand Buddhism it's not really that difficult


That’s fine. I’ll just continue to study Christianity. The reincarnation thing doesn’t appeal to me. One life is more than enough for me.


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## Blues Man (Sep 16, 2021)

Batcat said:


> That’s fine. I’ll just continue to study Christianity. The reincarnation thing doesn’t appeal to me. One life is more than enough for me.


Not all Buddhists believe in reincarnation just like all Christians don't believe the same things


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## Batcat (Sep 16, 2021)

Blues Man said:


> Not all Buddhists believe in reincarnation just like all Christians don't believe the same things


I was not aware of that but as I said I haven’t studied Buddhism all that much.


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## Blues Man (Sep 16, 2021)

Batcat said:


> I was not aware of that but as I said I haven’t studied Buddhism all that much.


There's a lot of misconceptions.


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## toobfreak (Sep 16, 2021)

cnm said:


> I didn't know everyone he taught became Buddha, then everyone they taught and so on. Must be a few around. You'd think by now we'd all be Buddha.



You don't understand at all.  You don't WANT to understand, so now you mock the subject.

The biggest flaw to theism is the atheists who try to dismiss it on a far-imperfect understanding so they don't ever take it seriously enough to discover there really are things in this universe far above man and his very limited understanding taking him out from being the center of the universe.


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## emilynghiem (Sep 17, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


I have met the Buddha.
And he is us.

(And yes, we are dying and
killing ourselves every day.)


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

Zen Buddhists said that this is the right thing to do


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

Blues Man said:


> Not all Buddhists believe in reincarnation just like all Christians don't believe the same things


The early Christians also believed in reincarnation. Christianity and Buddhism have a lot in common, they had common roots. This was obviously the first attempt to make people believe in retribution not on earth, but in the afterlife, the first attempt to impose on them humility before power and the habit of suffering. Among other things, Buddhism had the first monasticism and the cult of the martyr.
In addition, the philosophy of emptiness in Buddhism is an analogue of ancient atomism and Christian nominalism; Marxist materialism is inherited from this doctrine.


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## Stann (Oct 30, 2021)

rupol2000 said:


> The early Christians also believed in reincarnation. Christianity and Buddhism have a lot in common, they had common roots. This was obviously the first attempt to make people believe in retribution not on earth, but in the afterlife, the first attempt to impose on them humility before power and the habit of suffering. Among other things, Buddhism had the first monasticism and the cult of the martyr.
> In addition, the philosophy of emptiness in Buddhism is an analogue of ancient atomism and Christian nominalism; Marxist materialism is inherited from this doctrine.


What if there are more clues to why Jesus, unlike most rabbis of the time, taught a philosophy of peace and love. What if when Jesus was born, Gaspar, the wisest of the three wise men


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## Stann (Oct 30, 2021)

Stann said:


> What if there are more clues to why Jesus, unlike most rabbis of the time, taught a philosophy of peace and love. What if when Jesus was born, Gaspar, the wisest of the three wise men.....


Wasn't from Persia, as is commonly thought, but from India. And what if he had the foresight to see that by the time he was 12 years old that the rabbis in his area couldn't teach him anything more. If he was able to see that, he would probably say to them these precious gifts do not squander them save them and when Jesus runs out of teachers, send him to me. This would help explain why from 12 years old to until 30 there's nothing written about Jesus because he wasn't in the holy Land he was in India, learning all he could about the Buddha and his philosophy. Just a thought for now; I doubt that the Vatican will be giving up that information anytime soon. Google Books>books We Three Kings: The Journeys of the Magi W.D.Chowder 2001 ( I " extrapolated " from where he left off. Someday maybe the whole TRUTH will finally be revealed. Have a great day and have a great life; this is what Jesus intended.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

Stann said:


> What if there are more clues to why Jesus, unlike most rabbis of the time, taught a philosophy of peace and love. What if when Jesus was born, Gaspar, the wisest of the three wise men


I do not know. The name "Jesus" apparently comes from the same roots as Zeus and Esus, and its semantics are similar to Krishna, the black god of Hinduism. Maybe the keys are there lol

The concept of the modern "Jesus" was adopted around the 10th century under the influence of the Church of the Franks, the first canonization occurred during the Reformation in the 16th century. This is a very modern mythology. The older Jesus in Gnosticism was very different from the modern Jesus. He spoke of the sun, and was apparently written off from Helios.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

The Gnostics also had a trinity, moreover, there is no doubt that the Christian trinity originally arose from there, through the Neoplatonists. And Christ there apparently was also associated with the son (self-begotten), but everything else was very different. In addition to the son, there was mother Barbello (Sophia), and the Father-Holy Spirit. They completely rejected Judaism, and they associate the Judeo-Christian father Yahweh with an evil architect, an approximate analogue of modern Satan. They called him Jaldabaoth.
He was the main source of evil, and Sophia was sinful in that she gave him light in order to create souls. She repented of what she had done. They considered the created world to be the product of a monster and considered it a blessing to abandon it. Perhaps this is the origin of the ideal of celibacy in Christianity. They considered it sinful to have children for Jaldabaoth and his world. Among the early church fathers were the Gnostics.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

The Christ of King Constantine, who established Christianity in Byzantium, was more similar to the Gnostic "Jesus", he was a luminiferous being with him, according to legend, he allegedly saw the light and called him the sun god.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

There is a certain rather simple logic of the concept of salvation in the Gnostic myth. It turns out that salvation is a way out of the world of the evil Architect back to the light that he stole to create souls. Light there is, as it were, chained in a material body, hence the idea that the soul and the body are fundamentally different things.
The Jewdeo-Christians actually rejected this concept completely. Their Christ ascends in the flesh, and their kingdom of the righteous on earth is also material, and their rebellion of the righteous is reduced to the re-creation of bodies.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

In the eastern branch of the Judeo Christian religion, there are quite a few icons of Sophia, which they pass off as icons of the Virgin Mary. This obviously applies to all Orants and all winged goddesses. Many Temples are called Sophia.

 And some of the icons are dedicated to Anahita. Those icons dedicated to the Intercession depict a typical prayer gesture of the Zoroastrians with a belt.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

As a rule, Sophia is depicted without a baby, in the oldest models she is with wings. If she holds the cross, then it is always the patriarchal (Hungarian).


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

Apparently, just do all the temples of the Mother of God were previously Sofia temples, stars are depicted on their domes, as in this icon.
Now this is no longer observed, but still there is a correlation.
And in general, the cult of the virgin is developed much stronger than the cult of Christ. Most of the icons are dedicated to the Mother of God; she is de facto revered more than Christ. This is partly true even for west chirch.


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## rupol2000 (Oct 30, 2021)

According to the Judeo-Christian scripture, she is not a goddess at all and should not be worshiped as a goddess. However, many prayers are dedicated to her precisely as a deity.
In fact, in Eastern Christianity, she is more important than Christ.


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## Iamartiewhitefox (Oct 30, 2021)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?





MaryL said:


> Absolutely not. Buddha is peacefully minded.


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## Stann (Oct 30, 2021)

rupol2000 said:


> There is a certain rather simple logic of the concept of salvation in the Gnostic myth. It turns out that salvation is a way out of the world of the evil Architect back to the light that he stole to create souls. Light there is, as it were, chained in a material body, hence the idea that the soul and the body are fundamentally different things.
> The Jewdeo-Christians actually rejected this concept completely. Their Christ ascends in the flesh, and their kingdom of the righteous on earth is also material, and their rebellion of the righteous is reduced to the re-creation of bodies.


... And the truth lies somewhere in between as far as I'm concerned.


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## emilynghiem (Nov 2, 2021)

rupol2000 said:


> The early Christians also believed in reincarnation. Christianity and Buddhism have a lot in common, they had common roots. This was obviously the first attempt to make people believe in retribution not on earth, but in the afterlife, the first attempt to impose on them humility before power and the habit of suffering. Among other things, Buddhism had the first monasticism and the cult of the martyr.
> In addition, the philosophy of emptiness in Buddhism is an analogue of ancient atomism and Christian nominalism; Marxist materialism is inherited from this doctrine.


The best explanation I have heard of reincarnation was from a woman monk: she said the KARMA reincarnates, not the person! Many Buddhists technically do not believe in the Soul the same way Christians do. What the two teach in common: what Buddhists call Karma passed down from past generations, 
Christians call "generations sins or curses" that are REVISITED on the sons or until the fourth or fifth generations.

These curses can attract DEMONS which many Christians claim are the cause of reports of "past life memories or regressions."

The point of Deliverance prayer is to Renounce past sins and remove demonic influences so people are reborn free of these material sins/karma.

Christians call it Salvation and Buddhists call it Enlightenment, because Christians focus on the Soul and Buddhists focus on the Mind. Both heart and mind, body and spirit are affected by this process of liberation and spiritual healing that removes the causes of ills and Breaks the Cycle of living under sin and karma from past patterns of abuse oppression and suffering that otherwise repeat.

Forgiveness in Christ breaks this cycle.

The spiritual process is universal for all individuals and collective humanity, but different cultural and religious traditions teach this using different language.

The common themes are achieving Justice and Peace for All, which Christians teach as Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The Golden Rule of Reciprocity that is taught in all major world religions. (In Constitutionalism Equal Justice and Protection of the Laws is taught as the goal, where those who believe people are the government enforce and embody the laws directly to practice the same standards of govt we want for ourselves equally as others.)

And the parallels of the Great Commandments that correspond with the "Trinity" of God/Christ Jesus/Holy Spirit
* Buddhism teaches to develop Wisom and Compassion, which align as secular equivalents for  the Two Great Commandments, that all other teachings are based on as the two key principles 
* Christianity teaches to Love God with all our heart mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, which all other laws and prophets are based upon
Then Christ added a New Commandment that we love one another as Christ Jesus loves us, with God's unconditional love and grace not man's material love that is biased and conditioned. So this love of Jesus as Equal Justice joins the love of Man and love of God as one, reconciling the individual with the collective level.

Buddhists and Bahai teach this as interconnectedness or oneness. Since selfish ego is overcome, Buddhists call this nothingness and Nirvana to become completely selfless.

By forgiving, letting go and detaching/renouncing all conditions and perceptions from the past, this is how Christians teach rebirth in the Kingdom of God or Heaven on Earth.

The mind goes through a conscious process of grieving, recovery and healing, so the Buddhists teach different terms for the steps. The Christians teach the process of receiving Jesus as Authority of Law and Justice for all humanity so this uses generalized religious symbols to represent Truth Justice and Peace collectively as baptizing all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit.

The process is universal in affecting all humanity and bringing us together as one. The Jews and Gentiles, Christians and Buddhists are given Spiritual laws and Secular  teachings to guide this process, which Jesus as Universal Justice fulfills equally for both Believers under Spiritual and Scriptural laws and authority, and nontheist secular gentiles under natural and civil laws of science and the state. 

All laws are ideally fulfilled and followed in the spirit of Equal Justice and Peace or Equal Protection of the Laws which Jesus and the Holy Spirit represent at the end stages when all humanity unites and agrees to live by Good Will  by receiving God's Will in Christ Jesus or Restorative Justice.

The stages of spiritual development man experiences symbolized in the Bible can be translated and explained in secular terms.  The process of Peace and Justice by establishing Truth is Universal, and humans just have diverse ways of seeing and expressing it because our limited ways of communication are finite and cannot capture the entire collective process without using symbols. So that is why we have different religions all trying to represent different angles or perspectives on the same universal process that is unique to each person at the same time.


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## rupol2000 (Nov 2, 2021)

emilynghiem said:


> Christians call it Salvation and Buddhists call it Enlightenment, because Christians focus on the Soul


“Correct” Christians who follow Judeo-Christianity should not believe in it either. What is mentioned in Christianity about the soul is considered a vestige of the "polytheists". The concept of Judeo-Christianity does not imply it. There, after the advent of the Kingdom on Earth, there is an uprising of the flesh of the righteous.


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## alexa (May 1, 2022)

Blues Man said:


> 'If You Meet the Buddha, Kill Him' -- What Does That Mean?
> 
> 
> The Zen koan "If you meet the Buddha, kill him" has been interpreted to mean many wildly different things.
> ...


Well there was also a book called 'If you meet the Buddha on the road, Kill him' which was what I thought this was referring to.  Basically this was about not putting others above you and allowing them to tell you the way.  Listen within.  It goes with a saying which was attributed to the Buddha.  'Put nothing above the deepest truth you know within yourself'.


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## Muhammed (May 3, 2022)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


Buddah? That bastard still owes me 10 bucks from 30 years ago. But I don't think I'd actually kill him over $10. Maybe bust his kneecap with a Louisville Slugger, but not kill him.

$20? Yes I would probably murder him, but it was only a dimebag.


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## there4eyeM (May 3, 2022)

The entire story is a joke. It's meant to test whether it is really Buddha. Obviously, he would have the moves to avoid being killed. You would be lucky if he had mercy and didn't put the big hurt on you. 
Of course, if you killed some poor itinerant to test if he's supernatural, you might be in trouble.


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## Likkmee (May 3, 2022)

MaryL said:


> Would you kill him?


Never met him. I got drunk one night and tapped what may have been his sister(I'm not a zoologist)


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## there4eyeM (May 3, 2022)

Likkmee said:


> Never met him. I got drunk one night and tapped what may have been his sister(I'm not a zoologist)


Sure it wasn't him just wearing a robe? Could be cross dressing!


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## sparky (May 3, 2022)

I might tell him to lay off the cheeseburgers........

~S~


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