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Was Jesus a Buddhist?

AOA

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He was a Hebron, most likely Jewish, and part of the revolt against the Roman influence in that region, Jerusalem.

... Apparently, the Jews (even today) do not consider him the awaited 'Messiah', which Jesus himself declared, according to the texts - but his crucifixion inaugurated a movement (now) known as Christianity.

I can't say for sure whether his teachings were based around Buddhism. That's quite laughable, to be honest - but that doesn't question the possibility on his Prophethood.
 

ajblaise

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Look at the end games:
Buddhists want to imagine themselves out of existance.
Christians want to imagine themselves into eternal existance with God forever and ever.

You are right that they are all religions and thus "are the same" in the sense of what they seek to provide philosophical knowledge for the masses. The truth is that not even all of them claim to be paths to happiness, or morality. So they are all the same, only in that they are under the category of religion, because their core tenets are inconvertible.

By your logic, psudofederine and guafinex are the same. They are both decongestants which try and help us live happier less stuffy lives. Im trying to point out to you that the two drugs seek far different mechanism, and those differences, are fundamental, and cant be waved away.

No, not all religions are the same or similar. Some draw more parallels than others.
 

Venom

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i should of written "categorically the same".
 

Totenkindly

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... Psalm 46:5 "Be still and know that I am God" is not a meditation instruction.

Psalm 46:10.

Minor quibble, but it'll help people find the ref.

So in a manner of speaking, sure, Jesus was Buddhist, Buddha was Jewish or Christian, Taoism is, too, and so on and so forth...

I personally can integrate Buddhist and Christian thought into a cohesive faith for myself (and IMO I actually found myself becoming a better Christian by using Buddhist philosophy to shed light on some particular things), but I know a lot of Christians from my background would bristle at this.

I think it's partly the difference between looking to build bridges between various philosophies (i.e., finding the broad concepts common to each or working in conjunction with each other) versus seeking to demarcate lines between two things (i.e., examining specific applications of truth that conflict with each other and thus distinguish).
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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Edahn, Psalm 46:5 "Be still and know that I am God" is not a meditation instruction. It is God ordering the heathen nations to stop their warring and be at peace and recognize Him as God. If I were God, I would say it like this (good thing I am not God) "You idiots, stop your warring ways and have some peace in your minds and know that I am God before I wipe you from the face of the earth." This Being still and knowing that He is God is not spoken to those who know He is God such as believing Jews and Christians because very simply they know He is God. It is spoken to non-believers.

People who use it as a meditation instruction are taking the verse out of context.

Well, I looked it up, and I'm not sure I agree with your interpretation.

Psalms 46:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalms 46:2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
Psalms 46:3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. [Selah]
Psalms 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
Psalms 46:5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her right early.
Psalms 46:6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
Psalms 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. [Selah]
Psalms 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has wrought desolations in the earth.
Psalms 46:9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, he burns the chariots with fire!
Psalms 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth!"
Psalms 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. [Selah]

It doesn't sound like an ORDER to the heathens at all. In fact, I don't even think the sentences are necessarily related. Maybe the original language could clear it up, though. If you have the Hebrew, I could read it and get back to you. The Aramaic I'm not so good at, but might be able to get by. (Yay for Yeshiva!)
 

Journey

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how is that not a meditation instruction? :D

It's not a meditation instruction, it is a direct command to do something once and for all. God commands the heathen to quit their warring ways and know that He is God. Period. No need for any further meditation. They should just know that He is God. Period. Then the verses go on to tell what will happen when this takes place. It's not a minor quibble, it is a major flaw in interpretation of Scripture to call the verse "Be still and know that I am God" a meditation instruction.
 

Journey

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I have my friends Keil and Delitzsch to translate the Hebrew for me when I need it translated, Edahn. Here is the translation they made that I used:

Psalms 46:8-11

Even an Elohimic Psalm gives to the God of Israel in opposition to all the world no other name than
yhwh
.
shamowt
does not here signify stupenda (Jer 8:21), but in accordance with the phrase
l*shamaah

suwm
, Isa 13:9, and frequently: devastations, viz., among the enemies who have kept the field against the city of God. The participle
mash*biyt
is designedly used in carrying forward the description. The annihilation of the worldly power which the church has just now experienced for its rescue, is a prelude to the ceasing of all war, Mic 4:3 (Isa 2:4). Unto the ends of the earth will Jahve make an end of waging war; and since He has no pleasure in war in general, much less in war waged against His own people, all the implements of war He in part breaks to pieces and in part consigns to the flames (cf. Isa 54:16 f.). Cease, cries He (v. 12) to the nations, from making war upon my people, and know that I am God, the invincible One-invincible both in Myself and in My people-who will be acknowledged in My exaltation by all the world. A similar inferential admonition closes Ps 2. With this admonition, which is both warning and threatening at the same time, the nations are dismissed; but the church yet once more boasts that Jahve Tsebaoth is its God and its stronghold.
(from Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.)
 

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Like Babylon Candle tried to explain, Buddhism and Christianism are NOT AT ALL the same religion, with the same teachings and ideologies.

Usually, the Western world understands nothing about the concept of "nothingness" that is prevalent in Buddhism. They would even find it terrifying, believe me, since the aim is to feel nothing. No hate, no love, nothing... so that "we" could disappear forever and for good.

So any attempt to make the Christian faith and Buddhism close is only a vague New age hokus pokus, and nothing more. It just shows how INCREDIBLY ignorant and prejudiced people are.

Furthermore, there is another huge difference between Buddha and Jesus. Buddha was a historical person, we have many testimonies that he really existed... While according to Historians, Jesus is only a myth that has been invented several decades after the century where he supposedly "died". I'm sorry to disappoint my christian fellows, but we have NO proof whatsover that a man named Jesus existed during the first century of our era. Nobody that lived during these years ever witnessed such a man. Nobody. And even more, all the evidences gathered by the Church (like the so-called Pline's letters, or Josephus extracts, and so on) were proven to be pious FORGERIES manufactured centuries later.

Anyway, religion is only about believing the unbelievable. So I tell you the truth: there's nothing new under the sun! :jew:
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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Like Babylon Candle tried to explain, Buddhism and Christianism are NOT AT ALL the same religion, with the same teachings and ideologies.

Usually, the Western world understands nothing about the concept of "nothingness" that is prevalent in Buddhism. They would even find it terrifying, believe me, since the aim is to feel nothing. No hate, no love, nothing... so that "we" could disappear forever and for good.

What the? You're referring to Shunyata, and what you said has nothing to do with Sunyata. A better translation is emptiness, and it relates more to there being no self, no essential nature to things. They're empty of intrinsic identity.

So any attempt to make the Christian faith and Buddhism close is only a vague New age hokus pokus, and nothing more. It just shows how INCREDIBLY ignorant and prejudiced people are.

Wait, so based on one misinterpretation (namely, yours) you conclude that the similarities are hokus pokus? I'm calling BS.

Furthermore, there is another huge difference between Buddha and Jesus. Buddha was a historical person, we have many testimonies that he really existed... While according to Historians, Jesus is only a myth that has been invented several decades after the century where he supposedly "died". I'm sorry to disappoint my christian fellows, but we have NO proof whatsover that a man named Jesus existed during the first century of our era. Nobody that lived during these years ever witnessed such a man. Nobody. And even more, all the evidences gathered by the Church (like the so-called Pline's letters, or Josephus extracts, and so on) were proven to be pious FORGERIES manufactured centuries later.

This is worse than your last point. Even assuming Jesus was mythical (I don't really care, TBH), the religions can still have philosophical similarities. And they do, depending on how you define classic, essential Christian teachings (and whether you have justification for defining it as such).

Anyway, religion is only about believing the unbelievable. So I tell you the truth: there's nothing new under the sun! :jew:

Only to a person who doesn't know how to think for himself and look deeper into what these religions were talking about, which happens to be where the similarities appear. No surprise you missed that, though.
 

Mole

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Jesus was a Jew.

Just like the French mystic, Simone Weil.

And just as loveable.
 

Mayflow

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As a sort of sister-thread to this, I am making a comparison of many of Jesus and Buddha's teachings on another thread in the INFJs forum, and I invite any and all of you to view it and or participate if anyone wishes. They always like getting new valuable members anyways. :hug:

Infjs Forums
 

Totenkindly

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Like Babylon Candle tried to explain, Buddhism and Christianism are NOT AT ALL the same religion, with the same teachings and ideologies.

Usually, the Western world understands nothing about the concept of "nothingness" that is prevalent in Buddhism. They would even find it terrifying, believe me, since the aim is to feel nothing. No hate, no love, nothing... so that "we" could disappear forever and for good.

So any attempt to make the Christian faith and Buddhism close is only a vague New age hokus pokus, and nothing more. It just shows how INCREDIBLY ignorant and prejudiced people are.

Again, based on the place where you've put your feet, yes.

If you view the similarities in a different context, no.

Let's be a little more flexible here.

Equanimity is rather what the "feeling nothing" is -- acceptance with everything that happens to you, both good and bad. I don't think people feel "nothing" as you have said, that seems to yet again be a Western mind's interpretation of nothing and not what is meant here.

"In the moment" living rather is that seems to drive modern Buddhist thought, where you can feel pain and whatever else as simply part of life, but since you accept it as part of living in the Now, you don't spend more time on it than you need to.

Westerners tend to go to the binary poles: good/bad, heaven/hell, joy/pain. We feel a need to categorize sharply, then avoid the negative aspects and experience bliss in the positive. There is little acceptance of where we are at any given moment, we are always wanting to be somewhere else, living in some future bliss. So we spend a lot of time running from suffering and pain. Buddhism accepts pain in the now, gives it its just due, and moves on as the pain moves on -- rather than avoiding it or lingering on it in self-absorption.

There's also the sense of suffering here that it's the type driven by desire -- we don't have what we want, so we are in agony and we constantly are chasing after what we don't have. Buddhism again sees that as folly: Stop being so ambitious and don't be a slave to your desire. And the less you desire these transient things, the freer you will be and the happier you will be.

I think concepts like that have a LOT to do with Christianity, or at least shed some valuable light on its principles. Christianity embraces suffering as necessary and not something to be run from; and it tries to teach contentment with the way of things, although for a different rationale, etc.

Furthermore, there is another huge difference between Buddha and Jesus. Buddha was a historical person, we have many testimonies that he really existed... While according to Historians, Jesus is only a myth that has been invented several decades after the century where he supposedly "died"....

Oh, so this is where the preaching comes in.
Got it.

I really dislike it when people complain other people's biases, then overstate their own positions. I have trouble taking their comments seriously.
 

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Oh, so this is where the preaching comes in.
Got it.

I really dislike it when people complain other people's biases, then overstate their own positions. I have trouble taking their comments seriously.

Well... I've said those things only once after two years, and it was a rather short remark.

Do you call this "preaching"? According to me, preaching involves telling the same argument repeatedly, extensively, over and over again with the purpose of convincing and converting your audience.

Anyway. I've said it: Jesus probably never existed! You have no historical proof of that. You know, every real historians specialized in late Antiquity are aware of that, I've already had plenty of time to discuss this with some of them; it's an open secret, but you don't have to say it too loud. So what's the big deal? Do you want to judge me for blasphemy?
If you care, then no wonder you would be angry to read this. If you don't, then don't!

Personally, I don't care what you think, I don't give a damn, because my goal wasn't to convert you, or even start a discussion about this. If you're fine with your beliefs or anti-beliefs, then fine! I won't judge you. Basically, talking about religion is a waste of time, since everybody is biased. And that includes myself!

And I'm sorry Edahn, but I don't want to lose my time arguing about how Sanskrit should be accurately translated in English. Again, it's a waste of time, especially here... I know I'm right, I don't care... :D

This is not a rational discussion.

Unless we should talk about socio-history, or socio-anthropology: you know, Weber, Durkheim, Simmel, Adorno, Habermas, Berger, Trigano and so on... This would be slightly more serious.

So the best answer is probably Oberon's. Have fun and enjoy! :jew:
 
O

Oberon

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Furthermore, there is another huge difference between Buddha and Jesus. Buddha was a historical person, we have many testimonies that he really existed... While according to Historians, Jesus is only a myth that has been invented several decades after the century where he supposedly "died". I'm sorry to disappoint my christian fellows, but we have NO proof whatsover that a man named Jesus existed during the first century of our era. Nobody that lived during these years ever witnessed such a man. Nobody. And even more, all the evidences gathered by the Church (like the so-called Pline's letters, or Josephus extracts, and so on) were proven to be pious FORGERIES manufactured centuries later.

Under the circumstances it's really quite painful for me to point this out... but the Talmud makes reference to Jesus, a reference specific enough to claim that he was the bastard son of a Roman soldier called Pandera [Kallah 51a] by a prostitute [Sanhedrin 106a].

The church would have had neither access nor authority to plant such a reference. The Talmudic scholars, I'm certain, would much rather have asserted that he had never existed at all... but there it is, an independent reference from a hostile source.

But more to the point:

...we have NO proof whatsover that a man named Jesus existed during the first century of our era.

I will go so far as to assert that there were THOUSANDS of men named Jesus in existence during the first century of our era. "Jesus" was only the vernacular rendering of "Joshua," after all. Your assertion is kind of like saying that nobody named Bob existed in the 20th century.

I know better, for I have met Bob.

Bobdobbs.jpg
 

Mole

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Don't you think though it is odd Jesus wrote nothing?

Everything about Jesus is written by other people.

So the most striking thing about Jesus is his absence.

And this is precisely what Jack and Jesus have in common.

And just as Jesus has been elevated to the pantheon, so now we elevate Jack.

Of course there are many who say Jack is our imaginary friend; and some who say he is now a figure of mythology; some who say he is a metaphor; and some who say he never even existed.

Jack, they say, is a hoax perpetrated by 900 posts - and not a single one of them written by Jack himself!

But whenever I don't know what to do, I always ask myself, "What would Jack do?".
 
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O

Oberon

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Everything about Jesus is written by other people.

The same is true of Socrates... yet nobody doubts his existence. If someone were going around trying to convince people that Socrates had never existed, you'd think he had an agenda.
 

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I will go so far as to assert that there were THOUSANDS of men named Jesus in existence during the first century of our era. "Jesus" was only the vernacular rendering of "Joshua," after all. Your assertion is kind of like saying that nobody named Bob existed in the 20th century.

I know better, for I have met Bob.

Bobdobbs.jpg

Of course! :harhar:

But I'd rather say hundreds rather than thousands. And was it Yeshua or Yehoshua? :jew:

Anyway nobody remembers that a famous "Yehoshua" was born during that century, famous enough to have let direct testimonies of him.

The only material references were written decades or even centuries after its presumed existence.
 

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The same is true of Socrates... yet nobody doubts his existence. If someone were going around trying to convince people that Socrates had never existed, you'd think he had an agenda.

Ah, that's very different, because we have dozens of testimonies written by people who knew Socrates. So the likelihood he really existed is very high.

But Jesus you say?

Nada! Nothing!

Only forgeries written decades and decades after him, and by people who never met him in person.

---

Anyway, speaking of metaphysics will lead us to nowhere. Kant already concluded centuries before us that we could not have a rational argument over religion. It's impossible, so why should we waste our time, if it wasn't for fun? :newwink:
 
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