Buddhism is not spirituality

[qiphlow]

Well, I'd argue... Walter... that people can grasp reality. But Reality is indescribable... as affirmed by all luminaries of any religious or classical philosophical school. There's a reason that Muhammad and his descendents said not to speak on the Essence of God or try to quantify Him... because it cannot be done. Same reason that Lao Tzu said "the Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao."

Besides, we reach that state of total revelation before Truth, the Real, there's nothing else there. Or so the sages, and mystics say... what's there to witness Truth but the Truth? If such a state came over me "I" would no longer be, and were I to come back from that what could I possibly say? "It was great, just great. I can't even describe it." It'd certainly be a life changing experience though.

word.

[Walter Joyce]

Well, I'd argue... Walter... that people can grasp reality. But Reality is indescribable...

And my response would be that they can only grasp that which they have the tools to grasp, and that the human tools of perception are limited. There are sounds that exist that the human ear can not detect, colors and sights that human eyes can not see, our taste is limited, our sense of smell, and those are only the obvious physical, not philosophical limitations.

[Qin'sEmporium]

Well, I'd argue... Walter... that people can grasp reality. But Reality is indescribable... .

And yet we conspire to describe 'reality' with the use of language, which is itself limited and bound by the boundaries of its own structure.

Jaques Derrida - Deconstruction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deconstruction

Essentially, we are bound by the limitation of the language we use.

Thank you

[Darth Rock&Roll]

maybe so, but food speaks volumes, so does compassion for someone else and on the other hand, so does a punch in the face. IN fact, language is one of the least of the ways we actually communicate with each other. IN context to a forum, maybe not so much, but out in the world, a lot can be achieved with merely a glance.

[lazyboxer]

Well, I'd argue... Walter... that people can grasp reality. But Reality is indescribable... .

And yet we conspire to describe 'reality' with the use of language, which is itself limited and bound by the boundaries of its own structure.

Jaques Derrida - Deconstruction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deconstruction

Essentially, we are bound by the limitation of the language we use.

Thank you

Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

a banana really? lol

[Doc Stier]

"....human perception is by nature limited, so limited that we may not even be capable of comprehending the truth of God....as it truly may be.

Maybe I am underestimating the human capabilities, but if you ask me the only thing we can be truly certain of as human beings is that our knowledge, and thereby our certainty of any of our beliefs, is limited by the human condition.

We are certainly capable of wondrous things, but absolute certainty on the answers to the big questions in life is not one of them.

Quite so. Which is exactly why those who truly embrace a covenant of FAITH abandon dependency upon the naturally limited power of their own intellectual capacity to rationally analyze and understand the ultimate nature and power of an unlimited God.

Instead, a conscious choice is made to heed the inner voice of the Divine One and to follow the path that is revealed and illuminated by the indwelling Spirit of God.



To inwardly listen to and answer this call, and to actively follow wherever it leads, requires forming a personal relationship with God, the Source of All, One Who is All Knowledge, All Power, and Everywhere Present in All.

In so doing, the Divine Presence within each Soul supersedes the natural weaknesses and limitations of the human condition, which are otherwise extremely prone to error in all things by nature.

A Wise Holy Man once said, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen", but real faith is an insurmountable spiritual obstacle for many people. They only trust that which is of a material nature, what they can perceive through their own limited physical senses or their own limited mental capacities. People oftentimes erroneously believe that trusting in these things will somehow give them more control over the circumstances and experiences of their life.

It is often said that seeing is believing, yet some things must be believed to be seen!



Doc

[Doc Stier]

popping in late and just looking at the last two pages, hey, where's the buddha?

Good point, John.




So, getting back to the original thread topic, here's an article which
offers a good Buddhist perspective on spirituality:

http://www.explorefaith.org/steppingsto ... ddhist.htm



Doc

[lazyboxer]

a banana really? lol

Derrida sucks Marshmallow-Blasted Froot Loops.
Deconstruct that, soljah boy

[Darth Rock&Roll]

a banana really? lol

Derrida sucks Marshmallow-Blasted Froot Loops.
Deconstruct that, soljah boy

soljah boy? Nemo hic adest illius nominis.

[Doc Stier]

Dharma Chakra Wheel

This Dharma Chakra Wheel has eight spokes representing the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, and a central spiral with four arms representing the Four Noble Truths.

Doc

[Doc Stier]

My first introduction to Buddhism came as a High School student in the mid-1960's from reading a translation of The Dhammapada: Teachings of the Buddha. The spiritual philosophy presented in The Dhammapada resonated within me in a profound and lasting way, and generated additional insights to my personal religious beliefs and spiritual practices.

As to the question of whether or not Buddhism is spirituality, Gautama Buddha himself stated: "Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life."

Here's a link to an excellent English translation of The Dhammapada for those who may have an interest in reading it:

http://www.lankalibrary.com/Bud/dhammapada/preface.htm

May all beings be filled with joy and peace ~

Doc

[dragontigerpalm]

Thanks for the link Doc.

[Doc Stier]

Thanks for the link Doc.

My pleasure.

Doc

[gretel]

Thanks so much for the Buddhist thought, Doc.

I really liked the article but I question using the term spirituality. As in this quote from the beginning: "Buddhist spirituality is concerned with the end of suffering through the enlightened understanding of reality.' Throughout the article, you could lose the word spirituality and still have the essense of the thought.

As the article describes, Buddhist practice is so unlike other kinds of spirituality that I hesitate to apply the term to Buddha dharma. I guess spirituality connotes to me an other-worldly preoccupation with the unseen. But it's just a matter of definition. Buddha dharma describes a path, a way of life. In fact, the same can be said for the Christian gospel. Spirituality suggests to me cultivation of certain subjective interior experiences, and these experiences are the goal of whatever system is practiced. While meditation in Buddhism and devotion in Christianity are devoted to bigger goals than cultivation of the self. But perhaps this is splitting hairs too finely.

gretel