tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post3623267440082763030..comments2024-03-26T16:24:34.218+00:00Comments on Meeting The Masters: Gautama and JesusWilliam Wildbloodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-74158794011838225702020-03-11T12:04:10.009+00:002020-03-11T12:04:10.009+00:00Thanks for your comment Howard.Thanks for your comment Howard.William Wildbloodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-10121244257567886762020-03-11T11:17:56.851+00:002020-03-11T11:17:56.851+00:00In the Buddhism that I am slightly familiar with, ...In the Buddhism that I am slightly familiar with, a married man is not allowed to become a monk for precisely the reasons you give William. Our teacher always emphasised to me being responsible (not engaging in any form of escapism) something which I learn very slowly and painfully. Thank you for all your excellent and thought provoking posts.Howardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-74034262371648609802020-03-07T22:33:49.103+00:002020-03-07T22:33:49.103+00:00Dear BSRK, please don't apologise and certaint...Dear BSRK, please don't apologise and certainty don't torment yourself. All I had registered was a friendly exchange of views. If you have a blog you can't expect everyone always to agree with you which is fine as long as any discussion is cordial which ours was as far as I am concerned. William Wildbloodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-8643509047372893702020-03-07T19:15:19.472+00:002020-03-07T19:15:19.472+00:00Hi William,
I wish to apologize. I have been tryi...Hi William,<br /><br />I wish to apologize. I have been trying to inveigle you, and it had been tormenting me ever since. In the process, I lost my own ability to see clearly.<br /><br />I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.BSRK Adityahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17264227679725849601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-64511830545939668282020-03-05T16:55:42.663+00:002020-03-05T16:55:42.663+00:00Perhaps that's why they don't see that the...Perhaps that's why they don't see that the problem with the self is that it has been corrupted not that its very existence is corruption.William Wildbloodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-74884089828457566722020-03-05T16:22:44.064+00:002020-03-05T16:22:44.064+00:00... I must say I rather like it!
I thought you mi...<i>... I must say I rather like it!</i><br /><br />I thought you might! ;)<br /><br /><br />One of the deficits with Buddhism, as I see it - is the lack of a "Fall" narrative. Somehow they're on this wheel of suffering, with the primary goal to break away from repeated Earth lives. But with no apparent notion of how they got there!Moonspherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015070450886972955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-72111422725060360462020-03-05T15:06:39.649+00:002020-03-05T15:06:39.649+00:00All true Bruce (except for Jesus having a wife whi...All true Bruce (except for Jesus having a wife which I don't believe!), but the point I wanted to make was not so much whether spiritual seekers should be pro- or anti-family as the wrongness of using the search for God as an excuse to shirk existing responsibilities. I think that the monastic strain in Christianity was very important as it preserved a power house of contemplative activity which acted for the great benefit of the whole of society. Besides, monastic communities are regarded as families in a way, what with Father Abbot, Mother Abbess, brothers and sister etc.<br /><br />Hating family in the way meant by Jesus just means nothing should come before God. If it meant anything more radical than that God wouldn't be the Father or Jesus the Son and Mary wouldn't be exalted as the first being in Creation.<br /><br />William Wildbloodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-49812771033864364982020-03-05T14:36:43.621+00:002020-03-05T14:36:43.621+00:00@William - I suppose the significance of the imput...@William - I suppose the significance of the imputed event of the Buddha leaving his family is what teachings make of it. My impression is that it is regarded as an example to be emulated. <br /><br />On the other side; I feel that Christians have often/ usually drifted away from what ought to be the essence of Christianity and towards the positions occupied by other major religions. For example, there is a strong anti-family strand of monasticism to Christianity, which seeks justification in a few New Testament verses about hating and rejecting family. <br /><br />I think this relates to the systematic down-grading of the Fourth Gospel where Jesus is seen surrounding by a small group of loving persons (several being relatives - mother, brother/s and I would say wife and brother in law) - a kind of mobile family - from the the beginning to the the end of his ministry. <br /><br />Or, in a different direction, there is a monotheistic tendency which makes Christianity more like Judaism or Islam; where the core idea is that God is incmprehensible and ultimately impersonal, and therefore our relationship is primarily one of uncomprehending worship and obedience (as if Jesus had never been). <br /><br />Bruce Charltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-73908499757935628432020-03-05T14:26:49.965+00:002020-03-05T14:26:49.965+00:00I hadn't heard of that interpretation but I mu...I hadn't heard of that interpretation but I must say I rather like it!William Wildbloodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-41734506129711924232020-03-05T14:10:19.950+00:002020-03-05T14:10:19.950+00:00I agree with your position here, William.
There i...I agree with your position here, William.<br /><br />There is a great deal of deep, inspiring wisdom within the Eastern tradition, but I must say though that in my dialogues with Buddhists - I am often left completely spiritually emptied and frustrated.<br /><br />I am drawn to the esoteric interpretation that sees the "cursing of the fig tree" as Christ's judgement upon the Eastern path. The Buddha found enlightenment under the Bodhi (Fig) tree - but even by the time of Christ that route had become anachronistic and incapable of "bearing fruit".Moonspherehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015070450886972955noreply@blogger.com