As a youth I practiced the yogic tradition with my family, it was wonderful. As a teenager I became profoundly christian. I spent years in true devotion, church work, missionary work there is no room here for the spiritual experiences. I now study zen buddhism. I have experienced several awakenings which have cemented this zen tradition, now it is deepening. I'm not certain what is happening to me. Zen training is revealing that truth is completely individual and could never be otherwise. This would mean a being, a sentient being cannot follow another sentient being into truth. Truths are gateways we pass through alone. We may set a light beside these pathways but that is all. Our Lord Jesus Christ set a blinding light beside for us, Buddha set his light and so on. I have wasted half my life thinking I could follow others to truth. This is why each of us feels so correct in doing what we feel is right. Only in this way can a higher power add upon what has been learned. This is so?
2006-11-28 07:30:04 · 17 answers · asked by monk 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thankyou...
2006-11-28 20:55:45 · update #1
A Zen master now would ask: what is the purpose of this question? Who is the thing that thinks it's asking? And why does this thing ask? Also, reincarnation is not a buddhist concept (rebirth is which is VERY different) but, of course, whatever concept helps you is the important thing (given that all of these concepts are tools and not ends).
2006-11-28 07:36:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I hope that you are not offended by what follows though please read carefully and if you want to discuss it further or something else, another topic. Then please email me.
What you have written contradicts what you are being taught at least from what you have written. 1 You said, "Zen training is revealing that truth is completely individual and could never be otherwise. This would mean a being, a sentient being cannot follow another sentient being into truth." How then can you follow Zen Buddhism into truth, by your following of them? For what they teach you is their way of leading you to a supposed truth. 2 You said "Truths are gateways we pass through alone. We may set a light beside these pathways but that is all. Our Lord Jesus Christ set a blinding light beside for us, Buddha set his light and so on. I have wasted half my life thinking I could follow others to truth." You are still following others into what they and you think is truth. You cannot say "Our Lord Jesus" because you don't follow Jesus as your Lord or you would have believed Jesus when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE comes to the father EXCEPT THROUGH ME." The Bible, John 14:6. This means that only by and through Jesus will you ever be able to come unto the Father at all in any way. For you must follow Jesus and His way, if He is you Lord. If you have no absolute moral leader or value to follow then you operate only on your feelings. Just as a brilliant mathematician said that "he makes a distinction between right and wrong and between believing between one color from another is all based on feelings." A person said that if He could have had the opportunity to say something he would have said, "Sir in some countries people love their neighbors and in other countries they eat them, all on the bases of feeling, do you have any personal preferences." I say the same to you, how, if there is no moral absolute or leader to follow can you say that the way you are going is correct, without trying to lay down a moral absolute by which you follow or believe? Please be careful who and what you believe and who you follow. J.C.E.Jude1:3
2006-11-28 08:36:11 · answer #2 · answered by J.C.E Jude 1:3 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I thought I was the only one in this site that mixes up more than one teaching according to what I perceive representing the higher level of truth. If I talked about karma, reincarnation, Jesus, Resurrection at the same time( in one explainable package) I got lots of thumbs down. I am glad to hear there are others who adopted an open mind and see the truth behind on other religions and able to pinpoint the similarities and linked Grey areas into one coherent images.
2006-11-28 07:41:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say that your Zen learning is only leading you to a truth you could have, should have, found in Christianity...that being that only your individual relationship with God is going to bring you to salvation. As for the "higher power" adding onto your knowledge. I doubt He will. Though another lesser, but highly agressive spirit might lead you to believe you are on the right path.
2006-11-28 07:35:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am sorry that you have left the truth for false religious practices. However that is your choice. My question was were you really a follower of Christ to begin with? Had you ever been saved? Had you been I don't think you would have left. To follow the truth is to follow Christ and His teachings, not Budda or any of those other false religions.
As far as being offensive, No, I feel everyone has a right to worship how he/she pleases. I would only hope and pray they would follow the truth as taught in the Holy Bible.
2006-11-28 07:37:54 · answer #5 · answered by bro_ken128 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
purely you could settle on yet as a christian myself i even remember on issues that are literally not motioned contained in the bible like as an get mutually i dont save in ideas any ufos yet i remember on them . IM no longer sensible if im answering you question so imagine about this dose this human being have a tree at christmas because Christmas timber are literally not something to do with Christ nor are easter eggs why do this stuff no longer offended him imagine about that
2016-11-29 21:42:31 · answer #6 · answered by lemmer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is The Way, The Truth and The Light.......anything contrary to His teaching is false.
Your searching does not offend me. We all long for the peace that only He can provide.
May you find the peace for which you search!
2006-11-28 07:35:37 · answer #7 · answered by Marsha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well put. But your belief in reincarnation should help you to understand that not all people are ready to be as spiritually open as you are - so expect for some people not to understand and to possibly be offended.
2006-11-28 07:35:11 · answer #8 · answered by smellyfoot ™ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is pretty awesome! I am a big believer in reincarnation and i think all that matters is how you find your way to God not how man tells you to especially when most humans do not know everything!
2006-11-28 07:34:01 · answer #9 · answered by daisy322_98 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What, then, is one following?
If you answer "Truth itself," then you mean God. Truth does not exist independent of one to behold it. And for us to behold it, it must exist interdependently with its genesis--i.e., God.
2006-11-28 07:39:26 · answer #10 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋